This post is part of our weekly series on raising our Vizsla puppy, Zooka.  You can use our posts as a guide to help raise your own puppy, regardless of breed. Keep in mind that different breeds might develop at different rates, so while you can do these things with any breed, your breed might need certain things at slightly different stages or ages.  Click here to see our list of all updates.

Notes from Week 12:

• Continue with housetraining
  • Zooka had two accidents in the house this entire week
  • For now has easy access with back door open to go straight out most of the time
  • Sometimes we take him out
  • Sometimes he takes himself out (which he will not be able to do when the weather cools off!)
• Continue training for meals
  • Crate training / Kennel Up
  • Eye contact (not put on cue yet, building duration first)
  • Sit
  • Down (offered only at this point, have not put on cue)
  • Heel /Loose leash walking (not on cue)
  • Wait/ Go (with food bowl, exiting the crate, and exiting doors for walks)
  • With limited distractions some of the time
  • With distractions other times
    • other dogs nearby (but behind fence/gate)
    • sometimes dogs are barking
    • tractor
    • someone working in yard
    • rain, thunder, etc.
• Obstacle introductions
  • Continued from last week with intro to various obstacles such as tunnel, jumps, logs, sledding saucer, etc.
• Play dates
  • Another play date with dog he met last week
    • this time met at their house so change of scenery
    • played inside and outside
  • Play with a 2 year old Cocker Spaniel
    • Cocker Spaniel was boarding with us for the entire week
    • played off and on throughout the entire week
    • played well mostly
    • Zooka likes to grab long ears, fortunately this guy was pretty tolerant!
  • Play only through the fence with other boarding dogs
    • too large to let run together
    • these dogs were not gentle enough to play with Zooka yet due to his small size
• Field trips
  • Play date with the dog mentioned above, at their house
    • got to meet their two horses
    • got to explore part of interior and the back yard
  • Pool party!
    • Client friend of ours was nice enough to invite us over to try a swim in their pool
    • Started out around pool and just on first step leading in so water was very shallow
    • Borrowed a life vest from neighbor
    • Closely supervised and was there to hold/support as needed
    • Seemed to enjoy lounging by poolside the most!
    • Did swim a few times for short periods then had time to rest in between
    • Time to head home when he passed out by the poolside!
  • Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply Store
    • Sue brought Zooka along to her Polite Pooches in Public Class
      • Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, Rough Coat Collie, and a Border Collie/Aussie mix in class
      • lots of people
      • lots of smells and distractions in the store
    • Mostly getting to check things out at this stage
    • Also worked on checking in with me
    • Worked on walking beside me
    • Worked on being able to calmly watch the other dogs but not interact with them
• Diet and Food
  • • Three meals per day, feeding 27-ounces of our raw dog food per day, not including treats
    • Added raw chicken foot and leg as post-dinner chew, which is soft bone and easy for him to work on.

This video shows Zooka working for his meal, working on sit, wait, watch me and crate training.

Here we are working on swim training lessons.  Zooka already experienced a pool with the Breeder, but here we are working more on getting him comfortable with water and some swimming.

This is a quick clip on slow motion of Zooka enjoying his kiddie pool.

We have obstacle introductions in this video.