# First time Vizsla owner soon - one piece of advice please.



## nigelpen (Apr 27, 2014)

Hi Vizsla forum,

I've been reading the forum and all your good advice for the last few months and now I am two weeks away (yikes!) from bring my little boy home I wanted to:

(a) Say "Hi" ... it's time to stop lurking 8)

and

(b) Ask a question. There is literally pages of tips and advice here - and perhaps this is a question for the relatively new Vizsla owners - and I wanted to see what everyone would put forward as the number one piece of advice they received. What's the best tip and what did you find most useful.

Thanks everyone - photos in due course! 

Nigel


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Read Ian Dunbar, Before and After You Get Your Puppy.

P.S. Congratulations and welcome!


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## tatertick (Feb 19, 2014)

My best tidbit of advice would have to be, get as much sleep as possible now! For the first month we had our pup, he would only sleep 2-3 hrs straight through the night, before having to either go potty or going on a crying fit to get out of the kennel. He's now 5 months, and sleeps through the night like a baby, but I can remember that first month I was looking like a zombie at work each day!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Patience, Consistency and Persistence.
Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your new family member.


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## Eddiemoto (May 4, 2013)

Entering week two. Be strong with the crate training. The better this is getting the better tool I have in conjunction with potty training. 

If I left him unwatched for a minute I would to get a yellow puddle. His bladder isn't fully developed, but somehow he won't go in the crate. So, as we have gotten better with the crate, I will put him in there for short unsupervised periods. 

We are only getting started and have a long way to go. Wish us luck.


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## mommaofalot (Apr 10, 2014)

Set limits now while they are a puppy. Things that might be cute as a puppy might not be so cute later. Have a sense of humor if not you might go crazy  . Don't wish the puppy stage away, they are only little for a short time enjoy every minute!!!! Oh and take lots of pics 

ps. If you want your pup to be hunting dog... DO NOT TEACH SIT!!! I learned that the hard way


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

mommaofalot said:


> Don't wish the puppy stage away, they are only little for a short time enjoy every minute!!!!





tatertick said:


> My best tidbit of advice would have to be, get as much sleep as possible now!





Eddiemoto said:


> Be strong with the crate training.


Ditto all those. And I would add, don't ever wear any piece of clothing you want to keep in one piece around the pup until he/she is at least 6 months old. And I mean EVER  Dig out those old sweats ASAP!


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Enjoy every minute. Although you won't miss the shark attacks, you will miss the zoomies.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Lots of love, patience, consistency(is a must!) and try to get some sleep now. You may just like the rest of us have no sanity left at the end of this. Don't wish away the puppy stage as it goes way too fast. You just have to weather the shark attacks and the zoomies. I had 2 airs of uniform pants destroyed by Dharma so yes wearing old clothes is kind of a necessity. Good luck and welcome to the forum and the world of the vizsla.


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## nigelpen (Apr 27, 2014)

Thanks so much guys. You've re-enforced what I had picked up from the forum - patience, consistency etc. And reminded me about the old clothes (forgot that one).

I have two girls (ages 9 and 7) and so I think I'll adapt to the no-sleep thing ok. 

Feel free to keep the tips coming!


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Nig - your girls are at a great age to grow up with a new puppy - PLEASE remind them the pup is not a new toy - just part of the family - this from a old school guy - LOL


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## Idntnw (Mar 21, 2014)

Be prepaired to fall in love with this dog like no other. Their personality is the most amazing. I have had lots of breeds of dogs, but this is by far my favorite. 
Sometimes- too much energy! Even for kids, is what I will add. I have three kids (11, 10, 8 years old) and sometimes he is too much for all of them. Prepare to get creative. Lol


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Learn to put the puppy in the crate when _you_ need a timeout. That's _before_ you reach your very last nerve.


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

Timeout will save you. Lazlo is nearly 5 months and still needs timeout when he's riled up. 

That and patience. In bucketloads. ESPECIALLY when he's been pulling on the lead/sharking/zooming/piddling for what seems like all day...

oh and I know i've given more than one tip... but if you have nice rugs... roll them up and put them away!


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## timowalk (Jun 20, 2014)

Go with crate training early. I think "Kennel" was Vip's first learned command. I'd toss a treat in, say "kennel," and he'd happily follow it. Buy as big a kennel as you think you'll need and block off the back of it with something you can move back as your dog grows... that'll save you a little money. Get a separate crate for the car, too... that's just safer for your dog. Vip liked to go out to his car crate to just chill, since he has no personal space in the camper where I live now. 

Also, teach a release command fairly early in your training, so you don't get sloppy and let your dog mistake praise for release. It makes teaching remote commands (e.g., STAY, WHOA) much easier.

Don't be afraid of shock collar. It's kinder to give feedback immediately. Get one with a buzzer option and use the buzzer for praise... even though they usually market it for warning.

I weighed about 180 and lived very actively when I got Vip. He was seven weeks old and I brought him home June 1st. Over that summer I lost 15 lbs I didn't mean to lose! So stock up on cheesecake unless you'd like to trim down.

Have fun and never forget how lucky you are to be with this wonderful dog.


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## mlg1900 (Jun 12, 2013)

A tired dog is a good dog! 

Don't let them out of the crate or pick them up when they are whining / crying. Wait for silence even if its just 15 seconds!


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

Welcome and congratulations on your new baby... Almost! ;D

You have gotten lots of goog feed back for your question... may I just add for you and your girls sake... put a toy in your hand or the pups mouth when you play with the pup. Hands... do not make good toys, and the pup will have to be taught this. often after much blood has been spilled buy very VERY sharp puppy teath. I only say this, because children tend to use their hands to play with puppies, and they could get really hurt. 
If you haven't already, check out some of the threads pertaining to the weird, normal, idiosyncrasies. of the Vizsla breed. They are very bazaar creatures... But hang on to your heart... or prepare to loose it!!


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

mommaofalot said:


> ps. If you want your pup to be hunting dog... DO NOT TEACH SIT!!! I learned that the hard way


Do you have more info on why this is? We don't hunt but I'd like to train for potentially entering competitions for field, agility, and dock jumping. 

We don't have our puppy yet, he was born July 10th and I am just so very eager to meet him. I cannot wait to bring him home in September. I think I am more excited for our new addition than the kids are!!


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Best advice I can give is train your puppy from day one as if you intend to hunt him. Even if you never do. Hundreds and hundreds of articles and books have been written on the subject. The work is done, the program is in place, so there's no need to try and reinvent the wheel.
A well trained hunting Vizsla will do everything you want and ask of a dog, 45 yards away in dense cover, at 20+ mph. 
Pointers are special in the dog world and the Vizlsa is a special kind of Pointer.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Duke14 said:


> mommaofalot said:
> 
> 
> > ps. If you want your pup to be hunting dog... DO NOT TEACH SIT!!! I learned that the hard way
> ...


The idea behind this warning is that sit becomes a kind automatic response the dog will offer when under pressure. So instead of standing, whoaing, or pointing, the dog will just sit. I'm sure there is credence to it, but you're not going to see this with every pointer that is taught to sit before bird work. 

Could someone who's experienced this share a bit more about it?


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

einspänner said:


> Duke14 said:
> 
> 
> > mommaofalot said:
> ...



I can tell you my reason.
Many years ago with my first V I taught the "Sit". Boy did that little guy pick that up quick. About 10-12 months later it came back to bite me in the behind and here is why:

We automatically and unconsciously mix the commands "Sit" and "Stay" during obedience training and around the house. How many times have we given the commands in that order? "Sit",,,,,, "Stay",,,, good dog.It's just kinda natural and fun.
So when we get around to steadying a dog to wing and shot all of the sudden the "Stay" is used with the "Whoa" and the "Easy". So there I was working my dog on birds and I gave the "Whoa" when he was lighting up a point. He gave a step or two, or "creeped" as it's referred to, and I gave him the command to "Stay". Guess what he did?
He was so conditioned to hearing "Stay" follow "Sit" that he thought he missed a command and sat down on a point. Definitely not a Field and Stream moment. We sure weren't going to make the cover of Gun Dog that day. 

It had nothing to do with pressure, just a miscommunication that had been allowed to carry forward. I've never taught the "Sit" since that day, and had to make sure that he never heard the command from us again.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

It's interesting to read these comments re sit. I taught mine sit. But, when in the field, I use hand signals. This was brought about for a need to operate in complete silence while out hunting ghosts (Sambar Deer....... Ghosts of the bush)

So now when doing field work my dogs watch me intently and we operate mostly on hand signals. As I've never taught a hand signal for sit, this problem has never occurred. Didn't think too much of it till now.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I though sit was too useful around the house to not train it and it's never been a problem in the field. Plus her breeder and many other Europeans from what I've seen teach them to present game by sitting in front of the handler. Over here game is presented at a standing heel. I've gone with the sit because she seemed more comfortable with it and grabbing game from the side is just awkward for me. Point being there must be just as many people who teach sit as who don't. It's interesting to see what regional training beliefs take root.


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

Thanks for the explanations.

Very helpful!


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

That's so interesting re: inappropriate sitting! I never really thought much about this potential problem when we were doing our basic obedience but I think the key for us has been using different releases. When Nico is told to "sit" a "stay" is implied but almost never said aloud (if he looks like he's about to jump the gun we put up a hand). He is released with a "let's go". If we give a "stay" command it is usually because Nico is already standing and moving toward something/away from handler. In this case we release him with a "come" (meaning come to my side), "go get it" (toward the object of fixation) or "run large" (in the park or a field meaning frolic freely).

I know this seems like a lot of words for a puppy to process but my spouse and I are very consistent with the words and intonations we use (the whole family has to be consistent if you want the dog to listen to/understand all members!) and now Nico has no trouble understanding the different releases. Keep in mind though we are not hunters and know little about training the dog for the field so we may be doing it all wrong


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