# 9 month old Female Vizsla Behavior Changes



## gearyea (Jul 11, 2013)

My wonderful baby Vizsla is now not listening at all. We were treat training her at home to learn the basics since we brought her home at 2 months. She responded so well, and then in the last few months we started with a professional trainer to work on healing/placing/not chasing ducks..... As well, we have been working with an e-collar when we take her out to the farm (20 acres she roams & swims every weekend), and she has been fine with that too. Anyways the trainers been great and Bailey was responding so well! Suddenly over the past few weeks she doesn't want to listen to any commands even ones she has consistently done for months (sit and down) and she has started very bad behaviors. 

For example, we went for our morning run and walk she did her business, came right in the house and went up to our room and peed on the bed!!! and the other night she went down stairs and peed on the floor after we had just had her outside and she did her business. Bailey gets plenty of exercise she runs with us in the morning 2-3 miles then we play & train and then she goes to my parents house and plays outside with their dogs all day while we are at work. she is never left alone ( greater than 1-2 hours) or unattended and gets plenty of love. 

Today was my breaking point though, we were on a walk and working on heal with our treats like we normally do and when I stopped instead of sitting she growled at me and tried to run away/pulled heavily on her leash. I made her sit and told her no, and after a 10 minute fight she did as asked, and then walked home. BUT really?!?! what is happening to my obedient little Bailey? Do we need to change her training or what? We are need of some advice is this typical 'teenage' Vizsla Behavior???


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I noticed that this was your first post, gearyea, and just wanted to welcome you to the forums!! 

It's been a long time since I actually raised a puppy, so I don't feel right about offering much advice. I'm hoping some other members will jump in and help you. I will say that what you have described sounds pretty normal to me. ;D ;D ;D


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## lonestar (Jun 2, 2013)

She's not a teenager at 9 months, so it's not hormonal. And, doggie adolescence is an over exaggerated thing, anyways.

If your Bailey is regressing, there's a reason for it, and you might want to look at two things. The first is her health...dogs respond to not feeling well by regressing...the urination on the bed after walks is a potential sign of a UTI....OR some kind of change to their routine or the house hold or something in their immediate environment, and they communicate their awareness and displeasure with the changes as they can, thru their actions. Dogs are, above all else, security freaks, they thrive on consistency and predictability If that changed, you can expect your Bailey to respond to it, and the magnitude of that change is usually correlated to the size of the change (from their perspective).


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Vet check to rule out UTI

Just because she was trained by a trainer doesn't mean she will be consistent with you until you learn how the trainer enforced the commands, IMO. 
Call and talk to the trainer, he holds the key 

At nine months you should experience some free spirited independent thinking from your V but not as you described it. That sounds like rebellious behavior, lack of respect.


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

we have a 9 month old male v who was also well trained (by fancy training school, etc), and we are noticing signs of regression or rebellion.

examples: he likes to go out via the garage because that means we play chuck-it in the back yard. So, when I get his leash and ask him to come and sit, he lays down and looks at me, pulls away, then runs to the garage door. eventually he comes and lets me put the collar/leash on him so we can go for a walk and work on heel.

I've had to put the pinch / prongs on him a few times recently because the pulling on walks was getting out of control. He was at a perfect heel, but seems to just not be "hearing" or even "aware" of the fact that I'm there.

He will jump on the couch or try to get up on the couch even though he knows he's not allowed.

He begs when we are eating breakfast ... begs and whines. begs and whines.

He doesn't: pee on the bed or floors (well, he did once when it had been 3 hours and he was super excited because our neighbor he loves came over to visit - oops), bark or growl at us, any of the above that you mentioned.

I'd get a health check to make sure she's okay and then try to start from the basics if all is well.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

If you are comfortable with the prong collar, then it's only a matter if using it properly. 
Dog owners face a psychological barrier because they think in terms of human qualities and social structure. This puts the dog in a rather confusing position.


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## lonestar (Jun 2, 2013)

mlwindc said:


> we have a 9 month old male v who was also well trained (by fancy training school, etc), and we are noticing signs of regression or rebellion.
> 
> examples: he likes to go out via the garage because that means we play chuck-it in the back yard. So, when I get his leash and ask him to come and sit, he lays down and looks at me, pulls away, then runs to the garage door. eventually he comes and lets me put the collar/leash on him so we can go for a walk and work on heel.
> 
> ...


IDK about the use of the term "Rebellion". Dogs dont really do that..they learn and respond. The task is to have them learn clearly and accurately and respond appropriately. When they don't, it's usually an issue with either of those factors, not "Rebellion". Humans sadly do that, dogs fortunately do not.

Remember that the first rule in dog training is to always think like your dog. And, to always base your expectations on their ability rather than your need. So, a dog will naturally pull on a lead..why wouldn't it?..it's out there stimulated and distracted by all those new smells..so what you want to do is gently remind and redirect him to your presence at the other end of the leash. The type of collar here is irrelevant, many think the choke or prong collars are somehow short cuts to learning and they're not. What you want to do is give both of you a lot of extra time for that walk, and inconsistently yet frequently stop, suddenly change directions, call out his name..lots of praise and repetition of "good heel, good boy!"all which force him to pay more attention to you than those other, far more interesting distractions. Do this over a period of time and he'll eventually stop pulling and be a gentleman. 

If you find a way to short circuit the verbal cacophony around your food..short of putting him elsewhere, please let me know...


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

Data and lonestar -- yes, maybe rebellion isn't the word but I was responding to the "adolescent" phase and that phrase came to mind. I am okay with the prong and we did do training on how to use it -- I also do short 10 min training walks with Wilson which includes figure eights, about faces, etc...

My husband read a poem the other day with the line "dogs empty of malice or blame..." I thought that summed up my guy pretty well.


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## gearyea (Jul 11, 2013)

Thanks all for the feedback vet gave Hera clean bill of health and suggested back tracking and take her out every hour like we used to hopefully that works


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