Ive only just got around to updating our Bracco puppy Gallery. 
The last litter we had was last October 25.  I took lots of photos and have more to add yet.  But I have updated the page.  So if you scroll down you will see new photos.

This update shows you also how we raise our puppies.  They have a room in the house, and can walk out into our hallway.  They can go through the lounge and outside.  They are a wonderful breed of dog and know so much very early on.  They follow us like little lambs.  Of all the breeds I have bred these have to be my favourite.  Put a Vizsla on the floor and they scatter in every direction,  Put a Bracco on the floor and they follow you like lambs.  Intelligent and the know things as I always say. ha ha.  

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I offer after puppy care in helping you through the first 4 weeks of the puppies life.  This is because these are the hardest times until you are in training classes.
I tell everyone the importance of training, and with the HPR breeds 6 weeks course is not enough.  You must keep the Vizsla and the Bracco Italiano in training until at least 1 year if not 2 years.  My good friend a dog trainer always says it must be 2 years, and I can see why.  The more structure you give your dogs during growing, and the brains still learning, the better the dog is.
I learnt myself over the years the people who continue with training really do not contact me again, this is because they have a good relationship with their dogs.  The people who do no training are the ones who the chances of not wanting the dog by six months are much higher.

This is the reason we do not like selling to anyone who is not prepared to give their dogs a lot of training.  But it does not stop with training classes as you have to teach the dog to earn rewards, to not demand your attention, and to be a good member of society. 

If your life is busy and you're just squeezing the dog in, dont buy a Vizsla. They are a demanding breed which can not be left for hours at a time.  Those that take these dogs on who will leave the dogs have dog walkers coming in to the house, 2-3 times whilst they are out.  Sitting with pups doing training and you all need medals for taking everything we say on board.  If you are picking the good points of what I am saying and pushing the other points to the back, dont get a Vizsla. 

Going back to our puppies.  We set up now a whats app group and add everyone who's having a puppy from that litter to the group. Also your partners if you ask.  This runs for four weeks, then it closes.  You then get the opportunity to join our Facebook group. You have to find me first on Facebook. Rachel Savage, and then I add you to the group. 
During the four weeks you can contact me privately on whats app for any advice.  I call it behavioural advice but in all honesty puppies do not go away with behaviour problems.  Because all puppies do the same thing, and it's all normal behaviour.  When it steps into behaviour is when a dog realises it is the boss, it can run rings around you, and then I can give you little tips how to over come them.

I know breeders who have young puppies returned, and it's not the puppy's fault.  I now run a puppy academy and Im branching new ideas at the moment to help owners.  It's gradually coming together in my mind how to go forward. 

My friends call me an expert in the HPR breed and yes I suppose being in the breed over 30 years qualifies me to say I am. I hope everyone can take something from what I say and make it work with their puppies.  All puppies are different and all have individual characters.  The dogs we own are a privilege and we should really make it work to the best of our ability.

So welcome to those of you who are about to join us in our new puppy adventures with Brandi litter coming up soon followed by Candy litter.

We may then take a break from Vizsla litters until next year.  But we are undecided yet.  As these puppies wont leave until October that we have coming up, which takes us into the end of the year and I really like December clear of HPR puppies.  As we have lots to do. 

​Regards Rachel 

We popped along to a little open show close to us, and darryl did another days stewarding which is required for judging.  In fact I think he may of completed his stewarding now. I have to go through all the paper work for him.  

At the show we were extremely proud as in the puppy group at the end of the day TWO silvestres presented in group and TWO GOT IN THE GROUP!!!!  Thats not often you see this. It's quite an achievement to see two different breeds both pulled out in a group to be best puppies in show. 

First was Dalton and in his breed class he won:
1st puppy class.  Best puppy in breed, then Puppy group 1.

His sister Maeve was also in puppy class and was 3rd behind him.  I then took her home and she had a fabulous time.

Nova was presented in the Vizsla breed ring, and was 1st Puppy, Best puppy, then she went into the group and was 4th in group.

So what does all this mean you may ask if you have never done it before.

The best puppy of each breed goes against each other later in the day, and it's called the Group ring. 
So best Labrador, best retriever, best cocker and so on.  It's a big group.  The best in show judge then goes over each one, and pulls out 1st to 4th, and the rest go home.  The first place then goes against another category.  So the first in Gundog group which was Dalton, went against then the best toy group, best utility group and so on.  He did not get pulled out at this stage, but what an awesome day and it's a high achievement to say we bred the best Gundog puppy in show today. 

Nova was group 4, so she was 4th best Gundog puppy in the show.  This was Novas last puppy show.  Because she is going to be 1 years old in August.  She then goes into Junior classes. 

Roxa was present and got RBOB in Vizsla.   She looked absolutely love. 

It has been a busy and hugely expensive 2 weeks. When individuals question why the costs of our puppies is a little more than others, below is the reason.  We are using the money to health test the next generation. So each dog is fully health tested.  We could just stick with the 4 recommendations for the KC, but this would not be enough.  You are selecting puppies from highly health tested individual dogs which in the long run saves you thousands of vet bills.

​To do your part when you buy a puppy we highly advise pet health insurance so you are covered for all the things we cannot predict in live.    

The next Generation of breeding dogs we have nearly completed now the final tests.  Although I am sure there will be another health test that I think is worth doing soon. 
New DNA tests come out each year for breeds of dogs, when labs find dna markers.  We desperately need more dna markers in the breeds we own.  Bracco are by far behind Vizsla.  It was by pure chance  I stumbled across a site offering 3 for Bracco italiano.  I hope that  breeders get on board and have it done as it will make a wider available range of studs for us to use in the future.  

Katie Hip scored & Elbow scored

Bailey Hip scored & elbow scored

Nancy DNA tested HUU, PRCD, DM - CLEAR

Nancy eye tested BVA - Clear

Django Eye tested Glaucoma Tested

Django DNA tested EIC

Willow Eye tested - Clear. 
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I took Candy today for an ultrasound scan.  She has showed such little signs of being pregnant I had almost convinced myself she was not pregnant.  For example the subtle signs were there, but zero stomach.  So what are subtle signs.  Vulva stays enlarged from mating.  They go off food.  Their nipples may seem more rounded.  That was about it.  To be told she has at least 9 was a shock to say the least.  She's hiding them so very well. 

​Candy is due in August, and puppies ready to go October time. 

Please think carefully before buying any breed of dog and research why that breed was originally developed. The behaviour traits you read about may not align with the type of pet you’re looking for.


For example, a Vizsla is often described as a “velcro dog.” That doesn’t mean it’s simply affectionate and likes sofa time when you feel like it. It means the dog wants to be fully involved in your day-to-day life—close to you and part of everything you do.


If you work, not all Vizslas will comfortably fit into a schedule that leaves them alone for long periods. Even if you work from home, many Vizslas still need your attention. They are a working hunting breed: intelligent, highly driven, and also strongly bonded to their handler. This was developed early on because the dogs lived with the hunters and were part of the work—not placed on the sidelines for hours while the humans were busy.


I also think many people misunderstand the term “velcro.” They assume it only means cuddles on demand. The downside is that a velcro-type dog may genuinely struggle with being left alone. So it’s important to read each breed’s traits carefully and truly consider what they mean for your lifestyle.


Unfortunately, I meet a lot of people who tell me they researched the breed online, decided it “sounds perfect,” and then realised later that they were only considering weekends. They love going walking on Saturdays and Sundays, but they forget that the Vizsla needs engagement and purpose throughout the rest of the week.


Vizslas aren’t a dog you can pick up on weekends and then ignore the rest of the time. Training is essential, including structured weekly classes through adolescence. Plan for two proper walks every day, plus training and mental stimulation built into that routine.


For the first two years, the breed needs a structured approach. They’re not a dog you can simply put outside while you get on with other tasks. Boredom can set in quickly, and a bored Vizsla may start destroying gates, squeezing through fences, climbing barriers, or barking at every noise.


They need structure throughout the day. If you’re working, you’ll likely need dog daycare or a reliable dog walker during that time. Of course, you can overstimulate any dog—but the Vizsla is a high-energy, high-activity breed and one of the most agile in the gundog group.


They’re a breed I genuinely couldn’t live without. Because I love the companionship they give us.  They are ready to go and do simply anything.  They love holidays with their owners, being on the beach, walking the fells, and enjoying the countryside as much as we do.  This bond with dog and owner is the strongest and they are a pretty amazing dog.  I love mine so much, and although I will tell everyone the downsides to the breed because I think thats fair, I also will admit to how much they mean to me.  

I am doing this post so that you can learn about health testing for the Hungarian Vizsla.

Health tests are usually set out as a recommendation by the Royal Kennel club.  But it does not mean you have to do them to have a registered puppy. Their are 4 health tests that the Royal kennel club set out as a recommendation to do before you breed from your dog and they are:

• Glaucoma testing
• BVA yearly eye exam by specialist vet. 
• Hip scoring
• Elbow scoring. 

So to the first question.  

If we do these exams will it totally guarantee your puppy will not get those health issues in life?  The answer is a big NO. Sorry I wish it was not the case, but it's true.  So why is this?

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Because genetics do not work in the way we would like them too.  

Most elbow or hip dysplasia is evident around 5 months of age.  For some it is later.  But you would not know this on an 8 week old puppy.  

Remember over exercise of your baby puppy can really damage joints so be very careful what you do.  

What causes it? Several factors.  

• Injury
• Over exercise too early.
• Incorrect diet
• Early castration or spaying. 
• Inherited.  100's of genes are at play to cause it.

Can it be prevented ? Generally no, except if you have over exercised your puppy or given incorrect diet, or you have done early castration or spaying, or the dogs had an injury.  But if its true inherited their is nothing that could have been done to stop it.  Because it was bad luck all those genes came together. 

So why hip and elbow score?  Because the thoughts are that if you continue to breed through dogs which have excellent scores, then the offspring should follow suit.  The more dogs scored in the gene pool would suggest the elimination of hip and elbow dysplasia.  However we have been doing this for 30 years. We hip scored our Weimaraner's when others were not doing it.  Same with Vizsla. 
The hope is that with hundreds of good scores in the pedigree you will continue to get good scores in the offspring.  So this is why it's done. But it's no guarantee. 

The Kennel club set out a breed average score and this means they take all the dogs done at the UK BVA scoring and take the average best score.  But it's probably very incorrect at the moment as most dogs are done in Australia.  

So why are dogs being done in Australia?
During Covid the UK BVA slipped up, and stopped scoring dogs. Then when they came back to it the back log was so long, that breeders like ourselves could not wait for months at a time for a result.  The Australian scheme was identical, and did a turn around of 2 days, plus was less money.  So we went there, as did most of the UK.  Gradually however breeders are going back to the bva scoring system, but we have not.  We decided to stick with Australia because they are still quicker and little cheaper.  Not a lot but little and every little helps.  

But it does not end at those tests.  Because we have available now private companies offering breeders health tests by DNA testing dogs to check for genetic diseases.  Breeders who truly want to get on board and eliminate those health issues will do the testing.   The majority however are not doing the testing.   We've always based our pricing of puppies on the amount of tests we do on the parents, because it can save a small fortune in the end at vets with some of these horrible diseases. 
But not all breeders can afford the testing.  Most puppies that come from parents of little testing may not be priced as much as those that have.  But its a drop in the ocean because you truly do get what your paying for.  But check the breeder as we see some pricing puppies at £2600 and hardly any health testing has been done.  So it's up to you to find value for money.  Value is lots of health testing done for your money paid. 

How to DNA tests work ?

Well sadly I wish we had DNA markers for lots more health issues, but there are NO DNA MARKERS in may other Vizsla health issues! SO WE CAN NOT DO THEM AS THEY DO NOT EXISIT.

You would hope that dna markers would have become more available for Vip, Epilepsy above any other health test.  But because if we take Epilepsy as an example, we are unsure if it's as simple as one gene from each parent is the cause, or its multiple genes, making it polygenic. Or if it's not hereditary at all.  But good news is there is some research going on now.  But it may not be to gain a genetic DNA marker, it maybe just to understand whats going on with the dogs. 

So going back to the tests that are available what do we do?

We do a variety of health tests, and I base it on when people call me looking for dogs and may of lost a dog to a health issue its usually means its in the UK breed.  I get a number of people ringing me up saying Ive lost a dog to ECLE do you test for it as our breeder did not. I can say yes we do. 

• ECLE
• DD
• DM
• CA
• HUU
• EIC
• LH
• FF

I found recently some other tests are now available.  So Im going to look at them and see if they are going to benefit our Vizsla team. 
Some of our bitches have not been tested and the reason is both of their parents we owned and we have the test results for those parents as they are hereditary CLEAR of those genetic diseases. Which is great.  So I have kept back the paperwork from those parents in a file so I can show you. 

I take no offence when someone asks to see all the paperwork on a visit.  I welcome it!  

So how do you avoid having health issues if theirs no health testing.  Well it's blooming hard I can tell you. We breed by avoidance.  So for example if we put two parents together and ended up with a health problem we would not mate them together again. But we would not exclude them from the gene pool as we would use a different bloodline on the mum.  Or dad depending how it worked.  So it's called breeding by avoidance.  If it happened again to the same mum, or dad, then we would retire her/him out.   Because a dog maybe a carrier and not effected, and all you have to do is find a different bloodline.  Of course there is no guarantee that dog also would not carry it. Because thats life. 

In raw 1970'a DNA TEST FOR A BREED CAME OUT.  The breed clubs said do not use any carrier, or affected dog. Only breed clears.  They eliminated practically the whole genetic gene pool, ending up with a few bloodlines left.  Then suddenly they had Epilepsy, suddenly they had Addisons, and so on.  The breed ended up far more unhealthy.  They had to reverse what they said.  So carriers can be mated to clears because none of the puppies will be affected.  But it's down to the breeder then to health test their puppy they kept, and do the same thing again.

You do not breed CARRIER to CARRIER. or EFFECTED TO EFFECTED. 

Also remember these DNA tests are what we call TOOLS for breeding.  Tools for us not you.  Because we use them to avoid inherited diseases.   What better way really to help our lovely breed. 

I can promise you I am trying my best as a human placed on this earth to help our lovely breed.  I take each breeding mindfully and do the best with what I have.  I import dogs to help genetic diversity. I import semen to help. I use compete outcrosses where I can.  Everything we do is to help our dogs future gene pools.  If we produce something we are very sorry and we do endeavour to work around issues.  I remember stopping a Weimaraner line years ago due to producing two litters of entropion. I stopped another line where I saw aggression.  I am mindful and I change things where I can.  

We have to recognise that we are only human, we do our best. It does not always work, but at least we have tried.  Where our dogs are concerned we do far more health tests than anyone else I know.  Well I know one other breeder and she's my dearest friend.   I love her because we are on the same page. xx

Team Silvestre have been having quite the week at dog shows.  Congratulations everyone and in particular to Nicki Winkworth with Silvestre Fit as a Fiddle winning her second CC.  1 more and she is an English show champion which is very difficult to achieve so I am so proud.

So here are the results from shows this week. 

Boston open show

Silvestre Pop Soda Pop - First puppy class, Best puppy, Best of Breed, short listed in adult group, Puppy group 2.  Wow, Congratulations to Ian Sladden, Linda Forbes and handled by Gemma. 

Boston Championship show.

Bracco
 Silvestre Pop Soda pop - First minor puppy dog. First puppy dog, and best puppy dog. 
Silvestre stolen kiss - first post grad dog, First special beginners. Group 4. 
Silvestre Golden Dragon - 5th Open dog. 

Vizsla
Silvestre Fit as a fiddle - 1st limit bitch, BITCH CC WINNER (Her second)

I would like to thank judges, for Boston open show Lara Coghlan. Boston champ show, Marion sergeant, and Betty smith for your placing of our team today. xx


We had booked our Bracco girls but we could not make it. Sadly Darryl had to work and there was no-one here for the dogs, so I had to stay home. I always arrange cover when Im not here and this week I just had to accept it was a no go.  I would have booked the Vizsla but when I booked their is always a high chance summer time that I cant go when work clashes with dog shows.  Darryl is self employed and sometimes you just have to work through.  Hopefully I will make the next show as it a local open show up the road, and then another champ show during July.  Then it will be a little break again until we can find time.  In the mean while we enjoy our teams wins more than our own.  

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