# We really need advice! Vizsla puppy aggressive behavior!



## parkerthevizsla

Hi everyone. So our puppy, Parker, is 3 months old. About two weeks ago he started with shark attacks and everyone said it was completely normal, he will grow out of it. Over the past two weeks he has gotten more and more physically aggressive with me (his mom) and he is a lot calmer with his dad. This past week he started doing things that are sparking red flags for me. He got EXTREMELY territorial aggressive over a toy (which he has NEVER done). He sounded like a pitbull about to attack me when I tried to get the toy from him. He went down in a defensive pose and showed his teeth at me while growling. Then a few days later he was out in the yard and saw our neighbors then growl/barked and sprinted to the house in a dominating protective manner. Now he is having almost constant shark attack attitude when he is in the house. Never stops biting me and barking at me. I am trying to be dominant over him and stop his protective aggression but I don't know how to approach the situation to make Parker understand. We try making him calm before playing so he doesn't start off too excited, but it builds up so quickly and before we know it he is a maniac. Please let me know how to handle this or if other vizslas have these problems. I know it needs to be corrected now. Thank you for taking the time to read this!! I really appreciate it.


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## texasred

From what you are posting, I still wouldn't say Parker is being aggressive. 
Barking and changing posture is not a true sign of aggression. It can be that Parker was unsure of the person, and it was just his way of showing it. Barking, him saying there is someone unknown by our yard. Then him going to the house, is to avoid confrontation with the unknown.
You need to work with Parker slowly, and have him have good experiences with new people.

Sounds like the shark attacks (puppy play) are just happening to you. This would lead me to believe Parker sees you as the pushover of the group. That is also why he might be thinking its okay to growl/bare teeth at you to keep a prized possession. Dominating a pup is not really the way to go. Teaching one to work with you as a team gets better results. Being to harsh, you lose a dog trust, and they learn they cannot trust your actions. This leads a dog to be more reactive, and leads to a faster bite.
If Parker is a normal V pup, or one that needs a experienced V home would be hard to tell over the internet. Do you have any other vizsla owners that live close by, and/or a good relationship with your breeder?


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## parkerthevizsla

Parker is introduced to new people (and dogs) daily and has never had an issue. When he meets a stranger he is submissive and calm. But when he saw the neighbors across the street it was like something clicked and he needed to protect his house in that moment. Other than that one time, he acts completely normal to strangers. He sees people walking by or doing yard work all the time, he has never reacted the way he did. 

As for him seeing me as the pushover, he absolutely does. And I really want to change his view of me. I am working to be consistent and not give in to him. When he is biting or barking I do not know how to approach the situation for him to get that is not acceptable. You are 100% right that I need his trust and we need to be a team. Would you have any advice for gaining his trust and changing his view to respect me more?

I do not know any other Vizslas in the area and I do have a good relationship with the breeder but they are not close.


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## texasred

Keep in mind that puppies can go through stages of fear, even well socialized ones. So while some strangers maybe fine, it may not carry over to everyone, or every place. 
Look into NILF training, and Premack, also Ian Dunbar has good information on puppy training. I know some of their training ideas conflict with each other, but have found each one to have some good points to help with puppies.


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## gingerling

Parker is three months, so you've had him for a month. Dogs go thru developmental stages just like people do. At each stage new behaviors emerge and develop based on experience. The first few weeks he was with you he was settling in, now he's more confident and beginning to explore and express himself, a lot of new instincts are emerging. All of them sound fairly normal. They're new to you, so you're reacting to that, the newness.

First, he is not aggressive. Yes, his actions are surely more aggressive than the past, but it is a passing phase (if handled correctly) rather than the emergence of some enduring characteristic (which is what true aggression is).

Second, you're not a "Push over"..or perhaps more accurately, he's not doing this b/c he sees you as a wimp. You're his mom and he obviously recognizes this and feels safe with you..I know that sounds odd at first, but think about it: Puppies are defenseless and vulnerable, who best to try out new instincts with? The mail man or the neighbor might kill him, he knows they're strangers and therefore won't go as far with them.

So, what to do?

You didn't mention the crate, you have one? I've said this when this topic comes up (which it does frequently) that puppies have this internal cycle: Eat, poop, play, sleep. Somewhere in there is "Crazy" (as in shark attacks), figure out when it occurs and 10 minutes before, put him in his crate with some raw hide and let him chill and eventually fall asleep. I'd bet he's out of his crate way too much and is just getting overstimulated, most shark attacks occur b/c the puppy is clearly overstimulated.


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## parkerthevizsla

Gingerling said:


> Parker is three months, so you've had him for a month. Dogs go thru developmental stages just like people do. At each stage new behaviors emerge and develop based on experience. The first few weeks he was with you he was settling in, now he's more confident and beginning to explore and express himself, a lot of new instincts are emerging. All of them sound fairly normal. They're new to you, so you're reacting to that, the newness.
> 
> First, he is not aggressive. Yes, his actions are surely more aggressive than the past, but it is a passing phase (if handled correctly) rather than the emergence of some enduring characteristic (which is what true aggression is).
> 
> Second, you're not a "Push over"..or perhaps more accurately, he's not doing this b/c he sees you as a wimp. You're his mom and he obviously recognizes this and feels safe with you..I know that sounds odd at first, but think about it: Puppies are defenseless and vulnerable, who best to try out new instincts with? The mail man or the neighbor might kill him, he knows they're strangers and therefore won't go as far with them.
> 
> So, what to do?
> 
> You didn't mention the crate, you have one? I've said this when this topic comes up (which it does frequently) that puppies have this internal cycle: Eat, poop, play, sleep. Somewhere in there is "Crazy" (as in shark attacks), figure out when it occurs and 10 minutes before, put him in his crate with some raw hide and let him chill and eventually fall asleep. I'd bet he's out of his crate way too much and is just getting overstimulated, most shark attacks occur b/c the puppy is clearly overstimulated.


Thank you very much for giving so much advice. Everything you said makes complete sense and really is helping understand Parker's actions. We do use a crate and he is in the crate throughout the day but we will be more aware to put him in the crate before his shark attacks happen. I am very happy to know the new behaviors are more of an exploratory action rather than characteristic. One more question! When I try to take Parker for walks and we get out of the driveway he lays down (in a stubborn way). Like him saying "I don't want to walk, so we are not going to walk." I feel like he is testing me. He used to walk great with me. Is this just a phase for him to see how much he can influence me?


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## texasred

When I can't have eyes on a puppy they are in the crate. Most of the time if they are loose in the house, they have a 3 foot light weight rope attached to their collar. This just makes it easier for me to keep them out of trouble. If a pup growled at me for trying to take a toy from them, I would calmly take the toy anyway. Inspect like the toy like was the coolest thing I have ever seen, and then hand the toy back. Keeping the pup with me, we would keep repeating the process every couple of minutes until the pup let me have it without the growl. When that happened, I would praise him and give the toy back for him to keep and play with. Always tell your pup GIVE before you remove something. Some people put some pressure on a pups mouth to have them release easier, and other push the object further in the pups mouth to have them release. If it doesn't turn into a tugowar, you can just pull the object away.


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## texasred

Your pup may just be becoming more aware of its new surrounds, and feels more comfortable not going past the drive way. What if you hangout at the end of the driveway, let him play and have a good time there, before venturing farther. Just do the walks in short increments.


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## gingerling

We should spend some time on your anxiety, why you feel so challenged by him. 

He's a baby, and leaving his territory is scary for him! So, he refuses to go. Makes sense.

Take him to the edge of his comfort zone and pick him up and in the safety and security of your arms, take a walk with him around the block, stopping to admire the scenery, looking at the birds (or whatever), offering encouragement and lots of kisses.


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## redbirddog

Hope this is of help. One of my first posts on Redbirddog over 6 years ago.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Importance of Mastering the Art of the Walk

The below section is from Cesar Millan. This gave me a idea of how walking Chloe and Bailey on leash for long distances helps them.

In his first book he talked about how a homeless person's dog is so well behaved.

So at least three times a week we walk on leash for one or two hours. At least once a week we walk downtown Walnut Creek so they are comfortable with traffic and people.

I figure Chloe and I have logged 600 miles in the last 22 months of leash-time walking. Bailey has about half that. They both must stay on my left and just behind or to my side. Bailey, being the young gentledog he is, stays to the outside to protect his older sister.


"The single most powerful tool we have for bonding with our dogs is the walk. Walking is a primal exercise that awakens all of her pack instincts. No amount of toys or treats will make her happier than a brisk, hourly walk by your side. Yet the walk is one area where dog owners seem to have the most problems. Most people have the dog out in front, pulling them forward. I’ve asked the reason for this and I usually get, “She loves her freedom.” Freedom?

A dog is a pack animal and what she really wants from the walk is leadership and structure. To me, the best role models for great dog walking technique are the homeless and the service dog-using handicapped! Why? They seem to better understand the concept of canine pack leadership. The leader is always in front during the walk. And for many homeless, their dogs often aren’t even on a leash – they choose to stay behind or beside their owners.

Of course a dog wants to sniff the ground and pee on a tree during the walk, but it is important that we as pack leaders understand that we should be making the “when and where” decisions for them. Following our rules gives the dog confidence because she’s working for every privilege she gets." - Cesar Millan


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