Why does Vizsla hide things? Do they bury their toys and even food at times? Do they growl to get what they want? But Why? Why are these dogs so stubborn about following commands or staying in the yard when told to do so? New dog owners often ask these questions when they come across a Vizsla for the first time.
Some reasons why Vizsla might hide things are possessiveness, emotional attachment, anxiety, immaturity, and instinct. Besides this, these dogs might conceal themselves and their belongings in a new environment or when the owners are abusive.
This article will discuss why Vizslas has some of these behaviors and how you can train them out of them if you find it problematic.
Is It Normal For Vizsla To Hide Things?
Many people often wonder a lot about this question. Well, we can’t say that it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Vizsla is a curious breed, and they like to explore. So if you don’t keep an eye on them, your Vizsla may find something exciting and want to take it with them, which is quite normal.
People breed Vizsla for hunting and fighting purposes. As a result, they exhibit high levels of aggression in response to a stimulus that frightens them or makes them feel threatened, such as another dog barking at it from a distance. Even though these breeds are now family dogs, they still retain some wild instincts, leading Vizslas to hide things to survive.
However, sometimes your Vizsla might hide things due to lack of grooming and the abusive environment. So, it is better to first know about the cause of your Vizsla behavior before deciding it’s normal or not.
Why Does Vizsla Hide Things?
It’s an instinct for `Vizsla to explore their environment and find new things they can call theirs. And this is also why it might seem like your pup wants to guard these items, even though he doesn’t know what the word “guard” means yet.
Furthermore, there may be various reasons why Vizsla hides things, such as:
Owner’s Abusive Behavior
Vizslas are famous for being a little more on the emotional side. So, if a dog survived through abuse and mistreatment in the past, it can cause them to feel unsafe when their owner becomes angry or starts yelling at them because of something small.
Thus, they might be hiding something because of the owner’s abusive behavior. And it is a way for them to protect themselves. They commonly do it by wrapping their tails around their legs or putting the back of their head onto something. So, that others cannot see them.
Immaturity
The reason why Vizslas will sometimes hide their treasure from those around them can depend on their age.
Puppies guard the newly acquired items with much enthusiasm and will push the thing away from you when they have it in their possession. However, as puppies grow, this guarding instinct can subside somewhat as their desire to explore more grows while still having a sense of ownership. So, the puppies more often showing hiding behavior.
To Keep Them
One possible reason Vizslas might bury objects is to keep them away from the family, and that’s understandable. Vizslas are a little suspicious of strangers coming into your home with their shoes on. But if someone in your family walks over a hidden object, these dogs will change their hiding place and bury it again.
Emotional Attachment
Sometimes the hiding behavior of your Vizsla may be related to their emotional attachment with the things they hide. For example, if your Vizsla hides clothes in their bedding, it might mean that they have an extension with these items and don’t want them taken away from them.
In this case, you should try giving your Vizsla a new toy to keep them occupied, which may help with the hiding behaviors.
Possessiveness
Vizslas are very possessive dogs. They will do anything to protect what they feel belongs to them. So, when someone tries to take something away from Vizsla or even looks at the thing too long without giving it back. Vizsla gets defensive and hides things behind their paws as a way of being protective over that item.
Natural Instinct
Vizslas have a habit of chewing on anything they can get their teeth into, usually due to boredom from insufficient stimulation in the environment. So if Vizsla has been hiding things, it might be due to their instinct to chew on things.
Depression
Often poor breeding practices make Vizsla psychologically and emotionally unstable. These dogs are usually more likely to have behavioral problems such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It leads the dog to hide things from its owner and act out to get attention or just for fun. For example, Vizsla will often conceal their things when they feel depressed. Since these dogs prefer staying home, they cannot get enough physical activity. So, hiding things will be the only way to relax their mind.
New Environment
Usually, your Vizsla will need some time to get familiar with the newer environment after you bring them home. So, they will usually start with hiding small objects like socks, slippers, or tissues. Then, as they get comfortable in the new environment and know that their owner won’t abandon them, Vizslas may begin bringing back items such as shoe loaves of bread or even food wrappers.
Fear And Anxiety
It is common for Vizslas to hide things when they are in an environment that scares them. For example, it can be a thunderstorm, fireworks display, or other loud noises. In addition, some dogs become anxious after separation from their owner or mother. So, they exhibit such behavior when they are all alone in the house.
Does Vizsla Have An Emotional Attachment To The Things They Hide?
Being a family dog, Vizslas undoubtedly possesses some emotions. Moreover, sometimes your dog feels emotionally attached to a particular object and doesn’t want you, or anybody else, touching it. So, they buried something to keep its location hidden and protect it.
Further, you will generally notice that your Vizsla will hide their favorite things like chews, treats, or toys. As Vizsla loves and adores these things, they don’t want anybody else to take them away.
Thus, they prefer hiding and burying their food or toys before eating or playing. In this way, they are protecting their favorite things from others only to have access to those things and have it all to themselves.
Where Does Vizsla Hide Things?
Vizslas are often famous for their curiosity and instinct to explore. They also tend to hide things, which may be part of what makes them such fun dogs. Usually, your dog will hide their stuff in the places that they find safer. Such as:
- Under the bed or couch cushions
- Where you might leave shoes or other things that they can push under it (for example, in a closet)
- In the yard burring them under the grass
- In corners and dark spaces around the house where there are fewer people to find them.
- Behind furniture like televisions (especially if said TV is on their side of the room)
- Where you might put their food to make it more difficult for them to get at
- In places where you can’t see them easily.
When Does Vizsla Hide Things?
Vizsla dogs are often very secretive and like to hide things. There’s no set time for when this behavior begins, but it usually starts around six months of age. When you first notice your Vizsla likes to bury their bones or chew on shoes in the backyard, they may be hiding those items. When Vizslas are a little older, they start playing hide and seek with their owner by running away from them to bury something in the ground or under furniture before returning for some love and affection.
Your Vizsla more often hides things when they feel like they are in trouble. For example, when you tell them to stop doing something or take away a toy from their mouth, your furry friend may decide to hide that object. So no one will see it and know what they’ve been up to, to keep their secret safe.
Are The Things Vizsla Hide Treasure For Them?
It’s difficult to tell if a Vizsla is hiding something because they want it for themselves or not. For example, it might be that the dog owner didn’t give their pup any toys of their own, so this could lead them to steal one from you instead. Alternatively, it may mean that your pet likes things hidden just as much as they want items shown off.
Some Vizsla might feel like the items they are hiding are treasures for them and that you want those treasures as well. It is because owners often take away their favorite toys from what’s theirs without telling the dog about it to make room for new goodies around the house.
What Happens If You Move The Things Vizsla Hide?
As a dog owner, you might find that your Vizsla has buried their favorite toy in the backyard. Or maybe they’ve hidden the bone from supper under their bed or on top of your dresser. What will your Vizsla do when you move their stuff to a different place? How do they react?
When you move the things that your Vizsla has hidden, you might find that they quickly run back and retrieve them. After retrieving those items, your dog will probably find another place to hide them. Vizslas are often highly possessive and protective about the things they value. So, moving their things might upset them, which is understandable.
Does Vizsla Bring Things For Their Owner?
Undoubtedly, Vizsla is possessive and loves their toys and food. But they also adore their owners equally. Thus, these dogs will try everything to please their owners.
Moreover, Vizslas are very intelligent, and through all their games with the owner, they will learn how to manipulate them. And this is why Vizsla dogs often bring things for their owners.
Generally, Vizslas will now and then hide some of their food or toys and bring them back to you. They do this to show that they love you so much and want to share with you. Besides this, Vizslas strives for your attention and approval. So, they will offer you the things they have hidden to get more love and care.
What Should You Do With The Things That Vizsla Dogs Hide?
Although owners might find their Vizsla’s hiding behavior cute, still hiding some disgusting items such as bones, foods, treats, etc., in hard-to-reach areas are often problematic.
Therefore, it is essential to manage the things that your doh has hidden. Usually, you can opt for the following ideas if you find the things Vizsla has hidden :
- Avoid moving or removing the items Vizsla hides.
- Give Vizsla a toy to play with or put them on an interactive feeder.
- Change the location of where you keep certain things (i.e., food, treats). For example, if your dog is hiding stuff in the kitchen and accessible through the back door, start giving him his food outside the door.
- If you know where Vizsla hides things, try to clear it up.
- Please provide them with a toy or treats in return for the items they hide. What’s more, give your dog some attention if they feel neglected at that time of day.
Conclusion
However, it is not unusual for Vizslas to hide things. But some owners punish their dogs for hiding things which will only make them more anxious. Vizslas are susceptible animals who need patience and understanding from their owner, or else they may act out in other ways.
It is important to note that Vizslas dogs do not hide things because they are wrong, but rather it may be a way of releasing stress or anxiety. For this reason, you should never use punishment when trying to stop Vizslas from hiding things.
I hope you get a little closer to your Vizsla and understand it more through this article.
For any unresolved queries, we will feel pleased to answer them in the future. Just don’t forget to mention them in the comments.
