Need information about wirehaired vizslas and shedding hair General Chat

Hi,
Quick context: I'm keen to get a dog (having a baby interrupted my previous attempt - it's 4 years since I posted here last, although I've continued to read) - my preference is towards a wirehaired vizsla, but my wife, who sometimes reacts to dogs is reluctant because the only dog she knows looks like it's smoking, due to the clouds of hair that come off it (short haired labrador/wippet cross).

As a child, I grew up with cairn terriers - rough coats, and as far as I and my parents can remember, little in the way of shed hair.

I have read about plucking/stripping hair from them, as it gets longer, but I have no experience in wirehaired pointers (A friend has a short haired vizla that sheds a bit, but nothing like the lab).

Can anyone give me an idea as to whether they shed a lot, or alternatively, suggest strategies for managing the hair loss. I do understand that all dogs shed some hair (in fact, judging by the bath plug, so does my wife!), but I would welcome feedback from WHV owners if possible

thanks in advance for your help!

When you say that your wife reacts, how do you mean? Does she have asthma or does the hair make her skin react?

Anyhoo, all of the wires that I know are relatively easy with regards shedding and grooming. IMO they do shed more noticeably than a smooth, but not as much as say a Labrador. Their wire coat doesn't seem to need as much maintenance as something like a Border Terrier. Some do a light hand strip on them as and when it's needed, some just brush and they seem to be fine.

HTH?

thanks for the quick reply!

My wife gets asthmatic with dogs at times - sometimes irritates her nose as well. Depends entirely on the dog as well, which isn't helping

So - the grooming should help manage the shedding then, providing I keep it up regularly?

I can't speak for Wire Vizslas but my wirehaired pointer of a different breed sheds very little. She is hand stripped twice a year and brushed regularly; nearly all of the dead hair she has comes out when she is brushed, not by falling onto the floor. When she gets up off the sofa or bed there is no hair left, unlike if my Labrador did so, whereby it would be blanketed in black hairs.

I don't know anything about allergies though so cannot comment on whether your wife would react to this type of dog. I suppose the only way to know would be to spend time with them. Therefore you might want to direct your questions to HWV breeders and see what they say.

Thanks for the reply. I wanted to be able to present a convincing rebuttal! the more evidence that I can get the better, from as many owners as possible, as well as breeders.

You need to spend some time at the home of a WHV breeder ... Is she sure it's the shed coat that is the problem??

I have 3 wirehaired Vizslas. The coats within the breed vary greatly and can range from No Wire Coat to a very heavy wooley coat and everything in between. Even within a litter there can be a great variation of coat. A good breeder should be able to point you in the direction of the most likely coat that any Pup may develop.
With a Good Wire Coat I find that it does shed but doesn't fly off round the room like alot of other dogs and certainly not in the clouds that you describe your wife's friend has.

I am sorry but I just could not resist it but from what I can remember of the bath plug the hair that blocked it was ginger.

My hair is [was] very dark brown - my husband was the ginger one!