# Training a 4 month old expectations



## GracieGirl (Jan 21, 2018)

Hi all! I know Vizslas are highly trainable but also highly energetic and distractable as pups! We have a 4 month old who is very good and has had no formal training yet (adopted). She is able to sit, drop, stay (3 meters 10seconds approx) and wait for food and wait at an open door. I am wondering at what ages we should expect certain abilities? We are planning on training but circumstance means we have a little wait. 

What is the most valuable obedience you have taught your V in the first year? 

Off topic..
We also feel she is a bit of a mix.... she has a pure bred cert from a reputable breeder but can’t help but feel her length and dark nose and ridge is more similar too a ridgey X 

What are your thoughts? 

[img= class=inlineimg]http://www.vizslaforums.com/portal.php/images/smilies/smile.gif[/img] attached is a picture of our Gracie [img= class=inlineimg]http://www.vizslaforums.com/portal.php/images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

From her pictures she looks purebred. 
I help with rescue, and know that it can be hard to know for sure until you see the dog in person. 
If she is doing that well in the home, start working with her in new places. Training, and socialization is for the life of the dog.
When we stop for periods of time, they revert back.
I don't make a timeline on where a dog should be by a certain age. Each dog is different, and matures in their own pace. Just set goals, and work towards them. Once those goals are met, set new ones.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

She looks purebred to me as well. Some vizslas start out with slightly darker noses which lighten up as they grow. I think the pigment spreads out. That's how it was with my dog and others I've seen. Do you have any other reasons to doubt the integrity of your breeder?

As to training, mine was highly receptive to training from about 12-17 weeks or so and then we hit a bit of a wall and weren't progressing as quickly. In general, expect those periods of regression or standstill in your training. The teenage months are famous for seemingly undoing all your previous training. Lots of people have asked about expected timelines for different skills, and honestly I don't think there is one. They will learn differently depending on their own temperaments, lifestyles, training methods, and the person(s) training them. 

I'd say recall, being alone, "leave it", and "stay" were among the most important skills we trained for in the first year.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Awww..what a cutie, and a nice tight sit! Yeah, her nose is a bit dark, but so what?

It sounds like she's doing really well with the training already, so whatever you're doing, keep it up! Vizslas are preternaturally intelligent, so training a V to do anything is really contingent on the bond they have with you + their understanding the word and associating it to their own behavior. Training issues almost always result from one of those things not being clear to the dog.

The most valuable "obedience" is the bond they experience and a willingness to do absolutely anything requested.


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## GracieGirl (Jan 21, 2018)

texasred said:


> From her pictures she looks purebred.
> I help with rescue, and know that it can be hard to know for sure until you see the dog in person.
> If she is doing that well in the home, start working with her in new places. Training, and socialization is for the life of the dog.
> When we stop for periods of time, they revert back.
> I don't make a timeline on where a dog should be by a certain age. Each dog is different, and matures in their own pace. Just set goals, and work towards them. Once those goals are met, set new ones.




Great thanks! We have done a few short training sessions in busy places  sounds like we are on the right track!


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## GracieGirl (Jan 21, 2018)

gingerling said:


> Awww..what a cutie, and a nice tight sit! Yeah, her nose is a bit dark, but so what?
> 
> It sounds like she's doing really well with the training already, so whatever you're doing, keep it up! Vizslas are preternaturally intelligent, so training a V to do anything is really contingent on the bond they have with you + their understanding the word and associating it to their own behavior. Training issues almost always result from one of those things not being clear to the dog.
> 
> The most valuable "obedience" is the bond they experience and a willingness to do absolutely anything requested.



I love this comment! Yes totally agree


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## GracieGirl (Jan 21, 2018)

einspänner said:


> She looks purebred to me as well. Some vizslas start out with slightly darker noses which lighten up as they grow. I think the pigment spreads out. That's how it was with my dog and others I've seen. Do you have any other reasons to doubt the integrity of your breeder?
> 
> As to training, mine was highly receptive to training from about 12-17 weeks or so and then we hit a bit of a wall and weren't progressing as quickly. In general, expect those periods of regression or standstill in your training. The teenage months are famous for seemingly undoing all your previous training. Lots of people have asked about expected timelines for different skills, and honestly I don't think there is one. They will learn differently depending on their own temperaments, lifestyles, training methods, and the person(s) training them.
> 
> I'd say recall, being alone, "leave it", and "stay" were among the most important skills we trained for in the first year.


‘Leave it’ is the one we haven’t started! Thanks! No not particularly just a case of interest in her nose colour! Doesn’t matter either way  did you find the regression in certain skills were able to be re-learnt easily after your adolescent pup settled? Or back to square one?


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

She is gorgeous, whether she is purebred or not. Remember no purebred was descending from the wolf as a purebred of their current breed, they all got created by human, meaning during their history they gots several different types of dogs into their lines before they officially became a breed and that sometimes still plays some tricky games with us, hah, genetic studies are a different science. 

Self control related skills proved to be the most important during the goofy puppy phase, leave it, stay in place, recall are my 3 top ones. I put higher value on teaching those then sit or down for our first 5 months, as these are life saving skills. One time when he was was 4.5 month old i have poured a whole package of coffee beans in the morning rush on my kitchen floor and all i had to say leave it in order to prevent a disaster. Of course my heart still stopped beating for a second, but i gave him plenty of praise afterwards.

Don`t get discouraged if there is a spiral shape learning curve, they do want to please you, but as any intelligent living creatures, they do have their own will and develop from time to time their own interest and problem solving skills, well, all of this will come handy once we get to a certain maturity level. She will remember how patient and loving you were with her and will say thank you one day.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

y


GracieGirl said:


> ‘Leave it’ is the one we haven’t started! Thanks! No not particularly just a case of interest in her nose colour! Doesn’t matter either way  did you find the regression in certain skills were able to be re-learnt easily after your adolescent pup settled? Or back to square one?


I guess I say that more out of the collective experience of the forum, rather than dealing with a ton of regression, personally. My dog is easier than most. We often get questions from people around the 1 year mark about why their dog suddenly isn't doing x or y anymore, so I think it's helpful to keep in mind that it's a possibility and doesn't necessarily reflect on your ability as a trainer or on your dog's intelligence. 

So, no I wouldn't say it's ever back to square one, but it can be helpful, even now, to start new training sessions by going back a step to ensure success. Using "stay" for example, if your dog was able to stay for 10 secs at the end of your previous session, start the new session by getting her to stay 5 and then increase the difficulty. Remember the tools that have worked in the past and when you hit a bump, go back to them.


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