# Training Video Series



## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

My blog just passed 10,000 views (woohoo!) so I've decided to start a Vizsla video training series. Cooper is still relatively untrained, so it will be a good thing for him and from now on whenever a new forum member says "How do you train your Vizsla to ______?" I can just reference a training video. It will also be nice for people to see how different training a Vizsla is from most other dogs. Anyone can train a lab, but it takes a lot of patience and commitment to train a Vizsla. 8)

What do you think are the ten most useful commands for your pup? I'd like to get everyone's input on this.


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

What a great idea!! I will def be a viewer of your training videos, or any video with Vizslas in it! Haha

Command I think it's useful hmmm... 

"Leave it" taught Cole a LOT of different things. I think it helped calm him, learn control and patience and to look to ME for guidance.

I just started teaching him the "Touch" command. I think it is going to be a great lead in to more commands and things to teach. I wish I started sooner.

"Heel", when finally perfected, is for sure going to be my favorite command. It felt amazing one time to see an owner tell their Vizsla to heel at the park and see the dog follow so quickly. I started teaching Cole that day! 

Those are pretty basics so I can't wait to see what everyone has to say!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

A lot of first time owners have problems with their pup walking nicely on a leash, and a hard time with recall.


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

I would say to the Hunters who want to teach there dog the command Whoa, to use a diffrent command. Whoa and NO sound alike, I was told to use the word whoop instead. 

I would also start working on this command right away, weather you plan to hunt or not. I think it is the single most important command. A dog that can stop on command is a well trained dog. 
Get a hunting dog training book and read how to teach this command. There are great tips and tricks to getting this right the first time.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

WHOOP
STAY
DOWN (all four legs down and hips flipped to one side)
WAIT
HERE
EASY
HEEL
LEAVE IT
OFF

and the all important:
KNOCK IT OFF! :-\

And one command never practiced with a pointer:
SIT

RBD


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## EastBayer (Aug 17, 2012)

This is a great idea! We are working on recall right now and a bit challenging. Congratulations on your views. Milo has puppy obedience classes with 2 goldens, 1 lab, and a terrier and the goldens & lab seem to get things more quickly than Milo. She does have many things down (yeyy!) but took us a while for 'down'. I can't wait to see your training videos.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Not in the top 10 but teaching them to load and unload on command. Not just letting them barrel in and out of a vehicle over the top of you.

Something that Ken brought up in another thread. Timing is everything when teaching a pup. It would be very useful to new owners if you touched on the subject during the videos.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

TexasRed said:


> Not in the top 10 but teaching them to load and unload on command. Not just letting them barrel in and out of a vehicle over the top of you.
> 
> Something that Ken brought up in another thread. Timing is everything when teaching a pup. It would be very useful to new owners if you touched on the subject during the videos.


*Great* suggestion - both pups know "up" and "off" for getting in/out of vehicles. The also know not to set foot outside the vehicle until they hear "off". It is very helpful! 

We also don't allow them to walk out the front door until we say "okay". It can be a big lifesaver because if the door is opened without your knowledge you don't have to worry about them running out into a busy street. I will include this in the training series.

Timing is huge. I have great timing with day-to-day training - that's why I leave hunt training to the pros.


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

What about" Drop" - when something is already in the dogs mouth, we use this command.
Both Skyy and Max are fond of snails 8)


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

Hearing people comment about the car, Cole sits both entering and exiting and waits for "ok, go" "ok, come" for car manners. I think that's important! 

That made me think of boundaries training. They need to have boundaries. I watched Ian Dunbar do it on a YouTube video! I think it's helpful for the dog both inside and outside! Could save his/her life!


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## jcbuch (Oct 15, 2009)

threefsh said:


> It will also be nice for people to see how different training a Vizsla is from most other dogs. Anyone can train a lab, but it takes a lot of patience and commitment to train a Vizsla.


First off let me congratulate you on your blogs milestone, that is fantastic. Also i think video training is an awesome idea. That being said i am confused by your quote about vizsla's being so different to train than Labs? Having owned both breeds and trained them both i am not sure what you mean. I find V's extremely highly intelligent and easy to train as long as you are gentle on them. Also i think all dogs should be trained gently Labs on the other had are more knuckleheaded and harder to train and typically require more lengthy training to the same result.

Joe


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

jcbuch said:


> That being said i am confused by your quote about vizsla's being so different to train than Labs? Having owned both breeds and trained them both i am not sure what you mean. I find V's extremely highly intelligent and easy to train as long as you are gentle on them. Also i think all dogs should be trained gently Labs on the other had are more knuckleheaded and harder to train and typically require more lengthy training to the same result.


I've owned a golden retriever (family pet - very similar to a lab), been around friends and family who own labs, and also watched various people training their labs in training classes. Here are the differences I've noted between training styles:

Labs:

1. Longer attention spans - much better/longer focus
2. Lower energy 
3. When they are bored, they lay down
4. React well to discipline (ie - angry tone of voice, collar correction, etc.)
5. Follow commands without questioning/altering the parameters

Vizslas:

1. Very short attention spans - minds tend to wander - difficult to achieve good focus when they are young. We had to train Riley in 5-10 minute periods until she was at least 4 months old. 
2. Very high energy - our pup had the same energy level as a lab puppy in our training class who had NO exercise all day and she went on a 1 hour off-leash hike prior to the class
3. When they are bored, they cause mischief - the pace of our class was never fast enough for Riley! She would lose interest while the trainer was talking and we'd end up doing puppy sit ups (sit, down, sit, down, ad infinitum). If we didn't do something while the trainer was talking, she would alternate between launching herself forcibly at other puppies and crying at us.
4. React very poorly to discipline - Riley once bit me through my pants leg as a puppy (by accident) and I screamed in pain and frustration. She spent the next hour cowering in the corner of the couch and would not even make eye contact.
5. Will follow commands but like to question or push the parameters - Riley hates sitting/laying on wet grass, so she likes to do what I call the "hover" sit or she will find a patch of ground free of grass to sit. I've once given her the "up" command and she didn't want to jump up, so she put her paws up on the object instead and gave me a sideways look to say "is this good enough???". :


I could keep going. The point is, while labs may be more knuckleheaded and perhaps take longer to *get* it, they definitely have longer attention spans, are lower energy, react better to discipline, and follow commands much more closely. I do believe that labs aren't as smart as Vizslas and that's part of the reason why they are easier to train. A lab won't ask "why?" if you ask them to do something.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/07/nice-into-to-vizsla-video.html

I like that difference. 



> A lab won't ask "why?


A Vizsla *will* ask "why".

Good video on just the basics of the Vizsla.

RBD


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## jcbuch (Oct 15, 2009)

i too like the a lab wont ask why!and i agree on that.

My experience with both breeds are from field bred dogs. I have to admit i never did class type training for obedience and none of my vizslas are taught to sit on command, that is for an obvious reason as they are field dogs first and i cant have a dog sit when its on point. My labs had bounds of energy. for 15 years i rode endurance on Arabian horses and my labs did 15 mile training runs with me in the woods and mountains. I just find V's a lot easier and willing to train. The only part of a V is you cannot put to much pressure on them in training as they can wilt. The odds of that happening with labs or GSP's are considerably lower. i do look forward to your training videos though


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

jcbuch said:


> My experience with both breeds are from field bred dogs.


Okay, well _that_ explains it! ;D I'm not referring to field-bred labs. I've witnessed a few of them and they are definitely high-energy!


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## slesgold (Dec 14, 2012)

threefsh - Has this come to fruition yet? I briefly looked at your blog, but didn't spot anything there. Thanks, Steve


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## Vida (Dec 26, 2011)

A training video would be a fab idea. 
I try to use these few commands on my dogs. I don't think they know 10 though ???
Name
Come
Bed 
Wait
Heel
Up
Down ( for laying down only)
Leave it 
Sit
And whistle train - three peeps for come
One peep for sit.
That's all I need so far.
I try to speak as little as possible. Dogs read body language so well and that can tell a vizsla all he needs to know.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

slesgold said:


> threefsh - Has this come to fruition yet? I briefly looked at your blog, but didn't spot anything there. Thanks, Steve


Three fish is off the forum, said goodbye.....hopefully will be back some day :'(


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