# Tasmanian Devil after feeding



## melandtate (Apr 7, 2014)

Hello all!
I am a new puppy owner and love the Vizsla breed. I have had Tate home for just a week now (he's 9 weeks) and have transitioned him from the Purina Pro All stage to a grain free kibble (Taste of the Wild puppy) and grain free raw food (Raw Instinct chicken) diet over the week. I have noticed that he gets crazy after feeding time. Very energetic and a little aggressive; biting harder than usual and not responding to my "cries" when telling him "NO". Could raw food cause this? Having not fed him only his previous kibble, I'm not sure what his reaction would have been to it post consumption. 
He's also in a massive digging phase and chewing on tree trunks/branches when outside. Would a gentle muzzle lead be beneficial in curbing this?
Thank you in advance!!
Mel


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

I hope others have some better news for you. Savannah never did get the hang of me saying 'ouch' to stop biting or to stop biting so hard. Mostly I just had to redirect and wait for her to get out of the shark attack phase. 

Others may have some better ideas, but if Tate is like Savannah, very few of the 'tricks' will work; although, they may keep you entertained until Tate grows up a bit more. If that's the case, keep something in your pocket at all times to divert him. Learn how to put him in his crate CALMLY (even when you are so frustrated you can't see straight) so you can have a time out as needed. Have an old long sleeve shirt near the door that you can put on as you walk outside so you don't have to worry about ripped clothing. Take a deep breath and keep telling yourself that it's a phase and it will pass. Your patience will be rewarded. And honestly, the patience you practice now will help you when he becomes a teenager.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

He sounds like a normal vizsla puppy, that has gotten accustom to his new home. 
The boy is just having fun, and these pups use their mouths to explore everything.
He is to young for a muzzle lead, your just going to have to redirect him.


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## melandtate (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks to both @TexasRed and @jld640 for your responses. I truly hope this is just a phase and he will grow out of it. I did read that many new owners have indicated the "sharkies and zoomies", glad to see that I am not alone in this! 
I will postpone the muzzle lead until older, and will continue with my "drop it, leave it, no" & "good boy" "good drop, sit, leave, stay" etc. dialogue. While I knew raising a puppy was going to be a fair amount of work, I don't want to fail him and some days I feel like I am. :-[ @jld640 I appreciate the encouragement with patience. I don't think he would necessarily consider his crate as time out, he LOVES being in there. His crate is inside a play pen which is generally kept open, except at night to avoid him getting up without my knowledge. I have on occassion locked him out of the play pen while I'm in there "playing" with his toys and he becomes very upset/distressed. I of course only do this when he's been testing his boundaries and not responding to my commands. 
I've read Ian Dunbar publications about raising puppies and wondering if there is specific to Vizsla training materials that come highly recommended by this group of V lovers? I see references to the Dog Whisperer and I am happy to investigate, but would appreciate greatly the knowledge of those who have gone before me . 
Thank you!


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## Monkeymands1977 (Apr 15, 2014)

Hi melandtate

We've just got a vizsla pup too, he's 9 weeks today. He was fed raw which we have carried on and he is manic! I'm wondering if it's the raw too. He had his first jab today and even the vet thought he was hungry and he's had 3 meals...! 

We are also going through the shark attacks! And we've nicknamed him the Tasmanian devil! It's like they are possessed! I'm following Caesar Milan ways and the calm assertive approach. We just redirect but the ouchs aren't working much here at the mo!


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