# Best Words of Advice...



## 4kids1Viz (May 3, 2015)

Hi,

This is my first time on this forum and this will be our first Vizsla. We are on a list for a male Vizsla puppy this Summer. Our whole family is very excited. We've owned labs (both English and American Field) but never a Vizsla...Our American field lab was very high strung and needed lots of running and attention. He's now 15 so he has calmed down We've done over a year of research on the Vizlsa and are certain this is the dog for us. I was wondering what people think is the best advice, tip or suggestion that they learned with having their Vizsla. I am looking for advice on anything and everything. Thank you in advance!


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Don't yell at him and don't ever, ever, EVER hit him.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

You have 2 have a SENSE of HUMOR !!! these pups R CLOWNS !!!!! 1 rule - no HARM - NO FOUL !!!!! 2 rule - put aside I want !!! then add - I want what is BEST 4 my V !!!! SIMPLE !!!!!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

crate training is paramount


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Be consistent, be patient, get used to being sleep deprived, get used to being shark attacked, get very used to a vizsla ruling your life. Above all....... just enjoy that puppy who will quickly grow up and be the love of your lives!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

as above ^^ consistency really is important, just make sure the 4kids are aware of this, you all need to sing from the same songsheet


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## toadnmeme (Jun 7, 2014)

harrigab said:


> as above ^^ consistency really is important, just make sure the 4kids are aware of this, you all need to sing from the same songsheet


I second the advice to make sure everyone in the house is on board and being consistent. These dogs are so smart and will pick up on inconsistencies right away. You've come to the right place, there is so much great advice and community here and it will help you through that wild and wonderful time of puppyhood that goes by way too fast. Excited for you!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Ear plugs, and a bottle of wine can get you through crate training.
Wear old clothes, and stay relaxed when your little red sweetheart is hanging on your pant leg. Just be calm and consistence with your pup.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

*Try* to enjoy the puppy stage (and take a million pictures). It WILL pass and you WILL miss it (well, maybe not the crate training/sharky part). And if you don't, you're going to want a second V so you can relive it all over again


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

Totally agree with taking loads of pics, and videos..we only have a handful of rubbish quality pics of H as a puppy which is such a shame!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I always love these threads because it sounds like you're willingly subjecting yourself to some kind of torture and you kind of are. So because when possibly you find yourself covered in welts and bites, with your favorite pair of shoes torn up, and with an overtired, whining demon on your hands who peed in the house even though you literally just were out, you will ask yourself if you are crazy and if you made the right choice, well yes you are crazy, but yes you made the right choice.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

> _The breed is a pleasure to own if his temperament suits you and yours suits him. He needs to be part of your life and your world. He loves to feel he is one of the family. Whether he is in the house or out walking with you, he is not a dog that remains out of your sight for long. He rarely wanders far and his eyes seek you wherever you are. He may appear to be asleep by the fire but, if you move, he will be wide awake, prepared to go where you will. His idea of comfort and relaxation may not fit in with his owners' plans for him, for it is difficult not to spoil him. He expects to sit by you on the settee, his brown eyes gazing at you in rapture as he rests his head on your shoulder. If you ask him to remove himself, he cannot believe you mean it and will stubbornly hide his head under your arm or beneath a cushion. He is happy to sleep in your bedroom, kitchen or the kennel, but happiest of all to have your company at all times.
> _





> _Thus the breed does not suit everyone by any means. It does not necessarily make the ideal gundog for those who wish to perform in the formality of competition in the field. But for those who have found the key, perhaps to their own nature as well as the dog's, a good Vizsla in the field cannot be equalled: his speed, his keenness and persistence in finding game, his ability to face cover, his great nose, and his willingness to work for his owner are second to none.
> The Hungarian Vizsla is a gundog first and foremost. To work should be his natural instinct. His complicated personality is best suited to this purpose. If he is not worked, it is very necessary that his owners provide him with a varied and full life as an advantage_


Couple of extracts from a must have book,

The Hungarian Vizsla by Gay Gottlieb

Great reference book for any V owner 

Hobbsy


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## Mitch (Apr 12, 2015)

Actually delighted to read that the shark attacks are normal..!! 

I was starting to think we had bought a Tasmanian Devil not a HWV ;D

WOW, when Oscar is in his 'not asleep mode' it can be like being attacked by Piranhas.... :-\

My arms are covered in cuts and scratches and there is just no way of curbing his attack, he comes from all angles.!

As strange as it sounds I'm thrilled that's normal...

Any advice on how to react to the relentless owner abuse would be appreciated  Therapy for my wife and I??


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Mitch said:


> Actually delighted to read that the shark attacks are normal..!!
> 
> I was starting to think we had bought a Tasmanian Devil not a HWV ;D
> 
> ...


strange as it seems Kev a "OUCH!!!" followed by a stern "NO!" should help get the message across fella.


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

I sympathise.

My husband works as an A+E doctor. His boss told him that one day, several years ago, her colleagues took her aside for a quiet chat. 

They asked her how she was coping with the demands of the job, and if she was under any stress. She said no, she was fine. They asked her, repeatedly, if she was sure about this.

When she finally got irritated with them and asked what their point was, they pointed at a number of cuts/scratches on her hands/arms and asked her if she had been self-harming.

Her answer, 'No, but I've just got a new Vizsla puppy!'


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## Mitch (Apr 12, 2015)

I'll need to start wearing my overalls in the house I think. ;D


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

It was not just my hands and arms that were covered in welts from shark attacks, but more or less my behind and anyone else's who came into the house! ;D


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Mitch said:


> I'll need to start wearing my overalls in the house I think. ;D


Bite suit!


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## Oquirrh the V (Jun 24, 2011)

The best piece of advice that I ever got was, "*Set your dog up for success.*" It really sucks when they chew up your shoe or get into something they shouldn't, but when you look back at the situation and realize YOU could have prevented it from happening, then you think a little more carefully after that. All the other pieces of advice are great too! Enjoy every second with your little crazy! ;D


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## Hovi (May 12, 2015)

Don't hesitate a minute to get your V. You will never go to the bathroom alone or sleep alone again. They are rightfully called the "velcro dog"as they stick to you like glue. Lost mine to cancer month ago and looking for another.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Welcome to the forums, Hovi... So sorry for your recent loss. You know, you can never replace the dog you just lost, but you WILL fall in love again!!


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

Shark attacks are a common problem in this breed because of their high energy but they are not an acceptable thing that we should just ride through. It's actually a behavioral issue with over stimulation and can lead to a lot of problems in the future.
We need to teach our dogs from pups to stay under threshold and this includes stopping shark attacks before they happen.

Most people can pinpoint an exact time in the day they happen and this makes the behavior easier to stop. When you know it's about to happen you need to do a lot of stationary mental games with them. Train your sits, stays, downs, sniff the carpet for treats, anything like that which tires the pup but doesn't excite them. Even a stuffed kong will help. They'll eventually fall asleep without any biting.

Don't teach that kind of settling behavior now and you'll get a dog that finds it hard to settle as an adult and that can be a real pain in a family setting when you want to sit down in the evening or after a walk. Settling is a behavior that needs to be taught.

The best advice I can give is teach calm behaviors everywhere! Outside on a walk, sit on a bench and slowly feed your dogs treats while he sits next to you watching the world, it's tiring and teaches them to acknowledge stimuli without getting over excited about it. I can walk my dog for 3 hours and he'll come home ready for more. I walk for an hour and then do mental work with him, nothing amazing just watching things or laying down for a while and he'll come home and crash. Mental exercise is the best tool for your dog and it's great because there's no restriction on it while a puppy unlike physical exercise! It sets great ground work for counter conditioning if you ever come across a problem in the future and if you ever want to stop for a pint after work then you'll find it a lot easier with a dog that knows how to stop while being stimulated by all the other pup goers!


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