Week 16: Toby in Training
Posted by Admin on 14, April 2008
Toby is in training – as you can see from this pic he can do “SIT” very well 🙂
Question for all you other Viz owners – as you can see his feet are huge. Everyone who meets him takes one look at his paws and says – what big feet you have – you are going to be one large dog. Do all Viz have big feet or is it just Toby?
He has been to 2 puppy classes and I am pleased to report that he was the star performer. No major barking or chasing the other dogs, lots of sitting and “down” and super duper dog. The car journey’s leave alot to be desired. He wants to drive the car with me, so we had to use his crate and if you have read earlier posts you will remember that he has managed to force his way through 2 dog guards – both in use at the same time 🙂 He does not mind the journey – he is not sick or nervous – just barks for England and is determined to get in and drive.
We have started to get him to walk on the lead properly. This is, how an i put this… proving to be a little more challenging, bit today he was a star and managed to “heal” whilst being offered a treat without taking my fingers off! A major step forward. My fingers are covered in teeth marks and scratched to bits – but he is learning to walk next to me and is not pulling as much as he was.
He is still eating fox and sheep poo (not his own thank goodness) and loves to chew on the stones (the small ones you can see to the left in the photo above). He is very keen on racing off with my welly boots just as I am about to put my feet in them 🙂
puppies eh!
Toby - Life with a new puppy 
Rocket said
16 weeks and you’re being a real challenge. Keep up the good work young man! You’re doing everything as expected at your age. I liked to run away with moms “magic shoes” too when she tries to put them on.
Rocket's Mom said
Hey Toby … I’ve given your cool blog an award. You’ll have to swing by my blog to pick it up.
Cheers,
Rocket Man
jamesviscosi said
Tucker has small, compact “cat” feet, which is what the vizsla standard calls for. Dennis has gigantic rabbit feet; he would bury Tucker in a swimming contest. As he’s a rescue, we never saw Dennis as a pup, so I don’t know what his feet looked like in his younger days.
I wouldn’t worry about Toby’s feet; he’ll probably grow into them. Even if they stay big it’s just more of him to cuddle. 😉
Charlie said
Don’t worry about Toby – I still don’t heel that well all of the time and I’m nearly 19 months old! It is definitely THE very hardest thing to learn. Pat McConnell (mum loves her books) says that heel is ‘walking at the pace of death at my owner’s side and ignoring all interesting things’…which I TOTALLY agree with – no wonder it is tough for me!
Karen Morss said
Hi Sue,
Karen solved the pulling problem with a different leash. Premier Easy Walk harness. The leash hooks to a center point on his chest. If he pulls it turns him towards you. Has made an enormous difference in our walks. If you have trouble finding it let me know and I will send you one.
http://landofpuregold.com/store/p-nopull.htm
We hate those collars that choke us!
Love Lucy
Aunty Debs said
Have been missing out on Toby stories for a few weeks & have just done the ‘omnimbus’ edition. Hasn’t he grown & isn’t he just beauuuuutiful? Whilst not a Vizsla (more of a Heinz57la), our Archie had huge paws as a puppy but has not grown into the total giant that everyone predicted. Anyway, as one of your other friends says, much more of him to love if he does. ‘Saint’ Oscar, eh?
Buster B. Brown said
My dear extremely young Toby,
I can only hope that your people are braver than mine.
Whenever they lagged behind my brisk pace, my people stopped cold. Apparently, they weren’t sure how to proceed without me at their side, acting as interpreter of the natural world, protector, and guide.
For a long time, I encouraged a faster pace, hoping they’d build self-confidence. All to no avail. I eventually had to humor their need for close companionship. Now when we walk together, as long as I’m right next to them, they keep moving.
It’s pathetic, actually–their fear of being alone while on a walk.
Yrs. truly,
B3
Anonymous said
Love your blog!
Admin said
thank you