# Introducing my vizsla to my roommates pet parrot



## Alacey (Oct 28, 2014)

Hello,

I will be picking up my Vizsla next Friday from the breeder and I need some advice on how to properly introduce my new puppy to my roommate's eclectus parrot "Link".

Link is extremely tame and has never bitten anyone. When either of us are home we open his cage and allow him to fly around the apartment at will. I hope that since my puppy is young he can learn to get along with Link much easier.

My questions are how should I introduce my V to Link? What precautions should we take with allowing Link to fly around and be out of his cage? Will they ever be able to co-exist with or without supervision?

Thanks!


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Hello and congrats on your new addition! We had a blue and gold macaw for a transitional period (the owner had died and we were waiting for someone else to take her). She was always caged or up very high when around our dogs. Our vizsla who was just under a year a the time, would spend quite a bit of time pointing the bird. 

Although the bird is tame, I would not leave them together without supervision, unless Link is caged. Even then, I would make sure the cage is sturdy. Even the best pets can succumb to nature and it is a vizsla's nature to be a bird dog. 

I'm not saying it can't be done, but should be done with caution.


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## Janders (Feb 27, 2014)

My friends have a pet bird that they let roam their house. On Gus's first visit there, he not only pointed the bird but eventually did try to gobble it up. Thankfully the bird wasn't harmed but it sure scared us all. He was only a few months old at the time and we had never had to deal with that. He is wonderful with "leave-it" now so it's not an issue. Very rarely, though, do we bring him over to their house. It's just too much stress on the bird and on Gus. Maybe since you're introducing them early, it won't be a problem. While not Vizsla's, my friends' dogs pay no mind to the bird at all. Actually one of them is scared of the bird.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

How territorial are parrots? 

I brought Scout over to my friends' apartment a lot when she was a puppy. She'd point at their conure and it, feeling threatened, would bite at her nose through the cage and Scout would bark or lunge at it. So we put an end to their interaction pretty quickly. Fast forward over a year later and that bird still hates me unless I have a pine nut. 

So try to avoid some of those mistakes.  I'd tire the puppy out and make the first few introductions while the bird is contained and while the puppy is on lead and as far away as you can get. Seeing it fly is really going rile him up. Don't rush it. If you're hoping to do any bird work with your puppy definitely avoid negative interactions. Don't let Link hurt him and and stay in control of the situation so you don't have to scold him around the bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_7VOZX0gYA 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Xt-FOTGgo 
Maybe you could contact these people and asked how they did it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

My mom has birds and any dog in the house scares them.
It doesn't mean Link will be scared, but it may take sometime for him to get okay with a puppy in the house. 
Because your puppy is a bird dog, I would never trust them to be unsupervised.


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## Alacey (Oct 28, 2014)

Thank you all for the advice! I also thought of having Link on my shoulder while training my V sit, stay, etc. It may either just be a big distraction for him or what I am hoping is that it may instill some respect from him for Link. Has anyone tried this or have any thoughts?


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

I would train your pup to do those things without Link first. Once he has a solid understanding of the commands, then try and add Link into the mix, but keep it in short, fun sessions (as any training should be). 
Make sure he knows "leave it" and does it well. Depending on the pup's prey drive, getting the bird may be one of the most important things in his mind.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I would just be very, very careful, keeping in mind that your dog is a *bird dog*. It's in his blood.


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## sylvie (Jan 26, 2018)

I have 2 Labs (bird dogs), and a Quaker parrot. When our youngest Lab was a puppy and we introduced her into our home with an existing Lab & parrot, she was very interested in the bird. We did not allow them to be in the house together when the bird had free flight time. As time has gone on, the 3 year old Lab could care less about the bird. The bird flies over her head sometimes to get to where he's going. The older Lab, 10 1/2, has grown up with the bird. I leave them in the house together often, but still not the 3 year old. Not that I think she'll hurt the bird, but 3 year old Labs are still full of themselves. Plus, she still has that instinct barking at vultures, and birds of prey flying overhead outdoors. In a few years, when she matures, I'll probably be as relaxed as I am with our old girl Lab. Until then, it's up to the parents to protect, and defend all in the family, making sure that everyone is safe, and happy, and healthy.


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## timothymoffin (Aug 4, 2021)

Alacey said:


> Hello,
> 
> I will be picking up my Vizsla next Friday from the breeder and I need some advice on how to properly introduce my new puppy to my roommate's eclectus parrot "Link".
> 
> ...


My pit is very nice and calm dog. She gets along with most of animals. Sometimes she does not like new dogs, but she just needs to see them more then once. She does not like cats very much, but mostly ignores it. We got a big parrot recently and the problems began. She just goes crazy!!! Shaking as son as she sees him and tries to bite it as fast as possible. At this moments she does not hear anything! We made little progress- she hated him in the cage as well as our and was trying to throw it on flor. Right now she des not notice him in the cage. We stuck on that level, she still wants to eat him when he is out. How can I correct this behavior? Thanks


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