Here are some hints for successful puppy raising! I thought we would share some things we have learned through trial and error that helped us raise healthy puppies we could live with. If you have any questions that come up, please e-mail me and I will address it on this page, so others can benefit too.
Your New Puppy:
The beginning of your relationship with your pet will probably be the most difficult. He's leaving one home -- his mother and littermates -- to join another. It's traumatic and scary, and your pet will need extra attention and care during the transition. You may have to invest a great deal of time as you help your pet adjust to new surroundings, new family, and sometimes other household pets. And you'll need to teach the new arrival what's acceptable behavior inside and outside your home.
It's wise to learn as much as you can before homecoming day. The better you prepare yourself and your home, the more you'll be able to enjoy your new family member -- and set the stage for a long and happy relationship. A great web site for answering other training and health related questions is http://www.peteducation.com/, Here are some ideas to get you started.........
Puppy Proofing:
Stow your valuables, save your relationship
before bringing home a new pet, get anything that's really precious out of
harm's way. Puppies chew, and most pets are subject to "accidents" of
one kind or another. If you have a valuable antique rug, piece of fine
furniture, or heirloom vase, move it to a closed-off room or store it away
before bringing an animal into your home. Remove the possibility of serious
damage so that you can focus on giving your pet the love and affection the
animal needs -- and avoid anger and resentment.
Electrical wires pose a hazard for puppies as they might chew or play with them. Get wires under control by tacking them to the floor or baseboard. (Never insert a tack directly into a wire!) If you can't eliminate access to a particular electrical cord, cover it with 'Bitter Apple' spray or 'Bitter Apple' cream, which has an unpleasant taste designed to repel pets. Hot sauce or Tabasco woks well too.
Before you bring home that pup, decide where to set up a home base for the new arrival. Choose a spot where the puppy can be safely confined when you can't keep an eye out: an easy-to-control environment that's not readily damaged, such as a hallway, bathroom, or enclosed porch. Set up a bed, bowls, and toys. Put down newspaper. Then close the area off with a gate (see Exercise Pens below) that lets the puppy see out. (Don't use an accordion-style child's gate. A puppy's head can get caught in it!) Depending on what you're doing, you can move the gate to different "safety zones" around the house so that the puppy can be closer to you and feel like part of the family. Let your new pet explore the house gradually under your supervision, but return the pup to the safety zone when you can't supervise.
Exercise Pens: Also known as X-pens. They are enclosures we use to help me limit access to parts of the house so we keep an eye on the little rascals. I have one I use to block off my room and another I use to contain them if I need to keep them confined for a little while, when I am doing something else. However, it is not a good idea to leave them in the pen while you are not in the house when they are older. A bigger vizsla might be tempted to jump over them. And believe me, they can!
Collars and leads: Never leave a collar on a crated dog. They can get it caught and strangle themselves. Never leave a choke collar on a dog at any time if your not currently training with it. They can hang themselves and get tangled up with other dogs when they play. We found that out one day when Riley got his bottom jaw caught in another dogs choke collar. If we had not been right there, his jaw would have been dislocated and the other dog would have choked to death. I have also heard stories of dogs hanging themselves on fence posts.
When the puppies are young a cloth choke collar works well during obedience training or walks and prevents any injury to their neck. When they are about 5-6 months or so, you can move up to a plain metal one (no prongs).
Do not buy metal chain leashes. They are not suitable for a sporting breed dog! If your puppy is pulling you all over the place you have to do some training, not buy a heftier leash!
Water and food bowls: I prefer to use stainless steel or ceramic bowls. Plastic can cause fungus to occur around the mouth and can harbor bacteria. Feed on something raised like a box until they are full grown. Once they are about 12 months, they will be their adult height and you can invest in a raised dog feeder that stands up. This helps their digestion, puts less strain on their neck and shoulder muscles, and helps keep the Vizsla's feet tight the way they should be.
Water: Always provide water. Even while taking walks, especially when it is hot outside. Yes, they can get heat stroke! I like to use one of the water bottles when walking. You can also get them at Petsmart. If the skin around their eyes gets pink and their gums get red or bright pink, stop and cool them down immediately. Find shade and douse with water. Don't forget water on outings you bring your dog to (i.e., dog parade, fair, dog shows, etc.)
Food: Never leave food down all day for a dog. Put it down for 15-20 minutes then remove it until next meal time. Feed mostly dry food wet it with some water. This helps avoid bloat. If you add something extra like cottage cheese, eggs, fish, yogurt (see general care) etc. or wet food, add only a few tablespoons. Dogs that are not used to a lot of extras will also have a diarrhea. More wet food than dry is not good for their teeth and will also give the runs. Always measure the amount you are feeding. It is the best way to control weight of your dog for his lifetime, even into adult hood. Follow the feeding guidelines on the bag for amount. You can use the pet food calculator to see what the norm is for the age, even if you don't use one of these brands. Of course table scraps should be limited if not excluded (I know it usually doesn't happen), except for the occasional vegetable or fruit. My dogs love apples, carrots and green peppers. See my "Did you know" page for food poisonous to dogs. Some human food will make them very sick and can possible cause death.
Remember, puppies should not be fat. It makes it harder on their developing skeletal system and joints. A vizsla should have a nice waist and you should be able to see the outline of the first rib or two.
Bathing: Use a shampoo that rinses well. If you don't get all the soap out it will cause dandruff. I have a wonderful shampoo recipe here. Use warm, not hot water. Hot water will also cause flaky skin. I usually bath them every two weeks or so. Sometimes more or less, depending on what they have been doing lately. If your dog has some skin irritation of infection, Chlorhexaderm is a great shampoo. I always have a bottle on hand. It is great antibacterial action and solves a lot of problems early. You can purchase it at your vets or out of any dog supply catalogue.
Nails: Keep them short! They are impossible to get them back to the way they need to be if you let them get too long. Start when your puppy is young no matter how hard they struggle and whine, they will eventually give in. A two person system seems to work the best in the beginning. Ones holds tight while the other does the nails. A dremmel works best as you can do the nail little by little. This lessens the risk of cutting the quick and making them bleed. If you do make them bleed, use some quick stop powder (you can get it at any pet store) and dip his nail into it. Make sure it is clotted before you let him outside to lesson the chance of infection. If you do nails every 4-5 days when your puppy is young for the first year, when they become adults you wont have to do them so often.
Crate Training: You will be so glad you did! Think of his crate as his own private bedroom or den. Start him out in the crate for short intervals when he is napping, even when you are home. When you crate him when you are gone, they will cry or howl for a good week or two. This is normal and it too will pass. Eventually, Your new dog will easily adapt and learn that it's his own special spot. Give him a few treats as you put him in the crate and eventually they will look forward to crate time. Sometimes I will get the hollow bones and stuff some cheese wiz or peanut butter and apples in the middle. It is a great thing to keep them occupied. Here is a variety or recipes to stuff the Kong with.
Remember to have a water bowl attached to the inside of the crate unless they are having accidents. If this is the case, you may have to with hold water until their bladder gets bigger and they can hold it longer. Just don't give these dogs anything that might make them excessively thirsty like raw hides or pig ears.
To help your pet feel secure, place some toys inside the crate along with a blanket, towel, or piece of clothing that carries your familiar scent. (Make sure any cloth you leave in the crate is frayed, and remove such items if your pup starts to chew on them. If an animal swallows bits of cloth, the pieces can cause an intestinal obstruction.) Confine the puppy there no more than a few hours at a time or overnight. When you're nearby and can supervise, leave the door of the crate open so that the pup can wander in and out freely. It will soon become your pet's favorite hangout.
Never put your dog in the crate for punishment! They should never associate going into the crate with being punished. I use the bathroom when they need a time out for being bad. We prefer folding crates because they are easy to travel with. I really like the one with a front door and a side door. That way it can be positioned in a way that is always convenient at the time. Always crate you dog in a hotel room. Not only will it prevent chewing, but an unsuspecting maid won't lose your dog for you.
Vizsla's mature slowly, so expect to crate your dog until about two yrs. old when. little by little you can test the waters to see if they are mature enough to be lose in the house when you are gone. Riley was about 2 yrs. old at this stage, Phoebe was about two and a half. Even now, with Phoebe 5 and Riley 9, if food is left on the counter when we leave, you can kiss it good bye. If counter surfing was a sport, the Vizslas would probably win the gold medals!
Housebreaking: This relates to crate training, as the crate teaches the puppy that he doesn't want to soil the place where he sleeps. Usually puppies eat and relieve themselves within 2-10 minutes. Then play for 10-20 minutes before they have to go again. They will go almost immediately after waking up from a nap as well so get them out doors as soon as they are awake and moving around. If it is a long walk to the door, you might want to pick them up and carry them so they don't do it on the way. I like to have a code word for the deed. I use "hurry up," but have heard others such as "go potty," or "do your business," etc. I even know a guy they taught the word " go pee-pee," and "go poo-poo," so the dog knew which one he was talking about. Say your word or phrase until they relieve themselves and while they are reliving them selves. Then reinforce it by saying "good (phrase/word)," then they will eventually know what you are taking about when you want them to hurry up and go.
If he has an accident inside, tell him "no" and take him outside immediately even if he is finished. When his feet hit the grass praise him whether he goes or not. He will soon get the idea that indoors is "no" and outdoors is good. When you are outside with him and he goes in the grass praise him lavishly. It helps reinforce the desire to go outside.
A little show trick: when you know they have to go
number 2 and they wont, or you need them to go in a timely manor, the match
stick half way up the butt will do it. This makes them feel like pushing
it out and it works like a charm every time. Who says you don't learn
valuable things in the show ring. 
Hole Digging: Don't let them start. If they do though, fill the hole with rocks or poop. Some say fill it with water, but my dogs would probably play in it. There are more drastic measures for persistent diggers, but if you don't let him get away with it from the get go you shouldn't have any problems. Nothing will take the place of your constant supervision and you ability to immediately say "No!" and redirect.
Chewing: Never give them thing you do not want them to chew. They will not be able to differentiate between the "old" shoe and you "brand new" shoes. Shoes and socks do not make good chew toys. Pick up anything off the floor you do not want them to chew. Be mindful of telephone wires, computer wires, etc. Always have something else available to chew on so you can redirect him when necessary. I like nyla-bones, thick rolled rawhide, pig ears, and bully sticks. I stay away from cow hooves because they are very hard to digest and my bigger dogs throw them up. They also small bad. Hint: If you get flavored rawhide, be aware it stains fabric and rugs.
Teething Puppies: My dogs love ice cubes. Another trick is to take a washcloth, wet it, wring it, and freeze it. You can also wet it with beef or chicken broth for extra flavor.
Traveling: All passengers should be restrained while traveling in a car (or any vehicle), including pets! A crate is preferred, but if you have a small car a doggie seat belt will do. If you ever got into a wreak, this would possibly prevent serious injury but also keep the dog contained instead of running down the street or highway!
When the puppy is below 18 weeks old, don't let it go to the bathroom where other dogs frequent such as rest stops, dog park, etc. Take them to the bathroom off the beaten path to minimize risk of Parvo or Distemper which is sometimes transmitted through feces and urine. And remember, always bring water for your dog while traveling. A chew toy also helps keep them occupied. For more traveling tips click here.
There are other resources out there that I have found particularly useful.
One of them I highly recommend is The
Whole Dog Journal. This monthly newsletter is full of good advise
and new information regarding the health of your dog. I have changed many
things I do with my dogs due to some of the research I discovered in this
publication.
Click here for more information on what to do once you get your puppy home.
Lastly, remember obedience training is a must. At every PetsMart their are classes available. Commands such as COME and STAY might actually save your pets life one day. It will pay off in many ways and it is a super way for you to bond with your pet. Most Vizsla's will test your will as they can sometimes be stubborn and defiant. Obedience training keeps these traits under control. But most Importantly, it will prevent him from becoming this:
GOOD
LUCK AND HAVE FUN WITH YOUR NEW PUPPY!