# would you do anything different?



## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Quite a broad question really, hence in general forum. Just wondering what (if anything) you'd have done different in hindsight with your V. 
Personally I wish I'd introduced Ruby to a lot more strangers when she was a pup as she does seem to have a real wariness of people when they try to forcefully befriend her, (she's fine if they just ignore her and let her check them out in her own way though).


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I wish that I had worked harder on Willie's leash training... and done it sooner and better!! He is much improved, but can still give me a real upper body workout if he gets too excited about something. He's about five years old now. Do you think it's too late? Any pointers?


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

I would not have let Darcy on our bed,,,she now sleeps in it, under the blankets, all my fault as my Wife works nights and the first night I brought Darcy home at 7 weeks old,she was in her little basket on the bedroom floor looking up at me with those beautiful little sad eyes...........the rest is history.....I also wish I bought her brother as he was still waiting for a home, I often wonder, what if...........probably 2 Vizsla in our bed... ..apart from that she is such a wonderfull beast I wouldn't change her for the world.. :-*


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

I kinda wish we would have gotten 2 puppies at the same time! We are getting another one next year and are a little nervous about how Miles will react.


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## pippylongstocking (May 21, 2012)

Think I probably would have been more strict about letting Ester on the sofas, as she is slowly demolishing them, and they're cream!! Bless her


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Would have worked harder on heeling! He's still not fantastic at it, though we continue to try and reinforce it. Sigh.

I also would have continued to enforce the idea that he must "ask permission" to be on furniture (that is, sit by it and wait for the ok). Not a problem when it's just us in our house, but it is a problem at a few other people's homes and when we have unsuspecting guests! There were a few weeks where I needed a friend of mine to watch him a couple of days a week, and after that, permission flew out the window!


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

Next time I will have a pigeon loft started right away.


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

zigzag said:


> Next time I will have a pigeon loft started right away.
> [/quote
> 
> 
> ...


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## Cleveland2LA (Jun 30, 2012)

I wish I would have kept Maverick off the couch and out of the bed. Like others said it was great at 9 weeks, but at 6 months and 40 pounds, starting to takeover both. Do you think its too late to turn back. In addition, he has started to counter surf! Ugh!


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

All of the above comment from Cleveland2LA is just as my Darcy is now, is this just our 2 dogs or are all Vizsla like this??...I fear they are all similar...bless them..it's real strange they are a bit soppy in the house, but in the field they take on this fantastic gundog persona..


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## Jimbo15471 (Mar 27, 2012)

I wish I would of enforced release command. I don't like that he just thinks that because the leash is unhooked he can go run.


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

"...................I had to get rid of all my chickens when my bundle of fun arrived, she was retrieving them all into her crate, the monster.."

You can turn that chicken coup into a great pigeon loft. That's what I did. Just make sure to get good Homers, not all homing pigeons are equal. I actually got just as into the birds as I did the dog. My GF was really against pigeons and it took me some time to get the OK from her. Now she flys them every morning when working in the garden. They are so fun to watch. The kids have names for all of them.


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

Wow...I've only had Cole four months now, but this thread is for sure making me glad I am not letting him sleep with me. My dad is always like " He wants to sleep with you!! Come on!!!" and I feel bad he sleeps alone in the living room...but when I've cuddled with him in bed, he takes it up and its hard to sleep SOMETIMES! Other times he is the perfect cuddler! But, my cat is my sleeping buddy until I move in with my bf...I am pretty sure he, like my cat, would not like sharing with a dog! Haha

Keep em coming everyone!! <3 this topic!


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

I wouldn't have bought 2 expensive beds, both now chewed and Bella now sleeps on cushions and an old quilt. I refuse to buy another until she stops chewing.
The sofa and if she comes on our bed don't bother me so much, it's the counter surfing like she's never been fed and the heel that I struggle with


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I would have spent less, earned more and had the ability to have lots of Vizslas on a big farm.......................................  

I would have picked up on Astro's little UTI well before he wet my bed last night


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

I wouldn't second guess sleeping with the dogs in bed but my boyf thinks differently. Ha ha. I would however not have wasted so much money on stuff like toys when they're perfectly happy playing with socks and empty water bottles. Duh?! Now I have a cabinet full of toys some of which I should probably donate to a pup with nothing. Nylabones are about the only toy I need to buy.


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

Haha you are so right about the toys, SteelCityDozer! Cole loves empty water bottles, socks, old rags, new rags : and cardboard...ill never have to buy a toy again lol!


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

I wouldn't do anything different...my pup is perfect...............hahahha Just kidding.

Leash training - we can only get a good walk in if we use a harness or gentle leader

Fetch - my husband came up with the bad habit of chasing Ruby when she had a toy in her mouth to wear her out as a puppy. Now she thinks when you throw something and she fetches you should chase her.

Doggie Daycare - I probably wouldn't have it in daycare as much because I think she is conditioned to play like that everyday on non daycare days

Recall - we are getting better at it but still worries me. She is this social butterfly at the dog park where she just takes off to see everyone (probably another daycare thing) and comes back to us when she pleases. 

That is about it - she never had issues with toys or destroying anything but she was rarely left alone much to get into trouble.


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

I think we would have gotten two at the same time, because when Riley was by himself we got the brunt of his rough play. And since we got Chuck just in March of this year I wish his previous owners wouldn't have treated him how they did....he is just now starting to come out of his shell.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

YAY! I love this thread.

I have to say though, I asked Karen Lake, the first breeder I really communicated with about getting 2 at the same time and she gave me a huge warning. She said the dogs don't bond as well to the humans and are much harder to train. She highly highly recommended waiting until the first dog was a teen.

That being said, the two things I would change....

1) I would have gotten doggy insurance when he was a pup. (would have saved me so much money while his immune system was developing.) Now, we have the insurance, and it helped out when Oso got hurt, but he never gets sick anymore - I am happy about that though. 

2) I wouldn't have trained with food, but with toys instead. 

I think that's all. Thanks to all the wonderful advice we've gotten off this forum, he's turned out pretty well (and he's not done yet - but, he's actually getting close - very cool!)


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