For more information contact Penny at pfenton3@aol.com, 208.343.6620 h or 208.859.5698 c. Click here to fill out an application online.

VINNIE - Adoption pending
Vinnie is a brand new to us 2-yr old vizsla/lab (b. 5/2008) looking for a home because of a run in with a neighbor's cat. Vinnie was raised with a cat of his own but this cat was loose on Vinnie's property and when it ran it was too much for a young bird dog to resist (the cat lived, btw). Besides his cat, Vinnie's other best buddy was a dachshund so he is fine with dogs of all sizes, well socialized with children and has an incredibly nice temperament. He's a tall, lanky boy at 70-lbs and 25-inches so if you are looking for a gentle giant buddy who can snuggle with you at home but keep up with you on the trail and be everybody's friend, Vinnie might just be the guy for you! He is also great with horses and would be a wonderful trail riding buddy. More photos here. (Vinnie is in Boise ID)

For more information contact Penny at pfenton3@aol.com, 208.343.6620 h or 208.859.5698 c. Click here to fill out an application online.

FIONA - Adopted!
Fiona was returned to rescue when her previous adopter had to move out of town and couldn't take her. She is now 6-1/2 yrs old (b. 8/2003), a petite 37-lbs and could stand to gain a few if you have any tricks to accomplish that! She is a master snuggler and cuddler and would love a home with adults who will take her hiking/running, let her sleep in the bed and sit in their lap. She has decent recall on the trail especially with other dogs because she follows them. She likes kids okay but would prefer not to live with them and she is not good with cats. Currently she goes to doggie day care regularly to give the cat in her foster home a break. She is fine with other dogs but could really take them or leave them. People are what she cares about, not dogs. She loves car rides and being with her humans wherever they are. She is good about nail trims, ears and vet visits but can be collar sensitive when she's excited. She is a bit of a princess so if you like your vizslas sassy then "Princess Fiona" might be the dog for you! Fiona is looking for a home within a day's drive of southern Idaho.

Jun 2010: Fiona made huge progress this month when she learned she could be in the same room with a cat... and still breathe, not salivate and even perhaps take a nap. While we would not leave her alone with a cat, we do feel she is manageable with a dog savvy cat. She is more afraid of Jake than aggressive and she is more relaxed with him every day.

More photos here. Fiona can often be seen on the webcam at The Downtown Hound weekdays from 9 to 5 Mountain time. (Fiona is in Boise ID)

For more information contact Penny at pfenton3@aol.com, 208.343.6620 h or 208.859.5698 c. Click here to fill out an application online.

ELLA - Adopted!
Ella is an 8-yo female (b. 1/21/2002) looking for a new home due to life changes in her original family. She is friendly and sweet and a relatively small vizsla at about 45-lbs. She is on medication for infrequent anxiety attacks and her foster home is making progress with her... trying to figure out what her triggers are and how to manage the spells when they occur. She does not have separation anxiety in our opinion but a bee in the house can set off a panic attack that last 15-20 minutes. She is not crate trained although she eats in her crate as long as the door is open. She travels reasonably well in the car. If you have the experience to deal with her special needs, you won't find a sweeter dog than Ella, but she does need a home with the patience and experience to help her work through her "spells". She is excellent with other dogs, cats and people. She is fine meeting kids of all ages while out on a hike but would not do well living with young children who are too young to understand when she needs her space. More photos (Ella is in Boise ID)

Here are some short videos showing a typical panic attack:
Ella panic attack 1
Ella panic attack 2

Jul 2009: Ella just returned from a 10-day road trip to Olympia, Seattle, Orcas Island & the Olympic Peninsula where she traveled like a pro! She had a couple panic attacks (reaction to fireworks?) where we needed to intervene but overall she was a great traveler and motel camper extraordinaire. We discovered she LOVES water and is in heaven with a tennis ball in her mouth.

Nov 2009: Ella has been moved to our foster home in Moscow ID where Teresa reports she is doing well with the resident dogs, cats and horses. She would do best in a situation similar to her foster home where someone lives where they work and can take Ella with them if they have to be away.

Jun 2010: Ella came back to Boise this month when she started having panic attacks related to bees/flies, tractors in the field and crop dusting planes flying over in the rural area. She is as special as ever and so far and has had no problem settling back into the pack and city life. This past weekend she accompanied us on a trip to the Henrys Fork to say our godd-byes to Frank and she had a grand time hiking along the river and diving for sunken logs to try and get us to toss for her. Ladybug & Annie gave her a run for her money though in the fetch department! She did have a couple of episodes in the car that were manageable but she will require a home willing/able to manage the occasional panic attacks. Ella can often be seen on the webcam at The Downtown Hound weekdays from 9 to 5 Mountain time. She's the vizsla with the white *mask* and short tail.

For more information contact Penny at pfenton3@aol.com, 208.343.6620 h or 208.859.5698 c. Click here to fill out an application online.

DONNY
We will never understand why someone can have a dog for 10+ years and then not look for him when he gets lost. "Donny" is an approx 10-yr old purebred vizsla who was a shelter stray and his owner didn't come for him. He's not the most handsome vizsla in the world but he's a friendly old boy and the short tail dock is not his fault! He rides well in the car, walks nicely on a lead, has been fine with the other dogs in his foster home and is manageable with cats. He is interested in the cat but a simple "uh-uh" distracts him. His house manners are good despite the fact that he was probably an outside dog and requires an invitation to come inside. He does not get on the furniture... yet. If you liked Walter Matthau's character in the film Grumpy Old Men you will LOVE Donny!
Oct 12 2007: Donny underwent surgery this week to remove a tumor on his spleen and we are hopeful for a full recovery. We doubt the surgery will improve his attitude but he manages the chaos in his foster home like a gentleman. Donny is not great meeting other dogs but once he settles into his pack he does well.... including a newly added chi/doxie mix!
Oct 28 2007: Good news! Donny's tumor was not cancer and we hope he still has several good years ahead of him. He doesn't like pushy dogs who get in his face and will tell them so but he learns quickly that being a jerk makes the petting stop so he puts up with them. Donny is a counter cruiser and dumpster diver so we recommend crating when you are gone. If you have a calm home with room on the couch for one more dog please consider Donny. A home within a day's drive of Boise ID is preferred.
More photos. (Donny is in Boise ID)

(We would like to thank the VCA Welfare Foundation and the Vizsla Rescue Fund for their assistance with Donny's medical bills.)

May 27, 2009: Happy Anniversary! Donny passed his 2 year anniversary in foster care over Memorial Day weekend 2009. It's a milestone we wish no vizsla has to experience because we would much rather they find a home all their own to spoil them rotten but, like Eddy before him, we figure Donny knew all along he was as home as he was ever gonna get. He has not been an easy dog to live with but he seems quite pleased with himself overall. In two years he has never learned to get on the furniture (it just never occurs to him) and he still waits to be asked to come inside when the door opens but he is always the first to try out a new floor pillow and he LOVES loves loves fresh blankets in his crate. Welcome home, Donny.

Feb 2010: Donny has new friends. Besides the great staff at Boise Kennels
who provide daycare for Donny while Penny works, Kathy & Jim have become Donny's guardian angels and watch him frequently when we have to go out of town, to a class or just have errands to run. He loves his daily walks with Dahlia and lounging around the house... his specialty! It helps us to know other people can see past Donny's problems and appreciate him for the special dog he is. Their home is one of the few places where he truly seems to relax.

For more information contact Penny at pfenton3@aol.com, 208.343.6620 h or 208.859.5698 c. Click here to fill out an application online.

Other great dogs looking for homes:
Disclaimer: UT-ID Vizsla Rescue does not warrant the temperament, health or history of any of the pets listed on behalf of other animal welfare groups or individuals. Other animal welfare groups and individuals set their own policies and adoption fees. Please ask the contact person listed in each description for details.

thinking WEIMARANER?: Idaho Weimaraner Rescue in southern Idaho almost always has weims available for adoption so if a "grey vizsla" is on your radar screen, contact June Zilisch at 208.587.4101, barzpk@aol.com or visit Idaho Weimaraner Rescue.

Other "bird dogs": If you live in Utah or southern Idaho, the following organizations often have shorthairs, English pointers, weimaraners and labs available:
Utah's Perfect Pointers - Salt Lake City UT
Four Paws - Logan UT
Idaho Weimaraner Rescue - Mountain Home ID

Recent adoptions
Robie - Adoption pending 3/10
Walker - Adopted 2/10
Ginger - Adopted 8/09
Lily - Adopted 4/09
Chief - Adopted 4/09
Ginger - Adopted 4/09
Rori - Adopted 3/09
Mischief - Adopted 1/09
Piper - Adopted 2/08
Amber & Austin - Adopted 5/07

Please check here for vizsla rescues in other regions:
OR-WA: North West Vizsla Rescue Alliance or Trails End Vizsla Club of Oregon
CO-WY: Colorado/Wyoming Vizsla Rescue Group
No CA: Northern California Vizsla Rescue
So CA: Southern California Vizsla Rescue
TX: North Texas Vizsla Rescue
TX: Texas Panhandle/Oklahoma/New Mexico Vizsla Rescue