Hope you had a good holiday … here, reviewing final edits on the second season’s set of “Buddy & Me” segments and again am reminded of what we can all learn from dogs. I’ll post another from last season soon and promise to create a page for them soon. Honest!
From one of the "Buddy & Me" segments
Meanwhile, only five seats left for my “Bird Hunting Boot Camp” in Portland, Ore. on July 24. It’s free and fun – at least the folks at Pheasant Fest thought so. Get more information and a link to the reservation email here. (I’m doing it in Seattle in August – follow the link for dates.)
And man, oh Manny! I forgot what raising a puppy was like. Sleep deprived, yes. But so far, worth the sacrifice. He’s a bold, inquisitive pup that goes paw-to-paw with his uncle Buddy in the mouth wrestling department. I’m using many of the strategies outlined in Larry Mueller’s book Speed Training Your Own Bird Dog, and here’s why: that guy had an entirely different take on how dogs think, and why they do what they do. With my first wire, Bill, 22 years ago, I worked with an obedience trainer who had studied wolves. He, too, had a different perspective on dog psychology and it’s stuck with me. When I get around to the next book, they will both be acknowledged in the foreword.
Hope to see you in Portland!
Scott Linden Outdoors 
You probably know of these tips.. One is to pick up the water/food at least 2 hours before you plan to crate him for the night, and of course give him one last out before you do so. Also bones in the crate can sometimes cause them to have to go in the middle of the night if they were chewing on them. All the saliva can fake their bladder into thinking it’s full.
Only other thing would be to watch how fast he grows. I found that Luna reached a point with her crate that at night she was banging her legs into the sides trying to get comfortable, which in turn woke her up. I bought her adult crate and graduated her into that for the nights and no more waking up in the middle of the night. I have heard this being a problem for a couple of the other vizslas I know too. Just a tip for the future.
Glad you are enjoying your pup so much
Are you getting up a lot in the night? When I first got Luna (around 10 or 11 weeks old) I only had to wake up in the middle of the night maybe 2 or 3 nights. After that she was good to go until about 6 or 7AM.. and I was not a night owl with her either, last potty may have been 10 at the latest from what I remember.
So I’m just curious about your routine, maybe I have a trick or two to offer. Used to do a lot of puppy training/raising lessons too (not that you need any).
Just getting up one time, about six hours after we put Manny in his box. Not bad, and apparently better than average for “holding” time. We did learn one trick: he hears the sprinklers go on at 4:20 a.m., and that’s what probably wakes him. I changed that immediately! So far, so good, but any advice is welcome.