# How do I get my Vizsla to listen to me?



## Busby88 (Feb 28, 2012)

My husband and I just got our first Vizsla, Parker, in January. Training her has been easy in some aspects and hard in others. I grew up with Brittany's and thought I had the know how when it came to training sporting dogs....I was wrong. Parker picked up potty training fairly easily and for the most part is well behaved (meaning she hasn't destroyed my house). We are having major problems with her listening to us and coming when called. She is such a stinker too. I swear she hears me and chooses to ignore me. I take her outside to go potty and she refuses to come when she is called to go in. I try and pick her up and she runs away from me...taunting me with her tail wagging. We thought at first she wasn't getting enough exercise but she gets just about an hour a day of fetching and walking and once or twice a week we take her to the dog park to run around and play with other dogs. Still she refuses to listen to me. What are ways I can teach her to come when she is called? And how can I discipline her for bad behavior? Everything I try she thinks I'm playing with her.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Practice recall back and forth between you and your husband in the house.... long hallways work the best. Once she has a solid recall in the house, transition to recall outside. The best treat we've found for Riley is hot dogs. Slice them into tiny little pieces and give several bits (one at a time) when she comes to you. Puppies are like children... they would rather have 4 tiny pieces of something than 1 large piece! 

*Never* chase her if she doesn't come to you. She just thinks it is a fun game! When Riley refused to come to us, we went inside and locked the door. (Even if it was freezing cold outside!) She learned very quickly that not coming when she was called meant she was stuck outside by herself. You have to be patient if it is good weather. She may play around for a bit before she wants to come back inside. Wait until she is begging to come inside (scratching at the door) before you let her in. 

Does she ignore you at the dog park? You can pretend to leave her there. Hide behind something where she can't see you (but you can still see her) and she will quickly start going nuts searching for you. Once you see her getting worried and looking for you, come out of hiding as if nothing happened and call her name. I guarantee she will come to you!


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Here is some advice we got from our trainer that worked really well for us:

1. Play the Attention Game - Start with your puppy as close to you as possible and say the puppy's name "Pippa" (in our case) and give a treat (we also clicked for this - ie. clicker training). Bring the treat up towards your face to encourage eye contact (we increased difficulty by walking around)

2. For Come you need to set your pup up for success, otherwise they are LEARNING they don't have to listen to you. When Pippa would act "hard of hearing" we went back to basics which was: Start out by standing right in front of your dog. Enthusiastically say their name and command, PIPPA COME and giving a treat. Initially your dog doesn't have to move at all - the point of starting this way is that your dog learns to LOVE the come command and that is always means good things are about to happen. After you've done this 5 times or so, start moving backwards away from your dog and then call them to come again. As soon as they come, treat. We practiced this 15-20 times DAILY, but it helped 

3. When we want Pippa to come inside we never say "Come". Instead, we say, "Inside". This is probably a matter of personal preference, but for now, as I said above, I want "Come" to signal good things. Going inside sometimes signals the end of fun for a puppy. So I use "Inside" so that it keeps "Come" a happy command for her!

4. Finally, (Sorry this is so long-winded), I agree with threefsh. NEVER CHASE YOUR PUPPY. Have them chase you


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Just a couple of quick thoughts--

(1) Is your hour of walking/fetch off leash? Does Parker have the chance to roam and romp in a place that is interesting to her (woods, big open field, beach, etc)? Tired puppies are good puppies. The dog park might not do the trick.

(2) Does she have good recall in the yard when you are NOT trying to get her to go inside? That could be a good place to start. Perhaps try calling her in, giving her a treat, then seeing if she wants to go back out?

(3) We've been having trouble saying goodbye to dogs that we meet along our walks. I think I have not been asking her to check in often enough -- calling, treating, and letting her return to play. So when I try to move along she knows that if she wants to play with that dog it's now or never!!! Maybe if you think about it you can figure out similar patterns in your own behavior. What has Parker figured out about you, and how can you change that?


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Lots of good advice already given. Parker is a baby if you just got him in January.

Does Parker know his name? When you call out "Parker" does he turn and look? If not start there. Every time you call his name and he looks at you, give him a yummy treat.

Then after you got that, add a one word command. *Parker, sit*. Then make sure he sits even if you need to help him into the position. He has 2 seconds to respond. Vizslas are quick studies but they need consistency. Sit always mean sit, come always means come to me and stand by my left side, down means belly on the ground and hips flipped to the side. Whatever words you use. you and everyone around the pup needs to use the same words. And always use Parker's name first. A command needs to come off as a command and not a question or a request. You're not saying with a command, "Parker, would you please come over here because I would really like you to." It is "Parker - COME." When he comes and stands next to your side, love him up.

Lastly. Don't give TWO commands in a row. One at a time. Never "Come - Sit." Make it "Parker - Come." Parker comes. Love him up. He is next to you. " Parker - Sit." He sits. Love him up. 

You had a Britney? A Vizsla and Britney are very much alike. 

Maybe get _Versatile Vizsla_, the book. Understanding the breed is always a good place to start.

Welcome to the forum.

RBD


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

I would whistle train them. My pup loves to go outside so to get him in the house I blow the whistle and he comes to get a treat. Easy!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Watch some recall vids and use a checkcord. Do not give a command unless you can and WILL enforce it. Train 3 times a day and don't stop. You reward good behavior, gain her love and trust and she will go to the moon for you! DO NOT punish her for poor behavior. It's OK to let her know you're not happy with her but, I would really focus on the positives, the payoff is much greater.


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