# My Vizsla seems to think the new puppy is her personal toy



## MindyRaeRiley (Feb 13, 2014)

Problem - overexcited and loud 13 months old Vizsla because there's a new puppy in the house.

Details - Okay - we got our Vizsla, Kaylee, past a year. She did the training, got CGC certified, and was actually quite good at obeying. Of course she had lots of surplus energy. So much that hours at the dog park barely put a dent in it. We started thinking at another energetic body might help (plus we wanted another puppy - Weim this time). We knew that there was a risk getting two puppies, and this may be part of it, but all I was aware of is that they might bond closer to each other than you. Still, last week we brought our little Weim puppy, Luna, home and Kaylee didn't know what to do with her at first. She seemed to warm up to her quickly enough - she just seems to keep on going to overheated. She is just way too playful. Luna is quite the hoss and seems to be keeping up with the roughness level but Kaylee just will not lay off. She's constantly jumping on Luna, even when she is trying to poop. I do my best to separate them, but I feel like I am wrangling Kaylee ten times more than the new puppy. The cherry on top is that Kaylee has now decided that non-stop barking is the best way to insight reciprocal play when Luna isn't as interested as she wants - which is half the time. I've had to leash her in the house several times because even after a cool down period, she's right back to being set on HIGH (both activity and volume). Is this normal - and if so, how do you deal with it? 

Thank you in advance!

Trying to post a pic of Kaylee...


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Yes it can be normal, but puppies need a break.
Older dogs can be overzealous, and their exercise requirement is much more than a puppy should be doing. Its not uncommon to have to leash the older dog if you feel playtime should stop, or if play gets to rough. You need to start working on Leave it, so the pup can catch a break.
Right now your in the twice the work stage of owning two dogs.
If you do it right, it will get easier over time.
Have you thought of enrolling Kaylee in agility classes?
It would give her both mental, and physical exercise.
Building on her obedience away from the puppy.
Bring her home tired, and then work with the puppy one on one. 

My male was whoa trained before I added a new puppy to my home.
Whoa stop him from plowing into the new puppy, even though he was infatuated with her.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Sounds like our house! We have a 19 month old Viz and a 6 month old Weim pup.

At first, Dex (the V) would get really carried away with chasing around the pup. She spent the first couple months with us yelping every few minutes. (Not that he usually even touched her - she'd just see him coming straight at her and get scared.) She holds her own now though and isn't scared of him anymore. She's even finally telling him off for humping her  The only time I really have to watch them is when one is zooming, especially Dexter. He will chase her down and beat her up a bit, so I have to be there to interfere. I usually referee with a "leave it" and a nick from his e-collar if he ignores me. Another thing we do is remind him to "get the toy." A lot of time their chasing comes out of playing "keep away" with a toy but he gets over excited, drops the toy and just goes after her. Reminding him to pick the toy back up (aka put something in his mouth that's not the pup) helps a ton. He's also starting to realize that she's more likely to keep playing with him if he does that (otherwise she'll get fed up and come sit with me).

They definitely get along much better already than they did a couple of months ago. She's learning how to wrestle and getting big enough that Dexter finally sees her as a true playmate and has started enjoying her. They are also exercising themselves together which I've been waiting for  Their favorite game is to play tug with a knotted up t-shirt in the yard. And they love zooming and chasing each other after our morning walk.

The one thing I wish I could do over is allowing them both on the couch without invitation. It wasn't a problem with one, but with two, it drives me nuts when they chase each other up on the couch and tackle each other. That's usually when I have to break it up and take them outside.

It's also hard having either one of them wear a leash in the house for corrections (we used to do this a lot with Dexter). The pup LOVES to pick up the end of the leash and try to drag Dexter around by it  We have to rely more on the e-collar with him now. The pup has been generally very well behaved so far, so that's a plus. But getting them both to do down stays to calm down is still a work in progress. When things get too crazy, the pup goes in her crate. She's usually only naughty if she's over tired anyways. 



MindyRaeRiley said:


> The cherry on top is that Kaylee has now decided that non-stop barking is the best way to insight reciprocal play when Luna isn't as interested as she wants - which is half the time.


Dexter JUST started this, haha. I caught him barking like a madman at her yesterday because she was chewing a carrot on the couch and he wanted it (he gulps his and she plays with hers). Such a stinker!!

So yes, I would say it's all normal! But it does get better as the pup grows and is able to fend for herself a bit more. Just try to set clear boundaries now and it will pay off later (I hope?? )


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

(The only thing I really can't stand about having two is the loud wrestling noises in the house! You would think I live with Chewbacca! Hoping Dexter figures out one day that he can get away with a lot more if he's quieter about it )


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

dextersmom said:


> (The only thing I really can't stand about having two is the loud wrestling noises in the house! You would think I live with Chewbacca! Hoping Dexter figures out one day that he can get away with a lot more if he's quieter about it )


Mine still like to wrestle and the oldest is 5 1/2 years old, the girls are 4 and 4 3/4 years old. 
A good wrestling match means barking, and lots of growling going on.
The good part is they don't do it on the couch with me anymore.
As strange as it sounds, I think I will miss it if it ever stops.
It would mean my reds are slowing down, and going old.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

TexasRed said:


> The good part is they don't do it on the couch with me anymore.


I will totally settle for that!!


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## emilycn (Jul 30, 2013)

Oy the barking! It's Lua's M.O. at the dog park... she bobs, weaves, and barks non-stop until the dog chases her, tells her off (not often), or I distract her with a stick or a ball cause I'm tired of listening to her. You could try the "pet corrector" for those times when the older pup just won't lay off---it's only a can of condensed air that makes a loud hiss when you push the button, but it works wonders for those times when Lua just won't snap out of something. Think of it like a bottle of hairspray, but smaller, and nothing but air comes out.


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