# At My Wits' End, Please Help



## Ohohraptor (Feb 7, 2012)

We currently own a 8 month old vizsla puppy. He came from what I assumed was a reputable breeder and I flew to WI to pick him up. The breeder mentioned he "growled if you moved him", when I picked him up. Upon coming home at 8 weeks, he started showing signs of resource guarding, first with his sleeping spots and then most recently with bully sticks and bones. I have talked to numerous vets, two different trainers, an animal behaviorist, the president of the vizsla club of the Carolinas, and the breeder. We have gone through extensive training and I've spent hundreds of dollars trying to teach him how to behave correctly with positive reinforcement. The breeder pretty much told me he's just trying to assert his dominance and test the waters. He is not a dominant dog, and very submissive actually. After reading books on the subject I am fairly certain this is a resource guarding thing. Most other professionals I've talked to told me this was irresponsible breeding and is a genetic trait that was bred into his line. The breeder told me a story of another woman who adopted one of their puppies with the same problem, and he owns two of the pups from the same parents who also have done this. I was obviously not aware of this beforehand. 

He has bitten me and my husband once each, and has lunged/growled quite a few times. Since training, he has done it less frequently. We have learned that he does not like being moved when on the couch so a firm "off" fixed that problem easily. We play trade it games with his bully sticks and only give them to him under supervision. Most times I can tell him to drop it and that's that, but there have been a handful of times where he has lunged without warning, without anyone trying to get his stick and just walking by. It seems like a roll of the dice as to when those moments happen. He has been the most challenging dog I have ever owned and if it weren't for our son I would be able to live with him.

He growled and lunged at my son twice now. The first time we were watching a friend's dog and my son was looking through the pantry for a snack, Blu was sniffing around him like they have done a million times before. Blu sniffed his food and growled and then lunged at Levi. I am lucky he has wonderful bite inhibition and did not break skin. The second time was last night. The whole family were sitting on the couch watching tv. Blu was snuggled up to Levi. I'm not sure what happened to set him off, but I was sitting right next to him and Levi did not move, Blu just came at him and attacked him. My husband gave the tried and true "OFF!" and Blu ignored him the first couple of times but finally he got off the couch and cowered, clearly in trouble. A few moments went by and my husband went to sit back on the couch and Blu lunged from the floor back at us on the couch (I was holding him) went at Levi AGAIN. I am furious and heartbroken. I have not contacted the breeder yet but as of now I feel like I've exhausted my resources in trying to help this dog. The president of the local vizsla club here told me months ago to return this dog and demand my money back. I didn't because I had already bonded with Blu, but now I feel it would be irresponsible as a parent to keep him. What would you do?


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

Check this thread out http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,6429.0.html

Older dog but raises some of the same issues. My personal view is that it is too risky having a dog with aggression issues in the same household as a child however hard the decision to return or re-home is.


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## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

IMO your family is #1 and if the dog is that unpredictable then he needs to go. Your son comes first!


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

oh - take him 2 a pro trainer - that knows V's - neVer give up - there is no perfect V - fact of life - to walk away at this POINT - is a MISTAKE - ? ask the forum for a good trainer in your area - after that you will V a happy owner - may have to give up the pup 4 3 0r 4 mo - well worth the price !


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## Rufus Tiberius (Dec 18, 2012)

I agree with Lincolns' Parents, family comes first. Your dog is showing aggression at a young age that he probably will not grow out of. It sounds like to me that your dog is just one bite away from really harming a family member or a friend who comes into your home. 

Your options are to return your dog to the breeder as soon as possible. If this is a reputable breeder he will take the dog back and return your money. If the breeder will not take him back you can try to re-home him. But, with his aggression issues re-homing may be difficult to do. Hate to say this, but, your dog is just one bite away from going to a shelter and being put down.


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

Im raising Cole with these issues right now. He is going to be a year old on the 12th. It is very difficult. I have cole to the conclusion that I need to treat him for fear aggression. It is extremely imports t to figure out which type of aggression you have to deal with in order to deal with it correctly. Dominance aggression is treated very differently and can have the opposite affect if treated backwards.

If you are looking for my advice or conversation on the subject, we could all def help you out there. But I know that as of now, fear aggression is very unpredictable and takes a lot of time and patience to fix, if ever. If I had children now, I know it would worry me, even if he continued to improve. So, I hope that you decided what's best for all in this situation. I believe that most problems can be fixed, but with kids around it is very scary. 

If you keep him you would have to be so diligent with his training and supervision. It would be a lot of work. But your family comes first. What are you leaning towards?


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Oh dear. I am so sorry. :'(

I would not be able to keep a dog that attacked my child unprovoked. If the unthinkable happened, I would not be able to forgive myself.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

You need to revoke Blu's couch privileges. He needs to be on the floor, not face to face with your son.
I wouldn't let a kid near resource guarding dog if the dog has food. I also wouldn't let the dog near the kid if the kid has food. I would make the dog wear a lead in the house so I knew I could enforce all commands.

How old is your son? If he is young I would send the dog back to the breeder.


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## Ohohraptor (Feb 7, 2012)

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies. I always have found these forums to be so helpful.

My husband and I had a long (an tearful) discussion and we decided to contact the breeder to see if he would take him back. My husband also met someone at the dog park that had another v and offered to take him in. He hunts his v as well and think maybe that would be a better fit. I'm a little hesitant since Blu can't be fed or have any kind of treat around other dogs or he goes berserk. Even after he is separated from the dog, he will still go back at them as soon as he's released. I'm not sure why he gets like this as he gets along well with most dogs at the park.

After a long talk on the phone with a woman from the vizsla club she is fairly certain this a genetic trait that was unfortunately bred into this breeders' line. I asked if things did not work out with the breeder or the other owner if we could surrender him to their rescue, but unfortunately they will not take him since he has shown aggression toward people.

Multiple pups out of the same parents have had behavioral issues, which the breeder told me was "their fault" because they let them get away with too much. I emailed the breeder and asked him to call me. 

My thoughts are so scattered right now. He had his couch privileges taken away (for the second time) and they are gone for good. He isn't happy about it. We also always have kenneled him when we eat because we don't trust him. I'm just so sad. He's such a good boy otherwise and is so eager to please.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

45 + years with a V in my life - 2 sons & 4 grandchildren - it is all in the training - the V will always V a pain in the AZZ - but you set the limits - you also set when a V will respect the rights of others - 4 me it is -when my grandchildren raise there hand and say NO! end game - till then it is up to me !


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## Vida (Dec 26, 2011)

50years of owning dogs.Six kids + grandchildren.
Any dog will try it on. :-[ 
Keep them low ,make them move away from everything as you approach. Dogs read body language better than any verbal command,you and yours MUST be top dog. Whch means you control all resources.
As such,any food ( toys,bed,sofa) should not be guarded by the dog. 
If your dog has bitten repeatedly already I would advise returning the dog to the breeder. Sorry.


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