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Arizona Rio Salado Vizsla Club

Vizsla Hunt Field Commands

"Whoa" (Stop)

 

Young dogs in the field have a tendency to not listen to their handler's commands. They get so excited to be out running free and smelling every bush.  If your dog is under control in the field, life will be so much easier and fun.  In the back yard, heel around the yard a few times with your dog on the leash.  Then suddenly stop and say "Whoa" in a firm voice. Jerk on the leash at the same time you give the command. Make sure your dog stops and stays standing.  Kneel down and stroke their back and under their tail (tail should be horizontal to the ground.)  In a quiet voice repeat "Whoa" and say good girl/boy.  Do this every day for about 5-10 times.  Work up to doing this off leash.

 

"Stay"

 

Once they have the above exercise down pat.  On leash heel around your yard. Do the above routine, but after you say "Whoa," say "Stay" and walk a few feet in front of your dog while still holding the leash. If

she follows you, gently but firmly put the dog back in the original spot and repeat the commands.  Do this 5-10 times every day.  The dog needs to stay standing in the same place.  Work up to off leash.

 

"Fetch" and Retrieve

 

When you play fetch with a ball, have the dog on a long leash at your left side.  Kneel down next to the dog and have him/her stand still close to your side.  Stroke their back and under their tail and say "Whoa, steady."  Toss the ball a few feet in front of you and don't let him/her go for it until you say "Fetch."  Then let them retrieve the ball while you hold onto the leash so they can’t run away.  Reel them into you (you should still be kneeling down) and give them encouragement to come back to you.  Once they have brought the ball back to you give lots of praise.  Repeat this about 5-10 times.  Young dogs have short attention spans.  Do this every day, tossing the ball farther away every day.  Once they consistently bring the ball straight back to you while on the leash, try the same routine off leash.  If the dog starts to run around with the ball rather than bring it straight back to you, stop and put the leash back on and repeat the routine on leash for a few days.  She has to know this is not a keep away game - it is a fetch and retrieve game.

 

"Here" (Come)

 

In obedience you use the command "Come," in the field, we use "Here" instead.  Every time you are in the yard with your dog, as they are running around free, they should come to you when called, without a lot of yelling.  On the leash, with you holding onto the end, let him/her run around (you may have to run around with her). Stop and while she is still moving, say "Spot, Here" and reel him/her into you. Praise them.  Do this 5-10 times every day.  Then work up to off leash.  This is the only command (aside from "Up" described below) where it is easy to use their name with the command.  With "Whoa" and "Stay" they are usually yelled out in a more urgent manner and the fewer words used the better.

 

"Up"

 

In the field, dogs tend to run up ahead or back behind where you have already been.  The dog needs to always be ahead of you in a hunt test.  This exercise can be done in the back yard, but is best done with a really long line in a large area.  Let the dog run around on the long leash for awhile.  When the dog is behind you, keep walking and say "Spot, Up." Then reel them to you, but keep walking forward. Slow down your pace so they can run ahead of you.

Arizona Rio Salado Vizsla Club

Vizslas

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Store

Rescue

Club Info

Arizona Rio Salado Vizsla Club

The Rio Salado Vizsla Club is a non-profit organization that operates under the rules and regulations set forth by the American Kennel Club located in Phoenix, Arizona.

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