# Bringing home our first vizsla puppy!!



## kmorrison

On saturday my husband and I are going to meet and hopefully bring home our first vizsla puppy! He's about 5 months old.
I read that they need to be trained firmly but gently, they need at least an hour exercise every day, great family dogs, very affectionate...etc
However, is there anything beyond this information? Does anyone have any "inside tips" for bringing a vizsla puppy home?
also, we fed my last dog Nutro Ultra, but I know that Vs are prone to food and skin allergies... is there a food that's recommended?


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## DixiesMom

Nutro Ultra should be fine, just transition over slowly. (I will probably use it when I bring my girl home.)

The last 2 foster dogs that I brought into my home, I used Ceasar's recommendation to take them for a long walk before ever bringing them into the house. I have been pleased with the results, I plan on doing the same when I bring my new baby home in a couple of months. Obviously, a long walk to an adult dog is not the same as a long walk to a pup. I think that a 15 minute walk around the neighborhood would suffice, then calmly walk them into the house without any type of fussing or babying them. 

Get ready for the time of your life!! Take loads of photos because they grow so fast, one day you will look down and your puppy will have disappeared.


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## JillandDan

Congrats on your puppy. We got ours at almost 4 months old so I have a little bit of an idea what you may be in for. As far as "inside tips" for bringing the puppy home, we made sure to have a spot ready for her crate as well as shirts with our scents on them and a toy with the scents from the breeder's home in there so that the adjustment wasn't so tough for her. The hardest part for us was the housebreaking. She had been at the breeder's for all that time before and they spent the day out in the kennels so she never had to let anyone know when she had to go. It took patience and understanding as well as alot of paper towels and cleaning spray but she picked up pretty quickly. You may have trouble at night for a bit. Holley was used to being in a crate next to her sister every night so it was very hard for her. We started out with the crate in our room and we layed on the floor next to it until she settled in. We then moved it out to the living room and continued to lay next to it for about a week. This is where her crate stayed and she is doing well.
I agree to take many pictures because you can't imagine how fast they grow. We were looking at pics the other night from the first day she came home and pics from now. It is crazy how much she has changed.


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## jld640

Congratulations on your new puppy! 

The best tip I have is patience. You are correct about the firm but gentle training. That is easier said than done when the puppy is in the middle of a bout of the puppy crazies and won't listen. 

Beyond the patience, in addition to the exercise every day, make sure you make some time in your routine to play games. Vizslas need mental exercise as well as physical. Have a variety of chew toys available BEFORE the puppy comes home so any time he starts to chew something inappropriate, you can immediately put an alternative in his mouth.

Have fun!


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## Linescreamer

Yep. Read all the training posts on this site. Also, make sure the humans are trained well before they try and train the dog.  We need to provide a consistent message to the dog, *always*. This has been the hardest part for us. There are 5 of us in the house and each one has a different idea of what walking the dog means. Never mind what position the dog should be in while at heel! Poor Copper needs to remember what heel means for 5 different people. :


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## JillandDan

How was your weekend with the puppy? Updates, pics?


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## Mercutio

Our breeder gave us totally different advice to feeding the puppy - she said not to stick to one thing but to give him a variety of foods. We started with the kibble she used and different types of raw meat and had no problems.... but I'm not really sure what the right way to go is!

Linescreamer, Did you ever manage to get the humans trained? 

There are only 2 of us in our house and after 3 years we are still giving Merc different messages! I realised the other day that he is smarter than I thought and will do the same thing for different signals from both of us but if i try to copy my husband, merc won't listen to me - i have to do it the way i trained him. Also, if i try to growl at him when he is barking at something (like a jogger or strange person) it only revs him up more, if my husband growls at him, he stops. I have to use the nice voice to get anywhere. This is despite of (or maybe because??) I'm more strict with him regarding getting on furniture or climbing on me or getting food in the kitchen etc etc. Partly why i don't really buy the 'pack leader' theory of training anymore - I tried to be the pack leader but it didn't work, Merc treats the fun-play time person with more respect ???


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## Linescreamer

Copper is still training us. So much so, he is getting 4 different foods now! : He is 13 months old and 41 lbs.


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## kmorrison

this is my new baby! he's a daddy's boy, but comes to me when he needs to be cuddled  thanks everyone for you advice! I'm sure I'll be checking in again...and again


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## Chilli monster

he is such a lovely boy!!! Congratulations!!!!


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## JillandDan

Aw. He is so cute. Good luck with him.


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## hollyandnick

Adorable little guy! Have fun with him.


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## Linescreamer

He looks big and healthy!


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## Sahara

What a handsome boy.


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## Mighty Hunter

He is gorgeous, congrats on your new addition! Our baby just turned 4 mo from our experience the best advice is to have lots of things to chew! Hunter loves raw hides, however we have to get the extra large breed ones or else he swallows them whole! Every toy we have bought has been destroyed in weeks but the raw hides stand up strong. (Mr. Monkey has since lost two limbs and one eye)

Another thing is furniture, I dont know if you allow him on the furniture but we initially set the rule that he was not. However after a long day of up the stairs down the stairs, Hunter no, Hunter get out of there, Hunter down and he is finally tuckered out, it is hard not to want to cuddle him. Before he knew what his bed was and come bed time would go right to it. I made the mistake of allowing him to lay me on the couch one night and ever since then he thinks he owns it! lol Now when its bed time he jumps right up there and lays on his pillow. I dont mind him being there and love cuddling with him but he still not allowed on the leather furniture and when my husband are sitting on that couch together and he is on the other, of course he feels left out and wants to be with us.


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## mswhipple

Wherever you are, that's where he will want to be!


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## kmorrison

indeed! he is our constant shadow. I love it since that's how our previous dog was too. He's going to be a great dog!


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