# Going to need moral support for the next 3 weeks ...



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

First -- happy Easter everyone!

So Tai has been doing so well with his training and socialization, but the day before yesterday he really pulled a number on himself. He ran down the stairs (more bunny hopped really fast) and hit the speaker that was close to the bottom of the stairs. Long story short it fell on his foot (it's a big speaker) and after a day and a vet visit and an x-ray it was determined that he broke one of his toes (greenstick fracture not something that requires anything other than down time .... oh vey!) and NOW for the next 3 weeks I get to keep a 15 old week vizsla immobile ... on the lead to use the bathroom, no running around. No zoomies. Last night was not a good start. He's been sleeping with me and woke up at about 2AM biting my nose. HARD! All I could do was correct him and put him in the crate. But I don't want him to be in his crate for the next 3 weeks ... which I'm forseeing. Any Advice? Right now he's miserable in his crate because he can't run around and I'm miserable listening to him ...But I can't let him run around. Thoughts?


----------



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

crate - lead & your lap (if awake ) just the way it is - hope you do not have a wire crate - pawing to get out will just add to the injury !!!!!!!! welcome to the world of a V - hang tough !!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

No wire crate, but thank you! I was thinking of going that route and now I'm happy I didn't.


----------



## maplevizsla (Oct 26, 2012)

I know your pain! My boy broke a toe too around that age as well, it was excruciatingly hard to keep him from being a typical V puppy. He was crated while we were at work, and yup just in the yard to per and poop for a few weeks. Then slowly 10 min walk, 20 minute walk and finally just now at 8 mths old he has been given the clear to run off leash for an hour. During his healing process we attended obedince class once a week. While healing, we did a lot of mental work for obedience class, new tricks, tugging/tug-o-war. 

It is a tough road ahead, but hope your dogs' toe heals well!


----------



## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Yes, it's upsetting when your perfect little pup has it's first injury. But in reality a broken toe is no biggie. Ozkar at a similar age had his foot run over by my MIL with a heavy shopping trolley full of groceries. He healed up very fast and within a few weeks he was back to normal. I wouldn't get too stressed or worried, normally these things fix themselves pretty quickly.


----------



## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Hope he has a quick recovery!!!


----------



## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I support Mr. McCraith' answer. 

Besides, lead everywhere tied to your waist is the best kind of training a dog can hope for. We did this for months. 

I didn't let the boy zoom around in the house until his coordination improved dramatically, about 5 or 6 months. 

Indirectly, this mishap may turn out to be an excellent training opportunity. Tai will recover soon


----------



## stryker (Dec 9, 2012)

One word BENADRYL


----------



## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Sorry to hear that Tai is in the wars. Maybe ask your vet for some mild sedatives for those moments when you are both stressed out (I am not suggesting you take the sedative but it is very stressful for the owner seeing their pup needing to play!). :'(

Hope he makes a speedy recovery.


----------



## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Sorry to hear about Tai's (Honda) mishap. As hard as we try to keep them safe, rough and tumble high drive dogs can and will at times injure themselves. 
It's tough keeping them down, but at this point, the crate is your friend, as are shooting muffs or earplugs. 
The time will pass and you'll probably find a better behaved dog at the end of it, as you'll work more on lead, mind training exercises and the like during his forced quiet time.

Keep us posted and give the little booger a hug and kiss from us!
Ken


----------



## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Hope the recovery is quick and smooth.

Sounds like you are in for lots of mental work - for you both. Hardware stores and pet stores will be good places for distractions. Since you will probably be haunting some of these stores, please remember to support the store and its staff by buying stuff during at least some of these visits. Even if it's just a pack of gum at the register. Your local park near the swingset and jungle gym will give Tai lots of kid exposure and he'd have to be leashed anyway. At 15 weeks, you might search for the 'puppy scavenger hunt' somewhere on this forum. It had a bunch of ideas like riding an elevator.


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

WillowyndRanch said:


> Sorry to hear about Tai's (Honda) mishap. As hard as we try to keep them safe, rough and tumble high drive dogs can and will at times injure themselves.
> It's tough keeping them down, but at this point, the crate is your friend, as are shooting muffs or earplugs.
> The time will pass and you'll probably find a better behaved dog at the end of it, as you'll work more on lead, mind training exercises and the like during his forced quiet time.


Ken, He's such a happy boy it's not keeping him down too bad. We've been working on all our training exercises and that is helping a lot, even though he practically rolls his eyes at me for having to stay on the leash all the time! : Only 17 days to go (and counting) until his next x-ray! I'll definitely give him a big hug from you all! ;D


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

jld640 - what great ideas! I didn't even think of starting to get him used to elevators and stuff like that. Thanks!


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

So Tai has been doing great on the leash and isn't really giving me a lot of problems, although he's EXTREMELY vocal now. When he's on lead or around me he's barking, talking, and yipping up a storm! He's normally very happy to just be by me anyway, so (other than the lack of exercise) he's been adjusting really well, IMO. Except he's started peeing and pooping in his crate again. I know he's just 17 weeks old (as of yesterday), but he'd been so good for the past 3 weeks, with no accidents at all while I was gone. Do you think it's from the change in schedule and lack of exercise, stress of the broken toe, or is it just a normal "I'm a puppy and not fully potty trained yet" thing? 

We've been doing a lot of training on our own and mental stimulation. He loves going in the truck now.  Tonight he starts puppy obedience which (for the most part) he already has nailed down. Now lets see if he can do it with a crowd of other puppies there! ;D

Oh, here's a pic of him from today. Still not completely happy about the leash and inability to "zoomie".


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Sounds like both of you are handling it very well.
He is still young and combined with the change in his schedule, I wouldn't stress over the potty accidents.


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

So we went to "puppy training" and I have to say I dropped the ball and missed his puppy class (work got in the way), but he was welcome to the next advanced class (10 month to a year) and he did GREAT!! Okay, I've been working with him, so he knows his basic commands, but I was happily suprised that he could hold his own with bigger boys!! 

Now I have a delima, Do I train for field or do I train for home commands??? I never though that it would be so different. I know that he has an aptetude for field/game bird training. But I don't hunt. I want to make sure he can do what he's bred for but frankly I'm never going to hunt him ... although I know a fair few hunters that are interested in taking him out if he's trained. What should I do? I want a cuddly boy at home, but I dont want to hold him back from what he should be doing ... and if his hunt drive is as strong as I think it is it won't be easy for either of us if I try to make him into a home dog. He's very attuned to people but he wants to work. I want to help him be the best that he can be, but I feel like I'm at a crossroads on our training. Any thoughts?


----------



## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Jenny
Are you coming to Fun Field Days next Saturday at Hastings? I'll be there working with some of Bailey's pups owners and in general helping out.

You will meet dozens of Vizsla owners who do not hunt, but many of them do hunt tests and hunt training because they know, like you, that is what these dogs LOVE! Chloe, our female hunts on all walks in the hills (she is gun-shy). Ground squirrels! Both Bailey and Chloe love them. 

If you had a daughter that was very good at ballet or softball or basketball, what would you do? I know we changed how we lived so that our daughters could take what they were good at to the highest level that their ability was capable of. Kinda how we are with our dogs.

A good field Vizsla *equals* a good house Vizsla. A tired Vizsla* is* a happy Vizsla. A Vizsla with a purpose* is * a happy Vizsla.

The only suggestion I would make in training is don't have the pup "sit" but stand next to your side motionless.

Tell the puppy class trainer that you have a Pointer and sitting is not an option. Standing next to you at your left side at Heel is.

When you can, walk with other Vizsla owners off-leash. If your in the Bay Area, drop me a line. We walk a lot. I know of 20 or more owners that would enjoy you and the pup joining them.

Sounds like you're having fun. That is what it is about for the pup and you.

RBD


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

AH .. RBD ... you hit the nail on the head! First, can I say that I believe that Atlas Shrugged was one of the most significant works of this century! 
Second, I always thought that I'd be the "soccer mom". My joy is watching him evolve into what he needs to be and I just need to help him get there. It's going to make us both happier in the long run. However, I have several people that are pulling me into two definite directions. Unknowingly I trained him to sit whenever he came to me and it's been an issue when trying to teach "whoa". I didn't know "whoa" before and now I feel a litle chagrined. Do you know how to Un Train "sit"? its been baffeling to me. 
Oh, and I'm in Arizona and don't know what "hastings" is. I'd love to go if it's not too far and won't strain his broken toe. ;D


----------



## TAIsMom (Mar 7, 2013)

Oh, he's not gun shy ... at 16 weeks he's stays on point with the starter pistol going. I don't know anything about gun training a dog, but in my biased opinion he seems like he could be good. Thoughts from the gun dog section of the group? 

His negative ... he didn't want to bring the bird back to me directly. Any help with the game of keep away! He didnt hurt it but he ran around like he won the best thing ever! it took a while to get the bird out of his mouth ... though he didn't hurt it.


----------



## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> Unknowingly I trained him to sit whenever he came to me and it's been an issue when trying to teach "whoa". I didn't know "whoa" before and now I feel a litle chagrined. Do you know how to Un Train "sit"? its been baffeling to me.


Jenny, I am not a a trainer but have been around some darn good ones.

Don't need to untrain "sit" just don't use it. Some will disagree with this but a "stand" next to you is correct for a pointer. Look at the picture below. Bailey sitting next to me would be completely wrong!

Once last thing. Don't use "whoa". Change to "whoop." Whoa sounds like no. Nothing sounds like whoop.

Hastings is a long way from Arizona.

RBD


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Most young pups won't bring a bird straight back to you.
In your pups mind birds are too fun and exciting to give them up right away. A proud moment for him. Its a good thing that he feels this way. 

I wouldn't worry if you have already taught sit. Just as RBD said, stop using it. Some dogs taught sit will sit under the pressure of steadying them on birds, others won't.
If they do its fixable.


----------

