# Sticky  Adjusting to First V - Let's Be Real



## luv2laugh

I would say the huge majority of owners here are head over heels in love with their V's. 

Reading the "First Time Owner" thread, however, got me thinking about the adjustments we needed to make when we got the boy. Even though I read it was difficult, I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I was writing some examples in the other thread, when I decided not to hijack the thread and just to start my own. 

*Experiences as a First Time V Owner*

- My biggest shock was that I did not love the boy. He was adorable and sooo tiny, much tinier than I expected he would be when we picked him up. Socially, he was exactly how we read he should be. He was cute and playful, *but I didn't love him. * He was this little creature sucking all my energy and needing so much, but I hadn't fallen in love with him yet (not like I loved the cats). It took maybe 6-8 weeks. 

- We were surprised to realize we couldn't even go to the movies. Theoretically, they can hold their little poo poo for three hours in the beginning. We go to the two hour movie, get back in three hours to find the little guy covered in his own excrement. I wasn't too disgusted, but my husband was just appalled. Then you have to bathe him, scrub the whole crate, boil his kong, throw out his blanket. We could have gone to the movies again in a few months time, but fell out of the habit. We just went back for the first time this past month, more than a year after our first attempt. 

- My husband told his friends, at times, that he couldn't go out because of the dog. 

- We went to a wedding and came home early because we had been gone for five - six hours. At another wedding, we left the wedding, drove back to the house, let the boy out for a potty break, pet him, and then returned to the wedding for the after party. Next time, we'll just pay to board him or have a dog walker come. 

umm, I think those are the major ones. My mother claims it's worse than a baby in the beginning, because they need the exercise too. That is difficult for me to believe, but throwing that out there anyways. 

I would be interested in hearing adjustments others have made.


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## RubyRoo

Great thread....all very true.

I remember when we first got Ruby, those very trying first few months, my husband would come home from work and I would just say "take her". I would walk up to our bedroom and close the door for an hour just to relax. Working from home and taking care of a demanding pup was extremely difficult. I had to move my office to the downstairs for almost 6 months since we have the dog gates up and she was not allowed upstairs.

Anytime we are asked to go out with friends on the weekend, we still have to plan what we will be doing with Ruby during the day so we can go out at night. Her first year of life we barely did anything. Every couple of months we would board her over the weekend and head to the beach just to get a break and we would enjoy every minute of it.

Every morning my husband and I have to discuss our daily plans because of Ruby. Who will be handling her after work and if neither of us can then off to doggie daycare for the day. Daycare has been a life saver for us during the work week. Also, have a V down the street from us has been a god send. It is a win-win as they want to wear their dog out as well.

I'm sure people and family laugh at us on the beginning when they ask us to do something and we have turned them down because of the time of day or length of time we would be gone. That is just the way it is. It has gotten better with family as they realized that Ruby needs to come along with us for events like birthdays and holidays. They have been very welcoming and Ruby is great with all of our little nieces and nephews.


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## oliveJosh12

Couldn't agree more! Its very hard for the first few weeks. I dont even remember them as I didnt get much sleep.

It is like a having a new born baby! We knew it would be hard but not as hard as it was.

People offer to look after her for us but I wouldn't let her go to anyone. There is only 1 friend who I think could handly the V tendancies and Olive is pretty chilled.


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## veifera

I am very very fortunate because my experience has been for the most part very joyful and free of frustration. But part of the reason was I had found this forum well before I brought my V home, so I knew what I was getting into.

We wanted a Vizsla for a very long time but had to keep postponing it until we were able to afford having a dog in terms of time, space and resources - something like a 6 year wait, a few moves and career changes in between. I was fortunate to get to know several people who owned Vizslas in the meantime. And then I was anal enough to want to learn as much as I could about raising a puppy in general and the Vizsla in particular. So I did a massive amount of reading (my dog book shelf has books jam-packed into it instead of nicely arranged because they just won't fit). 

Then I started looking for a breeder, going top down - first contacting Breeder Referal at the Vizsla Club of America, then in my area, etc. I met some really great people along the way - long before I brought my puppy home. So perhaps the reason it worked out so well for me is because I had a plan, knew exactly what I wanted, what to expect and how to prepare. 

Of course, I went through my share of puppy teeth, picky appetite and we did have a few moments of "Oh My God - will you EVER come down?". And while it's one thing to do all the homework in the world, it's something really different when a breathing/living puppy keeps trying to bite your fingers (or face) and even though YOU KNOW what you're supposed to do you find yourself losing patience. There were only two moments when I really wanted to scream and pull hair so I remember each in vivid detail. LOL! 

We did skip a vacation this year because of the dog and I am now spending most weekends doing dog related stuff instead of brunch with friends in the city. There was a brief adjustment period and in the first few months I was ALWAYS really tired. But I'm really enjoying this brand new adventure. It almost feels like my dog is taking me somewhere and I'm following her lead and enjoying the journey.

I never hunted or went to a dog event before I started on this journey and I have to admit I was very nervous and apprehensive when we went on our first event (it was a Junior Hunter test). We did well that day but the biggest surprise - revelation, really - was how different the people are at those events in comparison with the people who go to dog parks. I am convinced that any Vizsla person who ever thought of themselves as maybe a little obsessed compared with the dog park crowd will feel instantly at home at events like that - welcomed, embraced and encouraged. That event was probably the second most important milestone for us so far - because it opened the door and showed us a different world hidden in plain view. 

I also didn't love my puppy the minute I saw her. In fact, going to the breeder's house to pick it up, she and I both expected I would leave with a different puppy. But as I kept watching them all play and run in the yard, I kept looking back for her and admiring her gutsy attitude and bold personality. The breeder noticed this right away (major points to her for that) and so that puppy ended up being the one. 

So what worked for me overall was the wait (about 6 months after we made a firm decision to get a dog), having a plan for what to do with the dog and the massive homework. I went to dog shows, agility trials and read books on breeding. Searching for the right breeder was especially frustrating (the lady I got my puppy from was probably the 4th or the 5th one I spoke to). 

But - knock on wood! - I have a beautiful, outgoing, bird-crazy dog that got her JH in 4 straight back-to-back passes and earned placement in each of the two Field Trial stakes we ran (we never even trained for FTs). She is drop-dead gorgeous, healthy and has no bad habits of any kind. I could't be happier and I can only look forward to the future with anticipation and impatience.


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## dmak

We were fortunate to rescue our guy @ around 6-8 monthes old so we didn't have the puppy issues that others have, but even that was a big adjustment. For the first 3-4 monthes we had Kauzy, his separation anxiety was terrible. We we're living in a very small apartment and in the process of moving to our house when we rescued him and he did not handle the move well, which was understandable due to his recent detachment and shelter experience. Thank god all our neighbors are understanding and sympathetic dog owners, because when we would kennel him he would cry and yelp the whole time he was in his box. The Mrs was home the whole summer which made his transition easier, though I couldn't imagine what it would have been like if she was in school and i was at work. Fortunately, New Orleans is a very dog friendly town as we are able to take Kauzy to bars, concerts and restaurants. If the town wasn't dog friendly, we would never get out. Our pup goes everywhere with us which is a bit burdensome at times but is also pretty fun. I wouldn't trade him for anything now because he's my best friend next to my Mrs, but had I known how clingy and needy V's are, I may have looked into a more independent breed when we were dog shopping.


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## lyra

I hope they make a sticky of this because I suspect this thread will be of great consolation to others going through the early months feeling at times that they have made an enormous mistake.

Lyra is 15 weeks today. I am 51 with three boys (two now away at university, one still at home), Lyra is my first dog, my wife has never had so much as a goldfish. We have talked about getting a dog, on and off, for ten years so this was no impulse purchase! We spent countless hours researching breeds and dogs in general and knew that the first six to 12 months would be the most difficult but NOTHING prepared me for the disruption that a puppy would bring to our lives.

I work for myself in IT from home but occasionally need to visit customer sites. My wife works during the day and I have one son still at home doing A-Levels. In the first few weeks it was almost impossible to get anything done during the day. My workload varies enormously and I am so fortunate that since getting Lyra work hasn't been particularly busy otherwise I can't see how I would have been able to cope.

After a couple of days I had got over the initial puppy love to 'what have we done' . A couple of weeks after that I wished we hadn't made the decision to get a dog.

A few of the 'lowlights' that immediately spring to mind:


[li]We bought a high energy dog because we enjoy fell walking but of course we can't go now (not together anyway) until she is older. 
[/li][li]
The first training session. Watching an experienced trainer effortlessly getting Lyra to do things, bringing home just how much *I* had to learn (not Lyra).
[/li][li]
We've had three and this is much harder work than a baby (although over a shorter period of time). None of my babies chewed the skirting boards!
[/li][li]
I can't use puppy day care until Lyra is six months old
[/li][li]
Feeling constantly pressurised to achieve as much as possible in the first few weeks before her mind sets like concrete and we end up with an untrainable, antisocial monster.
[/li]
[li]
[/li][/list]

As time has gone on both she and we have learnt. We are getting better at organising our lives around her. She is a lovable dog and developing into everything we hoped for. I am sure there will be other dark hours but I just wanted other people who may feel the same at times that they are not alone and it will more than likely get much better .


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## R E McCraith

as so many posts on this forum has POINTED out - the Vizsla is a lifestyle not a pet ! they never leave home - always dependant on you - as you grow with the pup - you will find a walk in the woods is much more rewarding than going to a movie - yes things will get better ! but you will adjust more to their world than they do to yours !


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## lilyloo

I think Ruby was a pretty easy pup compared to some, but she was definitely difficult. She's 7 months now.

-- I fell in love with her right away but my husband didn't. This caused some arguments between us because I would defend Ruby when he was mad with her/regretting the decision to get a puppy. He fell in love with her after a few weeks and now I say he cuddles her more than me. :
-- Those first few weeks we couldn't do anything at all. We couldn't even sit on the couch and watch a movie, because if we weren't playing with her or supervising her she'd get into trouble.
-- At first, when we left her in the crate while we were at work, she'd be yelling when we left. And when the husband came home for lunch she'd still be yelling, and then again when I came home in the afternoon for good I could hear her as I walked up the drive. It was so stressful knowing she was upset and likely yelping the entire time we were gone. She outgrew this within a week and thankfully I work from home now so she is rarely crated during the day.
-- If we go out with friends during dinner time, we won't leave her for more than 2 hours or so. If we do leave her longer in the late afternoon/evening, we pay for it when we get home. She bounces off the walls and is sooooo excited and takes a long time to calm down. We have no problem leaving later in the evening around 8 or 9, however. This is close enough to her usual bedtime that she just sleeps and we can stay gone 5+ hours, come home take her out for a pee and she'll continue to sleep the rest of the night. We are very fortunate with this!
--Long gone are the days where we can go on a week long vacation and not worry, a LOT, about how Ruby is doing. We typically go on a yearly vacation and I had planned on having my parents watch her. Now I am not sure. I worry about her being upset... if she'll get enough exercise, if it'll be too much for my parents to handle, etc.

Overall we have a really well behaved girl and I wouldn't trade her for the world. She's the sweetest dog I have ever met and gives us so much joy!


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## Claire

Great thread - I must say, I expected having a puppy (particularly a V puppy) to be difficult but I guess I'd forgotten how much harder everything feels when you're sleep deprived.
I've had her for nearly 5 weeks now and I think my body has partially adjusted to getting about half the amount of sleep I used to get - though I have developed a slight (but irritating!) eyelid twitch from sleep deprivation that WON'T GO AWAY!!!

Before I got the pup, because I won't be moving in with my boyfriend until next year (unless you count when I'll be staying with him over Christmas and holidays) my friends and housemates knew I would be on my own and they promised they'd help out a massive amount. They really haven't, and at times I've felt miserable from lack of sleep and sheer lack of understanding from other people. Things that wouldn't normally have frustrated me about her (bringing soil into the house, trying repeatedly to rip up carpet corners) would often really get to me, and it's sometimes been hard to stay patient with her.

On the other hand, as things are slowly getting easier (and I'll be going home for the holidays tomorrow, where I'll get much more help!) I've found a way to generally look on the positive side - I have an absolutely beautiful, sweet natured and GENERALLY very well behaved little pup, who I love more every day. I also think it'll be all the more satisfying, when she's grown, knowing that I dealt with her pretty much on my own for the first few difficult months.
Wouldn't change her for the world.


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## Kay92

let me start off by saying we drove 4 hours to pick Riley up from the breeder. We got in the car and started driving away and then he had an absolute cow! He howled and barked and cried for an hour and a half straight. Then he threw up on me (nothing says bonding like throwing up on mom.) So we got him home and he was great. The best part was he didn't have accidents on the carpet, he'd go over to the kitchen floor and pee on that. A lot easier to clean up. But the same night, first night he was home with us, I took him out to potty and he pooped and then he promptly stepped in it and had a cow....again. So he had to get a bath his first night.

In terms of adjusting to him, it took no time at all. I work in the afternoon so I'm home all day with him, he and Chuck only get crated an hour and a half, sometimes 2, for 3 days during the week. The weekends are a little more different based on plans. We were well aware that he would need a place to run so we did all his shots and signed him up at the private dog park near our home. 

Chuck, of course, we rescued in March of this year. And we were lucky that he was only 2 months younger than Riley. We were also lucky that they got along right from the start! Chuck has never had an accident in the house, he never even tried to mark. All in all we have 2 terrific Vs and we wouldn't trade them for the world. They have brought so much joy to our hearts that we couldn't imagine life without them.


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## OttosMama

Luv2laugh, this is a FANTASTIC topic! 

I don't have time to contribute right now but definitely think this post should be highlighted!


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## charliecoyot

Great thread for new puppy owners!

This is the 3rd time w/ a puppy from 7 or 8 weeks. First was a Golden Retriever named Cozmo - outstanding fly fishing partner and all round pet - easy easy puppy and FUNNY until the day he died.

2nd was a 1/2 Vizsla 1/2 Lab, Babbz - she's still around, 13 years old now and in pretty darn good shape. She became a great bird dog and is now self appointed 'Queen'. Fairly easy puppy, GREAT adult.

Now comes Roothee (10 weeks now) - the 1st pure V. HOLY COW!! She has 2 speeds: On/Off. She also has 2 attitudes: 'Yes sir! Cream or sugar with that coffee?' and 'Nah, I'm liking this stick or item de jour, and by the way, WHO are you again?'.

I can't complain - after reading some of these stories - I feel fortunate. Roothee is challenging at times, etc.... - but like everyone says, wouldn't trade it for nothin'.


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## Suliko

Great topic! Wish I had found the forums before we got our first V girl Sophie.

Sophie is our very first Vizsla and our very first dog together. She was a breeder's pick puppy, and was the first (and only) we saw. The breeder was very reputable with long history of producing great show winning Vizslas. When we met Sophie, she was a happy pup and very lively and playful which I liked a lot. And here comes the "WELL, LET ME TELL YA"!
I will never forget the day we went to pick her up. It was the longest hour of my life! As soon as we placed her in the crate and pulled out of the breeder's driveway, she started barking...loud...very very loud...the whole hour home! Right before we got home, she threw up in her crate. 

--She was NEVER (ever) tired! She was either up and running or sleeping. No medium. Didn't matter how often we walked, played, trained...she was NEVER tired. Ever! The ONLY thing when she would be somewhat still (besides sleeping) was when she was chewing on a bully stick or a bone. Because she was NEVER tired, we NEVER got a break! My husband and I would take turns to babysit her just so we could cook meals, do laundry, clean the house, etc. We would get into so many arguments over who will "sit" with the dog. Doing dirty dishes and mowing the lawn all of a sudden had become very pleasant chores!

--She was OH, SO NAUGTY! She was biting, nipping, shark-attacking, jumping, barking, eating EVERYTHING off the ground/floors (still sometimes does!), counter-surfing, chewing, digging....you name it, she did it! Not only we had to watch her ALL the time, but also correct any unwanted behavior while watching her. My hubby and I had so many arguments on all the different training methods out there. I believe we even had one point of "I'm taking the puppy back!!" 

--She was a very submissive puppy and an emotional pee-er. We had to put so much work into working on her behavior. And again - with so much information out there, it was so confusing at times. Many arguments and loud debates were held on almost daily basis at our house  

Sophie will be 3 years old in May, and I can't believe how fast the time has flown! She has grown into the sweetest Vizsla one could ever wish for - calm, obedient....and funny  She's our family clown! We didn't fall in love with her as a puppy. Right around 7 months is when she finally somewhat calmed down, we really started to love her. My husband and I are still in awe and still can't believe that from THAT puppy developed our sweet Sophie! 

This year in April, we got our second Vizsla - Pacsirta. With everything we went thru with Sophie, we were really prepared! However, Pacsi is a completely different puppy and comparing to Sophie was a dream-come-true when it came to training and naughty behavior! She deserves a completely separate thread just about her and how very different Vs can be


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## RubyRoo

Great story Suliko. I think we all can sum it up after the craziness of puppyhood, we are all so proud of our Vs and what they turned into. Thank goodness we believed in our dogs.


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## Naughtona

Okay, must admit after reading this thread, I am a little more nervous about getting a puppy! My boyfriend and I are planning on getting a Vizsla puppy this spring (first Vizsla for both of us) and I thought I would be prepared as both of us have had family dogs our whole lives and experienced the puppy phase. I know having a puppy will be difficult and a huge adjustment but now I'm a little freaked out.. Any words of encouragement??


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## chrispycrunch

This is such a great thread.....I have enjoyed reading every response. Thanks everyone for posting about how their lives have changed.



Naughtona said:


> Okay, must admit after reading this thread, I am a little more nervous about getting a puppy! My boyfriend and I are planning on getting a Vizsla puppy this spring (first Vizsla for both of us) and I thought I would be prepared as both of us have had family dogs our whole lives and experienced the puppy phase. I know having a puppy will be difficult and a huge adjustment but now I'm a little freaked out.. Any words of encouragement??



Some words of encouragement 

"Anything worth doing is never easy"

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere"


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## lyra

Naughtona said:


> Okay, must admit after reading this thread, I am a little more nervous about getting a puppy! My boyfriend and I are planning on getting a Vizsla puppy this spring (first Vizsla for both of us) and I thought I would be prepared as both of us have had family dogs our whole lives and experienced the puppy phase. I know having a puppy will be difficult and a huge adjustment but now I'm a little freaked out.. Any words of encouragement??


I think the point of the thread is to reassure people who may be struggling a bit or having doubts that a lot of us have been in the same position but have ended up with a fantastic dog that is a well loved member of the family 

I don't think it was meant to put people off although some of the comments may help people realise what they may be getting into, especially in the first few months!


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## Naughtona

Definitely! I just needed to hear that the hard work and tribulations are worth it to have a wonderful, loving dog  which is what I am sure I'll keep reminding myself during those first several months!


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## redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/07/purchasing-vizsla-so-it-doesnt-end-up.html

Good luck. Not an easy *hunting dog* to own. I repeat *Hunting Dog *a lot these days in my posts because I see sometimes the forum has 60 to 80 guests that visit. These dogs are not what I'd call your classic definition of a "pet." Think more of owning a horse instead and the commitment that would take. That is the attitude to go into owning a Hungarian Pointer IMO.
With eyes wide open and wallet able to take a constant drain. 8)
RBD


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## OttosMama

Words of encouragement? ... IT'S ALL WORTH IT! Just stick it out, be patient (as possible) and dedicated if you do, you will most likely feel the same way! Good luck!


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## datacan

Paradigm shift...

*Before Vizsla*: Vizsla is too soft to amount to much, except trouble. Whining all the time.

*After Vizsla*: These soft dogs is also as hard as nails! They let you know if something is not right. Good for them! Too many breeds are too tolerant of human ignorance.


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## Ozkar

Great work on the thread L2L. Love your work.

I hate to be one of those who considers that it was relatively easy for me to adapt to a Vizsla. I had a string of high powered hunting dogs prior to that. They were cocker spaniels. They ran hard and hunted all day for me. They were also snugglers at home. so not a lot different to a v in that respect. However, the Vizsla was a far more engaging dog to live with. Far more interested in working stuff out than just being with you. 

But for the most part, I loved puppyhood. Loved the differing stages of challenges that all three of my dogs have, are and will give me. I just see it as part of the fun to be honest. Sorry to be the one to be so rosy about it all, but I just love puppies. Every bit of them. The training is fun for me as much as it is for them. The delight I take in seeing them finally click with something. That moment, when you see the look of enlightenment on the dogs face. Like they are telling you........ "Yeah.... I get it now...........you're right.....it's freaking huge fun doing it like that......"


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## luv2laugh

Hi Everyone,

I so love this thread and enjoyed reading your stories. I started this thread because I didn't want to hijack a previous one about whether a young student was ready for a V. It seems like it has turned into a helpful space for both people considering a V and those going through a rocky puppyhood phase. 

I think the adjustment depends, at least partially, on your experience, your pre-v lifestyle and the pup that you receive. It was a major adjustment for us. One that we are now happy we went through.

Reading through the list reminded me of a few things, which I'll add to my list.

- Hubby he told me he may not want to have kids anymore after seeing what it was like with a V. (and I understood 100%) I also had a hunch that when we got through it all he may change his mind and want kids more than ever (an assumption that proved correct). 

- We had made an agreement with my dad that he would take care of Oso if we ever want on vacation. My dad happily agreed pre-V, but post-V we knew he couldn't handle it. Now that Oso has calmed down, I think maaaybe, but at that time no way. We, however, do have a place we trust to board him. 

In the end, I agree with Naughtona. I didn't get married because it was easy. I knew it would be difficult, but that I would grow as a person, learn about myself, be continually challenged and reap the benefits of a life partner. 

I didn't get a dog because I thought it would be easy. It _was_ surprisingly difficult, but I have grown as a person and reaped the benefits of a cutie pie red best friend, fur baby. 

When I have kids, I expect it will make the rest of my life more difficult than I can comprehend, but also more rewarding. 

--
Do I know if this is the right time of your life for a V? I have no idea. Should you be prepared to have your life turned upside down? Yup. Will it work out for the best? Maybe, maybe not.

If it is the right time of your life and you are willing to put in the work, I think you will end up with an amazing companion who steals your heart away. If it is not the right time and you aren't ready to commit, I would get out now. There are plenty of sweet sensitive (and challenging puppies) who are bounced around because the owners didn't assess their situation correctly. There are also various breeds or other wonderful life adventures to explore if V's aren't right for now.

Again.... my .02  Love the stories though. Keep em coming.


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## Shake

Zaius was my first dog as an adult. Sure, we had them as kids, but they weren't 'our' responsibility. So I took a couple of months researching dogs in general, and it wasn't long before I settled on the Vizsla breed. Being single, male, and 41 years old at the time, I had nothing but time, patience and love to devout to my lil guy. And be forewarned: you'll need all three!!! For a long time to come! 

It's so funny reading how a few others didn't fall in love with their dogs on day one. In my case, the breeder matched a male puppy to my lifestyle, so when I arrived to pick him up, it was a case of you get what you're given! And when he laid eyes on me, all I could see in his eyes was what I called pure devilment mixed with a stubborn glare back at me! I wasn't sure I wanted to sign the papers after that look!!! But the worst was yet to come. Like a previous poster, the moment he was put in the crate in my vehicle until the moment I drove into my laneway at home, he barked. And I don't mean once or twice a minute. It was nonstop, with the exception of when we pulled into the service centres for potty breaks and cuddle time. And do you know how long the ride home was? 7 hours!!! 7 hours of this sharp, piercing bark nonstop. After the first hour, I got used to it and still had the presence of mine to get my cellphone out and record it for future reference. And to be completely honest, that's been the worst of it. You know by the end of day one that your V has bonded to you and wants you in his sights at all times. 

He's two years old now, and I really can't recall the early days of potty training and discipline. Rest assured that those trying times pass in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, you have yourself a loyal, loving companion who will lead you on adventures that you would never have thought to take on your own. I live in the Great Lakes area, and prior to getting the dog, I had driven up along the St. Clair River only for work. Now? We can't wait for warm weather to find one of the beaches and see Zaius dash out into the water, leaping and frollicking like crazy. We spend at least three hours walking each and every day, rain or sun. I remember wondering if I could make that kind of commitment, but now I look forward to it, and get in a fowl mood if we don't both get our exercise. 

I wouldn't change a thing, like all of the other owners, when it comes to ownership of this amazing breed. And that's why I'm getting a second V in the spring. It might just end up being too much love in one household...


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## WireyV

So glad I came across this thread.

I keep hesitantly admitting to friends that I don't love my (17 week old) puppy yet, although I am quite fond of her!  She is just such hard work and I haven't slept a full night in 2 months...

good to know it isn't that unusual and we will hopefully get there!

Also, I was expecting hard, but the reality is much harder, and if I didn't have the help of my mum and friends then I could never have got through the last 2 months alone.


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## Ozkar

WireyV said:


> So glad I came across this thread.
> 
> I keep hesitantly admitting to friends that I don't love my (17 week old) puppy yet, although I am quite fond of her!  She is just such hard work and I haven't slept a full night in 2 months...
> 
> good to know it isn't that unusual and we will hopefully get there!
> 
> Also, I was expecting hard, but the reality is much harder, and if I didn't have the help of my mum and friends then I could never have got through the last 2 months alone.


This should be posted in every "I want a Vizsla" thread...........


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## R E McCraith

Chris welcome to the fotum - your subject - said it all ! ADJUSTING TO THE V - it's not the other way around - you will reach common ground in about 6mos - but your time will neVer V yours again - it is more than worth it !


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## lildancngurl

I am currently in the puppy stages with my Ginny! 
Boy, can it be a nightmare! Especially three days after we brought her home (She was 8 weeks old), the vet found coccidia! (She's over it now, thankfully! I'd like to thank luv2laugh for giving me peace of mind in regards to that.)
Long, sleepless nights, rambunctious beyond belief, can run and run and run and run and go and go and go, stubborn as all ****, I could go on..

We also had the breeder choose her for us. I fell in love with her as soon as she was put into my arms. My fiance tried for another female, but I was already attached. He didn't fall in love with her until we had her for about a week. 
We have moments where we know she'll be an amazing dog.
I just can't WAIT to get her into obedience training (Final vaccinations Feb 7th!) and start show training! 
Nothing is more satisfying than a tired V-pup curling up in your lap and cuddling with you for a while.


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## R E McCraith

Second reply - shoot me now or shoot oVer me - they are gun dogs - in the the field is the only place 2 C what U have at home - and the Vast amount of time is spent there !


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## smurfette

What a fantastic thread ;D

We went from not knowing the V breed to owning Dugo within 2 weeks ... a bit ignorant if I look at all the effort some owners put into the arrival of their new Vs. We watched a Dog 101 episode on youtube after being told about the breed by a friend, watch a few more youtube videos on Vs running around like crazy and was totally prepared for the exercise part but not the rest...... As lady luck would have it, when we googled to see whether there were any breeders in the Cape Town area we found a puppies for sale advert that was posted the previous day. We pondered for 2 weeks and then decided just to visit the breeder and have a look .... the rest is history!

I completely fell in love with the serious little pup sitting just to one side observing the "brat pack" of the litter competing for our attention when we arrived. Once the "brat pack" was done jumping and biting and whining he saw the gap, quickly came over and started to lick my hand. I could have told him there and then he had me at the first lick :-* After choosing the little guy we noticed he was the biggest pup of the litter. His baby tummy and love of his couch have earned him the nick name of couchpotato from a few of our friends but I only smile cause I know one of these days they will have to grovel when they see him run.

So it was about 15 minutes later that he left with us, new toys, blanket etc all ready and since then I've not looked back once .... although the hubby complains that he has gone from hero to zero within a matter of the 1 hour trip back home.

Looking back Dugo fitted right in and never cried for being taken from his four-legged family. He only had a few accidents in our flat but mainly because we didn't haul ass when he wined at the door. Up till now (I may regret this when he turns a teenager) he has never chewed on anything other than his toys and only steels socks when he wants to get your attention - he will literally come and show off that he's got the sock and if you don't chase, let it fall to the floor looking very disappointing. On a couple of occasions when left home alone for an hour so he will grab himself a shoe or jersey to take to bed with him and sleep on it. 

Obviously we now have first hand experience of sharkies, zoomies, jumping and all the rest but the one thing that is still difficult for me to handle is the separation anxiety. Dugo always bark when I leave even if the hubby is around - he will literally mope around until I am back which make it extremely hard for me to go anywhere without him. Both us work full days during the week and have been very lucky up til now that we could find reliable people to look after him during the day. However, we've seriously limited our social life for the time being which sometimes is hard to explain to friends and family. In some ways it don't bother me so much as I get to spent more time with my V but it does become a frustration point for the hubby. As Dugo grows older it obviously becomes easier to manage so this will hopefully get easier.

But no matter how desperate we were in the beginning for a few hours additional sleep, or with the broken toes episode or struggling with on-leash walking .... when I look at his adorable face or he snuggles up to me in the evening I can only thank my lucky starts that I could experience life after adjusting to a V :-*


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## Nelly

Wow, this is a fantastic thread! When preparing and raising a new V puppy you do think to yourself 'surely others have experienced/felt like this' but it is not until you actually read others' experiences and recall yours almost word for word that you are really reassured!

We got our girl Nelly on 2nd Jan, she is now 12 weeks. We didn't have any specific pup in mind (out of 11!) until it actually came to picking up day. Our breeder was fantastic - so intuitive about the kind of pup personality that would suit us. 

I'm not going to lie, I was in love with her immediately and not just due to puppy cuteness, we have an extremely strong bond. I took all work holidays (approx 1 month) at once to care for her. 

This bond between us is not to say i haven't also anticipated my partner coming in from work and immediately saying 'take her!' before going to relax for an hour, i have, many times! 

Nelly did not have ANY bite inhibition when we got her but I'm actually glad of this because how else could we have taught her to have a soft mouth in the long run.

The only thing with Nelly that is hard to handle is night time and being in her pen during the day. She actually loves her crate and when sleepy will go in willingly but all other times she kicks up ****. The loudest pup i have ever had by far. We thought we had exhausted methods but it is starting to help that she is now fully vacc. And can be walked, we still haven't had a full night's sleep though! 

I think one thing in particular that prospective V owners will be surprised with is a very positive thing - just how quickly they learn. Nelly learned the basics 'sit, stay, down' after one try and everything else wasn't far behind.

I am especially fond of the command to sit until greeted and then remain sitting. This is great when having people over. This is initially ignoring when jumping up, commanding sit when calm and then greeting and praising, she got the hang of it very quickly. 

I could honestly ramble on for hours about our experiences but they are an amazing breed to take on. As long as you have time, patience and use no harsh punishments you will look back on your puppy trials and thank god you persevered. Enjoy your V!

P.S! Puppy proof your home! By puppy proof I mean Vizsla puppy proof, they will not just seek out the things that are in front of their faces - they are searchers and I am afraid if little V pup gets ahold of anything off limits is it our fault!  Lock cupboards, block off areas, HIDE THE TOILET PAPER! Put all food in high places and remove everything from the floor!


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## heatherdyanna

This is an amazing thread. Despite Mako being a very good puppy, having a first V was a MAJOR adjustment for us!

Both my husband and I had grown up with dogs, but this was "our" first dog. It was the first time we were the ones setting the rules, paying all of the bills, and doing all of the training.

I also didn't love Mako right away, and I'm glad some others have said the same thing because I felt horrible admitting it. He was adorable and sweet and smelled like "puppy" and all of that good stuff... But it took me a couple of months to really love him as well. 

I think that having to make all of these major life adjustments (if you don't have kids/other dogs) is a big change, and maybe that attributes to it. Puppies are a lot of work, and you always seem to forget about that as the time wears on.

We crate trained Mako, and despite me loving that decision now, there were times I wanted to throw the crate out the window and just let him sleep with us in bed. I couldn't remember my childhood dog crying so much at night and it both broke my heart and annoyed the sh*t out of me! 

All of this being said, I would never change getting our dog. Our lives still revolve around him, but I wouldn't have it any other way! :-*


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## McVizsla

Our First puppy Murphy had the life. We lived with my parents in the upstairs apartment. When my wife went to work she brought him downstairs and he went back to sleep with my parents. During the day he would go out in dog yard as much as he pleased come in and nap where ever he wanted. When I got home we would work on some basic obedience and some bird training. Once he was yard trained he would just be with me as I worked on my dad's farmette. The biggest challenge with him was chewing which he grew out of before he was two and some aggression issues around 2 years of age. There is a lot I have forgotten about puppies but I will be re-remembering soon. Hopefully in June I will be getting another pup. Murphy died in 06. My buddy Porter died 4 weeks ago at 12. And my boy Finnegan is really getting comfortable being the only dog.


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## flxstr

Definitely hide the toilet paper! Or be prepared to reap the work in cleanup!

And socks, shirts, purses, remotes, cables, pictures, cards, food, cupboards, chairs, tables, beds, cars, and house.

Take everything you own and lock it up, you're trading up to a V!


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## Stacey

This is a great post, as I did all my research and still didn't know what I was in for. I think the one thing I didn't expect was all of the biting which does get better!! I remember thinking she was a shark for weeks and would have bites and scratches all over my hands. I also had major guilt because I didn't love my puppy in the beginning. It was so much work and all I got was a biting puppy in return. Now my vizsla is almost 6 months old and I love her to death, biting and behaviour has improved and love having a dog to do lots of outdoor activities with.


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## TAIsMom

Oh wow. I've read the threads here and even though this is my first V I'd like to weigh in. BUT ... first, you have to know it's not my first bird dog. My Weime was the most obnoxious, strong willed dog you'd ever meet. His training was intense for 3 years ... and that was just to keep him from trying to be alpha! He was wonderful! It helps a LOT to know what youre getting into, and no matter what I read I figured it would be WORSE than my Weim, so I felt I was fairly prepared. Don't get too hung up on what I call the "velociraptor years". You know ... from Jurassic Park? The Velociraptors that poked their head out of the grass, ran around and were crazy intelligent yet insanely hyper? Yeah. I've seen that same look during the "zoomies" and "shark attacks"! Nothing is worse than when my Tai gets that look in his eyes. It's either letting him deal with his zoomies or crating him to get him under control.

Second, Ive never slept well and have insomnia, so having a puppy that wakes me up repeatedly doesn't bother me much. I WILL tell you that comparing my baby V to my weime boy the V (Tai ... 12 weeks old and very smoochable) is much easier to deal with. A case of preparing for the absolute worst and then being plesantly surprised. I'm not saying that he doesn't need constant attention, affection, exercise, etc. but he's very VERY bright and eager to make everything work.

Things that have helped me in the past 2 weeks since we've started our journey:

1. a very specific schedule. we get up every morning at 4 AM (mainly because I have to be at work at 6:30 AM). We exercise and go over our commands and have breakfast. The hardest part of the day is leaving him in the morning. He's great in the crate except for in the AM.

2. I have a doggie daycare company (Critter Caretakers for those of you in AZ) come in and play and exercise him after 3 hours. That way he doesn't go in his crate and has a good experience and has people that are continuing the training that I'm doing. 

3. I come home at "lunch" AKA 1 PM to take him out and exercise him again. I just wish it wasn't so short.

4. I come home at 4:30 PM and run his butt off!! THis is when the real exercise and fun comes in. He gets to run around the neighborhood, learn more of how to walk on his leash, play with me, and (in general) be with me until we go to bed. The more tired he gets the better. The best advice I can give you is:

A TIRED PUPPY IS A GOOD PUPPY!!!!!!! Wear him out when he's this age. that's the best thing you can do for yourself, family and for your new addition. Wear him out ... train ... eat ... sleep ... repeat. 

Rule #2 of fight club is ... A TIRED PUPPY IS A GOOD PUPPY!!!!!!!! Again ... wear him/her out .... train ... eat ... sleep ... repeat.

Two, nothing is better than having a cutie bug snoring in your ear or waking you up 5 minutes before your alarm cuz he already gets the time schedule. Also, nothing is better than having your new boy or girl lie on top of you, completely relaxed as you read your book. Keep in mind that the good totally outweighs the velociraptor. Just be consistent, stay on a schedule and wear them out. 

I hope that all works well with you!! They are great GREAT dogs and after 2 weeks (heck ... 2 hours) I was completely in love! 

Good Luck!!


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## TAIsMom

Picture of a Tired Out Puppy!! ;D He was the best boy for a whole day afterward!!


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## TAIsMom

Love the pic of your girl getting in the shower. My boy cant stay away from it when i start it in the morning. I hope it means he's going to be very open to swimming and water.


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## Boden

Oh yeh it's hard work having a vizsla. It's not a novelty the dogs need proper care, good walks and attention as they are often known as the Velcro dog. 

When boden was a pup he was hard work allot more than my baby son : ) 

Boden is very good with people and other dogs but I think because he's only 2 and has lots of energy dogs can't be bothered with him. So I'm going to try find a meeting with other vizslas in my area to allow him to bond and burn his crazy energy


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## Torran

Hi I am new to this forum, and going to be a first time puppy mamma!
We pick up our Torran in 2 wks.

We have an hour journey home, and I know will have to stop often and regularly! Was wondering 
how other people have managed to get their pups home safely?
I did think about a crate but would like to make the pup feel safe and that I can access him easy.

All suggestions welcome

Thank you


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## Naughtona

Hi Torran!

I can only speak from my experience, my boyfriend and I got our puppy Penny two weeks ago and had a four hour drive home. We opted to have my boyfriend drive and I held her on my lap for the drive. I know having her in the kennel may be safer but it worked out well for us to have her bond with us right from the start. She played for about an hour with her brothers and sisters before we left so she slept the whole ride home except for potty breaks every 1-2 hours. We were very lucky that she did not cry or throw up, but I would definitely bring paper towels and Febreeze just in case!

Good luck!


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## mlwindc

Torran, we brought our puppy home at 11 weeks (so a bit older and he had already been separated from his mom and litter as he was a rehome)... but we have a 4 hour car ride and we drove straight through with him in his crate. My son sat next to him in the backseat and he fell asleep, quiet as can be.


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## hobbsy1010

Torran welcome to the forum,

Your going to find it hard to keep your hands off your new pup 

So get some blankets and snuggle your pup up and enjoy your first journey with your new addition all the way home  

Let the fun begin   

Don't forget plenty of pics  

Hobbsy


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## Rufus Tiberius

Torran,

I got RT when he was 8 weeks old. Picked him up at the airport at 11:00p.m after a 6 hour flight. We gave him some water, walked him so he could p... or poo, thankfully he did both. Than wrapped him up in a warm blanket. My friend sat in the back seat and held him for the two hour drive home. RT just curled up in his arms and slept all the way home.

I would suggest that you not stop at rest stops or other places to let him relieve himself until you are back at your home. From what I read, before getting him, those places can expose him to some pretty nasty disease that he may not yet, be immune too. Just a thought.

Good luck with your new V and welcome to the forum.

RT


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## Cooper Chayce

My name is Curt and This is my First V and I'm also new to this site. I picked up Cooper Chayce a week and a half ago. for the most part he has been great. it was a 7 hour drive home with him and he slept most of the way. He is 8 weeks old today and growing like a weed. he loves being in his crate and has never wined or screamed at all. For the most part I am home with him and when I do leave out for work my wife is home with him. He loves being outside and always going to the same place to pee and poop but I have all hardwood floors in the house and he still likes to pee on them.. Its hard to catch him doing it.. he is sooo quick! But I love him and I know he is going to out grow that.. Just hope soon! ;D


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## mlwindc

Cooper is adorable!!! 8 weeks is still young... Use natures miracle to clean up and keep at it. Wilson was about 12 weeks before he truly stopped going in the house. Did have occasional accident until 16 weeks or so, but that was mostly our fault!


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## TheRamshire

Reagan wasn't that bad until OH MY GOD THE 6 MONTH MARK!! I thought I had lost my mind until my husband bought me a book on the breed and I realized it was a phase. She was the alpha female... there were some battles, but all in all can't complain. Of course there is mischief! That was funny her getting on my old beater... we nipped that in the butt quick!


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## mswhipple

LOL! TheRamshire, I think the expression is, "we nipped that in the BUD... " ;D ;D ;D

Cute pic of Reagan on the car!!


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## Főnix

Being in the middle of shark attacks, I'm afraid "nipped in the butt" is accurate.


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## TheRamshire

LOL - it's an inside joke that is forever ingrained into my everyday vocabulary.


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## MCD

My V puppy will be born in 16 days now? My husband and I are on holidays for the first week we have her/him at home but we are going to visit with my parents out of town after the 1st night at home. I don't know if this is good or bad thing. I do have a dog crate there but it's not the same as the plastic one she/he will have at home either. On one hand we have help on the other it sounds like leaving the puppy alone is not such a good thing to do if we want to do anything like go to the beach or to town even for a short period of time. I am now just realizing after reading these threads that the dog rules you but is worth it and that I will have to pop home on my half hour lunch break and let this little animal out for a quick potty break and then scoot back to work when work is about 10 minutes to and ten minutes from home. Oh well..... This will be our baby as my daughter is 19 now. I can only say that I think we are prepared and will just have to take it as it comes. In the end we will have a wonderful dog and companion. It is definitely worth everything.


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## fullscale

i think our breeder must have crate trained our bitch before we got her, the first 2 nights we soft crated her beside bed and i toilet walked her 5 times, ours lives on patio so i would carry her in and out not allowing her to walk into house.3rd night crate in bathroom when after she fell asleep herself just carried her in there and i still toilet walked her 4 or 5 times she did whinge a bit but good after a while she never got the hang of toilet spot inside but soon worked out grass was the spot. after about a week outside in crate best invention ever the crate on weekends now if we want a lay in, i get up before sun for my normal pee and toilet her she will go back to sleep till around 9 if all quiet. 
dont ever let them do anything you dont want them to do later ,jump up on people for cuddle, on couch,inside, on kitchen bench, in bedrooms, work out how you want your dog to act as a adult and set those boundries from day one, very nice to have cuddly v on lap on lounge when puppy but different story 25kg v sitting on your lap later on.


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## redhead75

My little girl Betty is doing very well. Our breeders had crate trained her and she has only had 3 accidents in the house. She is 12 weeks old now. We watched her every move and recognized when her times of pee pee would be. Like after playing and drinking water. Now she goes to the door and taps on it. 

We still watch her every move because you know how V's can be. They are always into something


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## VizslaCity

I'm only about 1.5 weeks into dog ownership. Olive is 9.5 weeks old. One thing I didn't expect was how similar she is to a baby or a toddler. I've never owned a dog before and dare I admit on here that I was never very fond of dogs (yes, that's changed). 

I used to roll my eyes when people would say "Having a puppy is like having a baby" I thought people who compared owning dogs to kids were absolutely nuts. I have 5 kids and I'm eating my words. Having a puppy is a lot like bringing home a new baby. I get it now 

As far as Olive goes, she is much easier to take care of then I was expecting. I prepared myself for the worst because everyone kept telling me how impossible puppies were. She definitely has her moments. Yesterday morning I woke up and stepped in a pile of fresh dog poo. That was fun. 

So, yes, we are right in the middle of potty training and shark attacks.


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## Coltgnr

I'm laughing at this thread, but it's about to be me...again!

We are the proud, and happy parents of a now, 6 yo Vizsla. It's hard to believe how much time has gone by already, and how difficult it was those first few months. 

I barely remember all the puppy issues, and now she is a well behaved, perfect adult  
She does have good manners, and very obedient, but will counter surf still if she thinks she can get away with it.

Being firm, but loving when they are pups, and getting professional help with training, will give you a wonderful V for many, many years of just hanging on the couch after a day in the field.

We are picking up our second V puppy in December, and it starts all over again...just like having children!


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## nict9

OMG, this is like my life story. Humphrey is 6 months old today and i don't know how we managed to get here. So many sleepless, crazy days where i was on the brink of tears, i forgot how hard it was to have a puppy.tough as those 4 months have been i adore him and wouldn't change him for the world. the dilemma now is we need to do Christmas shopping and do our traditional night out with friends at the Christmas markets, other half thinks we should put him in kennels for a wk end as he has not been before and he needs to get used to it before we go on our hols in Feb and this is a perfect opportunity. I don't want to, i cant bare to be parted from him. Not even looking forward to my holidays. i know i need to man up but if i don't pack any clothes maybe i could fit him in my suitcase!!!


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## CatK

nict9, I know they're all different but mine didn't cope at all well with (nice) kennels and he's usually fairly chilled out. I'll never do it again, he's going to his dog walker's house next time. 

Good luck whatever you choose, so hard to leave them!


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## MilesMom

Nict9, we have had better luck with house sitters. 

Then the dog is in his usual routine and more relaxed than in a kennel.


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## Ruthie_67

Loved reading the posts on here, so helpful to know others have come through the difficult early weeks with a Vizsla pup! Never having had a puppy or a dog before (just cats) I had not really understood how difficult these early weeks would be (he is 12 weeks old now), I have wanted to give up on many occasions. However, Oscar has crawled under my skin and won a place in my heart, I cannot imagine life without him. I am amazed by his intelligence, how quickly he understands instructions (even if he does ignore them). He is captivating and frustrating, handsome and smelly, but we love him and he loves us


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## pippylongstocking

Welcome to our world, Ruthie_67 and Oscar.  Looks like you have caught the same darn bug as the rest of us! Before long, you'll be thinking of adding to your 4legged pack! It happens to us all! ;D ;D ;D


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## mswhipple

Yes, welcome to the forums!! Oscar is a little cutie pie!! ;D ;D ;D


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## Bertie13

*A gift from heaven!*

I just need to share my story about my beautiful vizsla. my son brought him home at 8 weeks old. Two days before Christmas. Well, what a shock. I already had 2 Dachshund.i insisted he be returned the next morning. I have had dogs all my life but I am not so young any more so a big dog was scary. Well ,the next morning after he had spent the night in my sons bed.he came downstairs. That was it. I fell in love .Just couldn't part with that beautiful face. What a shock I was in for! he had sharp teeth, chewed my new chairs. We were jumping up and down to miss being bitten .I had to cage him just so we could have a break. Now he is 15 months old and the most perfect dog. He now grabs my arm but very gently. He sleeps in our bedroom but during the night he wakes and stands looking over us. He goes back in his basket but early hours of the morning he sneaks down under the covers. My husband and I never go out for long and we just miss him too much. For anyone thinking of buying a Vizsla the tough time in the beginning is really worth it.


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## pippylongstocking

Welcome to the forum. What a lovely story.


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## mswhipple

Welcome, Bertie13, and thanks for sharing your love story!! ;D


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## Rick

We have had Meg for 8 weeks now and compared to some of the stories in this thread she seems like a pretty good pup. She still nips but she's getting better and still needs lots of attention...all the time. The one thing we really haven't suffered is the sleepless nights.  

We had read a lot about different methods of training your V to sleep in her crate either letting her howl it out and just leave her or put the crate next to the bed and move further away in time. With Meg not being allowed upstairs we decided we would sleep in her room, so we basically camped out with her for the first 2 weeks and every time she got worried we just out a hand out to calm her down. Having said all that, we were still in the same boat as a lot of owners, after 2 weeks we were going mad and yes, we did even talk about re-homing but we're through the worst of puppy stage one, now to the teenage years.... ???


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## TupeloHoney

My first V is 6 months old next week and is the best puppy I have ever had. She was chosen for me by the breeder and she is perfect! She was 10 weeks old before I could get her and had already been removed from her mom. I did not crate her. She sleeps in the bed with my husband and myself, under the covers most of the time. From the day we brought her home, Honey has never peed or pooped inside the house. I take her outside before bedtime for pees and poos and she is done until morning which is usually 8 or 8:30. She sleeps all night. We are fortunate because we have a large horse farm and work our own hours, and spend a lot of time outdoors. We went to the beach and took her with us. We take her to "dog friendly" beaches, restaurants, shops, and hotels. Where we go, she goes. That being said, I don't believe you should get a puppy unless one person is going to be home with it. There are so many adult dogs in rescue shelters that need forever homes and you can bypass the puppy stage. This is true for all breeds, but especially high-energy pups.


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## BirdWatcher

That's really lovely Bertie 13. I know just how you feel. Burdy is my blessing and I can't believe I was so lucky to find her. She has a lovely deep inner calm combined with a wild love of life and her friends. She is my first viszla. Before that I had English Pointers. Although viszlas are a breed apart I think they are a bit like the other pointers in that they can get depressed and frustrated without good exercise and a busy social life. She has been a very good puppy from day one (well you forget some of it). She's having to rest at the moment so she has destroyed a new chair this week and trashed a few cushions and shoes. I know how she feels - and it just goes to show how much the right exercise mops up that deer-like energy most of the time. She is just the most remarkable trustworthy companion.


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## rkbetz

We are not new dog owners but are new V owners. Goodness gracious! You forget how much like a newborn baby a new puppy is. Thankfully they grow through their newborn, infancy, and toddler years much faster than a human. 

For the first few months we were really wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. We've had puppies before, we had done the research, but nothing can truly prepare you for a Vizsla puppy. They are so different from the others.

I can honestly say that our girl is only 5 months old but we are noticing her start to mellow out a little. We have taken some longer camping trips for a few weeks at a time this summer and after coming back from this last trip we were just commenting that we have noticed some big changes.

One is that she is finally not peeing constantly in the house. Woohoo! We can leave the toilet paper roll on the holder and she doesn't grab it and run through the house. We can leave towels hanging from the oven door handle and she doesn't grab them and run to her hidey-hole. She will play independently and outside. She grabs toys from her bin to play with. She has some shark attacks but they are less frequent than they were.

She (we) are still a work in progress though. She still likes to grab socks and clothes that need to be folded. She drinks out of the toilet if the lid is open. She is now tall enough to get her front paws on the counter or table and try to lick any food that might be close to the edge. This too shall pass.


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## SuperJuicyBanana

Oohhhh boy. My pups not even arrived yet but I'm trying not to worry too much from this thread. I know it will all be worth it obviously, but it is like raising a child!


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## CatK

It's so worth it!!! I know that you just do the best you can at the time, but I wish I'd been (even) more patient and consistent. My other half nearly completely lost it and did mention getting rid of the pup, which he was instantly informed wasn't something that would be happening. Nowadays their bromance has turned into both being completely in love with each other, they have a totally different relationship to me and Morris but no less strong. I should have held the faith that it was only going to be hard for a limited time, and taken a few more deep breaths.


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## Becky68

Every little negative is out weighed by their love, loyalty and beauty Anwen is now 6 months and we've had our ups and down but we always had the reassurance and support from the forum that she's a typical V, just set the ground rules and be patient with love and training you will only get back the work you put in.
They're also very intelligent so we play lots of mind games like hide and seek, hiding toys, kongs and treats along with exercise.
Anwen is our first Vizsla and we also have a 13 year old Golden Retriever Megan who is completely the opposite very quiet, has never needed much exercise. We love both but we're definitely V people now and when Anwens two will be looking for another.
Good luck and the forum is amazing!!


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## Bailey smith

Hello there

myself and my husband are now the proud (but exhausted) owners of a 12 week old Viszla pup, Bailey. Like many on the forum we did our homework before hand and knew it wasn't going to be easy and we are both quite active so wanted an energetic dog, but I really wasn't prepared for quite how hard it was going to be. The first few nights howled and howled and howled. I was beside myself, the noise was heart breaking, then annoying, to heartbreaking, to then really annoying. I then found that although Bailey was settling a bit quicker, I then couldn't sleep at night as i was just waiting for the howling to begin again. I think i had about 6 hours sleep in the first week which lead to a horrid cold developing. I have no idea how I survived work, I was a complete zombie and all i did was cry or shout at my husband. Then when Bailey was awake, he had the zoomies and was constantly jumping up on the furniture and chewing things he shouldn't (including us.... hard!). nothing seemed to calm him down - with the exception of sitting on our laps and lots of stroking. He hated his crate and never wanted to be in it despite how many kongs/toys we put in it. Several times, i was close to calling the breeder to say we had made a horrid mistake and please could she take him back.

It's now nearly the end of week 3 and dare i say it but things are getting a bit easier. Bailey now sleeps from 9:45pm to 6:30 without any incidents and we have enlisted the help of a wonderful trainer. The shark attacks have reduced and although the zoomies remain we have learned that this is a sign of a) he needs a wee/poo b) he is over tired and needs a sleep c) we need to take him for a walk. He loves going out and about and everyone we meet seems to fall in love with him. He is terrible at walking to heel on his lead, but is great when off the lead (i'm learning this is a Vizsla thing!). We have also reduced the size of his crate (as it was too big and therefore increasing his anxiety) and have bought him a stress reduction collar and he now only murmurs for about 5 minutes before settling down. Yesterday I found that he had taken himself into his crate and was fast asleep, i was so so proud (and very relieved). 

I have to say though that this forum (and this thread in particular) has been such an immense help and comfort. I really thought i was alone going through this experience and to know others out there have been there and survived it and to explain how it really is worth it in the end has given me much needed hope. I'm am enjoying Bailey's spirit more and more each day, he is such a character and i know will provide many smiles to come. 

thankyou to everyone who has posted - you really have been amazing!


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## R E McCraith

Bail @ 12-13wk old PUP !!!!!!!! worried about HEEL !!!!!!! DO NOT PUT the PUP ahead of the cart !!!!!!!! - our expectations never exceed just how good the pup will V in a few years !!!!!


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## redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/06/importance-of-mastering-art-of-walk.html

Heel training should me measured in the 100's of miles IMO.



> I'm am enjoying Bailey's spirit more and more each day, he is such a character and i know will provide many smiles to come.


Great name for a pup by the way!

Happy trails,
RBD


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## dextersmom

Bailey said:


> Like many on the forum we did our homework beforehand and knew it wasn't going to be easy and we are both quite active so wanted an energetic dog, but I really wasn't prepared for quite how hard it was going to be.
> 
> I have to say though that this forum (and this thread in particular) has been such an immense help and comfort. I really thought i was alone going through this experience and to know others out there have been there and survived it and to explain how it really is worth it in the end has given me much needed hope. I'm am enjoying Bailey's spirit more and more each day, he is such a character and I know will provide many smiles to come.


We have all been there! I was a zombie myself for a month or two  The forum does help oh so much and it does get easier! Pretty soon you'll be sad puppyhood is over and start planning for a second V . Hang in there because the reward is so worth it. And try to enjoy it as much as you can - especially the zoomies - it doesn't last forever and believe me, you will actually miss it! (If only because you were so sleep deprived that you forget how much those puppy teeth hurt!)


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## fullmanfamily

I agree-- this is a great post. We got our baby girl at just eight weeks, which I still think is too young. She was pretty good about sleeping through the night ( after three nights of straight complaining in her crate). Then, we were blessed with daylight savings time so all of our training and sleeping schedules were tossed out the window. When she was little, she was more submissive. She would play with her toys and stay pretty close to us. Now that she's 13 weeks and a little bigger ( she's finally starting to gain weight) she seems to have found this new sense of confidence. 

For some reason, she loves to climb. That includes jumping up on the stove, kitchen counters, etc. She will come " off" when we scold her, but there is definitely some fun fascination with seeing her shadow in our stainless steel appliances. She is now also really into chasing the reflection from her name tag all around the kitchen. 

In terms of the adjustment-- we are first time V owners and had no idea of physically taxing it would be. We thought we could get through the work week with crate training and lot's of works, play time with toys. She definitely gets bored if she doesn't get to run around outside and get ride of her energy. Sleep is all over the place for us. Sometimes she'll sleep from 10pm-3pm, then we let her out to pee/poop and she'll make it until 5pm. Other nights, she wakes up several times. 

We've definitely had those moments of coming home from work and being like " take her." It's also pretty funny how cooking dinner, cleaning dishes, and just general house work seem like never ending and daunting chores. It's like a contest to see who had more energy to get things done. 

Something we haven't been good about it making time for each other ( my husband and I). Reading through these posts, it seems like we're all in the same boat where we constantly watch the dog, can't go out for a while, and take turns to make sure they're not causing trouble or hurting themselves. We've crated her to go out for short periods of time, but need to work on doing this more. 

If anything-- the time to yourself and the schedule adjustments have been the hardest for us. We don't have any kids so we were use to doing our own thing. She is a full-time job right now. We actually are starting her at doggyday care 2x/week so we can get a break for lunch walks. We're hoping that this will tire her out and she'll sleep better at night! 

It's encouraging to hear that they get better with time. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now!


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## killmodell

Ozkar said:


> The delight I take in seeing them finally click with something. That moment, when you see the look of enlightenment on the dogs face. Like they are telling you........ "Yeah.... I get it now...........you're right.....it's freaking huge fun doing it like that......"


I remember reading this when we first got Ginger (now 3 months old) and we just experienced this for the first time and it's true! We had also heard that this breed will take the training and then 'sleep on it' with better results the next day.

I tried to get her 'shake' after sitting and I would take her paw and shake it while giving her a treat and she would give that quizzical look. The very next day I tried it again and immediately she lifter her paw and there WAS A LOOK IN HER EYE and a wag of her tail that said 'I get it' 

We are only on our 4th week with Ginger but so many of the experiences and behaviors we have read about are right on point!

I can also relate to the ones who have written about not falling immediately in love with their puppy... I had put my German Shepherd down just a few days before we got Ginger and that probably has some to do with it and I thought she was cute and all... just didn't have that real heart tug I got with my Sadie.
THAT is no longer the case. When I come home from work and she gets so excited and is so full of love and kisses and wiggling that butt and tail I can't stand it 
As her personality begins to shine and as the bonding has grown so has my love for this dog... I am now head over heels in love with our new V !!


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## jeffgrene

We just got our first V in October. Our son has a Weimeranar so we had some idea of what we were getting into. As with many of you, we did our research and "thought" we knew what we were in for. After reading the posts our Ragnar was, in retrospect, an angel. We got lucky.
We live in Miami and drove all the way to Alabama to get our little guy from a professional hunting guide, who bred his Vs to hunt quail. Ragnar's dad is an AKC champion hunter and his mom is working towards the same title. The boy was bred to hunt. We found him on Gun Dog Breeders.com
We picked him up at the game preserve and drove a day and 1/2 back to Miami, during which he slept in my wife's lap the whole time. Never one single whimper from the moment i first picked him up in my arms.
Of course he is all V, high energy and exhibits all of the typical V behavior. Ragner has never slept one single night in a crate, but in bed in between us, or on us. As soon as he detects one of us is awake comes the shark attack and a hundred kisses. 
We live on the 32nd floor of a high-rise building, so potty training was a challenge. Almost from the beginning he would not poop in the apartment, however, Pee pee was a different story and for awhile I thought I was living in his personal toilet. Happy to say at 3 1/2 months he will hold it all the way down the hall, down the elevator to his favorite spot. Back to the apartment, straight to his food, eats a big breakfast, back into bed for a short nap, then watch out world.
We live in a large apartment complex which is completely fenced, with a large courtyard. Many many dogs there, especially ones Ragnar's size. They play, hard, fast and rough, sometimes for 2 hours. Ragnar loves to beat up the little guys and loves to try his luck with the big dogs. They have taught him proper dog behavior with a whack or knock him down. We call or text each other to let each other know when we will be downstairs. When Ragnar is back upstairs, its straight to the couch for a long nap. YES, you can wear a V out.
We took him to the beach and although we found out Vs are not great swimmers, he went straight in the water and swam out to where I was standing. NO fear from this guy. Then of course, dug a hole in the sand 1/2 way to China.
Now with all this said, my wife was pulling her hair out for the first 2 months and thought we made a big mistake, but in a very short time he adjusted to our life. He goes into his crate on his own and we have NO issues leaving him there for several hours. No barking or howling. 
We live in a very urban area and he loves going to sidewalk cafes so that he can be admired by all the passerby. We can't walk one block without being stopped by "oh my god he is gorgeous" and the invariably "what is he?"
We will take him hunting when he is old enough, we can't wait. My wife and I used to show horses and loved that lifestyle, being with like minded people.
He loves to hide his bones and biscuits and my wife loves to laugh when she gets into bed only to find a huge bone buried in her pillow.
Yes,Vs are a lot of work, but worth ever single minute. We had a springer spaniel that we loved for 14 years. My wife and I though we could never replace her, we loved her so much. BUT our V has stolen our heart. He is everything we ever thought we wanted in a dog. We LOVE our V. We try to take him with us everywhere we go, whenever possible. Yes, there is separation anxiety but it's us not him.
We have learned to keep the bathroom and closet closed tight, or else!!
P.S. Ragnar was the mythical King of the Vikings. We call him the warrior dog.


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## killmodell

jeffgrene said:


> Yes, there is separation anxiety but it's us not him.


I LOVE it !!

Congrats on your Warrior Dog !!!


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## Jughead

Wow after reading some of the horror stories I think My wife and I are very lucky. We had 2 lab-golden retriever mix over the years so we’re familiar with dogs.
Our daughters both have Viszla’s and we fell in love with them. So we got our puppy from a champion breeder in Ohio. We picked him up at exactly 8 weeks. We anticipated a laborious house training but knew it was required. We were very surprised to notice that almost immediately Cooper acclimated to doing his business outdoors. And he often goes to the door and sits until we take him out.
He’s almost 4 months and he hasn’t soiled his kennel once (knock on wood). Plus he is really a pleasure to be with. He’s adjusted to our schedules well although we try to limit our away time to as short periods as we can. We both are working professionals and he must be left alone for periods of 6 hours or so. He’s adjusted marvelously. 
He gets really excited when get home and we immediately take him outside to take care of his business. After that he comes in, we pet & hug him and give him lots of attention for about 15 min. After that he’ll eat and then go lay down on his bed with his chew toys. We’ll take him out for some play time and then my wife takes him for about a mile walk thru the woods. After that he’s pretty much pooped out.
He really isn’t a pain as some have noted as long as he can see one of us in the room. As long as one of us are in view he’ll remain on his bed and chew or sleep. He literally wants to be around people. When we go upstairs or downstairs we’ll let him come along as he really doesn’t get into much trouble.
Overall our Viszla puppy experience has been 10 times better than the 2 other dogs we had.


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## mswhipple

Welcome to the forums, Jughead! So glad your experience with puppyhood is going so well. Do you have any photos of Cooper you'd like to share? ;D


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## Jughead

first day we brought him home, 8 weeks:










Here's one from last week


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## Jughead

Last night watching TV with me.


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## R E McCraith

My 1st V fell into my lap over 45yrs ago - a gift - at this POINT in time - I have PIKE - ADJUSTING !!!!!!!!!!!- still WORKING on THAT !!!!


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## Libertysmom

I have to agree with the other posters already said. They are a lot of work in the beginning. Just like having a newborn baby. Our pup is 5.5 months old and we still can't stay out long when she is in her kennel, just because she's kenneled all night too and I don't like putting her back in her crate during the day unless we have to. Makes us feel guilty. So we keep our outings short. In fact, I had to leave a funeral before it was over so that I could get home to my pup. Granted, that funeral ran LONGGGG. 
Our life revolves around our 4 kids and our pup. Every morning starts with who is getting up with the dog first!! But you adjust as they get older. Puppies are work until at least a year old. But aren't they so worth it??


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## Vizsla_Luka

After a couple of days I had got over the initial puppy love to 'what have we done' . A couple of weeks after that I wished we hadn't made the decision to get a dog.

A few of the 'lowlights' that immediately spring to mind:

[li]We bought a high energy dog because we enjoy fell walking but of course we can't go now (not together anyway) until she is older. 
[/li][li]
The first training session. Watching an experienced trainer effortlessly getting Lyra to do things, bringing home just how much *I* had to learn (not Lyra).
[/li][li]
We've had three and this is much harder work than a baby (although over a shorter period of time). None of my babies chewed the skirting boards!
[/li][li]
I can't use puppy day care until Lyra is six months old
[/li][li]
Feeling constantly pressurised to achieve as much as possible in the first few weeks before her mind sets like concrete and we end up with an untrainable, antisocial monster.
[/li]
[li]
[/li]

This is soooo true!
I remember my husband, the second night after bringing Luka home, and he was in the middle of one of his zoomies running around the apartment saying "I don't think I can do this"….he definitely did not love the dog!

He does now though 

Also, that last bullet point actually made me laugh out loud - we were exactly the same, we were told everything they learn before they're 16 weeks will be retained much better than things they learn after….so I found myself doing so much training (and not working..don't tell my boss!). Now that we're moving into distraction training I'm worried we didn't do enough


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## KtVaBch

I am an uber dog geek!

As a die hard Dog Whisperer follower, owning and reading all of his books and working with dogs for a living... I found our Vizsla Puppy to be one of the easiest puppies ever! From day one we set the rules, boundaries and as a family we tackled each problem. She was housebroken in a week. We never allowed her in the bed from day 1- that must've been the hardest because I just wanted to pick her up and squeeeeeeeeeze her.... but I didnt, so there were maybe 2 weeks of nightly whimpering. 

OWNING A SMART DOG IS SO MUCH HARDER THAN OWNING A STUPID DOG ---- 9 times outta 10

so sometimes we would have to get creative with our "when we leave" toys. That was fun. If she had a job, she was happy. Vizsla puppies are not autopilot dogs. They have 2 speeds... off and on. In your lap/arms snuggling... or running like red lightning after the neighborhood bunnies (who we found out don't run as fast as she does)..... We never had to scrub a poop coated kennel, she would even take baths with our daughter... overall Bumblebee kept us laughing... always being goofy and fun... I know strong willed dogs can be a pain, but just think how prepared you will be when it's time to add a brother or sister!!!


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## ks310

I really love this post mostly because I love seeing you all say:

- It took me a few weeks to LOVE my Vizsla. 

I think if more puppy owners of ALL stripes knew that there is undoubtedly going to be a few bad weeks of adjustment on both sides then it would slowly get better, we'd have less dogs in shelter.

When I was younger I had a bulldog that has since passed on. The potty training situation was insanely difficult. I really felt like an overstressed single parent. The bond took a while to build.

I'm hoping potty training goes better with my Vizsla girl as I'll be home a lot more to be more consistent.


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## Vizsla_Luka

redbirddog said:


> http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/06/importance-of-mastering-art-of-walk.html
> 
> Heel training should me measured in the 100's of miles IMO.


That's reassuring to hear! Mine can only walk to heel at the moment with NO distractions out on the streets. But distractions come in all shapes and sizes from other dogs, to leaves, to tissues, sticks...but slowly getting there!


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## mnadraus

Ok Dutch...... Hes 14 months old and 70lbs male V. Hes a ham and loves to sleep with us at night only. We have a 3 yr old and a 18 month old so he isnt able to run free all day. We have passed the shark bites and all that nutty puppy stuff. But he still gets wild. Somemtimes wont go back in his cage and theser is no way to get him in. It drives me insane. 

I met his mom and sister and they were pretty relaxed. Im just curious as to when you guys found your V really chilled out from the puppy stage. Im talking, letting him loose in the house all day when we are home. Now we have to keep him in there on and off thru out the day too time out or chill him out. Any thoughts?


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## Telamore

So happy I found this thread! Was starting to think it's just us :-[

Our V is 9 weeks old tomorrow, home with us for 2 weeks. We have a 1.5 year old crazy chocolate lab, so we thought we knew what we were getting ourselves into. Nope. The thing that i didn't expect the most was not feeling the love as many have mentioned before, which scared me. I loved our lab from the minute i saw him, but with the V I'm still not there. And I went through the "omg what have I done stage" mostly because the V is torturing the lab. She won't leave him alone during the play time and i feel so bad for him. Trying to find a balance between letting them work it out and giving him alone time and attention. We gave up on the crate training with the lab and the V. While everyone is at work, we isolate the V in the living room. She doesn't cry, goes potty in designated area with the wee-wee pads and catches up on sleep. We still have accidents all over the house during play time, but we made our peace with the puppy stage. Luckily we are new to this house and left the first floor empty to keep the dogs out of trouble, so it's completely puppy proof. For night time, for the first week we used the crate with the V, but she would wake up and start screaming, so then i had to get up, take her to pee and then calm her back down to sleep. After a week of no sleep, i gave up. So now she falls asleep on her bed and if she wakes up she walks over to my bed, whines, i pick her up, and then we sleep through the night. Some days it's 9 pm - 7 am without potty breaks! Except for last night's 4 am wake, which went into "on" mode for both dogs with running around and driving me bananas. 
On top of all the puppy adjusting, we just found out that the puppy's poo has giardia (from the breeder), but the lab's doesn't so we have to keep the isolated from each other for at least 10 days so there is no poop contact of any sort from her to him. This should be fun. Has anyone dealt with giardia? Is it still safe for the puppy to sleep in my bed? 

Some encouraging words for others in the same boat: 
1. All things are replaceable: Carpets, shoes, towels, socks, bras, floors, etc. If any of those were destroyed, it's your fault for leaving it accessible so don't take it out on the puppy. Floors and carpets can be replaced or cleaned, also not the puppy's fault, they are learning still. 

2. As everyone has said, take lots of pics. I don't have as many pics as i would have wanted of the lab, regretting it all the time. V is going to have lots of pics! 

3. Get help if you are starting to lose it. I've been taking the V to work on Fridays. Everyone at my office who has dogs are all obsessed pet owners so i know everyone is up do date on their shots and such. And everyone wants to watch her. So she's sleeping in my co-workers office now, while I write here  Break for the lab - break for me - socializing puppy - win win

4. Remind yourself that it will get better and calmer  

I keep calling my V "Sour Patch Kid" - have you seen those commercials? First they're sour, then they are sweet. Those cuddle moments make it all worth it


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## Anida

We can get giardia so I'd keep her off your bed/furniture etc. unless you are sure she has no fecal matter on her. I wouldn't risk it personally  

Good luck with the puppy stage. At 11mths things are SO much better. Ours was difficult to potty train and it also made me a little slow to bond with her (Fortunately, my husband kept encouraging me and telling me it'd get better).


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## Telamore

Thanks Anida!  

We are wiping her down all over after all potty breaks, before going on furniture and before she comes in contact with the older pup. That's not a guarantee, so I'll do a course of herbal meds against the bug as well. Cleaning and steaming the floors everyday, washing toys and everything else in hot water. Lots of extra work, but really don't want to spread the cooties. 

She hasn't been feeling well because of the meds she's on for giardia which mellowed her out and everyone started bonding with her. 

We are getting back to normal slowly ;D Thank God for this forum


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## texasred

Unless she is getting poo on the toys or in the house, I really wouldn't worry about it. Just clean up outside poos right after she goes. 
My daughter's first Catahoula had it. With meds it cleared up quickly, and never spread to the other dogs.


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## Telamore

Thanks TexasRed - that's really good to know!!


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## VizRunr

Having seven kids, I think that having a new puppy is more demanding than a newborn! The first day I was ready to crash after she had been there 4 hours. 

Luckily, everyone chips in, so our V, Sage, has not run me ragged.

We got a dog play area pen for her within the first week, because I did not want to have to watch her every minute. This gives us a break from constant vigilance, and she is much calmer in there than when we have her out for interaction.

It was a tough first two weeks. My husband kept threatening maybe he should try to sell her (we got her from far away), and I was secretly wondering if we made the wrong decision too, but know that the kids would be so disappointed. We are feeling better about it now. I agree with others that all the conflicting advice out there is the hardest part.

Today I tried my first "training" for a task. She always goes for sticks in the yard. I decided to see if I could get her to pick up sticks in the yard and drop them by the refuse pile by the road. She worked at it for a while. I think we were making some progress, then she got bored. Will try again tomorrow.


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## TSeymour

Love this forum and this thread - glad I found it. We are on the waiting list for our first V - I am beyond excited and now slightly terrified.


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## MattGrab

I have my first baby V - she is just 8 weeks today and adjusting to life perfectly!! 

My only question is how anxious and loud/hyper she gets around feeding. I chose Blue Buffalo Puppy food - which I am going to switch shortly - and going to do Orijen ADULT food - my question is how much food do you find to be OK?

Note: she has not had vaccines, and being a city V, she cannot really go outside yet. She runs around the apt, and burns off energy - but seems to wake up barking until she is fed, and barks at lunch and dinner as well! We are feeding 1/2 a cup of food 3x a day. Should this be increased?

Note: she weighed in at 10 pounds 11 ounces today at 8 weeks - is this on the larger size? The vet said she looks extremely healthy!


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## Betty

I would rethink going from Puppy to Adult food so early. Vets & breeders usually suggest that 1 year on puppy food gives the pup the nutrition it needs to grow and develop good bones and muscles, but not too fast! I fed my V 3 times a day for almost 9 months (and sometimes he needs a snack in the evening) He is 1 yr. 7 months. To keep them interested put some rice, lettuce, shredded cheese or meat scraps on the top. I usually mix the kibble with canned, wet food (just enough to flavor and coat the pieces). I feed 3 cups divided into 3 feedings, divided that into 2 feeding at almost a year.


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## MCD

This is a very interesting, informative thread. I am not even sure what page my first post was on now.
I do know that it has been probably almost 4 years ago now that I knew we were about to have an encounter with our first Vizsla.


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## martxi79

*I am scared now...*

We have been doing research for 2-3 weeks now. 
My plan was to get a V. in 2019... Then my husband convinced me to move it to 2018... He kept insisting and now supposedly we could get a puppy from our chosen Hungarian breeder in August. 
We have 2 kids (5&4yo). 
Is it gonna be so hard??? 
My life is easy now. I have slept 8hrs every night for the last 3 years... Is it really worse than a newborn/toddler???? 
What are the benefits of having a dog for the household?


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## texasred

Two-three weeks is very little time to research the breed, much less a breeder.
Each should take months, and not doing due diligence can make the experience a nightmare.
I thought I knew about the breed before purchasing my first vizsla. Looking back, I knew very little compared to present day, and I'm still learning. How much do you know about the breeder, and the bloodlines they breed? How does it compare to other bloodlines? Do they do health clearances, and do you know how to look up and verify the clearances? Do they compete with their dogs? What does their contract look like? Do they offer references, and have you spoken with people that have purchased their puppies in the past? Will they take back the puppy, or help you rehome it for its lifetime? Is this breeder someone you actually get along with? I ask that question because a good breeder can also be a mentor.
Are you prepared to socialize, exercise, and take this pup to training classes? 
I love this breed, but they are the nippiest puppies I've ever came across. It takes a very patient, and committed person to get through the puppy, and teenage stage.
It is kinda like having another toddler in the house, but this one also nips the kids. Be sure and look up shark attacks, because puppy play can feel aggressive. Keep in mind its not, and is normal puppy play for these guys.
For those of us that love the breed, no other dog breed compares. They are silly, and full of personality. Have you laughing one minute, and curled up next to you for snuggles the next. Follow you everywhere you go, and want to interact with every aspect of your life. They are the kid that never grows up, and needs you for a lifetime.


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## scooby doo

my pup scooby is 4 months old now and is bat sh*t crazy but in a good way :grin the only problem we had with him is the night time crying. i would lay down with him for 5-10 minutes and put him back to bed and he would be fine. the things that will drive you mad about a vizsla is what you will love most about them if that makes sense. the last dog i had was a weimaraner 15 years ago and imo are far far far harder work than a vizsla. but the thing you need to know most imo is the velcro tag they have. forget about the stuff you have read and forget about what you have been told there is not another living creature on earth that will love you as much as a vizsla some people like it some people hate it. i love it :grin every morning my wife opens the stair gate to let scoobs come up to see me and he dives on my bed jumps on me licks my face and just goes crazy to see me and i love it. :grin


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## JALVizsla

This is a great (scary) thread.

My first Vizsla comes home in four weeks... I am very excited, and a little terrified! 

Sharks, Velociraptors, Sour Patch Kids... oh my!


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## texasred

JALVizsla said:


> This is a great (scary) thread.
> 
> My first Vizsla comes home in four weeks... I am very excited, and a little terrified!
> 
> Sharks, Velociraptors, Sour Patch Kids... oh my!


Just keep in mind how much most of us love the craziness, and are willing to do it all over again with new puppies.


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## LucaBrasi

I've had my baby boy for 4 months. I contemplated this new addition to the household for 5 years! Our kids are adults and we have had numerous animals over the years. THe vizsla is for ME as I wanted to remain active through my golden years 😊 I found this article below just before I made the final commitment that you may find helpful in your decision. I LOVE ❤ my Vizsla and have no regrets! My 30 lb baby is "velcroed" to me now.... ❤❤❤

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/vizslas.html


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## TexasBirdDog

smurfette said:


> What a fantastic thread ;D
> 
> We went from not knowing the V breed to owning Dugo within 2 weeks ... a bit ignorant if I look at all the effort some owners put into the arrival of their new Vs. We watched a Dog 101 episode on youtube after being told about the breed by a friend, watch a few more youtube videos on Vs running around like crazy and was totally prepared for the exercise part but not the rest...... As lady luck would have it, when we googled to see whether there were any breeders in the Cape Town area we found a puppies for sale advert that was posted the previous day. We pondered for 2 weeks and then decided just to visit the breeder and have a look .... the rest is history!
> 
> I completely fell in love with the serious little pup sitting just to one side observing the "brat pack" of the litter competing for our attention when we arrived. Once the "brat pack" was done jumping and biting and whining he saw the gap, quickly came over and started to lick my hand. I could have told him there and then he had me at the first lick :-* After choosing the little guy we noticed he was the biggest pup of the litter. His baby tummy and love of his couch have earned him the nick name of couchpotato from a few of our friends but I only smile cause I know one of these days they will have to grovel when they see him run.
> 
> So it was about 15 minutes later that he left with us, new toys, blanket etc all ready and since then I've not looked back once .... although the hubby complains that he has gone from hero to zero within a matter of the 1 hour trip back home.
> 
> Looking back Dugo fitted right in and never cried for being taken from his four-legged family. He only had a few accidents in our flat but mainly because we didn't haul ass when he wined at the door. Up till now (I may regret this when he turns a teenager) he has never chewed on anything other than his toys and only steels socks when he wants to get your attention - he will literally come and show off that he's got the sock and if you don't chase, let it fall to the floor looking very disappointing. On a couple of occasions when left home alone for an hour so he will grab himself a shoe or jersey to take to bed with him and sleep on it.
> 
> Obviously we now have first hand experience of sharkies, zoomies, jumping and all the rest but the one thing that is still difficult for me to handle is the separation anxiety. Dugo always bark when I leave even if the hubby is around - he will literally mope around until I am back which make it extremely hard for me to go anywhere without him. Both us work full days during the week and have been very lucky up til now that we could find reliable people to look after him during the day. However, we've seriously limited our social life for the time being which sometimes is hard to explain to friends and family. In some ways it don't bother me so much as I get to spent more time with my V but it does become a frustration point for the hubby. As Dugo grows older it obviously becomes easier to manage so this will hopefully get easier.
> 
> But no matter how desperate we were in the beginning for a few hours additional sleep, or with the broken toes episode or struggling with on-leash walking .... when I look at his adorable face or he snuggles up to me in the evening I can only thank my lucky starts that I could experience life after adjusting to a V :-*



What a great pic!


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## TexasBirdDog

TAIsMom said:


> Oh wow. I've read the threads here and even though this is my first V I'd like to weigh in. BUT ... first, you have to know it's not my first bird dog. My Weime was the most obnoxious, strong willed dog you'd ever meet. His training was intense for 3 years ... and that was just to keep him from trying to be alpha! He was wonderful! It helps a LOT to know what youre getting into, and no matter what I read I figured it would be WORSE than my Weim, so I felt I was fairly prepared. Don't get too hung up on what I call the "velociraptor years". You know ... from Jurassic Park? The Velociraptors that poked their head out of the grass, ran around and were crazy intelligent yet insanely hyper? Yeah. I've seen that same look during the "zoomies" and "shark attacks"! Nothing is worse than when my Tai gets that look in his eyes. It's either letting him deal with his zoomies or crating him to get him under control.
> 
> Second, Ive never slept well and have insomnia, so having a puppy that wakes me up repeatedly doesn't bother me much. I WILL tell you that comparing my baby V to my weime boy the V (Tai ... 12 weeks old and very smoochable) is much easier to deal with. A case of preparing for the absolute worst and then being plesantly surprised. I'm not saying that he doesn't need constant attention, affection, exercise, etc. but he's very VERY bright and eager to make everything work.
> 
> Things that have helped me in the past 2 weeks since we've started our journey:
> 
> 1. a very specific schedule. we get up every morning at 4 AM (mainly because I have to be at work at 6:30 AM). We exercise and go over our commands and have breakfast. The hardest part of the day is leaving him in the morning. He's great in the crate except for in the AM.
> 
> 2. I have a doggie daycare company (Critter Caretakers for those of you in AZ) come in and play and exercise him after 3 hours. That way he doesn't go in his crate and has a good experience and has people that are continuing the training that I'm doing.
> 
> 3. I come home at "lunch" AKA 1 PM to take him out and exercise him again. I just wish it wasn't so short.
> 
> 4. I come home at 4:30 PM and run his butt off!! THis is when the real exercise and fun comes in. He gets to run around the neighborhood, learn more of how to walk on his leash, play with me, and (in general) be with me until we go to bed. The more tired he gets the better. The best advice I can give you is:
> 
> A TIRED PUPPY IS A GOOD PUPPY!!!!!!! Wear him out when he's this age. that's the best thing you can do for yourself, family and for your new addition. Wear him out ... train ... eat ... sleep ... repeat.
> 
> Rule #2 of fight club is ... A TIRED PUPPY IS A GOOD PUPPY!!!!!!!! Again ... wear him/her out .... train ... eat ... sleep ... repeat.
> 
> Two, nothing is better than having a cutie bug snoring in your ear or waking you up 5 minutes before your alarm cuz he already gets the time schedule. Also, nothing is better than having your new boy or girl lie on top of you, completely relaxed as you read your book. Keep in mind that the good totally outweighs the velociraptor. Just be consistent, stay on a schedule and wear them out.
> 
> I hope that all works well with you!! They are great GREAT dogs and after 2 weeks (heck ... 2 hours) I was completely in love!
> 
> Good Luck!!



I know I'm a little late on this post. However, I'm about to be picking my pup up in less than a month. A lot of what you mentioned is exactly what I was taught growing up with my Dad's dogs. He raised Dobermans, another high energy breed. Though, not near the energy level of a V. However, they are considered one of the smartest, and most trainable breeds. This makes for some ornery situations, stubbornness, and unwanted behavior. Long story long, schedules and exercise are a demanding dog owner's best friends. The dogs tend to behave better when they know what to expect. It makes corrections easier...typically because the dog knows they're doing wrong. And an exercised dog is more focused, easier to control and, most importantly, calm(er).

While I know I'm ignorant on the subject, having not experienced a puppy V yet, I know I will be doing everything in my power to set up my new pup for success with a schedule and PLENTY of exercise. I work from home every day except for Mondays when I have to go in for a team meeting(blah) which I'm usually back home around lunchtime. So, I'll have plenty of time to dedicate to my pup. I will, however, be training the pup to be separated from me and learning to cope. I know, I know a lot of people will tell me the pup will train me. I'm in firm belief that you can train a smart breed just about anything and it won't be for all day. I also know it won't be an easy task with my V pup...or a quiet one, lol. It will just be a few hours(3-3.5) in the morning after our morning exercise.

I'm seeing a lot of people with no experience raising dogs and getting a V for their first one and can't help but think they must be crazy. However, after reading most of these posts, I'm learning you have to have a little crazy in you to raise one. A good crazy, but crazy none the less, lol. I can only imagine the horror for them. I've said many prayers for folks while reading this thread even though I'm years behind the posts. lol. God bless them for sticking it out.


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## Georgesmom

How lovely to come across people who have felt completely the same. 
Over the years we have had many other family dogs of varying breeds, but our boy is our first together, and having a partner in the military i am doing this alone, training is my passion and to feel i didn't love my boy was so hard. The puppy blues is a real thing, and vizsla's are the hardest breed i have ever encountered. 7 weeks in its still so unbelievably hard, bit i wouldnt change him for the world and have seen big improvements, the leaving a room without him screaming, and leaving the house for more than 3 minutes even when he is exhausted is impossible but I love him, and for now that is enough =) good luck people. We are all on this crazy ride together.


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## LucyJ

I am so late to the party with this post and I wish I had found it when Eric (our 9m V) was younger - but it is still really helpful now as he is still a real handful. I have also found it really cathartic to reflect back on what we survived and wanted to share our experience to help others. It is very long so scroll to the bottom for some tips! 

My husband and I have always owned dogs but Eric was our first V. We thought we had done enough research but what we had actually done was read what I now describe as 'surface research' and speak to a small handful of breeders - we didn't go through forums such as this one and we thought we could overcome breed traits with training (so naive). Had we found this forum first, we may have re-thought our choice! I love him now but he still makes me cry on a monthly basis so here is our experience for anyone else struggling, thinking of owning a V or anyone that wants to feel better about their experience  I used to cry every day so we have definitely improved haha! 

When choosing Eric from the litter we went for the larger, most confident V. This is something we have always done when picking our pups but I think a different approach is better with Vs - we should have gone for a calm, small to normal sized pup that was content snoozing in the background. By nature these dogs are high energy constantly, can be reactive and are so intelligent that they can decide to challenge you and be very stubborn. They are also very strong - pure muscle. So having a pup that demonstrated the ability to be calm at the outset and in the normal size range would've given us a better start.

Getting him to sleep on his own downstairs in the crate without crying took 4 nights so that was pretty good going and not a big issue at all. I am thankful for this win! We took it in turns to sleep outside the crate downstairs with him for the first two nights with the crate door open. Every time he climbed out, we silently picked him up, put him back in the crate and went back to sleep ourselves. We closed the door on the third night but still slept outside and then we headed upstairs after he fell asleep on the fourth night. We took it in turns to get up in the middle of the night to take him out to the garden as their bladders can't make it through the night at that age. All worked well and he has continued this trend since - sleeps brilliantly all through the night until morning and is happy to get in his crate at night. 

For the first six months we felt like we had to have eyes on him CONSTANTLY to stop him from peeing & pooing everywhere, eating something he shouldn't, jumping on the cat, biting us, biting furniture, swallowing EACH AND EVERY stone in the garden (all garden visits had to be accompanied), eating stones on walks, eating dog and cat poo on every walk despite having enough protein in his diet (I read that this sometimes causes them to eat poop). It was a full time job so whoever was working from home that day would literally hand him over when the other got in from work and go upstairs to shout, scream or cry in peace. When writing this it doesn't sound that bad but imagine spending half a year constantly on high alert, battling with a super intelligent, high energy baby shark that doesn't act like any other breed of dog and that is what we experienced. We couldn't even leave him if we needed the loo without knowing something would have happened in the two minutes we were out of the room. This was also the first six months of our marriage - Eric was our wedding present to ourselves. In hindsight, that was a terrible idea. After six months, things got so much better so hang on in there if this is you right now!

The puppy biting was insane. His bite strength at 8 weeks old was incredible and it meant we couldn't have guests round as nothing we did would stop him. We paid for a private dog trainer to help us and unfortunately had to resort to using an aversive rattle to make a loud sound to stop him. This was effective but it took a while for guests to want to come round again! He was so strong and so incessant with it! We wanted to use positive reinforcement only with Eric but it wasn't possible in this scenario. Everyone said this was normal and to accept it - puppy biting is normal but incessant biting and no response to corrections to the point that you're bleeding is not ok. We wish we had called the trainer sooner so if this is you, and you have tried everything, call in the trainer now! Once it is corrected it is life changing! 

We were not put off by the descriptions of 'high energy' as we are active and wanted a dog that could keep up with us. What we didn't think about was that for the first year of their life, you have to restrict their physical exercise while their bones and joints are developing. This means you have a super high energy puppy who is not allowed to run to their heart's content which makes for a frustrated little pup who is hard work for anyone who is on pup duty. This has massively improved now we are at 9 months and he can go for two 45 minute walks a day but when he was three months and could only go for two 15 min walks it was a nightmare. We also didn't fully anticipate that 'high energy' in a V is very different to other dogs described as 'high energy'. Vs are relentless and can outdo any dog/human with their energy reserves. They need constant stimulation and if excited, will never stop. This plus the separation anxiety I discuss below means you should not get a V unless you or someone who can keep up with them is home every day all day/most of the day. We got Eric on the proviso that my in-laws would have him twice a week - he has proved far too much for them from an energy perspective which results in a boisterous and frustrated pup. As a result, they have dropped back to having him for 3 hours a week rather than two full days. Non V owners will tell you that their dog is also 'mental' or 'high energy' or 'excitable' and then they will meet your V and ask you how you are still standing. Now that Eric walks for 45mins x2 a day he will sleep for most of the day if one of us is home so his energy is where we would expect it to be. 

The stories of the separation anxiety and Velcro tendencies of the breed are not exaggerated they are real! My husband naively said before we got Eric that he could train anything and that while a breed may lean towards having certain traits, that doesn't mean all puppies will have this or that it can't be easily overcome if tackled from day one...Nope!! Vs are the most dependent dogs I have ever met. Eric is incredibly unhappy if he doesn't have human company - it doesn't necessarily need to be us (although its clear that is his preference) but even if with another dog, our cat or with a plethora of toys and treats he is devastated at the thought of being alone - even if you've just popped upstairs. He howls if he is alone for more than an hour and a half if you have actually left the house, he will whine and bark if you put on your shoes or go upstairs, he busted out of his crate, broke through the baby gate and he has destroyed our sofa. We have been doing separation training since the beginning! At nine months we now count 2 and a half hours out alone of an evening when he is mostly asleep as a win! We had to give up on crate training during the day (happy to go in to bed at night) for his own safety and we are very lucky we live in a detached house otherwise we would have had complaints. No amount of exercise and mental stimulation improves this, including off lead and scent training. All of this means that in 7 months my husband and I have not been able to go out together for more than 2 hours at a time unless we pay for a sitter. This has massively impacted our relationship. But, we are seeing improvements and we now leave him alone for a couple of hours each day. If it the evening, he has started to sleep through these alone times which is massive progress. We noticed this improvement at about 7 month old. 

Pulling on the lead is insane and no amount of training, including with various private and well thought of dog trainers has overcome this. We have trained many a dog to walk to heel but Eric's sense of smell and desire to follow smells is out of this world and it takes over his brain (he is from v strong hunting lines). From a practical perspective this means I have to walk him on a head collar because at 28kg of pure muscle, he is too strong for me otherwise and pulls me over. It also means family, friends and most dog walkers can't walk him and I have pulled my shoulder more than once. He hates the head collar but this is the only way I can actually take him for his on-lead walks. We prioritise off-lead walks but it is unrealistic to think your V will only have off-lead walks if you live in a town/city. 

Dog socialisation - this may not be a V thing and may just be an Eric thing but we have regularly socialised Eric with both puppies and mature dogs since he had his jabs. It was important to us that we had a dog that socialised well with other dogs as a lot of our friends have dogs and we go to dog friendly pubs. Now, Eric absolutely LOVES other dogs and has not once been aggressive. However, he does not read canine ques so when a dog is telling him to back off or that it is done playing (including when they bite him in anger, bare their teeth, growl and air snap) he just keeps trying to play - incessantly. He plays and hassles other dogs CONTINUOUSLY until his body starts to shut down from exhaustion. His eyes will be bright red, he will be panting, he some times starts to limp from over play, he will have red bite marks from the other dog etc and he will not stop. He will not listen to commands, he will not leave the dog alone and he will not be calm in the same space as another dog. It is damaging to his health and that of the other dog as well as our mental health. This is proving to be the hardest one for us to both overcome and live with. We have employed the help of specialist dog trainers who can get small improvements from him but we have a long road ahead. We now have weekly training sessions dedicated to trying to get him to be 'polite' with other dogs and stop playing/hassling them either after an initial amount of play or when the other dog tells him to stop - these can only last a couple of hours for everyone's sake. But we have to have very tolerant dog owners who are happy to lend us their dog for such an exercise. It also means Eric cannot be boarded or go to day care. Nor can we take him out to public places such as pubs, picnics or cafes as if he sees another dog he will go crazy trying to get to it. This means if we do want to go out we pay through the roof for a sitter to come into our home to sit him or to live in our house when we go on holiday. Other V owners have tried to sympathise and say their V has endless energy as well and that they can outrun any other dog but this is not the same - Eric is incapable of stopping even to the detriment of his health when with other dogs. This has been one of the hardest things and I know my husband is at his wits end with what to do now. 

Lunging - I now know that this is a common thing Vs do. When on a walk and sometimes in the house, Eric will lunge up at me, mouth open and either clamp on to clothes on his way down, ripping them, or actually bite me. It seems like it is an overwhelm of energy or more commonly, frustration. If you tell him off this seems to rev him up more and he will do it again. He has done this to me, my mother-in-law and some guests. Either out of the blue or in response to being told 'no.' Other V owners on here have said it becomes less frequent (and we have seen a decline over the last month thank goodness!) and that it is something they just do sometimes! Before knowing this, I was so confused as to why my non-aggressive dog was doing a surprise attack to me at home or going crazy in the middle of walks but didn't appear angry or as if he was actually trying to hurt me. For anyone struggling with this issue, we have found time out to be the most effective consequence for him lunging in the home and when on walks we find the nearest wall, sit down on it, hold Eric on a short lead and ignore him (including not looking at him) until he stops. 

Boisterous - V's do not know how big they are, how fast they are or that it isn't polite to barge into people or run into their legs, climb over them on the sofa etc. Eric now has to ask permission to get on the sofa to help tackle this and if he tries to climb over someone's head (why he does this I don't know), he is made to get down. We are using impulse control training to help him learn how to act in all scenarios - such as asking to get on the sofa, not being allowed to eat his food until he has heard the 'release' command, waiting to go through door frames until given permission etc. Initially we didn't prioritise impulse control training with Eric as we were picking our battles with the above issues. But I regret this now as he needs more boundaries to make him a polite dog for guests to be around due to his excitement and thinking he is a lap dog - so if you have a young V or you're thinking of getting one - impulse control training is an absolute must. 

Intelligence - my god they are intelligent which also makes them stubborn and in need of constant mental stimulation not just physical exercise. From a practical sense this means nothing is safe in my home - he can and does get into everything, he can also undo baby gates that flummox most humans and untie knots...my dog unties knots! It also means if he doesn't want to do something, you can see him weighing up the consequence of not obeying the command and carrying on doing what he wants to do vs the reward of obeying the command. I can see the clogs working behind his eyes. So while V's can be trained to be incredibly obedient dogs, this is more to do with their bond with you vs them just listening to what you say. This can be frustrating when you know that the V understands the command but try to stick with it as the closer your bond becomes, the more consistently they respond to you. It does mean that if you are relying on help, the person/people helping you have to also be very consistent and authoritative in their training. If they're not, your V will quickly realise they are push-overs who can be ignored which will also make your life harder. 

Recall - I was told that due to V's being Velcro dogs, you will not have any issues with recall and they will mainly want to walk next to you. Second to this, they are hunting dogs so easily trained. Nope to both! They are confident, HPR dogs that have high prey drive, excellent sense of smell and can self reward by following that scent or that fun looking dog or small child running in the other direction. At 6 months, as Eric's confidence and obsession with other dogs increased, his recall response disappeared. We are now back to re-training on this issue and making good progress. 

Jumping up at guests and passers by on walks - Eric's love and enthusiasm means he will jump up at any new guest or any passer by on a walk. But given the size of a male V when on their back legs, this means he is able to lick the face of most guests that walk through the door. We have seen massive improvements on this with consistent training but it is just the reality of living with an excitable, loving, very tall V. Not all guests are that understanding - we use 'place' training for him to go and sit on a mat when guests come in but sometime he literally bursts from the mat when the excitement bubbles over. 

Toys - not one toy has lasted more than a couple of weeks he will destroy each and everyone and take great pleasure doing so even with his full exercise quota and mental stimulation having been met. Give up on soft toys! If your V takes pleasure in destroying things, they will not last. 

HPR dog - The V is a gun dog breed. We knew this at the time but the most popular pet dogs in the UK are from the gun dog breeds so this didn't put us off. We thought this meant easy to train (nope), loyal (nope he loves everyone) and able to keep up with us (he overtakes!). We also found a breeder that doesn't work her Vs so that he wasn't coming directly from strong hunting lines. However, his dad, grandparents and every dog before them come from champion, award winning hunting lines. Actively working in Hungary, the US and the UK. So what we have is a dog that has been bred from the most resilient, largest, most active, most enduring Vizslas. Which equals an insane amount of energy, intelligence, independence, confidence, size and strength! Which is quite hard to handle!

In summary, I don't know how my husband and I are still together or how we have individually survived the last nine months. When I articulate this to other V owners, they sympathise and say it gets better at 2 years! Which feels a long time away. However, I love Eric deeply. I miss him when I am not home and I love seeing him progress with his training and understanding of the world. Our bond grows closer every day and as much as his intelligence is a challenge it is also amazing to see. He is also one of the best looking and most affectionate dogs I have ever met. So now that I am in this Vizsla life, my advice to any who are still reading my very long post and are still thinking of getting a V or are soldiering on with their existing V is this:

- Impulse training from the beginning is a must. They are large dogs that lack awareness of their size. You may think you have bigger battles to fight but trust me that impulse control will improve all aspects of their behaviour and their bond with you - including their responsiveness to all commands.

- They are not the same as any other breed of dog - even hunting dogs. So stop comparing them to the dogs you used to have or your friend's cockerpoo that sleeps all day and is nothing but sweet. Comparison is the thief of joy. Focus on your V and the progress they're making each day. 

- Toilet training a V typically takes longer than most other breeds - expect 6 - 8 months and if it happens sooner, pop open the wine and celebrate. Consistency is key and they will get it eventually. The best thing we did was stop using puppy pads and made it so the garden was the only acceptable place to pee. 

- Choose the calmest puppy of the bunch and a mid-normal sized pup. This ought to set you in good stead for the future (there will of course be exceptions to this rule). 

- Vizslas are categorised as medium sized dogs but most people you encounter will comment on how large and strong your dog is. They straddle the medium/large category and depending on their heritage you could find yourself with a rather large dog. All of them are strong. 

- Before choosing your pup look up their full and detailed lineage. If they are from strong hunting lines then your dog will have been bred from those which have demonstrated the most confidence, endurance and resilience. All great traits but this will mean your pup is likely to have more energy, more intelligence (sometimes stubbornness) and independence than your average V who has been bred from non-working lines. You will have to provide more stimulus, exercise and training than you think and have a harder challenge on your hands. 

- Ask for help from experienced puppy trainers before you reach breaking point, follow this forum and join a Vizsla group on facebook. 

- Only get a V if you can be home for most of the day every day. Do not expect less energetic/active friends and family to be able to keep up with the care and attention your V needs. 

- Puppy biting is a phase and will often be referred to as 'sharkies' in the context of Vs. But if it is getting too much, get help rather than let you or your family get hurt. There is a difference between bite inhibition (totally fine and every pup needs to go through this to learn) and incessant biting that hurts you and others which does not stop with usual inhibition training. 

- Use their mind. They're intelligent and need mental stimulation. While they're too young for obedience, agility or hunt training then buy some scent training or agility aids online and use them at home to burn off some of that energy. It will help all aspects of their behaviour and increase your bond as well as tire them out. 

- Set up a time out pen or a time out space. Use it consistently for unacceptable behaviour. 

- Start separation training from the beginning and be persistent. Regularly put on your shoes, pick up your keys, put your coat on even if you're not going out. 

- Set time aside for you and your partner/family where you are not looking after or talking about your V. Pay for a sitter if need be. It will keep you sane and get you a well earned break. 

- Keep a diary of your struggles and successes. When there are so many training needs it is easy to miss how far you have come and how much effort you are putting in. Reflecting back can give you the motivation you need to carry on. 

- They are amazing, loving, beautiful dogs that deserve a home with care givers who are experienced with high energy demanding dogs. Care givers who can give them their full attention and their full exercise need and have the patience of a saint. 

I hope this post helps someone!


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## LucyJ

Georgesmom said:


> How lovely to come across people who have felt completely the same.
> Over the years we have had many other family dogs of varying breeds, but our boy is our first together, and having a partner in the military i am doing this alone, training is my passion and to feel i didn't love my boy was so hard. The puppy blues is a real thing, and vizsla's are the hardest breed i have ever encountered. 7 weeks in its still so unbelievably hard, bit i wouldnt change him for the world and have seen big improvements, the leaving a room without him screaming, and leaving the house for more than 3 minutes even when he is exhausted is impossible but I love him, and for now that is enough =) good luck people. We are all on this crazy ride together.


Hey, 

Your post enabled me to find this thread so I thought I would say hi and hang in there! I completely agree with a V being a very hard breed. I have just posted a post (far too long but I got carried away) of our experience with our V who is 9 months old. I hope it helps


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## Dallyo

we researched and researched some more about owning a vizsla as it got us prepared abit on what to expect.
A couple times we nearly changed our minds on getting one as they sounded high maintenance but our heart just told us to. no regrets one little bit, yes alot of training was needed especially on separation anxiety but he got there. he's so loyal and affectionate, cheeky and cheerful, wouldn't change him for the world.


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## rubicon

My boy isn’t my first dog, and granted I was a child at the time of my first dog, but I don’t remember the cocker spaniel being such a huge lifestyle change. We took him out once a day for half an hour and didn’t really train him.

Now that the V is 7 months old I have to say I didn’t enjoy the puppy phase much. I was high strung couldn’t relax even for a second or he’ll get into trouble. And the biting. I hated the biting. I don’t think I bonded with him until really 1.5 months in.

Sure, he was super cute back then, but these days he’s so good and independent and well behaved. And yeah, he’s not as cute but he’s a handsome adolescent now and we love each other so much more. He frequently sleeps in with me, and the moment I get up he doesn’t want to nap anymore either. I can’t sneak out of bed without him getting up and following me, which means he stayed in bed just go cuddle with me!

i would do it again. Not because I enjoyed the puppy phase in the least but you don’t get a dog like him if you’re not willing to power through that phase and put in the work. High energy dogs can be so good when trained! He’s better behaved and more accomplished than so many dogs I’ve known I the past. and the destructiveness is just a price you pay for not treating a potentially great dog right. I’m convinced his energy level is part of what makes him such a good dog.


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## Kazi

luv2laugh said:


> I would say the huge majority of owners here are head over heels in love with their V's.
> 
> Reading the "First Time Owner" thread, however, got me thinking about the adjustments we needed to make when we got the boy. Even though I read it was difficult, I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I was writing some examples in the other thread, when I decided not to hijack the thread and just to start my own.
> 
> *Experiences as a First Time V Owner*
> 
> - My biggest shock was that I did not love the boy. He was adorable and sooo tiny, much tinier than I expected he would be when we picked him up. Socially, he was exactly how we read he should be. He was cute and playful, *but I didn't love him. * He was this little creature sucking all my energy and needing so much, but I hadn't fallen in love with him yet (not like I loved the cats). It took maybe 6-8 weeks.
> 
> - We were surprised to realize we couldn't even go to the movies. Theoretically, they can hold their little poo poo for three hours in the beginning. We go to the two hour movie, get back in three hours to find the little guy covered in his own excrement. I wasn't too disgusted, but my husband was just appalled. Then you have to bathe him, scrub the whole crate, boil his kong, throw out his blanket. We could have gone to the movies again in a few months time, but fell out of the habit. We just went back for the first time this past month, more than a year after our first attempt.
> 
> - My husband told his friends, at times, that he couldn't go out because of the dog.
> 
> - We went to a wedding and came home early because we had been gone for five - six hours. At another wedding, we left the wedding, drove back to the house, let the boy out for a potty break, pet him, and then returned to the wedding for the after party. Next time, we'll just pay to board him or have a dog walker come.
> 
> umm, I think those are the major ones. My mother claims it's worse than a baby in the beginning, because they need the exercise too. That is difficult for me to believe, but throwing that out there anyways.
> 
> I would be interested in hearing adjustments others have made.





lyra said:


> I think the point of the thread is to reassure people who may be struggling a bit or having doubts that a lot of us have been in the same position but have ended up with a fantastic dog that is a well loved member of the family
> 
> I don't think it was meant to put people off although some of the comments may help people realise what they may be getting into, especially in the first few months!


My goodness I am so glad I read this thread. I’m only over a week in and already overwhelmed by my pup Reggies needs. I feel very naive writing this but I’m a 1st time dog owner in my mid 50s and felt a connection with the 1st Vizsla I met. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m struggling though my resolve and commitment remains intact if not a bit dented. My life has turned 180 degrees and while I had some understanding Vizsla’s could be a rollercoaster I think the wheels have well and truly come off the cart ! From toilet training/ nightime toilet dashes to the challenge of the ‘sharkies’ I’m exhausted. Any advice or words of encouragement would just be the tonic I need at the moment. thanks in advance


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## samdora7

Kazi said:


> My goodness I am so glad I read this thread. I’m only over a week in and already overwhelmed by my pup Reggies needs. I feel very naive writing this but I’m a 1st time dog owner in my mid 50s and felt a connection with the 1st Vizsla I met. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m struggling though my resolve and commitment remains intact if not a bit dented. My life has turned 180 degrees and while I had some understanding Vizsla’s could be a rollercoaster I think the wheels have well and truly come off the cart ! From toilet training/ nightime toilet dashes to the challenge of the ‘sharkies’ I’m exhausted. Any advice or words of encouragement would just be the tonic I need at the moment. thanks in advance


It will get better in a couple of months. Although I realize that the idea of keeping up with the current situation for a couple of months might feel discouraging, time will fly by in a sec and looking back you’ll be amazed of how far you’ve both come.
Don’t raise the bar too high and remember you both need to adjust to the new life together. In a couple of weeks you’ll read your pup much easier and you’ll be able to anticipate his needs.
My dog is now 10 months old and although puberty is going to be a tough period, I’m so happy with how we get along. We’ve created rules that work for our household and we’ve learned not to panic or get frustrated if he’s not always behaving according to the training. It’s a learning curve for all of us, especially as first time dog owners.
Take it step by step and don’t forget to also enjoy his puppy naughtiness...it’s gone before you know it.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk


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## Kazi

Thanks this makes me feel I’m on the right track and hopefully this phase will pass. I have made a point of reading most of the posts and while some are really helpful some do leave me dreading what’s to come. I’ve decided to try and remain as positive as possible, not so much as sticking my head in the sand but just reducing the anxiety about the future. Taking It step by step is great advice.


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## gunnr

Kazi said:


> My goodness I am so glad I read this thread. I’m only over a week in and already overwhelmed by my pup Reggies needs. I feel very naive writing this but I’m a 1st time dog owner in my mid 50s and felt a connection with the 1st Vizsla I met. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m struggling though my resolve and commitment remains intact if not a bit dented. My life has turned 180 degrees and while I had some understanding Vizsla’s could be a rollercoaster I think the wheels have well and truly come off the cart ! From toilet training/ nightime toilet dashes to the challenge of the ‘sharkies’ I’m exhausted. Any advice or words of encouragement would just be the tonic I need at the moment. thanks in advanc


I really, really, like the honesty in this post!
You have the correct mental outlook, which is the most important aspect of ownership and training.
You're going to be just fine my friend. 

Gunnr (Mike)


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## ReichertCaleb

This is a great topic and I always take the time to read your comments and learn more when I have free time, which makes me more comfortable.


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## Sarah Ralph

Kazi said:


> My goodness I am so glad I read this thread. I’m only over a week in and already overwhelmed by my pup Reggies needs. I feel very naive writing this but I’m a 1st time dog owner in my mid 50s and felt a connection with the 1st Vizsla I met. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m struggling though my resolve and commitment remains intact if not a bit dented. My life has turned 180 degrees and while I had some understanding Vizsla’s could be a rollercoaster I think the wheels have well and truly come off the cart ! From toilet training/ nightime toilet dashes to the challenge of the ‘sharkies’ I’m exhausted. Any advice or words of encouragement would just be the tonic I need at the moment. thanks in advance


I feel exactly the same as you did in your post! My V is 13 weeks old and I find it incredibly hard! How are you doing now, does it get easier??


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## Kazi

Sarah Ralph said:


> I feel exactly the same as you did in your post! My V is 13 weeks old and I find it incredibly hard! How are you doing now, does it get easier??


Hi there, quick answer is yes it does. It’s certainly not a walk in the park but he’s improved greatly. I look back on those early days with so much mixed emotions. I loved him but couldn’t quite cope at the same time but if I had knew then what I know now I would b so much more relaxed. We have put the work in tho and it pays dividends. We went to puppy classes, tried to be consistent with training and also not a walk over. Reggie still pushes the boundaries but we have such a good relationship that I try not to overthink it and go back to basics if I feel it’s necessary. I feel so unworthy to comment on Vizsla training as I’m such a novice but stick with it, love them, train them and treat them and u will b soon b on the way to having a companion like no other. Good luck 🤞


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## Sarah Ralph

Kazi said:


> Hi there, quick answer is yes it does. It’s certainly not a walk in the park but he’s improved greatly. I look back on those early days with so much mixed emotions. I loved him but couldn’t quite cope at the same time but if I had knew then what I know now I would b so much more relaxed. We have put the work in tho and it pays dividends. We went to puppy classes, tried to be consistent with training and also not a walk over. Reggie still pushes the boundaries but we have such a good relationship that I try not to overthink it and go back to basics if I feel it’s necessary. I feel so unworthy to comment on Vizsla training as I’m such a novice but stick with it, love them, train them and treat them and u will b soon b on the way to having a companion like no other. Good luck 🤞


Sorry for the late reply we have been on holiday. Thank you telling me all of the above it makes me feel so much better! Sometimes he's so good and sometimes he's such hard work and naughty, it's like having two different dogs! Sometimes I feel as if I can't cope but I will keep in my head that it gets easier. Thanks again.


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## Ozy67

Bloody ****. This thread is terrifying.


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## Kazi

Ozy67 said:


> Bloody ****. This thread is terrifying.


😂😂 Yip I imagine it is ! If I had read this before deciding to get a Vizsla I may have given it a miss 
But I’m so glad I didn’t, Reggie has turned into a fantastic dog worth the effort and more. Yes he’s still learning and yes he can still pee me off but overall he’s brilliant. He will be 2 soon but he’s much more eager to please and his devotion to me and the family makes my heart explode so not all bad 😉


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## Rambler61

We’ve had our girl Hannah for nearly 9 years, and she has been a delight the entire time (except maybe when she tore out every last dripper head from my 90’ long flower bed, when she was around a year old). Not once did she ever pee or poop in the house (we brought her home at 10 weeks old). She loves to cuddle and with the exception of the flower bed, has never destroyed anything. Our second V, which was actually for our daughter, has had more problems with potty training, but is still a delight. She’ll be 6 months old next week. We lost our little boy Boston Terrier a couple of months back, and decided to get another V because we are aging (60ish) and may not be able to train another V in our 70s. We also decided to leave our new V, Penny, with the breeder/trainer for an additional 8-10 weeks for some training. We are going out to California again next week to check on her progress and have a good visit with her, and can hardly wait to bring her home sometime in July.


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