# Starting Over



## CarlaHales (Jun 15, 2020)

We will be bringing our new Vizsla puppy home on June 25th, two months after losing our first Vizsla very suddenly and unexpectedly (he collapsed on our bedroom floor and died in front of us; suspected heart tumor that burst that we had no idea he had).

At first, I was very excited about bringing this new girl into our lives. Now I am beginning to become extremely nervous, as I am not sure we remember how much work Guthrie was in the beginning. It has been nine years, since we had a puppy, and I have a hard time remembering all the challenges, since what I remember most is what an exceptional adult dog Guthrie was. We did classes and at home training, but it is all such a blur. I worked a full-time "day job," when we got Guthrie, and now I own a dance studio, so I am home all day. I am feeling more pressure to make sure I do "all the right things," since I will be home with her so much.

Has anyone else ever experienced this nervousness going into their second Vizsla or have any tips? I don't remember feeling this nervous or overwhelmed, when we got Guthrie

Thank you!


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I'm sorry to hear of the sudden passing of your boy. That is never easy and leaves a huge hole in the household
Both my girlz' passed away last year, with little to no warning. I lost Gunnr in May, and Tika in Sept/Oct. Gunnr was just turned 11 and Tika was 12. We did not expect to be raising a puppy this year.
The only concession I made was to get a male Vizsla. I did not want to transfer any expectations, or add unfair pressures to a new girl. It's stupid, and has no basis other than emotion, but that's what I did for me.
It's going to be different for a few months, that's for sure, but you'll do fine. Love, attention, affection, clear correction, and by Christmas you'll be mostly settled out.
Remember, she can squeeze under the furniture to avoid capture for the first month or so. That part I did forget about.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Very sorry about your loss, that must have been heartbreaking. And very lucky that new puppy is that you are so thoughtful. By any chance you can visit her at the breeders? I know it may be challenging, but just a thought. With our first (Bende who has also been my first own dog being raised from puppyhood) i felt the same anxiety. My breeder has been wonderful and they let me visit every weekend between age 4 and 8 weeks, at the time of pick up we were all bonded. I also spent my free time watching vizsla puppy videos on Youtube and reading books, making lists of items i need to remember and just as Gunnr suggested a lot of time on all 4s to ensure the house is puppy proof. And admiring all the puppy toys he got before he moved in.


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## CarlaHales (Jun 15, 2020)

Gunnr - I am with you on the expectations and unfair pressure. It's the same for me and why we are getting a female this time. I did some much reading and research with Guthrie, you would have thought I was preparing for a human child! I mean, I even researched TOYS!! When we got our rescue terrier mix, Joni, 3 years later, I did none of that.  But now here I am - a ball of nerves and worrying about "doing it right."

Gabica - we did visit the breeder last week, when the pups were at 6.5 weeks. Since we get last pick of the litter, at that time we didn't know which girl was ours. We played with all nine crazy pups at once! When we got our first V, we visited twice. Now we know which girl is ours, and I have reached out to visit again this weekend. We may actually bring her home instead, two days shy of 8 weeks old (they have 3 others going home Saturday as well).

I told my husband we have to crawl around the house tonight - especially the living room area she will be allowed in! LOL

I just want to do as good a job with her (her name will be Beesly), as we did with Guthrie.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

Beesly is a lucky pup. We don`t know it all even if we had already one or several from this breed, we can all still have surprises. One other thing i had to strongly remind myself when Miksa, the second vizsla boy of the household moved in, how quietly they move and that they tend to be under your feet, human always looking on the floor not to step on him! 
Don`t forget to capture that feeling the first time she falls asleep in your lap and your heart fills with all the warm fuzzy feeling


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

We tend to forget about the waking up during the night, and the bitey stage. Our memories of past dogs, are focused on the good.
Each new pup will be a little different. Some are a lot different.
Even after having multiple Vizslas, and so many fosters I've lost count. I still like learning new ways of training. And each dog teaches me something new.
So very sorry for your loss, and I hope your new puppy helps you heal.


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## HardyFam (Mar 10, 2021)

CarlaHales said:


> Gunnr - I am with you on the expectations and unfair pressure. It's the same for me and why we are getting a female this time. I did some much reading and research with Guthrie, you would have thought I was preparing for a human child! I mean, I even researched TOYS!! When we got our rescue terrier mix, Joni, 3 years later, I did none of that.  But now here I am - a ball of nerves and worrying about "doing it right."
> 
> Gabica - we did visit the breeder last week, when the pups were at 6.5 weeks. Since we get last pick of the litter, at that time we didn't know which girl was ours. We played with all nine crazy pups at once! When we got our first V, we visited twice. Now we know which girl is ours, and I have reached out to visit again this weekend. We may actually bring her home instead, two days shy of 8 weeks old (they have 3 others going home Saturday as well).
> 
> ...


Oh my goodness, I fully feel everything you are saying. It's like you're taking the words out of my head! We got our first Vizsla in 2004 and at the end of the same year, we got a GSP. Our GSP passed away first at age 11 and we rescued an adult English Pointer. My ONLY concern was if her personality would mesh with our senior Vizslas! Our V lived 16 amazing years and was the best dog, but we barely remember her puppyhood! We are in our early 40's, but haven't had a puppy in 18 years! Ha! We are getting a male Vizsla in about 5 weeks and I am so nervous! Like you, I just want to make sure we do everything right. We have three kids now that we didn't have the first time we brought a puppy home, so I'm just praying we will be able to have the time and energy to train him to be just as amazing as all of other dogs have been. He will have an older "sister" who is exceptionally sweet and tolerant, but being a rescue, she is overly sensitive and never really picked up on some of the skills we were able to teach our other dogs. Praying we have an easy transition with our pup! In the meantime, I'm reading up on all the puppy things I have forgotten over the last 18 years!


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