Against The Wind Gundogs - Kentucky Pudelpointer, Vizsla Breeders

I got my first Vizsla from an individual Mark directed me to. We spoke as he was taking one of his girls to be bred to a sire out of state. As Pappy started getting s few months older, I thought about adding another pup. While I spoke to numerous breeders (and many well known), the only one I did not pause and have hesitancies with was Mark.

Mark is thorough, yet not obtrusive or demeaning. He’s personable, yet not naive. Mark is engaging, yet truthful.

I got Sansa from Mark (who just happened to be from the girl Mark was about to breed during our first phone call) as she joined our home at 8 weeks to join along with our first Vizsla, Pappy who was 6 months.

While I’m sure Mark raised his eyebrows at me more than once (a fair reaction to someone adding another pup when you already have a 6 mo old one), he asked balanced questions to ensure I had thoroughly thought through all perspectives. I appreciate that Mark asks right questions, but he does not control your decisions for you.

As a new individual to the Vizsla world, Mark is a best teacher of owning the breed. There are too many elitist breeders who make you feel lesser than as a prospective owner. Mark is different without sacrificing incredibly athletic dogs.

You can’t go wrong with Mark - that’s guaranteed.

You just may get the best Vizsla breeder in the nation - and that’s pretty dang close to guaranteed, also.

My wife and I decided we wanted a viszla soon after we got married and looked very hard to find the right breeder who we could trust. After failing for several weeks and numerous unanswered emails and phone calls we found Mark at Against The Wind Viszlas. Mark returned my email within a few hours and told me to call him. We talked for over an hour and I quickly realized that we had found someone who was passionate about ethically breeding and finding homes for his puppies.
We were lucky enough to get a female from his next litter about 6 weeks later and were told to visit her and her litter mates whenever we wanted to bond and make sure she was the right one. Mark helped us get ready for our puppy and walked us through all his recommendations on raising a pup that was affectionate and well rounded as well as attentive and obedient.
Here we are two years later and our Cora is an amazing dog that is as much a part of our family and home life as any blood relative. She is smart and affectionate as well as incredibly driven to hunt anytime I ask her to. She wants nothing more than to hunt birds all day and then cuddle on the couch at night. I have nothing but great things to say about Mark and his dogs and have visited him several times with my wife and Cora for dog days and just enjoying each other's company. I know he has helped me become attached to not just Cora but to the viszla breed. My wife and I are very blessed and wouldn't trade our pup for the world.

Mark Sullivan is a new Vizsla owners dream. He stays engaged to insure his puppies get the best start to a new family life. He is extremely knowledgable and proactive in the care and training of the best breed out there for a family pet or field trial champion. In our case, our dog Jackie is both. Mark patiently walked us through the ente-level Derby Trial system and on to Gun Dog Trials. Our Vizsla, Jackie, has won several events thanks to Mark's keen observations and experienced based recommendations. We can't say enough or thank Mark for his love of our pet and the breed in general. Always there, patient, caring and just a super breeder and enthusiast, Mark is my vote for Breeder of the Year. Call him. Talk thru the characteristics of the breed and Mark Sullivan will make your Vizsla journey the best possible experience you can have as a "Hungarian Pointer" owner.

I have nothing but positive things to say about Mark and Against the Wind Vizslas.

Growing up in Louisville, KY., my first family pet was a Vizsla. Ruger. One of the best dogs I've ever known and as smart as a dog could be.

After Ruger passed my family swore to only own Vizslas moving forward because of their loyalty, intelligence and companionship.

We sadly struck out with our next two. One, bred in Florida, was sick and had constant seizures. The next, bred in Illinois, was loyal and sweet, but as territorial as a dog could be and not loving of strangers.

Fast-forward 10 years and it was time for me to get my own pet in my own home. I knew how good Vizslas were and although we missed on two, I wanted my first pet to be one of the most beautiful dogs on the planet.

But I was going to do my research. I wasn't going to strike out again. I reached out to dozens of Vizsla breeders all across the country. I compared training and breeding methods, along with prices, to find a Vizsla that would remind me of Ruger. A dog that would represent what Vizslas were all about.

I don't hunt. I'm not particularity outdoorsy with the exception of playing sports and exercising. I just wanted a smart, loving and friendly dog. If you're the former, Vizslas are just as much for as the latter, they're versatile dogs.

After coming across Mark Sullivan and Against the Wind Vizslas I knew I had found the right breeders.

Years of experience is the first thing that stands out about Mark, but it's not just the experience, it's the commitment to excellence. They do things the right way and are completely patient with their dogs and pups, and patient with new owners. I'm no dog expert but being a journalist I can spot an attention to detail.

Everything Mark and his staff does is professional and done with the best interest of their dogs/pups.

Mark was in constant contact with me before I took the pup home and months, and now years, after buying the pup, giving me advice, instructions and just general dog care knowledge along the way.

Mark gave a detail history of our pup's parents and their behavior/mannerisms. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree with dogs and our puppy, thanks to Mark's instructions and advice, is just like he described the parents to be. A cuddly dog that loves to play and learn new things.

If, and more likely when, we buy another Vizsla I will only buy from Against the Wind Vizslas. There were no surprises and no controversy. Only loving Vizsla breeders that do things the right way.

Our male Vizsla, Chili, is the smartest dog we've ever owned. Maybe too smart. He's scarily human oftentimes.. He's been a joy to our lives and had Mark not helped talk me through the dogs and the characteristics of the particular litter and what he bred for, who knows what direction we would have gone. If we add another V to our family, I won't hesitate to call Mark.

When it came to buying my first dog I was like a lost puppy. While searching breeds I decided that I wanted a Vizsla. Many internet forums were littered with people proclaiming that a Vizsla can be "too much dog" for a first puppy. I was confident I would be OK but still slightly worried. My puppy search was in full swing.

When I first spoke with Mark on the phone, he was different from other breeders. He gave me an honest run down of what to expect. He provided advice on how to find my pup, even if it wouldn't be from one of his litters. Most importantly, he told me to find a BREEDER I liked, not one particular puppy I fell in love with. This is still the best piece of advice I got throughout the puppy buying process. By the end of our first call, I had made up my mind that he would be the trusted and reputable breeder I had diligently been searching for.

Me being located in Florida, with Mark's Kennel in Kentucky, I was a bit tentative at first. I knew this was a trust based transaction, on both mine and Mark's end, so I went ahead and mailed off my deposit. The wait was on. Mark does a great job keeping his buyers in the loop via his Facebook page, so I was constantly tracking the progress. When the litter finally arrived I had many more questions. Which pup was mine? What was his temperament? How would Mark match puppies with homes? How would I get him to Florida...Mark patiently answered them all. Going the extra mile, Mark even offered to DRIVE my puppy down to me from Kentucky to Florida vs. shipping him. This saved me money and gave my pup a more relaxed ride.

I've now had Chester, my amazing Vizsla family member, for well over a year. Mark still checks in with me on an occasional basis. (he did this week, which prompted me to write this post). My dog is an absolute stud. Mark will tell you that he breeds dogs for athleticism and intelligence, not conformation. I have yet to run into another Vizsla that is better looking, from a breed standpoint than my Chester. Hell, I can barely even find a picture of a prettier Vizsla on the internet. True to his breed, Chester also excels highly in the intelligence and athletic realm too. His drive for hunting is fierce. From birds in the field to lizzards in the backyard, he hunts relentlessly. His stamina is unmatched with any dog at every daycare or dogpark he has ever been to. In a calm environment, Chester is a big lap dog, yearning for affection. But when it's time to play, he can run four hours and hours on end.

All in all, I think I will be a Vizsla owner for life. It'd be hard to use anyone but Mark if I want another Vizsla pup in the future. Thank you Against the Wind Kennels for the companion you have given me and the breed you helped me love. I am forever grateful.

We first spoke with Mark last year when deciding about bringing home our first Vizsla. Derby is about 9 months old now. He came from Clearview. His sire was Mark's dog Simon. What has impressed me so much about Mark is his clear dedication to the breed. He went out of his way to help us. He referred us to a nearby family who had dogs from his line as well as Derby's litter. Even though we did not get a pup directly from his kennel he has continued to communicate with us and offer excellent advice. For that reason as well as the quality of his dogs we will be bringing our second pup home from his kennel. I am a veterinarian and would happily recommend Mark and his kennel to a client

We got a male from a Phoenix/Guy breeding, born in Jan, 2013. Mort is very energetic and shows very strong hunting instincts. We got him as a pet and companion, not a hunter.

He is very motivated and intelligent. His motivation makes him a breeze to train. I continue to be in awe at how quickly he picks things up.

We often take long hikes with him, and he always sticks within sight of us. He is a great companion.

He receives nothing but admiring looks and comments from people we encounter when out. It makes us proud to walk him.

If I get another Vizsla, it will definitely be from Mark, and if possible, a Phoenix/Guy breeding, at that.

If I were a Vizsla, I'd want to live at Mark's place/Against the Wind Vizlas! It is clear that Mark cares about his dogs and the breed, which was something that was important to me when I was looking around. I had a great experience getting my (now) 6 month old Vizsla. We spent time on the phone discussing what I was looking for and what would be a good fit…he was also very accommodating when we went down to take a look at the litter before the pick-up date.

I couldn't be happier with my "Arlo". He is a great listener and good "student"…he is very well behaved and a very fast learner, and of course, in great health! I highly recommend Against the Wind Vizslas.