# HELP! LOST Vizsla need ideas



## Lucy Vizsla (May 19, 2008)

Charlie our foster V fell off our deck and ran away. We have found him and he is living in a small corn field up the road. It is surrounded by very busy roads and he is scared to death of loud noises and cars. He fell off our deck because he freaked out after a neighbor let off a fire cracker. He will not come to anyone and runs in the corn and we cannot get him. I tried the local animal control and they cannot use the large trap because it is not a residential neighborhood. (Which it really is, but I don't have time to get into that) Anything anyone can think of a way to get him to come? Smells, extra special treats anything! He is just a sweetheart who has had a bad life until now.

Amanda


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Peanut butter in the hand of the one he loves. Get close but not too close, kneel down and let him come to you with his nose.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Any chance he is hurt from the fall? My gut reaction would be to bring the peanut butter, filet mingon, or whatever I thought might work and then some. Agree with getting close but not too close. Then I would have a seat, & I would be prepared to sit for a very long time. If you must go, I would leave water. I would speak his name softly as opposed to a group of folks calling his name, whistling, clapping or some such approach. OMG, I know you must be so worried & frightened! If your V may be injured, I would contact your vet or ER vet, and they may have some pull in getting animal control to help you. I wish you the best!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> Then I would have a seat, & I would be prepared to sit for a very long time.


I think Kellygirl has about the best plan. Get yourself a comfortable seat and sleeping bag and camp out. Just you, or someone Charlie is completely comfortable with. Have cooked liver in a bowl (smells strong and the smell carries) next to your chair and a bowl of water. If he has his own "bed" bring it also.

Maybe a radio playing music you listen to at home.

Make the spot as non-threatening as you can. 

Have a slip-knot leash ready to put around his neck. Don't let him get away by trying to put on a clip.

That's all I can think of.

Good luck.

Rod


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh, poor Charlie!! I agree with the above ideas. It seems to me that really delicious-smelling meat would be the best bet. He's sure to be getting hungry, and he is, after all, a carnivore. I'm sure you are frantic! Wishing you the best of luck in getting him "cornered" and then safely home. Patience!


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## Maisy Mae (Jul 22, 2011)

I couldn't have said it better myself. Poor thing I hope he and you both recover. When hes asleep pet him and have treats ready for when he wakes up. When maisy is mad at us that's what we do. Good Luck!


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Any news? I've been thinking about y'all. Hope Charlie is safe.


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## KAsDad (Aug 4, 2011)

Use the peanut butter thing (or anything he loves), but lay down on the ground like you are hurt. He will remember you and come to investigate.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Any update? I'm concerned about poor Charlie. Sounds like he's miserable w/ anxiety, and you must be too.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Any news about Charlie yet? :-\


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## Lucy Vizsla (May 19, 2008)

Yes! We found him. I am so sorry it took me this long to get online and post this. We got him the 4 night missing. He finally came out for an off lease dog to play with and they just played & played and finally he got tired and walk right up to us. It was the longest 4 days of my life, but he is safe and back. We have a few new problem to deal with, due to the aftermath. He just had a sprain in his right "ankle". But now he is scared to go outside as it gets dark out  He was always scared for noises (I think a poorly trained hunting dog, but we don't know his history) So he is now having accidents in the house and since we cannot control the noised outside he jumps at everything. We had a major set back last night, as we took him out and someone let off another firecracker. 

So if anyone has any suggestions on this! He will not get out that focus of being scared. I have tried food and playing with the other dogs. We don't know what to do.

Thank you for everyone's great ideas to get Charlie home!

Amanda


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh, I am so glad you posted this great news about getting Charlie back home... YAY!!! Wouldn't you know, it would be another dog that would serve as the most effective "lure" for a Vizsla! They do love to play! He is a very handsome boy, by the way.

His fear of the dark is understandable, and with any luck, it might just fade away over time. Maybe someone else will have some advice for you about that. I'm not so sure about his fear of loud noises. Willie came to me that way, and has not gotten over it yet... and he might never get over it. Again, thanks for posting about Charlie!


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks so much for the update! Maybe it would be a good time to get a behavioral consult. It sounds like you're trying the right things, but a behaviorist might be able to help you nip the fear issues in the bud more quickly. http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/

http://www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/page6.html


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Great news about Charlie!

I am certainly not an expert, but if you are in the camp of using 'baby steps' of exposure, here are some ideas for that.

Noise: You might think about playing the radio or TV while Charlie is in the room to have a bit of background noise so startling sounds aren't so much louder than the normal background. To re-expose him to startling sounds, while you are sitting at your desk, flutter paper unexpectedly and drop pencils and pens occasionally. Move up to books. The kitchen is a friendly area where unexpected sounds can have good connotations. The refrigerator door opening, cabinets shutting hard, drawers closing firmly, pots and pans rattling, and silverware and glassware clinking. Any of these sounds could be startling, but Savannah has figured out that they mean scraps from cooking if she is patient and quiet. I am trying to work on ideas for garage sounds. Savannah loves to explore all the smells in the garage, but I haven't figured out how to parlay that tendency into a training opportunity. You or your husband may be more imaginative with this garage data point than I have been. If you come up with something, please share!

Outside: If you have any readers in the house, you might have them sit right outside the door and read for 15 minutes or so. Let Charlie see them, but don't force him to do anything. You might up the ante, so to speak, by having a kong of peanut butter or tuna fish in their lap. If he doesn't respond to a quiet person, you may want to go outside and jump rope or have a game of tag (or some other running game) with a couple of people with the door open. See if the sound of fun entices him outside. If you have one of those free-standing work lights, you might think about putting it outside for a few days. That plus the outside lighting on your house may provide Charlie just enough light to do his business outside.

Those would be my starting points. Sarahaf's behaviorist idea sounds good, too. There is a post somewhere on this forum about 'Thundershirts'. You might read that one and see if an opportunity exists with a jacket or some kind of cover. Lastly, I don't know if you have had Charlie long enough for him to have designated an area as 'safe'. For Savannah, it's her crate in the car. When she discovered electric fences, or got too close to a horse, or any other scary-scary events, she waits at the back door of my car to 'load up'. When she calms down, she gets out on her own, but having a known retreat works well for both of us.

Good luck!


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Forgot to ask...

Regarding the accidents in the house, rather than having him go in the yard, have you tried taking Charlie for a long walk just before dusk?


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

jld640--love your ideas. Letting Charlie be in control of approaching the "big bad darkness" sounds good, and working up gradually.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/07/dealing-with-thunderstorm-phobias.html

Glad Charlie is back in his loving home.

We purchased a "Thundershirt" for our female Vizsla who has noise phobias. Many dogs have them and Charlie sounds like he may have reason to have fear assoicated with dark and noise. The principle of the "Tthundershirt" is compelling.

Later, when Charlie is over part of his trauma, you might try the other thing we do once a week, we walk downtown with lots of cars, busses, trucks and trains. I have a good leash and collar on both dogs and I am strong enough so they can't bolt. 

This has helped desensitise her, (since Bailey loves loud sounds like the shotgun), since nothing bad happens to her when the loud sounds occurs. She will always have gun, fireworks and thunder fear I believe. We keep the "Thundershirt" handy now. Lucky here in Northern Califorina, thunder is rare.

Good luck.


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