# new owner of 6 weeks old vizsla puppy



## samd74 (Sep 1, 2011)

We got our 1st dog last Sunday. He is a 6 weeks old male vizsla. He is good when he is on his fenced area and listen to us but the moment you put him out, he is very different.I don't want him confine in his fenced area and crate always. We bring him directly at the backyard after a nap so he can do his business and try to exercise him. Inside the house, we can't control him. He runs around the house biting the carpet, the couch, barking and trying to bite at our cat. biting at everything. running like mad. and to think he's been running around in the backyard for 30mins already. Potty training has been hard too. Do you think it was too early when we got him? all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. thanks!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Our pup was weaned at 6 weeks, we got her at 8 weeks,,,2 weeks later she really is showing signs of improved behaviour. Let your pup be a pup, he'll grow up eventually!


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## samd74 (Sep 1, 2011)

Thanks! that was what I was thinking too. it takes time and patience. He's like a baby learning eveyrthing still. Wish us luck!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

luck wished! ;D


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Sounds like you got a Vizsla puppy! For the housetraining, I would take them out often, and when taking him from his crate, carry him outside. My puppy could not make it from his crate to the door without peeing, so I always carried him.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

No breeder should let a pup go at 6 wks! Yes, it is too early. 8 wks is bare minimum, IMO. Your pup is missing out on some important time. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you & your pup will have to deal with the effects of that. None the less, Congrats on your new lil guy!


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Puppies will be puppies. Biting and tearing around come with the territory! They do calm down a little as they age, of course. 

6 weeks is too young. He's missing out on a lot of learning experiences and socialization that'd he'd get by playing with his litter mates, particularly bite inhibition and how to play nicely.

Not saying that he's broken, of course, and I'm sure he's the cutest bundle of joy that every Vizsla puppy is.  But you will have to keep his history in mind when you're training him and observing his behaviors. You'll have to work very hard on bite inhibition. You will have to be quite proactive in socializing him (which, in turn, can help the bite inhibition). Once he has at least his first rounds of jabs, I'd get him over to play with either another puppy or well-behaved adult dog that is good with puppies, as long as you know that the other dog is up-to-date on vaccinations. Do you have friends with dogs? I took advantage of their puppy admiration as long as I could by letting mine play with their sweet, five-year-old Golden!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

redrover said:


> Puppies will be puppies. Biting and tearing around come with the territory! They do calm down a little as they age, of course.
> 
> 6 weeks is too young. He's missing out on a lot of learning experiences and socialization that'd he'd get by playing with his litter mates, particularly bite inhibition and how to play nicely.
> 
> Not saying that he's broken, of course, and I'm sure he's the cutest bundle of joy that every Vizsla puppy is.  But you will have to keep his history in mind when you're training him and observing his behaviors. You'll have to work very hard on bite inhibition. You will have to be quite proactive in socializing him (which, in turn, can help the bite inhibition). Once he has at least his first rounds of jabs, I'd get him over to play with either another puppy or well-behaved adult dog that is good with puppies, as long as you know that the other dog is up-to-date on vaccinations. Do you have friends with dogs? I took advantage of their puppy admiration as long as I could by letting mine play with their sweet, five-year-old Golden!


I totally agree and this is where we were lucky, our friends that initially rescued Ruby have a 6yo V, a 2yo GWP and a 7month old V, so she was still able to socialise with other dogs (they were all up to date on jabs). We see them every weekend too so she still gets to play


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## Cavedog (Oct 21, 2010)

It would be very helpful if you could enroll your little guy in "puppy training classes" as soon as he is old enough. He'll be able to pick up some much needed social skills there.


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## samd74 (Sep 1, 2011)

Thank you all for the good advise you've given. Drako our dear 8wks vizsla is doing well. Sleeping 6hrs straight without any potty break @ 3am and we only have him for 6 days now. He's so smart that he pees on his training pads when we are out during the day. We brought him to the vet today and was given shots again because they say shots that are given before 8 weeks are no good. He didn't eat when we came home but he's ok by night. It took us only 2 days to really get in a schedule. He is so smart. We need to still work on not biting but as all the articles and info on Vizsla, that is just normal esp for a pup. Thanks again!


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Don't worry too much about the biting. Once they realise it hurts you, they get the hang of mouth play without pain or skin damage. Also, once they lose the razor sharp puppy teeth, they are really gentle. They are mouthy dogs. Ozkar will grab my hand in his mouth and pull me gently to what he wants, be it dinner, a toy or a treat. I really should stop him, but he isn't hurting me and I find it kinda cute to be honest, and actually enjoy seeing how happy it makes him when he gently puts my hand on his mouth and steers me ever so gently towards his prize!  

Great to hear you have your new puppy in a routine already and he appears to be comfortable so far. I hope he continues to be so. I think I have been lucky with Ozkar, as he has had very little in the way of problems growing up. A bit like your puppy, he just cruised into his new routine with barely a flap of the eyelids. 

I am smiling reading your posts, as I know what you are in for. If you have never had a V before, they really are a dog with a huge personality and will get well and truly under your skin. If you are like most V owners, your V will become your life. Not to say you won;t have a life, but when looking for things to do, the ones where your V can derive some pleasure tend to be the ones you are attracted to. Hence you spend lots of time out doing things with your V!! I spend minimum two hours a day workdays, exercising my V and GSP and on weekends, we spend probably four hours or more out doings things, as well as them coming with me where ever I go. If friends aren't dog friendly, invitations are often unable to be accepted, whereas the friends who love the dogs are often caught up with!!


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## samd74 (Sep 1, 2011)

Thanks Ozkar for your extra advises on our hyperactive Drako. I have bought a lot of chew toys now but he still likes to bite. I keep the toys in handy at all times so I just give it to him. He barks, run and bite at Ella our 5 yrs old cat. What can you do, he's a hunting dog. He thinks Ella is his prey. I just separate them so they won't hurt each other.
I do spend a lot of time with him. He's with me the moment he wakes up, during lunch and at 5 till I go to sleep at 12mn. He knows if I'm home or not because he does cry a tiny bit when I go to work at 8am but is quiet and sleeps till I get home at 12 nn then off to work at 1pm. Actually he's still sleeping when I get home. I can't wait for him to get his 2nd set of shots so that we can go to the parks and can play all we want. 
Hope he still likes the leash when we can walk around the neighborhood again. ( walked him the first day we got him then I learned can't bring him outside except ur own backyard till he's 16 weeks. bad owner!!  Lessons learned.


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## Adelle25 (Sep 4, 2011)

Sounds like your doing the right thing. 

My 13 week old v Copper is still as crazy as the day i got him and i love it, they wont be puppies forever and you should enjoy every minute. I have nieces and nephews and luckly copper is really good with them (apart from when they run away from him, he thinks its great and chases them thinking it is a game)

6 weeks was early but get him meeting other dogs and train him and he will be fine. 

Copper thought it would be fun tonight after our run around the garden to jump up and get the bag of treats off the table (clearly eyed them up earlier) trotting off shacking his head then went in a feeding frenzy to eat them! little bugger 

A


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## Lucy Vizsla (May 19, 2008)

You mentioned a pee mat. Do you crate him when you aren't home? That is something that really helped my pups learn self control and boundaries. My older V loves her crate and sleeps in it during the day with the door open and our younger V, doesn't like it, but understand it is important to keep him safe. The other benefit to the crating is that they learn to hold it longer and longer which will help with bladder development as well. 

I would for sure get him socialized as much as possible with all different types of dogs so that they can help correct any of his bad behaviors. Which I noticed one person suggested a puppy class, that is a great idea. We have our foster V in a puppy class right now and he is a very scared dog and even though he cannot do some of the commands just being there in the environment is great for him. 

And neutering would help as well if you are open to that.

Good Luck! At about 3 years he will snap out of it :'(


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## samd74 (Sep 1, 2011)

Thank you. It takes a lot of work and time training a puppy. My 10 year old son is scared of him so he runs away screaming and flailing his arms. I've told him he's just making the dog more excited. We need to work on that too. He is being more playful each day, ripping my pj's last night which is just normal. 
We just started locking his crate today because I read that training with an open crate is not training at all. I went to work at 8am and was back at 12nn. He peed 3x after I put him outside. poop twice too. He was able to hold it for 4 hours. No more training pads for us!! Now if only we can calm him down when he's jumping and biting. 
yes, We will have him neutered as soon as the vet said he's ready. Can't wait for that 3 years!!! thanks for the advise!


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## Lucy Vizsla (May 19, 2008)

It sounds like you are doing the right thing. That is a good choice on the kennel. I would just hate for him to get into something while you are out.

Two different training methods on biting I have heard work are:
My friend had a shelter dog that was biting at her and she bit him back, as the mother dog would do and he never did it again.

We use the give him a toy approach, giving him a reaction will only feed into it, like staying stop. We jus used NO and give him a chew toy. He will get it.

Jumping try just turning away until he sits behind you and treat him. Or a spray bottle of water and spray when he jumps. Jumping is a Vizsla trait I have discovered 

Good luck. You will do great.


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