# New puppy and children



## ml_g9 (Mar 19, 2014)

Hi, I am new to the forum and after any advice that people can offer. 

I have been on a waiting list for a Vizsla girl puppy with a reputable breeder for about seven months now and we are waiting on the Dam giving birth at the end of this month/start of next to find out if she has enough girls for us to get a puppy. Since going on the waiting list, we have fallen pregnant and baby is due two months after we are due to get (this possible) puppy! I know this is not the completely ideal timing for it, but I have 13months off work and my partner has three months off work and hoped having a puppy would still be ok. Since we have a lot of time at home and thought we could get both baby and puppy sleepless nights over with together. I also have an eight-year old who is very good with dogs (we had a very energetic and naughty Border Collie for 13 years, who sadly passed away last year)!

I have read lots of advice about constant, consistent training and also about bite inhibition etc and was wondering if anyone had experience of new babies and Vizslas and had any constructive advice or if I just shouldn't get a puppy (at the moment) regarding the timing?

Thanks in advance!


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## mlg1900 (Jun 12, 2013)

Well, I think that you know yourself and your family best. And if you think you can make the committment, then you can do it! 

My first thought was that you would never have time for the puppy with a new baby but then I read about all the time off you will have. I think it is great that you have so much time off after the birth of your baby and your husband as well. That will probably make all the difference in the world. 

Maybe in addition to all the other training you will be doing. Try to work on the puppy being left alone at times. So that when everyone does go back to work, you will not all of a sudden be dealing with separation anxiety.


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## getsome (Oct 14, 2013)

I think that given the two adults that will be around for many weeks, and the fact that you've had babies AND puppies before so there won't be too many surprises there, that this is more than doable.
Of course, this is coming from a guy with 3 kids under 7, and a 12wk old puppy, and saint for a wife. My pup slept through the night after being home about 10 days. My kids, on the other hand, were by far more challenging to get into a good routine. I'm talking 10 months. But the hard work and struggle was worth it, as all 3 sleep 7p to 7a every single night without a hiccup.

Good luck with all of your impending new additions. I hope you'll keep us updated.
~B


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2014/02/great-idea-i-didnt-think-about.html

Might be a good resource for your questions. 

Let me know if this helps.

RBD


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

I have a 3-year old Vizsla, an 18-month old toddler, and another baby on the way, and my advice is _DON'T DO IT!!!!_

Obviously it is possible, and you should do what you want, but we really, really wish we had just waited until our kids were older before getting a Vizsla, or any dog for that matter. Our life would be 100x easier. Vizslas especially are not dogs that sit outside happily while you play with the kids. They want to be a kid, and won't be happy unless they are treated like one! So essentially, I am about to have three kids, one of which I have to worry about scratching or knocking down the others, playing too rough, growling over bones, and figuring out what to do with him if heaven forbid we ever want to go on a small vacation! You know, our toddler loves our cats just as much, and they are REALLY easy to take care of....

Also, congratulations!


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi, ml_g9, and welcome to the forums!

The Animal Planet Network has a show called "Dogs 101" and here is part of the episode they did on the Vizsla:

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/vizsla.htm

It takes around five minutes to watch, and one of the points it makes is that "The Vizsla is not necessarily great around very small children." It's something to consider.


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

mlg1900 said:


> Try to work on the puppy being left alone at times. So that when everyone does go back to work, you will not all of a sudden be dealing with separation anxiety.


*x 1000000000*

Dr. Ian Dunbar, a renowned dog specialist or whatever you want to call him, will tell you that your "potential" situation is the #1 reason for separation anxiety if you don't teach the dog that it can be left alone.......to be exact his example was parents getting a dog over the summer when the kids are home from school and the puppy grew up during its impressionable first months never learning how to be alone...and then life changes and kids and parents go off to school and work and the everyone wonders why the dog goes nuts when left in solitude... 

I am no way saying it can or can't be done in your situation...only that you should be extra cognizant of this potential issue with separation anxiety - especially with a clingy dog like a vizsla


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## ml_g9 (Mar 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone for all your advice. We are very lucky to get an excellent maternity/paternity package to get so much time of with baby (and possibly puppy).

This is not a decision we will be taking lightly about the puppy, both myself and my partner have continuously had dogs since we were kids and this last year without our BC has been the longest neither of us has had a dog! We are going to meet the Dam and Sire and see their temperaments etc. And once we know how many puppies have been born, we will make a decision on puppy.

We would never leave kids alone and unsupervised with puppy, but that even went for our BC no matter how well behaved she was. And we would definitely work on separation and leaving puppy for (at the start) short times on her own in the house from the start! Building up the time gently.

RBD - that looks an excellent resource for introducing kids/dogs but unfortunately I am in the UK and I can't find anything similar over here. I am even struggling to find a dog trainer who specialises in Vizslas.

Thanks again to everyone for all the advice and help!


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