# Professional training???



## mutley66 (Oct 25, 2014)

Hi, new to the forum, we have a 7 month vizsla bitch (we've had her from 8 weeks old). Training has went ok but slow and seems to have hit a brick wall. She only walks to heal about 30% of the time but doesn't pull excessively on the lead. She will recall to me but only in a field without any distractions - if there was anyone / anything to distract her I know she would not recall and I would be in trouble! The potential is definitely there but it's proving very difficult to get her to progress and I don't want to end up with a dog that can't be trusted off the lead and becomes difficult to walk. It's not fair on her and we want to get the very best out of her and allow her to enjoy herself. A further problem is that my working commitments have meant I currently have less time to spend training her. I am looking at the option of handing her over to a professional trainer who will take her for 4 weeks, train her to a high standard to do everything we need of her, after 4 weeks we collect her and spend 3 hrs being trained by the trainer how to continue what she has taught her. The cost is expensive but that is not a concern. I am worried that 4 weeks away from us may affect her as she is first and foremost a pet and is certainly a 'Velcro dog' when she is in the home with us! I certainly don't want to have a robot dog returned to us with no character and would be worried the 4 weeks training would have a negative impact on her character and she would be 'different' around us? However I know 4 weeks is a very short space of time out of her life and the end results of a professionaly trained dog does sound very tempting and more importantly beneficial to our vizsla so she can enjoy her life to the full whilst not being restricted on a lead or only let off her lead in a remote secure location. I would greatly appreciate your views on this please


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## Tika V (Jan 30, 2013)

I can assure you through my own experiance that she will be the same when she returns just better behaved if the trainer does a good job. I have sent my V twice to a trainer. Once was for two months down to work with Maurice Lindley in south Carolina and the other was just this summer she went out to north Dakota for bird dog summer camp for 3 months. My V has always been a inside on the couch, in our bed type of V. She lives pretty well at home to say the least.. while at training she was in a kennel run and slept in a barrel/dog house. Quite different than what she was used to at home. She took it in stride loved running the prarrie learning bird work, and spending time with the trainers. When she came back she acted as if she never had left, Other then possessing some newly trained talents. She never forgot anything from home. Went to the same spot on the couch for cuddles, bed time was no different right back to taking up way too much room and stealing as much of the cover as possible.. all her quirks still present lol... so id say not to worry. Just do your research and be sure the trainer is the right one and you'll be fine. The wait for your V to return is the tough part..good luck.


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