Bringing Home A Vizsla Puppy [Checklist]

If you are bringing home a vizsla puppy soon, congratulations! Your life is about to change and there is a lot to do to prepare for a puppy.

Not only are there a lot of things to do before bringing a new puppy home, you need to consider what to buy for a new puppy and get everyone in the family mentally ready for a puppy to enter their life!

So if you are preparing for a vizsla puppy, this guide is for you. Our checklist for bringing home a puppy explains exactly what to do when you get a puppy.

Vizsla puppy on lap in car going home for first time.

This article is based on research and personal experience as a Vizsla owner. I’m not a qualified dog trainer, Vet or dog behaviourist.

Bringing Home A Vizsla Puppy Checklist

It can be a bit overwhelming trying to remember everything you need to do before before bringing a puppy home for the first time.

This is especially so for new vizsla owners who have never owned a dog before.

So to help make the transition easier, in this guide we cover everything you need to do.

We have broken the tasks down into timeframes from a few months before puppy arrives, to the week before and the day of bringing new puppy home:

Things To Do Before Bringing A Puppy Home
What To Buy For A New Puppy
Tips For Bringing Puppy Home In The Car
What To Do On Your First Day With Puppy
How To Mentally Prepare For A Puppy

In each section I list the important things to do so your Hungarian vizsla puppy preparations are well planned in advance.

And if you don’t have time right now to read everything in this guide, you can download the free bringing a puppy home checklist and save this article for later.

Preparing For A Vizsla Puppy

When you finally get the word from your vizsla breeder that you are getting a vizsla puppy, it is time to start preparing for a puppy in your life.

From finding a vet, to booking puppy school and reading up on how to train your vizsla, there is a lot to do to when getting ready for a new puppy and plenty of costs to account for!

Let’s take a look at each of these things in turn.

Find A Local Vizsla Group

One of the best new puppy tips I received was to seek out other vizsla owners.

They will be one your best resources and supports after you bring your puppy home as they have a better understanding of the breed than other dog owners.

I highly recommend that you seek out a local or state vizsla group – often called viz whizz groups. A good way to find them is on Facebook.

Or stop and ask vizsla owners you come across when out walking in the local area.

Online Facebook vizsla groups for your country or state are also a great place to ask questions and making contacts.

Make Contact With Your Vet

Once you know exactly when you will bring puppy home, it is a good idea to make contact with your local vet.

If you are a first time dog owner, ask friends and neighbours for vet recommendations.

Give them a call to check they are taking new clients, discuss puppy vaccinations and schedule their first appointment.

Vet and vaccination costs are an ongoing cost of vizsla ownership and it is worth spending the time finding a vet you trust.

Book Puppy School

Early socialization is so important for vizsla puppies. For this reason I recommend you find a local puppy school and book for after you bring puppy home.

Puppy school is also essential for new dog owners, as the training is as much for you as it is for the dog!

Most new puppy schools divide puppies into ages, with the youngest being from 8 – 16 weeks. These classes are usually held indoors as your pup is not yet fully vaccinated.

The objective of these sessions is:

To give your puppy time to play with other young puppies
Educate you on how to care for your dog
Teach the very basics of puppy training.

Puppy schools often book out months in advance, so don’t leave this till the last moment.

Alternatively, take a look at online puppy training courses – these are an excellent way to get started right away if you can’t do an in person course.

SpiritDog’s Ultimate Puppy Bundle is an excellent course for new puppy owners with lifetime access to course materials and access to a trainer to answer your specific questions. Click here to find out more.

vizsla puppy with graduation hat on graduating puppy school.

Book Your Leave From Work

Time at home with your pup in those early weeks is critical for bonding, successful potty training and adjusting to life with a puppy.

So take as much time away from work as you can to be with your puppy.

Expert tip: Stagger the leave of each adult in the home so there is someone home for more time.

Read Training Guides

If you haven’t already, now is the time to start reading up and watching videos on how to train your vizsla.

Once puppy arrives you will have little time to read, so come up with your basic training plan before you bring pup home and get our vizsla puppy training planner to keep track of your progress.

Positive reinforcement training methods are the only methods recommended for vizslas as they are sensitive and eager to please.

This blog is full of helpful guides for training vizsla puppies.

Read these guides before bringing puppy home:

Other useful resources include:

See our full list of the best vizsla books and vizsla training books here.

vizsla puppy sitting and watching treat in hand of owner.

Research Pet Insurance

Pet insurance can be expensive. But so can vet bills.

Even if you don’t plan to keep insurance for the life of your pet, it is a good idea to have it for the first year.

This gives you time to see if any genetic issues appear and also covers you for puppy mistakes like swallowing things they shouldn’t…

Speak with your breeder first to find out if your pup will come home with puppy insurance.

It often gives you a few weeks to secure your own insurance, but be sure it doesn’t run out before your new insurance kicks in.

Expert Tip: Don’t just buy the cheapest or most discounted insurance. Compare the features of each policy carefully and choose the policy with the best features you can afford.

Most insurers who offer heavily discounted insurance jack those prices up when you renew. It is difficult to change pet insurers once you have claimed anything so always choose the best policy you can afford at the start.

Secure Your Yard

If you are a first time puppy owner, it is essential to check your yard is secure.

Make sure the yard is fenced and gated. Check for holes, gaps and insecure sections of fencing.

And if you are renting, advise the landlord you are bringing a puppy home.

What Do I Need For A New Vizsla Puppy?

Okay, so the next thing to do before bringing home a vizsla puppy is buy the essential puppy gear.

Don’t go overboard buying the best of everything! Vizslas grow very fast and you will likely buy 2 or 3 collars, harnesses and beds in the first 6-12 months.

The following list is everything you need for a puppy in the first few weeks:

Dog bed
Crate
Play pen or baby gates
Collar
Lead
Food
Puppy treats
Food and water bowls
Puppy toys
Rubber brush
Puppy blanket
Grooming tools
Poo bags
Cloths, gloves and spray for cleaning up accidents

Last Minute Vizsla Puppy Preparation Tips

You are picking puppy up in a few days – what else needs to be done before you bring home a new puppy?

Here are 5 important things to do to prepare for puppy’s arrival.

Puppy Proof Your Home

Clear the areas your puppy will have access to of anything valuable, dangerous or toxic.

Move cables and pot plants out of reach, put shoes away, install the play pen or baby gate and check they are stable.

Clear small kids toys like lego away and keep all precious teddies out of sight.

Also check your yard for dangers – ensure poisons are out of reach and check there are no toxic plants.

Finally, set up the crate and any baby gates or play pens you are using for pup’s space.

Buy Pet Insurance

Now is the time to buy pet insurance for your new puppy.

If your breeder has insurance in place for a few weeks after you take puppy home, schedule yours to start before their insurance runs out so there is no gap.

Set Expectations With Kids

If you have kids, sit them down and talk them through the household rules for puppy as well as what to expect when puppy comes home.

With older kids run them through the potty training schedule and get them involved with caring for puppy from day one.

If you have younger kids remind them of the rules for engaging safely with the puppy.

They may love a set of our vizsla coloring pages to prepare for arrival day too!

Print Checklists

If you have our puppy planner, potty training tracker, or daily schedule, print these out ready to go.

Choose A Name

If you haven’t already, now is the time to choose a name for your vizsla puppy!

Read our list of the best vizsla names for some inspiration.

How To Bring Your New Vizsla Puppy Home

Most people buy a vizsla puppy from a breeder in the same or adjoining state. For some it is a long drive, for others a short one. For a few it is a plane ride!

It is ideal to pick up your puppy early in the day at the start of the weekend. This gives you plenty of time to get home and settle pup in to your home.

If you are flying with your puppy, speak with your breeder and airline to check what requirements there are for flying with a puppy.

If you are driving, the best plan is to take someone with you to pick up puppy.

Take their new collar, leash, poop bags, a small chew toy, a blanket and a spare blanket in case of accidents.

Also take some baby wipes to wipe their paws if you need to stop for toilet stops. They are not fully vaccinated so you don’t want to risk them picking up diseases on the way home.

Be sure to bring the following things home with you from the breeder:

Breed and bloodline paperwork
Vaccination and microchip paperwork
Flea and worming schedule
Familiar food for a few days
Something that has the scent of their mother and littermates on it

vizsla puppy littermates standing in large white container together.

Bringing A New Puppy Home In The Car

If you are taking a puppy home in the car, keep the car at a warm temperature and don’t let the puppy wander around the vehicle.

The best place for your passenger and puppy is in the backseat of the car.

If the puppy is calm they could sleep in a blanket on your passenger’s lap or at their feet in a bed.

If they are awake and alert have some soft toys on hand to play with or give puppy something to chew.

They may be feeling anxious and cry, so try to be as calm as you can and offer plenty of cuddles.

For longer drives you may like to take a box or soft sided crate (if you have one) with their bed and blanket inside to place them in next to your passenger.

If you have a long drive or an overnight stopover, plan to stop every hour or so for a toilet stop. Also ensure you have a bowl to feed them in if you are stopping in somewhere overnight on the way home.

What To Do On Your First Day With Puppy

Once you get home, this is when the fun begins!

While friends and family will want to meet the new pup, it is best to limit visitors for a few days to allow the puppy time to settle in.

Give pup some time to explore the areas they are permitted to start with, inside and outside the home.

You should then:

Start potty training right away
Implement regular short training sessions
Give them plenty of cuddles
Start crate training
Monitor all interactions between kids and pups
Take plenty of photos.

Above all try and provide a calm environment at home for your pup.

This can be challenging if you have excited young kids or other pets, but it will help puppy relax and settle quickly.

It is an overwhelming time for your pup adjusting to life without their littermates so be kind, patient and give lots of cuddles!

Surviving The First Night

You should plan to sleep close to puppy for their first few nights as it is a big change for them not sleeping with their littermates.

You could put the crate in your bedroom or put a mattress beside their crate in another room.

They are likely to cry at times during the night. If they need to potty, take them out of the crate, put them on the lead and take them to go potty.

If they don’t need potty, resist the urge to bring them out of their crate.

Instead you can put you hand in through the side of the crate so they can touch you. Alternatively offer verbal reassurance.

It won’t be long before they are sleeping happily through the night.

Want to know more? Read our full guide to crate training a vizsla here.

vizsla puppy laying in bed with blanket on top.

What To Expect When You Bring A Vizsla Puppy Home

Bringing a vizsla puppy home for the first time will be one of the best and most overwhelming things you’ll ever do. It certainly changes your life.

Having a new puppy is not unlike having a new baby – it is a huge transition for everyone in the household and the change shouldn’t be underestimated!

Between cuddles, fun games and a million photos (don’t forget to take photos!) there will be sleepless nights, accidents, plenty of mouthing, painful biting, zoomies, chaos and puppy blues.

There will, no doubt, be times when you will question what you have done and wonder when the calm dog will appear!

But if you start on the right foot with consistent training, a support group of other vizsla owners and realistic expectations of raising a puppy, you will never regret bringing your vizsla home and into your life.

>> Don’t forget to download this checklist for future reference

More Life With Vizslas Guides

If you enjoyed these bringing home a new puppy tips, you may like:

Or, browse all the life with vizslas articles here.

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Bringing Home A Vizsla Puppy Checklist