# Need some help with training



## MajorTom (May 17, 2021)

Our 7 month old male Vizsla is a handful! We love him like crazy and he’s changed our life! Good thing we’re retired but it’s pretty emotionally and physically exhausting some days.

so the challenge at the moment is getting him to “drop it” and “come” when he’s decided there is more interest in doing otherwise. This morning he ran to the road when the neighbour and his dog walked by. I shouted “come Sascha” and he looked at me and stopped and then decided he’d rather go see the other dog.
When I managed to grab him he fought and got very mouthy.
He also has decided that he doesn’t always want to drop what’s in his mouth as he thinks he has something worth more than his treat. This morning it was a rubber band. I could see him weighing the pros and cons of “dropping it” and he chose to ignore me.

can anyone advise?


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## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

Sounds like a normal teenager ;-) You can’t expect them to be fully trained at 7 months. I would recommend practicing more often with higher distractions and with higher rewards. I have noticed that my V regresses a little when we stop going over the basics for a while. 

Also, bear in mind that grabbing your dog (presumably a little angry) (IMHO-) crates a negative experience around recall and could make it even worse. If they’re not coming back at all, I’d suggest to try and keep your emotion as blank as possible when you’re going to get him. 

For us ‘leave it’ works better than ‘drop it’, but you’ll have to be a step ahead.


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## MajorTom (May 17, 2021)

Thanks. Your right.I need to remain calm to create better recall. A good reminder.
I also discovered today that keeping him on a long leash outside which he just drags around (it’s light so doesn’t really hinder him) makes me feel a little more confident as it’s easier to get him if he should decide to head for the road. We have two acres and he’s pretty good most of the time……except if someone’s walking by!


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## Luna21 (May 29, 2021)

Hello! My female vizsla was the exact same at 6-7 months- she was an absolute nightmare. She would run away as soon as she decided something was more exciting than me.. and getting her back was next to impossible. The final straw was when she ran across a huge beach and jumped onto an elderly person walking a little dog. I contacted a very good trainer and it only took around 6 sessions and she is literally a different dog. She was put back on the long line on walks and as soon as she didn’t listen she was put back on short lead. (Freedom taken away) and squeaky balls was a life saver. Whenever she went to run I would squeak the ball and say ‘Luna come’. She now walks by my side.. loves her balls and listens to every command! She was 1 last week. Don’t give up hope they can turn a corner so quickly. Just keep training whatever chance you get! 🙂


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## CanadianVizsla (Mar 5, 2021)

Our guy is 9.5mos and we are having the same issues. Drop it/Leave it has been a huge struggle. He trolls around the house and grabs whatever he can usually already up high on a table or counter (a book, the remote, toilet roll, towel, kids lego) and then thinks it's a fun game to run around while we say drop it.


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## GusP (Sep 5, 2021)

MajorTom said:


> Our 7 month old male Vizsla is a handful! We love him like crazy and he’s changed our life! Good thing we’re retired but it’s pretty emotionally and physically exhausting some days.
> 
> so the challenge at the moment is getting him to “drop it” and “come” when he’s decided there is more interest in doing otherwise. This morning he ran to the road when the neighbour and his dog walked by. I shouted “come Sascha” and he looked at me and stopped and then decided he’d rather go see the other dog.
> When I managed to grab him he fought and got very mouthy.
> ...


Use a collar that has vibrate & shock. Need to get their attention! Use accordingly to get results.


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## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

GusP said:


> Use a collar that has vibrate & shock. Need to get their attention! Use accordingly to get results.


I’m not against shock collars but in my opinion using it on a 7 month old pup while obviously great progress can still be made with treat training / positive reinforcement is totally unnecessary. I would use the collar in a later age, when you want to strengthen specific commands.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

The use of the eCollar will always have discussions, but if utilized correctly, it is just another tool in the tool box. A very effective tool if utilized correctly.
Each dog and owner will be different, but the time period to introduce the collar will change based on conditions.
The key is that the owner/handler has to use the collar correctly, or it is waste of time and the dog can become desensitized, or fearful and afraid. Then it's a long, long, road to recovery.
Gus and Frida010 both have good points, but in my experience it is the use of both the eCollar and the checkcord simultaneously that yields results.
To the OP, consider utilizing an eCollar with multiple ranges of stimulation, and most importantly to include the Vibrate/Tone mode.
There are many, many, videos available on the use of an ecollar, but the basic concept revolves around never giving your dog a command that he does not already know,and you cannot enforce.
Put your boy on a long check cord. Give the command to come in. When he doesn't obey it is a simultaneous Vibrate/Tone and tug on the check cord to get him all the way back to you. The moment, and I mean the absolute moment that he is coming back on his own, you kneel down and call to him in a sing song playful voice all the way back. When he gets to you, reward him. Treats are up to you, but make a big, big fuss over him and let him go.
The Tone/Vibrate will eventually be his signal. The Tone/Vibrate, followed by the tug on the check cord. Again once he is on his way back to you, the pressure comes off, and when he is back, the praise/reward portion kicks in.
In time the command will be given, the Vibrate/Tone applied, then the stimulation, followed by the physical use of the check cord to respond to the command. Now you have "command", "correction""enforcement", and "reward". Do this in a repetitive, predictable manner with consistency of discipline on your part and you're on your way.
Don't expect miracles. It is a longish process.
the getting mouthy is part of him asserting himself. He gets mouthy, it's immediately put back on a short leash and taken out of that environment, followed by leash work, and obedience work. Once he's back under control on a short leash, put him back on the check cord.
You will struggle with the Drop It command for awhile. This has to be trained into him, and it is very unnatural for a dog to give up something. Retrieval training drills may help you. Sometimes though, it just takes a big threatening display on your part, followed by correction, then some drills on "fetch and out", and finally reward and praise.
To be brutally honest, you will be working on these phase of his training for the next 10-12 months as he matures. He'll go through periods where everything is great, and then he'll become a bonehead again. It's many, many, miles of walking together, and just working on the big things followed by the small things and becoming a team. It takes time.


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