Training a Wirehaired Vizsla Puppy

Training a Wirehaired Vizsla puppy can be so fun and rewarding. It also can come with its
challenges. We currently have a pup from Cash and Danger’s February litter that we are holding for
someone until June. Due to this unique circumstance, we thought we could shed some light on our
situation and share a few things about training this little pup that we’ve learned throughout the process.

First and foremost, it’s important to take the pups physical and emotional needs into
consideration. Puppies need A LOT of time and attention, so it’s so important to make sure that you are
at a point in your life where you can give this to your puppy before adopting. Puppies are a little bit like children, it can be difficult for them to learn if their needs are not met. So always remember that if pups seem aloof to any training you are trying to give, try to reevaluate if their needs are being met.

One way to make sure that your Wirehaired Vizsla puppy’s needs are being met is finding a comfortable place for your pup to spend time. For naps, we have given our pup a crate with comfortable bedding inside our home. For playtime, we have a fenced backyard where our pup can play with our older dogs. We also have a portion of our house (uncarpeted area) where we allow our pup to come inside and play. This gives the pup one-on-one time with us which is so important for puppies as this will strengthen their relationship with you. We give her simple toys during her time inside and try to help her understand that she can play with the toys in this area, but is not allowed to chew on other toys (such as our baby’s toys in the carpeted area). By only allowing her to go in certain areas with certain toys we help her to realize that there are boundaries in place.

We generally allow our Wirehaired Vizsla puppy inside for one-hour increments (or a little longer if she’s simply napping in the crate). After her time inside we go outside with the puppy and give the command “go potty”. Generally, after spending the time inside, she needs to go, and we give her praise and a treat for following this command. If there are accidents, we immediately put the pup outside to help her associate that potty time is not for inside the house. Other cues to watch for during potty training is a nose to the floor, standing by the door, moving in circles, or a change in what they were previously doing. Sometimes it is simply best to avoid accidents as much as you can when puppies are young by taking them outside as often as possible.

Last but not least, it’s important to spend time with the pup on basic commands. Puppies learn
and absorb so much about the world around them from ages 6-16 weeks. Beginning at 8 weeks of age
they are in the prime stage to begin learning simple commands. This also will help them to learn how to
be trained as this is an important life-long skill. Simple commands we have been working on are sit, stay,
and come. When first learning commands, treats are a great way to reinforce the behavior. However,
over time praise may be a sufficient means to reward your pup as they become more familiar with the
command.

Wirehaired Vizsla puppies are fun-loving, playful, adventurous, intelligent, and highly trainable.
Given these attributes, you may expect much from your puppy. It is important to remember however to
be patient during the process. Every pup is learning and growing so much every day. With consistency,
one day you will wake up and your pup will be a fully-grown dog. Never forget to enjoy each day with them as a pup, even if some days are a struggle!