Vizsla Training Guide: Recommended Cues, Timelines, and More

Vizslas are a commonly misunderstood breed when it comes to training. These dogs are incredibly smart and quick to learn. You’ll be surprised by how quickly a vizsla puppy can pick up on a new command. Therefore, vizsla training may seem easy on the surface. However, they’re also exceptionally energetic with very short attention spans. 

It may only take them five minutes to learn the “sit” cue, but you’ll be lucky to get them to pay attention for that long! 

Furthermore, they’re also very bad at generalizing. In other words, they may understand what the “sit” command means at home, but that doesn’t mean they know what it means anywhere else. It’s very common for them to be very well-behaved at home and then suddenly forget all of their manners when you step out the door. 

For all these reasons, Vizslas training is both hard and easy. In this article, we’ll help you get started on the right foot and train these dogs well. 

Understanding Vizsla Training

Vizslas don’t necessarily need special training when compared to other breeds. However, there are many parts of their temperaments that need to be kept in mind when training them. 

These canines are extremely energetic. They were originally bred as hunting dogs that were made to go all day – and it shows! Therefore, it’s important that you exercise them well and regularly, especially before you start a training session. Otherwise, they’ll have a much shorter attention span, which can make training more challenging. 

Vizslas are also very independent. They tend to follow their own thoughts instead of anyone else’s. As you might imagine, this can make training them challenging! They may understand what you’re saying, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to listen to you. 

While many vizslas are kept as pets today, they still retain the hunting instincts of their ancestors. Therefore, they tend to chase just about anything. If they’re chasing something, the odds of them listening to a command are slim. They may also be more distractible, especially if there are a lot of moving things around the training area.

The Best Kind of Training for a Vizsla

Vizslas are a sensitive breed that does best with positive reinforcement training. This sort of training uses treats and praise to reward dogs when they follow a command or respond appropriately to something. It makes the dog associate positive feelings with obedience, which can help your vizsla respond better to training. 

These dogs are very smart and catch onto this type of training relatively quickly. While positive reinforcement training typically uses treats, vizslas tend to be very toy-driven. Therefore, they can effectively be trained with toys, as well. 

Vizsla Training Timeline

All dogs are different, even dogs that belong to the same breed. Therefore, it is hard to make a timeline that encompasses a whole breed. That said, we are able to write a general timeline you may want to keep in mind when training your vizsla. 

8-12 Weeks 

You should start training your vizsla around eight weeks – if not earlier. This period is crucial for socialization, so that should be your main focus. As soon as your puppy gets their first shots, plan on getting them around as many people and places as you can. Odd household sounds and objects (like umbrellas) should also be included in your socialization plan. 

Positive experiences with a range of different people and places at this age can prevent fearfulness and aggression later on. 

Puppy classes are highly recommended at this age. These group classes provide both socialization and introduce your dog to a range of different people and other dogs in a safe environment. However, this shouldn’t be your only outlet for socialization. 

12-16 Weeks

You should introduce your canine to basic obedience at this point if you haven’t already. Commands like “sit” and “stay” should be mastered by the end of this period. Use positive reinforcement and the tips in this article to help train your dog efficiently and well. 

You should also begin crate training if you haven’t already. Typically, crate training works best when done fairly early, which is why we recommend it begin at 12 weeks at the latest. Housebreaking and crate training usually go hand in hand. Therefore, you should bulk down with housebreaking at this point. 

6-12 Months

As your dog gets older, you can start with more and more advanced training. Because these dogs are bad at generalizing, you should plan on extending their training time in many other areas. Start outside your home and then expand to a local park. You’ll need to train the same commands in different places to help ensure that they know “sit” means the same everywhere. 

Depending on your dog’s progress, you should be able to introduce more complex commands at this point. However, you should also ensure that your canine continues to get practice in a variety of locations, especially for particularly hard commands.

Training doesn’t end when puppyhood does. Instead, you should plan on training your canine for the rest of their life. Vizslas thrive on mental stimulation, and regular training can help them keep their brains exercised. Plus, they can easily forget commands or become more independent if they aren’t trained regularly. 

Common Mistakes in Vizsla Training

Training a vizsla isn’t terribly difficult. However, there are plenty of ways to do it incorrectly. These common mistakes can make your training less efficient or worse, they may set your dog’s progress back. 

Inadequate Exercise

Potential dog owners often underestimate how much exercise these dogs need. They are incredibly energetic, so they must be exercised for long periods each day. 

If your dog isn’t properly exercised, training can become much more difficult. A vizsla without adequate exercise will have a hard time concentrating and may completely ignore commands. They may also display destructive tendencies, such as barking and chewing. 

Be sure to incorporate plenty of daily exercise into your dog’s routine. Running, fetching, and long walks can help these dogs burn off energy. You should not expect them to burn off all their energy in a backyard by themselves. 

Skipping Socialization

Many vizsla owners mistakenly skip socialization or don’t provide enough of it. Socialization doesn’t provide immediate results like obedience training. However, it is arguably more important, as it prevents your dog from becoming fearful. You should socialize until your dog seems comfortable in most situations – and then socialize some more. 

You should start socializing your dog as early as possible, as puppies are the most open to new experiences. However, even adult vizslas can be socialized, though it will take them longer. 

Inconsistent Training

Vizslas need lots of repetition and consistency. It’s easy to let a training session or two slip, but this can set your dog’s progress back by several sessions. If you have a very inconsistent schedule, you may not see any measurable progress at all. Inconsistencies only slow your dog’s training down. 

Therefore, you should set up a training routine that you can keep up with and then do it. Ensure that anyone else training your dog is also consistent with commands and techniques. Everyone should train the vizsla the same way. 

Punishment-Based Training

It is easy to get frustrated and fall back to punishment-based training, especially if you were never taught how positive reinforcement training works. Vizslas are sensitive dogs, and harsh corrections can lead to distrust and uneasiness. They may try to skip training altogether by ignoring your commands. It can also lead to anxiety, which leads to even more destructive behaviors. 

If you’ve never trained a dog, we highly recommend group classes. These are more about training you than training your dog. The trainer will show you techniques for successful training and help you with any hiccups that arise. 

If you’re getting frustrated during training sessions, you’re probably training for too long at a time. These dogs have very short attention spans, so training sessions generally need to be under seven minutes (or even less if your vizsla is a puppy).