# Why can't I just have a normal puppy that you can cuddle!!!



## Lenalou (Nov 27, 2013)

Things are plodding along with 16 wk old Toby. He's brilliant off lead, apart from odd silly frenzied attacks. We're seeing far less of them now thank god! He's calming down a bit and starting to mooch about instead of charging so much in the house. And when he's good, he's lovely and a joy. But we still have a problem with his teeth.

Our idea of a puppy was a small cute dog that we could all cuddle and play with, who'd be gentle and loving. In reality we've got a dog that can't control his urge to mouth and bite who can't be trusted with my boys incase he suddenly bites and can't come on my lap for a cuddle without twisting and turning, trying to find a bit of me to bite. It's so frustrating. He wants to be on my knee and tries to clamber up, but as soon as he does he goes for a wrist, my upper arm, my clothing. You can see him fighting his urge. He spends far more time in his pen than we'd like because he just gets so silly and rough. We thought he'd lie on a rug with us on an evening but he runs about, jumps up and if you tell him 'down' he snaps at you and ends up outside again. 

Can someone reassure me that they went through this and now have a lovely, cuddly, 'nice' dog? At the moment he's usually referred to as 'devil dog', and I'm desperately waiting for a magic switch to flick!


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

I'll try to be gentle.

Penning him up, putting him outside will not aid in his development, and there is no magic "switch". Sounds more like you want a cat than a Vizsla, a high energy hunting dog.
He needs:


[li]LOTS of exercise time! And that is not by himself out back looking in - it's time spent with people exercising him.[/li]
[li]Training time - Any time you spend with the dog awake is training time. He will never learn if not trained. Have you done any clicker training with him? What training do you do besides lock him up/out?[/li]
[li]Things to chew on besides people. Bully sticks, Nylabones, soft toys, etc. He's going to be in a chew stage. When he bites he needs redirection and/or correction. Putting him out doesn't teach him anything other than he wants even more to be "in". When he gets "in" he's going to be even more wild/excited.
[/li]
He needs to be taught and don't ever expect him to just be a lay around dog. That is not this breed. Sure, they can after a good long run on a summer afternoon, but they are a busy breed. If that is not what you want then I suggest you contact your breeder and say this was a mistake - we need help placing him.
Ken


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Willowyndranch is right - train, train, train... And exercise!

If you are anything like me, you will get extremely frustrated on many occasions. Just take a deep breath. If you put the time in, you will have a dog that you love more than you could ever imagine. For us, the frustrating moments really dwindled around 10 months - 12 months ... And now he is a piece of cake. All dogs are different so yours could take longer or catch on More quickly. The only thing you can control is your approach to his development. 

Here is a YouTube video on teaching bite inhibition: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c77--cCHPyU

I LOVE kikopup's approach. She has videos for dealing with most situations that will arise.

Here is a list of videos for "New Puppy Owners"
http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF26FD559887E7EA4

I would really reflect and decide if you are willing to commit to taking the time to train and exercise such a high energy dog. It will take a huge time commitment but when it all comes together you will be so pleased that you stuck it out!


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

Hello Lenalou, 
I must believe you did research the Vizsla Breed before you chose your pup. At 15 weeks, They need almost constant attention, and multiple distractions. When they get bored or tired they become devil pups. but when they are stimulated, and exercising, they are delightful...but they are a lot of work... The work load should be shared with your family members, and you can find many games, and suggestions for training, and playing in the search tool. Please don't get frustrated with the little guy, give him some time, and give him the kind of attention you would give your human child, to teach them what you want them to know. 
Someone posted here, about the 10 minute rule " 10 minutes of exercise for each month of age" it is a really good rule! Throw a ball, or soft toy and make him run his little legs off, give him a treat, then find something for him to chew on until he quits, and the tug with a rag or something, give him his work out and then put him to bed.
Your puppy time will go by really quickly. Training or mental stimulation also counts, because it tires them out. Google the type of training you want and watch the videos, it you can't find it on this Forum.
Your puppy will only be as good a dog, as the EFFORT that you put in to him... They do not raise them selves well.


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## Lenalou (Nov 27, 2013)

Well that wasn't the response I was expecting!! Firstly, when I said outside, I meant outside the lounge, not the house!

Toby is exercised a lot. He's been to woods, the beach, parks. He is very very rarely walked around the block for 10 minutes. I'd say he has on average two 30-40 min walks a day - 80% off lead. 

We are constantly training. He goes to puppy school once a week, he's constantly trained and treated on walks by being praised for nice walking, coming when called. 

He has plenty of stimulation, with toys, hiding treats, mooching around the garden ( with one of us!!)

I find the backlash quite offensive to be honest. It was a perfectly legit question. Why isn't he a 'nice, cuddly' dog for most of the time? Part of our research (yes we researched for two years) was to see if they made good family pets, and the answer was 'yes'. Despite this, my boys are quite wary, especially one that was bitten quite hard by him last week. We know puppies have high energy, but we didn't expect one that tries to bite almost constantly, especially at this age. Most other dog owners think it's odd to be honest. 

Thanks guys for the support :-(


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

LenaLou -- 

I can see how you are frustrated and wondering if there's something wrong with your little Red Devil. Vizslas are known to be cuddly and "Velcro". You probably read this several times while doing your research. Honestly, they're mainly talking about ADULT Vizslas. When our girl was a puppy we couldn't do *anything* besides keep her from getting into trouble. We couldn't sit on the couch in the evening and enjoy a movie. We couldn't leave the house for 30 minutes and not be worried about her howling in her crate the entire time we were gone. I didn't get a full night's sleep for weeks. It was tough. When she was 12-16 weeks I couldn't even walk across the living room without her attacking me. Yes, it was all in a playful nature, but it still hurt and was still very frustrating for me. I can imagine it's even harder for you since you have children. 

The light at the end of the tunnel will become visible soon. I promise. For us, the worst of Ruby's puppy antics were over by 20 weeks. 

You get back what you put into these dogs, and it sounds like you are doing a lot of good for Toby. I will say that I wouldn't isolate him. As tough as it may be to supervise him with your children or put up with his rowdy behavior, he needs to interact with you all as much as possible. Make sure that your children are trained (for a lack of a better word) on the appropriate way to handle his shark attacks. It's a learning experience for both the dog and the kids.

You do have to realize that you will never have a "normal" dog. They do calm down as they get older, but even a calm Vizsla is a high energy, high maintenance dog. 

As I am typing this our 21 month old Vizsla has her head in my lap. It does get better, but it's never easy.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

No one meant any offense. We all just want what is best for Toby and the breed in general. Anyone who touts vizslas as the perfect family dog without mentioning shark attacks, jumping, etc. is doing a severe disservice to the breed and unfortunately there are many such top ten lists out there.

I know you want us to tell you it gets better--and it does, sort of--, but your expectations of having a "nice, cuddly dog most of the time" is just not the reality of this breed. When they are cuddly, they are super cuddly, but that is a small fraction of the day in the life of a vizsla, particularly a young puppy. I opted to get a wirehaired vizsla because the smooths sounded like too much dog for me to handle. Toby's behavior isn't normal for a "dog," but is perfectly normal for a vizsla. 

How old are your boys? Maybe we can give you some ideas to help them all get along better.


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

Lenalou, Please try not to take offense to our postings, they are not meant as insults or accusations, on insinuating that you are doing anything wrong. All of us who have raised a V from puppy hood have born these same trials. These dogs are just a different breed! My Mr. F is still at 8+ mo. a mouther/biter. He doesn't bite hard, or hurt as we have been successful with bite inhibition, but it just seems to be in his little nature to NEED to have his mouth on us & Pearl. I am totally convinced this is something he WILL grow out of.
Mr. F was not snugly cuddly at all as a puppy. We couldn't even hold him in our arms, he would squirm and bite to get out. But as he ages, has become more loving and seeks out a way to curl up on us when we are sitting, or laying in his presence. The other thing is, he follows us everywhere, to every room he is allowed in, and is learning good manners when guests come, and when he is in the room while we eat dinner. But it does take time and consistent reinforcement. 
We have him going through bird dog training, which has fast forwarded obedience training.
I also wanted to tell you, in case you hadn't seen it in a previous post, about giving him card board boxes to chew and play with... My Fergy just loved biting boxes, kicking, and throwing them around, they were great while he was teething too because of the way their teeth sink in. If you haven't tried plastic water bottles (empty) that is another fun game.

Just wait till your pup starts sitting on you... I believe it is something they all develop.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Ruby's shark attacks seemed to stop at about 20 weeks, I think that was when she shed her puppy teeth, it was quite a frustrating time up till then as sometimes she'd be just lying with her head in your lap and a nip with those needle teeth would come out of the blue, followed by some under my breath cursing (we have two kids, boisterous boys who were 5 and 6 at the time).Since the shark attacks stopped she's become the most loving dog imaginable and will hop up for a cuddle any chance she gets.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

If it is any consolation- My husband and I were in a serious car accident when our puppy was 3 weeks old and in no shape to take care of her when we got her at 8 weeks old. We just had to keep training her, putting her in her crate, playing with her and keeping her busy. Dharma has put her teeth trough several pairs of my work pants and chewed several other things. Including biting my hand and leaving a nasty scar on it. At 9 months old she is absolutely wonderful and can be very cuddly and Velcro mixed in with high octane energy. Her nick name is "The Wild Child". Every puppy is different too. Don't think for a minute that we don't have our issues with our puppy still. It does get better and you just have to find ways of dealing with it safely and effectively for the puppy and your family.


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## emilycn (Jul 30, 2013)

Lenalou said:


> Our idea of a puppy was a small cute dog that we could all cuddle and play with, who'd be gentle and loving. In reality we've got a dog that can't control his urge to mouth and bite who can't be trusted with my boys incase he suddenly bites and can't come on my lap for a cuddle without twisting and turning, trying to find a bit of me to bite.


I would point out that here you say what kind of DOG you wanted. That's the type of dog you've got. Only he'll be a puppy for about the next 20 months before he's that dog. Raising any puppy is a lot of work; raising a vizsla puppy is an exercise in poorly-managed psychotcism --- delusions included.


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Lenalou,

Hoping that you are still there and listening!

Two thoughts:

(1) Now that you've given a bit more information about his schedule, it sounds possible (even likely!) that your pup is worn out at night. He hasn't yet found his own off switch and may need to be crated starting at 6pm or 7pm so that he can settle himself down and get some much-needed sleep. Remember when your boys were little and would fall apart at the witching hour? You might be looking at a doggy version of that -- the I-missed-the-window-and-now-he's-bouncing-off-the-walls-wired crazies. Enforce adequate sleep. It would be nice if that would happen in your lap, but some puppies need the crate first to teach themselves how to curl up when they are tired. 

(2) Sounds like the behaviors you've been training are going really well. That's awesome! Smart pup. Now it is time to work on self-control and settling exercises. Not as fun as tricks, but vital to your sanity. You can train puppy to lie down quietly on a mat or bed. You can train him to wait in a down position and not eat a piece of kibble resting on his paw. You can train him to allow people to handle with his ears and tail and paws. IMHO that is the sort of training you should focus on now. Puppy gets rewarded for running around and doing fun things. It's your job now to TEACH HIM that you want him to chill.

Have faith. It will happen.

Good luck,
Victoria 

PS have you tried holding an antler or a bully stick for him to chew instead of your hand? The boys could try that, too, if they are old enough....


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

I think if you want a "nice, cuddly dog" at 15 weeks, you'd be better off with a Shi Tsu or something.

All puppies are crazy and play bite and nip! When I was about 7 we got a lab puppy, and I remember my arms covered with bite marks and claw scratches....but I loved it, and eventually he grew out of it. When he was about 3 years old... 

Good luck.


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Mine was super cuddly at first, then as he felt more at home and braver got bitey and I looked like I self harmed, then he chilled out and got cuddly again, now he's feeling more independent and likes to hog a whole sofa I lose out on cuddles again! But at the end of the night, when he's allowed in the bedroom (not at all an every day occurrence), that's when I get the best cuddles.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

From Vizsla Talk:

_Hello Group! I always have a hard time being tactful. I am a blunt honest person...so it makes it hard to answer these (especially when I would like to say nasty things to these types of people). In the spirit of Vizsla Topics for this group...how would YOU answer something like this? (personal info has been scrubbed)
_

Hi Kat -

My name is Tom. My wife and I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a 10 month old daughter. We also have/had 2 Shih Tzus that predate the kids. We sent the older of the two dogs to live with my parents about 6 months ago because he kept biting our son. Now, the younger, more tolerant dog has bitten our son twice in the face. I can’t blame the dogs; our son is twice their size, pounces on them, and gets in their face. He (our son) doesn’t learn. 

We believe we’ve found a home for the second of the Shih Tzu’s, but want a family dog to fill the void and grow with our growing family. I had a neighbor that had a couple of Vizslas and not only were they beautiful, they seemed to be quite friendly and playful. Would you recommend a Vizsla as a family dog? Do they do well with kids? If so, would a puppy raised with the family or an older, post-puppy phase (2 – 3 year old) dog be preferable?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

Tom

_Kat & her 'V' Mafia
~Celebrating 27 Years as an Animal Rescue Foster Mom!~
Vizsla Club of Metro Atlanta Rescue Coordinator
_


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## BirdWatcher (Jun 12, 2012)

Lenalou

if you are still listening. After I got my puppy (22 months old now) I didn't get back onto this forum for over a year, I didn't have a bath for 6 months, I was covered in scratches and bumps and had not one whole pair of shoes to my name, and I lost 21lbs in weight. Because she was a puppy I couldn't ride my bike any more, and I ditched my non-dog related social life. I found the job of training and entertaining just exhausting. And I know what you mean about shark attacks. I am glad I didn't have a vizsla when my children were small - even now they look at the attention Burdy gets and ask if I 'ever loved them that much'!!

However, I now have the most well mannered gentle, trustworthy dog. She is absolutely obedient and, as long as she is included in life and sees lots of friends etc. she is just the most joyful being. One day I went to London with her - I didn't even need a lead! That destructive over-the-top non-stop puppy is now one of my greatest sources of strength and happiness.

16 weeks is young. Like little human babies, they change very fast and everything is a phase. It will get sooo much better. Hang in there ... got to go because someone doesn't approve of her humans sitting down in the day time!

Good luck!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I think everything that can be said has been. I'm going to lock the thread.


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