# Vizsla rescue ... some questions!



## Winnemucca (Dec 10, 2015)

Hello Everyone. 

I just got my little guy Scotch about 3 weeks ago. He was a rescue and at 12 months was in 3 different homes by the time I got him. He has a little training and is housebroken though he has not had much stability or training in his life otherwise. He isn't' fixed and am debating whether I will have that done in the next 12 months or so. I live alone in house with a yard in a semi urban area in the Pacific Northwest. This is my first dog since I was a kid cause I just finished with grad school. So my questions are below... And of course I'm trying to keep in mind that he has only been with me going on 4 weeks! 

In the homes he had in the past his owners used his crate as punishment. As a result he seems to have a dislike of the crate, though not outright fear. How can I reverse course on this? I don't use the crate for punishment, and try to indicate with my voice that if I am going to crate him for a couple of hours that he hasn't done anything wrong, speak soothingly etc. I also put all his toys in there when he isn't playing with them as well. Any other suggestions? 

Second, I had been taking him out on long walks 2 times a day and to the dog part several times a week. Especially at the end of the day he seemed to do pretty well and would calm down and just want to cuddle. However as soon as I decide to go to bed, even if he was snoozing away on the couch 5 min earlier be starts to whine and pace about the house even if its 1 am and we've been up since 6 am. Sometimes it can take a good hour before he goes to bed. Is there a way to prep him for bed? Is this anxiety normal etc., can I train him to be ready for bed at a routine hour or place? 

Lastly, my girlfriend usually stays over at my place a couple of times a week and brings her dog, a gentle giant (Great Pyrennees) named Snowy. The two dogs get along great, though very different energy levels. Scotch does not sleep in bed with me but does sleep next to the bed. The days my gf stays over Scotch takes on some behaviors that seem a little defiant or attention grabbing. He seems a little more willing to ignore me, will wake up and want to be let out multiple times throughout the night, and on one occasion after I had let him out late at night he came in and pulled one of the blankets off my bed (while I was sleeping in the bed) and peed on it. He seems to get an attitude every time my gf stays over. Thoughts? 

Thank you everyone for any feedback! I've learned a ton just poking around through the forum! 
W.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Good for you on the rescue and best of luck.


> In the homes he had in the past his owners used his crate as punishment. As a result he seems to have a dislike of the crate, though not outright fear. How can I reverse course on this? I don't use the crate for punishment, and try to indicate with my voice that if I am going to crate him for a couple of hours that he hasn't done anything wrong, speak soothingly etc. I also put all his toys in there when he isn't playing with them as well. Any other suggestions?


I'll address this one. Put a crate in the car and have him ride in one on the way to great walks. Short drives first and great hikes. Get him to associate the crate to good times.

Get a "dog sleeping bag" and leave it in the living area at first. Then put it in the crate and leave the door off and don't let him get under covers in the bed. As it gets colder he'll love getting in his nice warm crate.

I have a crate for each of my two Vizslas in the Jeep and in the bedroom next to our bed.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2014/02/bailey-gets-bigger-ruff-tough-kennel.html. 

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/11/sleeping-bags-for-vizslas.html

Merry Christmas and lots of adventures to come.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Your asking a lot of great questions that are also a bit complicated. 

First, it would be helpful to know the circumstances of his placement failures, what happened? That's valuable info that can be used in training and understanding a lot of the behaviors you're describing and helping make this his permanent home.

Ok. You want to recondition his experience of the crate by feeding him in there (with the door open), always making sure there's lots of soft blankets so its comfy, and special toys for him to go in and find. The antidote for bad experiences are good ones in their place. This will take time.

The whining and pacing around bed time is probably a conditioned response (read: memory) of some bad experiences at that time in previous placements (Which is where additional info would be helpful). Again, what you want to do is make sure that bed time is a happy time: A potty walk, maybe a biscuit and a smooch, and since he sleeps in the bedroom with you, a reminder to him to come along. All good things, which with time, will cancel out whatever poor things your guy has experienced. Patience....

The girlfriend issue is tricky, b/c you want him to accept her as a member of the pack (and not a mere visitor), yet he's only been with you for 3 weeks so he's still settling in. What I'd suggest is have her spend fun guy time with you both, hiking and walking and going to the dog park, have her bring some biscuits and play ball with him, without her dog so he can adjust to her first.....and this is the hard part...maybe not have her stay over until he gets the bigger picture and sees her as a part of your pack, not an intruder.

Also, even though your eager to have this all work out, and you see him as an adult dog, it might be better to see him as a puppy who doesn't know you or your routine and needs time to adjust, with the added complication of having had some bad experiences and memories with other humans and take it slow. From your description, though, for a guy who's only been with you a few weeks, he's really doing quite well. Just give it some time.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

One thing to remember about vizslas, is they like a set routine. It gives them a sense of security.
I'm not talking about where you run them, or places you take them to get out of the house.
But a set routine they can count on, as in when this happens, I know we are headed to bed. Dinner is at this time, and placed in the same place. I always tell my dogs goodbye before I leave the house. Now when I tell them Goodbye, they head to their favorite resting spots before I'm out the door.
I agree with including the girlfriend in more outings.


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## Winnemucca (Dec 10, 2015)

Thanks for all the good advice so far! I greatly appreciate it. 

As far as his previous placements. The original owner had him for about about 9 months and got him for hunting. But he injured his back after 3 months and required surgery, and the dog was consequently put outside in the yard for the next six months with little real contact. The owner had hoped to heal up and become more active again, but about the time they put the dog up for adoption that family also welcomed a new baby into the house and they seemed to have decided to give Scotch up to a better situation.

I don't know much about his second placement except that he was with a couple and the neighbors complained about him. The landlord then told them they had to get rid of the dog or move out. Though Scotch can be a bit vocal at night if he hears something outside, I haven't seen him be particularly loud. 

In his last place, from where I got him, he was in a house with 3 twenty-somethings that were all roommates. I know he didn't' have a lot of structure there and there were always people in and out of the house at all hours. (This is also where he was allowed to sleep on all the furniture.) There were also a lot of different dogs in and out of the house, and this is where he was crated anytime he got into any trouble. He was there the shortest amount of time a little over a month. I got him from one of the guys that lived there. They did like him as a dog, but I think his energy, and the lack of structure and dedication on their parts didn't bode well for him long term. 

I'll definitely include the GF in more outings. One-on-one he seems to listen to her better then he does me actually. I was told by his previous owner that Scotch preferred the company of women to men. Ha ha ha. We'll see how this works out!


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

In general it takes a month or two for a rescue to settle into their new routine, perhaps more if they've have a rough life. As you said, they've been bounced around a lot and they have sadly come to expect non-permanence. 

Our rescue hated his crate - likely from being shipped in an airplane from California to the East coast for his owners Mom to watch him. She eventually put him in rescue, so technically he'd had two homes plus a temporary rescue home before we got him. I suspect the flight had something to do with hatred of the crate. We put the crate up and have never used it again. He's fine in the house un-crated - as is my other V. 

Love him, set ground rules, get him used to a schedule and thanks for rescuing him! You will be well rewarded by him in due time.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I agree... You just need to give Scotch some time. Also, while many people enjoy the convenience of a dog crate, you should know that you can get along nicely without one. I've had at least one dog my entire adult life and have never owned a crate.


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