# Worried we can't handle it!



## Caitlin (May 30, 2011)

Hi fellow Vizsla owners! I need some of you to ease my mind that we made the right decision. We have a 10 week old very happy vizsla who gets plenty of exercise and love. We live in a 2nd floor apartment in the city but have a great walking neighborhood and we are a 5 minute drive from a large dog park. I only work per diem while in grad school and my fiance is a high school teacher who has the summer off. Im worried that as he gets older we wont be able to keep up with his exercise demands. He easily tires now after a walk or going to the park for a bit, but I know his exercise needs will only increase in the coming months. I am home most days and can take him for multiple walks/to the park, but we don't have a yard. Do you think he will be okay?? I'm so worried we made a mistake. :-\ Thanks guys!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Can he run daily or at least every other day?


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## Caitlin (May 30, 2011)

Yes I have no problem taking him to the dog park every other day at the very least.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

As long as you can take him to the dog park or some other safe place to run & play, you will be fine. Generally speaking, walks on a leash dont really cut it. At least that is true for us. Vs need to run, and dog parks are great for that. Maybe with your husband being a teacher, he can give y'all access to a fenced ball field at his school  ? You can do it.


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## Caitlin (May 30, 2011)

Finding places for him to run is not a problem. Im mostly worried because we don't have a yard we can just let him out in. Thanks for the words of encouragement. I realize a walk on the leash is more of a social thing for them and they really need to run off leash to stretch their legs.


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## zimbra (Mar 29, 2011)

I was in the exact same worry boat as you, and my puppy is almost a year old now so I'm hoping (!) we made it through the hardest times. There were moments where I thought "I can't do this!!" but my husband always talked me down from the ledge and now I wouldn't give up my Banjo for anything! It sounds like you will be even better suited to deal with a vizsla's needs than we are (we live in the city and both work full time, but staggered schedules, meaning he has company most of the day, and we have a yard). 

Most of Banjo's exercise comes from playing fetch in the yard (we take him for daily walks because we know we "should," but frankly he doesn't seem any more tired from a 1 hour walk than a 10 minute one - he needs to RUN). It gets him nice and tired out. Our dog park is sadly too far away to go to other than on weekends but that's even better than yard time. He is SO EXHAUSTED after playing at the dog park! Yesterday we went there for about an hour and he slept pretty much the rest of the day. The dog park will be your best friend, so you are lucky to be so close to one! 

Good luck! Enjoy it! I spent far too much of Banjo's puppyhood just worrying I'd have to give him up because he was driving me insane.


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## Macaroni (Jan 19, 2011)

You'll be fine...they don't like to just go outside anyways....unless your accompanying them. They want to be where you are.


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## BamBam (Feb 14, 2010)

Don't worry. Even though books etc and everywhere state Vizsla's need a lot of exercise, I dont think they need a HUGE amount to get by. My 19month old is fine with an hour off lead a day. Or sometimes 30 mins off lead and 20mins training session. He sleeps most of the day other than that, or will follow me about for abit but he doesn't need crazy amounts of exercise. If I take him out for 2 hours at the weekend he is happy with that, but is just as fine with 1 hour.

If you bring yours up giving him 3 hours of exercise a day, then he will need 3 hours a day. But if you always take it steady he will be able to cope with what you give him. As long as he gets some free running time to blow off steam. 
To begin with he will need 5mins exercise per month age to protect his growing joints so you wont need to take him out that long anyway. Just do lots of mental training, invest in things like kongs etc.


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## Caitlin (May 30, 2011)

Wow guys I feel so much better after reading your replies. I am so glad some vizsla owners are in the same boat 8) Thank you for easing my mind!!!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

I agree with the comments above. I got my pup at 10 weeks and every day I'd be exhausted and tell my boyfriend that maybe we made a mistake. For some background- I live in an apartment on the 3rd floor with no yard, just like you. I was having to carry the pup in the middle of the night in my pjs and with wild hair... I kept worrying that I wouldn't be able to keep the same pace over time. Now at 5 and 1/2 months I wish I would've just relaxed. You find a routine soon enough-- you figure out what your pup needs to wind down and for me, it seemed like I had to do sooo much more work in the beginning just to get him calm. Now that he's older, he's so much more well behaved and a lot (besides his maturing) probably has to do with me relaxing and becoming a more effective trainer/owner. You'll be fine... don't sweat the small stuff & try it see it as a challenge in patience and a way to rediscover small things and the outdoors with your puppy. As they get older, it's absolutely wonderful spending time outdoors with them. When you feel like tearing your hair out, put your pup in the crate so you both can calm down, and if you can't seem to deliver the exercise you need to that day, do your best the next day. Check into doggy daycare in your area, too, for when the pup is vaccinated. Having a day off really helps your sanity when they're young!


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

Macaroni said:


> You'll be fine...they don't like to just go outside anyways....unless your accompanying them. They want to be where you are.


Exactly.
We took Kian to a friends place this past Saturday. We left him in there back yard while we ate....he whined the whole time we were inside. He just pced back and forth from the screen door to an open window. It was funny and yet annoying at the same time.
Oh and he's 27 months old.
As soon as we were done, my gf went outside to see him and she was greeted with the usual vizsla dance. ;D

BTW, we live in an apt. on the second floor with no yard either.... I think he's turned out okay 

Good luck, just keep on doing what you are doing and you will be fine. Especially with your other half being home during the summer.


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## hzurkovic (Dec 9, 2010)

Hi,
The key is to get your puppy used to your schedule and routine. 
Our boy Hunter is 18 months old and we have extremely busy life with 3 kids in hockey, track, gymnastics....you name it. 
While he gets regular walks daily (20 -30 mins in AM and 50 mins between 2 and 3 pm) he gets more tired and stimulated by going everywhere we go. He is left alone everyday from 9 - 2 pm in his crate. At 2pm he get his off leash run. For the rest of the day he goes everywhere we go tending to kids' schedules and activities. By now he is used to waiting a bit in the car, meeting and greeting at hockey rinks, track fields....
When he was little, we were focusing more on tiring him by mental stimulation and training. The result is that he is very well behaved and not in need of tone of excersize. You can do a lot with him inside (at this age) and just stimulate him with short training sessions several times a day. 
Re: yard, don't worry about that. That is not a prerequisite for a balanced V. We have a big property, but Hunter is never left in the yard. He does not want to be there alone. If you can give your dog regular walks, V can happily live in the apartment or house without a yard. 
Vizslas do need regular excersise but I don't think that the amount required is overwhelming. I think it is actually what everyone of us should have it on daily basis anyways. 
Hang in there and enjoy the puppyhood. It goes really fast. 
Start teaching him basic commands and you can use a simple routine of: sit, stay, come and heel as a little ritual 3 times a day. 20 mins training session will tire him more than a run.

Cheers,
Tanja


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

hzurkovic said:


> Start teaching him basic commands and you can use a simple routine of: sit, stay, come and heel as a little ritual 3 times a day. *20 mins training session will tire him more than a run.*


This is very true.
Brain stimulation is key. Don't over do it as the dog might get frustrated.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

My boy Willie gets to go for lots of car rides, and I find that he is very stimulated, mentally, by these rides. So many things to look at... and in good weather, at stop lights, I let him stick his head out the partially opened window (but not while rolling along). Inevitably, people talk to Willie as if he is a human, and he loves that. Well, long story short, he comes home and naps the afternoon away! See, I think they really do adjust to whatever routine you establish for them. 

Willie gets most of his physical exercise by hunting in his fenced back yard, and by playing games of fetch with me! He will be going for more on-leash walks around the neighborhood, etc., once we get a little more leash training into him! These walks, I am sure, will be more for me than for him. Vizlas do need to run, and he does a lot of that in his yard!

p.s. I agree with the others about the dog park. That will be a great resource for you! Don't worry, you'll do just fine.


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## zimbra (Mar 29, 2011)

Some great points above about mental stimulation and also the idea that they'll become accustomed to the exercise you give them. I think that's true. Certainly they can't just sit inside all day but frankly I haven't experienced the level of energy a lot of the Internet resources warned me about (which was the primary source of my early concerns). Of course, this is my first vizsla AND my first puppy so what do I know.  Overall, my boy drove me a little crazy as a young untrained puppy and when he was first entering the adolescent stage, but a couple obedience classes, plus figuring out what works for us all exercise-wise, and incorporating some playtime with other dogs have made a world of difference. I'm sure some of it is just growing up, too! 

When we got Banjo from his breeder she assured me they do fine as city dogs and that even though she has strong hunting lines she sells most of her pups as pets to people in town. That made me a little less worried too. 

Also, my boy is so so sweet, intelligent, AFFECTIONATE!, cuddly, etc (everything I love in a dog) it is worth all the early headaches and I'm already wondering if I could ever have a different breed!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

I am a fan of the "Springer" bicycle attachment. You can run your dog along quiet city streets for 1/2 hour or more to "drain" the physical need of your Vizsla as it gets older.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/12/roading-with-vizslas-on-bike.html

Walking for an hour is ok, but a run along side of a bike gets them stronger and healthier than a walk. Try and get out of town and out into the country once or twice a week for an off-leash walk. This is where a Vizsla comes alive. They are a 1000-year-old breed that was built to run all day long next to horses while hunting. The closer you can duplicate this activity, the happier your pup will be growing up. 

Ran Bailey for 10 miles yesterday (Sunday), off my mountain bike along our city streets early in the morning before traffic got heavy. We got home and he was relaxed the rest of the day.

Whatever you can do, don't create a "couch potato" Vizsla. Too many of them in my opinion.

Rod
http://redbirddog.blogspot.com


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

redbirddog said:


> Ran Bailey for 10 miles yesterday (Sunday), off my mountain bike along our city streets early in the morning before traffic got heavy. We got home and he was relaxed the rest of the day.


Rod, 
When you say you ran him in the morning, this was attached to your bike? 
How are his pads after a 10 mile jog since I can only assume he is running on asphalt.

I recently bought a bicycle and would like to get the springer you use but need to find the proper time of day to take Kian out for him to get used to it.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

No need to worry. 
We had the same thoughts, even called the breeder 2 days later and offered to return Sam. 
We thought he needed to run for miles and miles. Not true!!!! 
Our Sam has lots of energy and chewing and jumping but all that can be managed. 
It is us who benefited from Sam. We walk with him and our health improved beyond our wildest expectations. 

As a puppy he needs bonding to humans (after 2nd puppy shot - Pravo is a serious problem). 
No need for special training.

We found this forum to be very helpful and appreciate the insightful posts.

We read a post by "Linescreamer" who stressed the need to work on bonding with the Vizsla pup prior to intense traning. Because of this we have a pup who is easier to train, NICE.
Also, please check the blog posted by "redbirddog" above - insightful and responsible.

Julius


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

"Rod, 
When you say you ran him in the morning, this was attached to your bike? 
How are his pads after a 10 mile jog since I can only assume he is running on asphalt.

I recently bought a bicycle and would like to get the springer you use but need to find the proper time of day to take Kian out for him to get used to it."

We would go for about 2 1/2 miles then stop at a park. Ride 2 1/2 miles and stop at a pub. Return trip same thing. Not a problem. Pads are fine but we do so much walking they are tough.

Rod
http://redbirddog.blogspot.com


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## irvinaca (Aug 8, 2010)

I took two years to get Luda because so many people (who clearly had no idea) told me that it wasn't fair to have a Vizsla in the city. She get's on just great - she's one now - with big local woods and parks.

My mother in law had a pearl of wisdom which eventually led to us getting her - "dog's don't need gardens; dog's need walking"

Substitute "walking" for "running" and I think she was spot on!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

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

During my first month of blogging I posted the above article. That was when I had maybe logged 600 miles of walking with our Vizslas. Now 2 years later we are approching approximately 5,000 miles. 50% of the miles are leash miles.

Irvinaca, your mother-in-law gave you a wonderful "pearl."

Rod
http://redbirddog.blogspot.com


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Then there is me....Some woods, creek, lake, and nearby fields. My major constraint, and will be for a while, is 3 kids. While they are made to go walking (or at least ride in the golf cart while Pumpkin runs ;D), there is just no way I can do leashed walks of 1-2hrs! Ain't gonna happen. So for me, it is imperative to get the "most bang for the buck." I love the weekends when my husband can help with the kids, so I can go for longer romps with P (still at least 75% unleashed). Bittersweet. A longing for more uninterrupted walks /runs with P vs. not wanting my kids to, seemingly, grow up over night. I cherish all those moments, so I just need someone to grow me another set of legs & several more arms. Until then, we make it work with woods, fields, pavement, birds, and water.


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## Grangeristhename (Jan 20, 2011)

Hey everyone
What kind of training and other mind stimulating do you guys do? Granger knows sit, down, play dead, come and other tricks of that sort. We play the hiding the toy game inside and outside. 
Do dogs still get their mind stimulated with the same Trivks? 
Help me with new ideas and new things to teach granger!


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Good for Granger  Yes, changing tricks up is a good idea, IMO. Even if it's doing the same trick but with variation in location, difficulty, and what you are hiding. Any pics of Granger playing dead ;D ? Also, you can practice commands (especially come) with distractions. Does Granger come off-leash when there are other people, animals, or different smells around? You would only practice such a thing in a very safe environment. If Granger is dong well with that at his age, kudos to you! Keep reinforcing. Fetch, swimming/intro to water, agility, a intro tracking class? Vs do need mental stimulation. Best wishes.


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

As a challenge at the last set of workshops we did, I had to teach Merc to pick up a coin and drop it in a bucket... Can be done, in a week I only got as far as getting him to pick it up then drop it using a clicker and shaping approach.

The 'relaxation protocol' which is a series of stay exercises is also good although a bit boring for the human.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

We are working tricks into some practical applications. 

Savannah now knows 'Paw' and we clipped nails on the paw this morning. That took a piece of chicken as a lure - not her favorite activity. We have started 'Roll over' but that is really hard for us. The idea is to have her able to roll over on command when the rain starts in the fall so I can wipe the mud from her paws when we go inside. Her 'Find' games have included people by name. We are now trying that one across fields and doing much better than expected. She can 'Catch' a piece of dog food tossed in her direction and a ball on the bounce occasionally. We are still working up to catching a frisbee for variation in exercise. Savannah has just started being able to 'Stay' when I am out of sight, so we are building on that success. And, of course, anytime we are near water, we try to practice swimming.

Like Granger, I would also be interested in other tricks and applications!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

I would love to teach my dog to play dead-- any tips?

For rolling over, what really helped was using a toy he really liked to have him bite it once he was in a down position and guiding his body with it. That really made it click.

My mom gave me the book- 101 dog tricks and we just LOVE it. Saying a prayer is a crowd pleaser 
The other exercise that's great is teaching your dog to tug on a rope, tying it to a door, and putting a nice smelling treat on the other side. Start by helping out and then let the dog try it him/herself by standing on the other side of the door with a treat. Mine would wag his tail like nuts when he'd figure it out.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...etcATu_bLYG3tgfQ2IWIDg&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQ8wIwAQ#


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## DASHAW (Jun 22, 2011)

I have about 5 Vizslas and both my husband and I work. They definitely need that running time, but so do we . I think as long as they can get a good run in, you will be fine, you will know when they are getting antsy. You will never regret getting a Vizsla, they are the sweetest dogs and so willing to please. We have the luxury of living in the country on a few acres, so our scenario is a bit different. I think that running is running though no matter where. I do agree with some of the above posts though, this is not a leash dog...well not all the time I should say. They need that free run time that you probably won't be able to keep up with.


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

laurita said:


> I would love to teach my dog to play dead-- any tips?
> 
> For rolling over, what really helped was using a toy he really liked to have him bite it once he was in a down position and guiding his body with it. That really made it click.


A friendly fyi:

My g/f was in the process of teaching roll-over to Mischa, when a friend of ours lost his dog to bloat. Apparently it is easy for deep chested dogs' stomachs to twist, so she stopped teaching her that one...

One thing to keep in mind is not to do it after they've eaten, or had lots to drink.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Thanks Mischa! I hadn't heard of that.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Me neither, good to know!


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## Vnuchka (Jun 22, 2011)

I had to laugh - already 468 hits on this new Subject: Worried we can't handle it!

This morning I thought, "We need a support group!!!!!!!" and here you are! Our Cyrano is from the pound (yes, the jackpot) - got him at 8 weeks and he promptly came down with Parvo. When he got well, he became the dynamo you all write about and I'm here to receive ENCOURAGEMENT that this, too, will pass!

A handsome, silky lover of a puppy - looks like a young Pluto but with his being all legs, clumsy and frantically silly, we nicknamed him Goofy! He LAUNCHES himself at things, falls in a heap and does it again; open a cupboard door and he's like lightening into it, not aiming but snatching whatever his teeth touch. And persistent! It's hard to dissuade him - I try the substitution method as much as possible. Sometimes it's the crate to help him calm down a little. 

Does the potty training ever finish! He's only 3 months old and we're crate training, but he still out-wits us! This morning it was under the bed...sigh.

We do need to give him more intentional exercise - our trainer advised us not to walk him as far as a mile at a time until his bones and platelets are more mature from just willy-nilly chase and play time. With the Parvo we have to restrict his being with un-vaccinated dogs for some months - kind of tough.

Anyway, thank you all for your stories - we're not alone!


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## Caitlin (May 30, 2011)

Vnuchka thank you for your story..our pup is 11 weeks now and some days I feel like i want to return him!! :-[ Hearing that it does get better is reassuring but right now I feel like I have a little tornado running around the house. Some days he's such a good boy but there are other days where he is just into EVERYTHING, barking, nipping, etc. Glad we have a "Support Group" going here!!


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