Vizsla Obedience Training Guide
According to many experts, any type of training is essential for a dog, regardless of its breed. There is agility, tracking, searching, guarding, herding, defense, and crate training. However, one of the most important and basic for any type of canine is obedience training.
Obedience is a fundamental pillar of canine education. Therefore, obedience training is an essential tool for any dog owner.
If a canine receives this type of training, it will be able to perform a series of acts and tasks when we tell it. That is a great help for owners of energetic and large dogs.
Taking into account these last characteristics, we can refer to a breed of dog known in various countries of the world, such as the Vizsla. This canine stands out for its hunting skills and its high level of physical activity.
They are usually very active and energetic, so they will require daily exercise. This fact makes it vital to provide a Vizsla with obedience training not only for it to carry out its hunting activities effectively but also for any other type of fieldwork.
Vizsla Obedience Training
As the owner of a Vizsla, it is important that we properly educate our pet, especially to obey us during any exercise, training, or hunting session. Obedience is a fundamental pillar for any type of dog. Some of them are:
- Domestic dogs
- Service dogs.
- Sports dogs.
Regardless of your Vizsla’s role, it must receive obedience training. Generally, this type of training consists of teaching the canine a series of commands that will allow us to give it orders. Some of the most used commands are:
- Sit.
- Watch me.
- Down.
- Stay.
- Wait.
- Come.
- Off.
- Drop it.
- Leave it.
- No.
- Heel.
Before knowing the best tips and methods to train your Vizsla, it is important that you take into account certain relevant aspects:
Positive Reinforcement
No matter what type of training you are going to provide your canine, you should always use positive reinforcement. This practice consists of rewarding the appropriate attitudes of your dog in order to stimulate the learning of skills and promote obedience.
Fortunately, positive reinforcement works very well for Vizslas as they are independent, so training them will not be a problem. What you should do every time your canine does an action correctly is reward it with a treat and praise it. That is an excellent way to improve the dog’s learning capacity considering that this breed is very intelligent.
The reward should always be given immediately that your dog has correctly performed the desired action.
Violence is Never Good
Whatever you do, never use violence or aggression to train your dog. Remember that Vizslas are canines with a sensitive personalities that can be easily affected. These animals tend to get along with all people, especially their owners and members of their human family. In fact, they may feel sad and anxious in case of being left alone for too long.
Due to this canine’s personality, a negative or violent method of training could affect its emotional state causing unwanted behaviors due to fear or anguish. Therefore, it is important that you understand that violence is counterproductive to canine behavior and obedience.
You don’t want your Vizsla to suffer trauma from this. Make sure to train it by applying positive reinforcement, as we have seen in the previous point.
Things You Need to Know to Provide Obedience Training to Your Vizsla
Choose a Suitable Space to Train It
When training any dog, it is important to provide a suitable space for it not only inside the house but also outside.
You have to make sure that the space inside the house has adequate temperatures for your Vizsla, that is, not too hot and not too cold. If you don’t have a garden or backyard to set up an outdoor space, then you will have to train it at a friend’s house. However, the space you have chosen must be limited so that your canine does not escape since we remember that this breed of dog loves to run and play due to their high level of energy.
Buy Obedience Training Equipment
You need to purchase certain training equipment to train your Vizsla properly. The most important pieces you will need to get started are a collar and a short leash.
It is important that you accustom your Vizsla to the feeling of wearing these items. That can be done by taking it out for a frequent walk.
Similarly, buying basic toys that your Vizsla can chew on will help a lot during training.
Training Process
If you want your Vizsla to learn quickly, it is best to hire a specialized trainer. However, if you’re going to train your canine yourself, then you must know a few methods.
There are many methods that you can implement when teaching your Vizsla. Find the one that best suits your needs and those of your dog.
The fundamental part of training of this type is teaching your canine commands:
Vizsla Commands: Sit
This command is easy to teach your dog. Approach your Vizsla, kneel in front of it, and hold a doggie treat close to its nose. Slightly move your hand up from your Vizsla’s head, making it follow the treat as it sits.
While doing that, say “sit” out loud. Little by little, your dog will associate that command with the action that it is doing. Repeat that process several times each day until your Vizsla gets used to it.
Vizsla Commands: Come
This command is ideal for preventing your dog from getting into trouble by doing as you can to make it come whenever you want. You will need to attach your Vizsla leash and collar for training.
While holding the leash, step away from your canine, kneel down, and say “Come” out loud. You should say this command at the same time you gently pull the leash. When your canine approaches you, reward it with a treat.
Vizsla Commands: Down
This command can be tricky in obedience training. You will have to use your dog’s favorite treat so that its learning process is faster.
Like the “sit” command training, you have to place your hand near your Vizsla’s muzzle while holding the treat. However, this time instead of moving it up from your pet’s head, you will need to move it to the ground for your canine to follow.
Keep sliding your hand a little more until your dog is completely flat. While doing that, say “Down” out loud. Once your Vizsla is entirely flat, give it a treat as a reward. Like the other commands, make sure to repeat the process several times each day.
There are other basic commands that your Vizsla can learn, but everything will depend on your needs as the canine owner.
Family Dog Expert Author
Hi there! I’m Stuart, a devoted dog lover and family dog expert with over a decade of experience working with our furry companions. My passion for dogs drives me to share my knowledge and expertise, helping families build strong, loving bonds with their four-legged friends. When I’m not writing for SirDoggie, you’ll find me hiking, playing with my beautiful dog, or studying music.