Top Activities For Vizmaraners

Introduction

Active families and those with love for the great outdoors and physical activity will adore welcoming a Vizmaraner into their home. Not only do they bring with them some exceptional hunting skills such as trailing and pointing, but a love for people and other pets. A Vizmaraner, which is a Vizsla and Weimaraner mix, is not called a velcro dog for no reason. They stick to their owners, do as you tell them, and prefer to be by your side at every waking moment. With such an eclectic mix of personality traits, it can be a challenge to think of fun things to do together. However, you can’t go wrong with these activities below.

Hunting

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Hard

3 hr

Items needed

Treats

Noisy items

Obstacles

Leash

Activity description

Both Weimaraners and Vizslas make excellent hunting dogs due to their natural ability to point and trail. Therefore, when you blend the two breeds into a Vizmaraner, you get a highly talented dog that will become your favorite hunting companion in no time. However, to train them up to the correct hunting standard takes time and can be quite challenging. While it’s not an expensive undertaking unless you hire an expert, which might be a good idea, you still need to have plenty of dedication to the task. You also need a noisy item such as a pot and spoon, obstacles, a leash, and a treat to get the process underway.

Step

1

Noise acclimatization

As you will know, the noisiest thing in the great outdoors is a gun. To the average dog, the sound of a gun can send them hurtling for cover – which is not overly convenient if you need them to help you hunt! From a young age, you will need to acclimatize your Vizmaraner to the noise. Start by banging pots and pans from a pup, rewarding them for not flinching or reacting. Increase noise levels until eventually, you fire a shot, and your well-behaved pooch doesn’t move an inch.

Step

2

Learn obstacles

Any environment you hunt in is going to be harsh with lots of obstacles. If your Vizmaraner can’t hack it, they can slow you down. Teach them how to overcome barriers by providing them with plenty! You may like to take them on nature hikes or even bring them to agility training. The more sure-footed they are, the better they will be able to handle rough terrain.

Step

3

Recall

When you’re out hunting, you want to be able to trust your dog to smell something out for you then return. Without learning recall, you won’t be able to form that trust. You may like to enlist the help of a dog trainer to learn appropriate distraction-free recall, or use treats to lure your dog back each time.

Running

Popular

0 Votes

Sunny Day

Free

Easy

1 hr

Items needed

Doggy waste bag

Leash

Activity description

As you will be aware by now, Vizmaraners are high-energy dogs that love to run. If you enjoy physical activity as well, then you’ve found your match in a Vizmaraner. On a sunny day, why not take them for an hour-long jog? This activity doesn’t cost a dime or use any effort, and can burn off your dog's energy levels far quicker than most others. What's more, it helps to keep both you and your dog fit and healthy. All you need to go running is a leash and a doggy waste bag. You may also find a decent pair of running shoes will help you keep pace with your pup! Avoid running in hot weather as the asphalt can burn your dog’s paws.

Step

1

Brainstorm

If you plan on making runs with your dog a permanent calendar addition, then brainstorm a few different routes you can take. If you run the same way each time, you will soon tire of the activity. Plan trips to the local park to run through, or even around water holes and public beaches. Nature walks, fields, and backcountry roads can also be excellent places to run. If you want each route to be precisely an hour, plan them out using Google Maps.

Step

2

Run

As quickly as you plan it, you can now hit the road! Pick your time wisely. You may like to run when the weather is cooler, so you and your dog do not overheat. You may also find it’s helpful to run in sparsely populated areas, so there are fewer distractions for you both. Hydrate often and don't hesitate to take a break now and then!

Swimming

Popular

0 Votes

Hot Day

Free

Easy

1 hr

Items needed

Toy

Leash

Towel

Umbrella

Snacks

Activity description

Vizmaraners are adept swimmers, but they differ from other hunting dogs in the respect that they don’t have an undercoat to maintain their body warmth. Therefore, if you are considering taking your Vizmaraner swimming, do so on a hot day. While the water will help them to cool down, the sun can help to warm their core temperature, so they don’t feel the cold as much. All you need for this free activity is a towel, leash, and a toy. You can then head to any of your favorite water holes and benefit from an easy exercise that burns off your dog’s energy in an hour or less.

Step

1

Choose a location

Vizmaraners love any water, and they don’t discriminate about where you take them. Unfortunately, however, not all swimming spots are suitable for dogs. Before you grab your towel, leash, and toy, do your research. Find out where it’s okay to take your dog and where it’s not. If you’re uncertain, talk to friends and family about where they go. Famous dog-friendly beaches include Huntington Dog Beach in California, Cannon Beach in Oregon, and Montrose Dog Beach in Chicago, Illinois.

Step

2

Plan

Choose a hot day to take your dog to the beach, but don’t forget to plan. Make sure you have a bag with a bottle of fresh water to transfer into a bowl for them, a towel to dry them off, and a toy. You may also like to think of games to play such as fetch and frisbee. If your beach day will be a long one, bring an umbrella for shade and some snacks for both you and your pup.

Step

3

Swim

You can now take to the waves! Take your Vizmaraner swimming and let them have the time of their life. They can run, jump in the water, chase after their toy, and burn off all their pent-up energy. When summer hits, swimming can be the most effective form of exercise for your furry friend. This activity is non-weight bearing, too so is easy on the body.

More Fun Ideas...

Puzzles

Vizmaraners are exceptionally talented dogs, taking no time at all to learn new skills and tricks. If you want to appeal to their mental capacity, then make sure you have plenty of dog puzzles lying around the house. You can put treats in them to reward your dog, then set them up in your home for them to work the puzzles out. The mental stimulation will do them a world of good.

Dog Park

It can be a challenge to deplete your Vizmaraner’s energy levels entirely, but it’s not impossible. Enlist the help of other dogs! Take your pooch to a dog park and let them spring around with dogs of a similar energy level. You will also be doing the other dog owner a favor in the process!

Conclusion

No one ever buys a Vizmaraner to be a lapdog. Even though they are cuddly, affectionate, and pawsitively delightful, they are also a keen hunter with a need to constantly be on the go. Appeal to these traits by partaking in these activities above. You will be doing just what you need to do in order to keep your dog healthy and content.