# 1yr 11mo, new to me



## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

I registered here today but have been lurking for a week, I.e. since I brought the SawDog (Sawyer) home. I have the Versatile Visla book on order, other book suggestions welcome. 

Anyway, I'm a 40yo single guy with a nice house/big fenced in backyard and nature trail/parks within a few blocks. I have been "walking" Sawyer for 45 minutes minimum twice a day and have noticed if we go for an hour plus per walk he has more energy when we get home. My first question is can more excersise get a Viz more wound up? 

Secondly, I put up an ariel trolley out back w/15' lead and 88' long, does this count as off leash time? I'm not ready to allow free roam in back yet because of rabbits and digging under fence. I live 
in town btw. 

I'm a bird/waterfowl hunter so he will be super active in the fall, but until then my primary thought is that I bit off more than I want to chew. The dog was with a family with three young daughters, and they didn't have enough time for him, and not much room to roam, and after the fact I realized they did not know what the breed requires, admitidly nor did I. After a week a have a swollen ankle from walking him, split lip from a head bob he did and blisters galore on my feet. I'm not able to take him on a walk because my ankle isn't getting any better. There's more than that, but right now I need some serious encouragement, im starting to think I'm too easy going for being on edge all the time.


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

First off I would like to congratulate you on giving this dog a fresh start and trying to cater for his needs. Stick with it and it will pay off.

We had Bella as a pup, our first dog, although did a great deal of research before making the plung. Much like you we often wondered if we did the right thing..

Untill I read a book called "Hunt, Point, Retrive Dogs for Work and Showing" by N.C Dear

This made me realise the true potential of this wonderful breed and straight away got booked into my local Gundog Training Centre.

A long winded way of trying to answer your questions, but to put it into perspective.

Bella is walked once a day for around an hour - an hour and a half. During this walk I stop off take her lead an collar off and do half hour of training. Heal work, sit, stay, retrieves etc,etc.

Then I let her have a free run as a reward. This is plenty for my pouch and feel that the mental stimulation also tires her out. 

Hope this helps, keep going as you will be rewarded in shooting season.

Regards

Keith


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The dog will be fine while your ankle heals. Just concentrate on bonding with him.
You said your a hunter. If the dog hasn't had any hunt training, you have a lot to do before taking him on a hunt.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Congrats Sawdog.


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

My other half currently has a split lip from a particularly excited loving head butt 

Update: should have mentioned that was from the V not from me


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Welcome to the forum. Yes they are a handful! Our little girl Dharma comes from an amazing hunting line. At 12 weeks old she has just discovered rabbits, toads, squirrels and birds and taking an interest in stalking and chasing them. Last time she went after a baby rabbit I was on the end of the leash. Yesterday she either bit or head butted my husband's face while he was in bed. I had a lot of cleaning up to do. Dharma is an active aggressive little chewer. AKA "The Dharminator".


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Yup - wondering if you bit off more than you can chew after the first week is fairly standard. Time to double down. Ice the ankle, soak the blisters, and go to the library for some books on indoor games while your feet heal. You can also use the search bar in the upper right hand corner of the forum for games. Folks have described some good ones. Give Sawyer a couple of weeks to get used to your routine. You might also want to search specifically for posts by mswhipple. She brought her Vizsla home as an older dog, too. 

Savannah also has a 'threshold' for walking - and it changes. After a while she'll be ready to crash. If we keep going, she catches her second wind and is all amped up again. If most of the walk is at heal, she'll be ready for some zoomies when we get home.

I don't know one way or the other about the aerial trolley. Savannah doesn't have a backyard so if she is outside, then so am I. The few times she has been on the deck without me, she just stands at the door waiting for me to let her inside.

Finally, Savannah found the 'switch' between dog and puppy somewhere around 2 years old. She still has her moments, but it all just seemed to gel for her one day. It sounds like Sawyer hasn't quite found that switch yet. Your easy going nature will be an asset once he does.

Good luck! Hope your feet heal quickly!


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Welcome SawDog & Sawyer,

Glad you 'jumped in'........

Nigel Dear book as Angie NG mentioned is up there in the top three for me. 

Get some pics up on here of Sawyer 

Hobbsy 8)


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## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

Thanks everyone, were still getting to know each other, and its getting better everyday.

Hey Hobbsy, here are some pics of the Sawyer. What are your other two top books? 

We got nails done yesterday and he weighs 46lbs. what does eveyone think of his appearance? If it is thin would it be better to feed, feed, feed or cut back the exercise time?

Also, as you can see there is a bump of some sort on the bridge? Of his nose, can anyone comment on that? The guy I got him from took him to two vets (not just for that) and they don't know but said if it doesn't bother him it is harmless. It is solid and he doesn't mind when I touch it. 

Thanks again,
SawDog


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Not just food

Most kibble by itself has little values :

Real foods 

pure protein mega  of this and choices to add into the mix

veg, fruits and supplements

A -Z

this guys very lean and not much core mass


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi, SawDog, and welcome to the forums! Sawyer is a handsome boy!! Thank you so much for giving him a loving home!! 

I would increase his food. I think too many bones are showing. You really can't go by what it says on the bag of dog food. Just keep an eye on his body weight as you go along, and keep giving him a little more. You don't want to fatten him up, of course. If he starts to get chubby, just cut back on the food a little. The exercise is good for him... Just feed him more.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

http://youtu.be/I5ZeNLUEHKY


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

SawDog,

Go for Versatile Vizsla by M Coffman and The Hungarian Vizsla by G Gottlieb.( no.1)

Also a nice read is The Wirehaired Vizsla by R Bebbington.

Plenty of 'good' reading to be going on with in between walking & training!!!!!!!!   

Nice pic's by the way..... 

Think you 'lucked out' with him, he look's a 'Keeper' 

Lump's & Bump's = Character!!!!!!

Hobbsy 8)


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## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

Thanks everyone! Today was great (I know, don't get used to it lol), so I fed him double the kibble w/ treats for good behavior and he looks so much better already! I will take pics tomorrow if I have time. Also on our night time walk there was hardly any sled dog action, as in hold on for the ride! My novice (to say the least) theory is when he was gangbusters the whole walk(s) previously he was freakin hungry and instincts were telling him to find food now! Also the extra weight could of slowed him up some. input welcome please.

On the food, I also ordered the "feed your best friend better" book at the same time as Vers. Viz. Will be getting more soon, thanks for the suggestions.
SawDog n Sawyer


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Hi Sawdog, he is so handsome!

If you're looking for information on what to feed the doggy to bulk him up in the healthiest way, Rudy's posts are always full of inspiration. I don't have confidence in my ability to balance my Vs diet without some 'complete' kibble in there as the basis for his diet, but then all his treats and top ups are the good stuff: natural live yoghurt, sweet potato, dried meat chew, raw veggies etc 

Looking forward to seeing his 'after' piccies


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## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

Here are some pics from today:


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

SawDog

Believe it or not, he's as much getting used to you as you are to him. 
He is light, at least in my opnion, and needs some more calories.

Until I got the two V's I have now, I always let my V's self feed. These two seemed to need a schedule when they were younger, but maybe not so much now. 
Since my V's were always intended for hunting, when the "real work" starts, hunting season and getting ready for huntning season, they get supplemented heavily with extra calories. Rice, bananna's, ground beef, bacon, peanut butter, yogurt. Basically anything that had more carb's, fat's and protiens, that wasn't processed. This is in addition to a quality feed, currently Blue Buffalo sweet potato and fish. If you intend to hunt the big guy, or just want to get some weight back on him, up the calories.
A favorite used to be to brown 3-5lbs of 85/15 ground beef, cook 2-3 cups of rice up, add some bacon grease and Linatone, mix it all up in a big bowl and make bite sized dog balls out of the mess.
I've never had a "Fat Vizlsa" in 25 years of owning them.

The head butts are normal, you'll learn to watch your face. They also like to take you out at the knees, and watch those paws. 

His life has changed dramatically, and he's learning to adapt. Everything is new for him, so their will be some behviors to overcome. Let him explore on his own, and adapt at his rate, but You provide the safe environment, clear consistent fair rules and discipline, keep his routine predictable for him, and you will both thrive.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> I've never had a "Fat Vizlsa" in 25 years of owning them.


I've seen them and they are not good looking.

SawDog, Here is the reciepe for "Satin Balls" and how to make them. 

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/12/satin-balls.html

Couple batches of these and he will be right as long as there are no worms at work inside the boy.

Welcome and have fun.
RBD


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)




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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

http://youtu.be/tw4j-JX2yGk


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## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

Thanks everyone. He is gaining weight dramatically, before I got him I bought a bag of high protien Diamond (?) And have been giving him that. After much research I was trying to decide between Blue Buffalo and Taste of the Wild, they have both at the farm store down the street.

Satin balls on the menu this weekend.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The food was probably Diamond Naturals. 
Maybe you will have better luck with Blue Buffalo than other have. A good many dogs have problems digesting it, and have running poos.

Whatever food you decided to use, slowly change over to it.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Blue Buffalo no disrespect Deb is over pimped over marketed light weight over processed in a bag

and the facts not mine over 25 dogs all hunting breeds with horrible gas and runs

I fixed in less then 1 week with that change.

I have a army of folks who quit on this and gained the Blues do to food choices 

due to the above examples and dull coats and other factors skin related issues and more


They bought the hype not the substances 

there are so many real foods better as well as well as high end kibble in the mixer of making coats glow and far less body core inflammation 

and far much faster recovery rates getting the mates back in the fields 

and I raised grazed and provided real wild true blood Buffalo's for 20 plus years

the meat humbles cows 3 to 1 and almost no fats more protein :

all my mates ate this in the mix of wellness 

One of my breeders even in the contract reads please do not feed Her this

as well as many others most think are great and lasting foods and choices


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## mrmra (Jul 18, 2013)

Regarding food, my pup likes Taste of the Wild. Nice, firm stools.

-mra-


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Blue Buffalo no disrespect Deb is over pimped over marketed light weight over processed in a bag

No problem Rudy.
I have never used Blue Buffalo.
I know other people that have tried it, and it didn't work out for them. Dog had off and on upset stomachs, gas and weight loss.


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

My two dogs eat TOTW. We rotate between the 2 puppy flavors. They like it (as much as they like any food, Miles not too interested in general in food). Supplement with raw, various meats/ fish, veggies, and eggs


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## SawDog (Aug 18, 2013)

Ok, well that's enough info for me to not take a chance on blue buffalo, totw it is. I plan on feeding fresh/raw as much as possible though.


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