# V acting out



## Mighty Hunter (May 17, 2011)

Our V is 6mo now and he has started acting out for what we can only guess is attention. He used to love being outside but now will only go if you go with him. He just sits by the door and cries but if you just step outside with him, he goes and plays with his toys. I know that typically as a breed they are very clingy but he throws major fits if he feels he is being ignored or not being included. We are fortunate that my husband is able to work from home and care for him during the day; however yesterday while he was working, he turns around to find Hunter sitting next to his fresh bathroom mess. He is very aware of how to get our attention if he needs to go outside; a simple paw at the office door (if they are upstairs working) then a paw at the back door. I really do not think this is a training issue but because a few times he has come in from being outside, ran strait to our bedroom and relieved himself there. 

Is this an age thing, a personality thing, training issue or do we really not give him enough attention? When he is outside by himself it is never more than 30 minutes at a time and when he is inside he is always on some ones lap. The only time he is in his crate is during bed time and if we need to run errands and such. However we are never gone more than an hour or so and we try to time it around his nap time so he will be sleeping anyway. 

I hope this is something he grows out of or that we can behaviorally correct because I am staring to feel like a bad V mommy. :'(


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

I think you're being too tough on yourself. I would take the judgment out of it, of you as owners or of the dog's personality. My guess is it's just anxiety. Many of our Vs do seem to go through "fear stages" as they mature. Human babies go through similar stages where separation and stranger fears, for example, are concerned. It could be independence and separation are just more distressing at this stage in his development. It may also be that things on the street have become scarier and maybe at times inhibited him from feeling relaxed enough to relieve himself while out on walks (this has happened with Rosie). I would focus on building confidence through continued training with positive reinforcement (e.g., practicing sit-stays with gradually increasing distances between you and the dog, and general-purpose obedience commands) but being patient at the same time. You might have to re-institute praise for eliminating outdoors as well. They can be anxious little things, I'm afraid.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, I agree with what sarahaf said. Positive reinforcement for going potty outside needs to be a life-long thing. My Willie is 4-1/2 years old now. Every evening after he eats his dinner, I tell him it's time to go outside and pee and poop. He does this more or less on command. When he's done, I clap my hands and say "YAY! GOOD PEE, WILLIE!" and "GOOD BOY! GOOD POOP, WILLIE!" in a very happy voice. I praise him every time he goes potty outside. Well, I'm not always out there when he goes, but I DO make it a point to go out with him after dinner, just specifically so I can praise him. 

He's a "Pound Puppy" that I brought home at approx. 2-years-old, and he's never had one single accident in the house. Praise is really important. I'm a big believer in that. And we all know that Vizslas seem to crave more attention than your average dog.


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## Mighty Hunter (May 17, 2011)

Thank you both very much for your response. I had not considered anxiety but that does make perfect sense. Going forward we will start reinforcing good behavior and praise and attention. 

Thanks again!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Does he get enough exercise? Does he get time alone? Maybe he thinks you guys are always there to occupy his time and play with him.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi, I wanted to bring in an additional thought that I think linescreamer might have been touching on. It sounds like you are doing everything right and giving enough attention. My opinion is that it's really important to take care of a puppy's needs & make sure that they are physically and mentally drained. If you feel that you are doing that properly, then I think it's not so much attention that's needed, but maybe work on rewarding quiet and polite behavior rather than inadvertently rewarding attention seeking behavior (not to say that you are doing this). This is just an opinion & only you know what the circumstances are. If you feel like maybe your puppy is bored or maybe not stimulated enough, you could try to tire your pup out with more mental exercises along with off-leash exercise if you aren't already. I've noticed that wearing my pup out really helps him to not need my attention. I do think that puppies go through phases of clinginess, so it could just be that, but it wouldn't hurt to teach your puppy that you aren't there for entertainment and attention 100% of the time. You can do this by rewarding him when he's lying quietly by tossing treats or by petting him when he's not seeking attention. If he starts whining, instead of petting him or having him get in your lap, you could do a 5 minute training session of sits, downs, shake, stays, etc to wear him out and also see that whining might not get him the attention that he craves. As a side note, I work full time, so my 7 month old puppy gets crated for two 4 hr increments. I come home at lunch, but the point is, your dog gets plenty of attention, so don't be too hard on yourself. They will take as much attention as you're willing to give, but you both might be happier if you can set boundaries that you can live with and also train your dog to be ok with them, too.


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