Help with Vizla-corso (dog) training and care at a quiet olive grove in Vieste, Italy

Details

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  Description

  Hi there, my name is Eleonora and I am Italo-Brit. I currently live in Vieste, Puglia, Italy, inside a quiet olive grove, with my 14-month-old Vizsla-Corso (dog). We are a 15-minute walk into Vieste and its beaches. And a 15-minute drive away from the Foresta Umbra: Gargano's natural park. We follow natural rhythms and have a slow pace of life. Roi is a wonderfully balanced intact male. He is strong and full of life, though summer's day heat takes it a little out of him! He does not know aggression; nonetheless, he doesn´t shy away from threats. I train him following 'free shaping' and ethological principles. I would love someone who can add to its training following these methods. If you know about scent work, I would love your help to integrate this to its mental enrichment. He is on a hybrid diet of biscuits and raw meat that I prepare for him. I am looking for someone who can visit for 3 weeks or so, getting to know my dog with the aim of looking after him for 5/ 7 days, allowing me to go away. But more generally, also, someone who can visit and spend one or two hours a day helping me advance my training with him. If you are a dog behaviour enthusiast with ethological training experience or a positive reinforcement trainer, we would love to hear from you. The accommodation is a very comfortable single bedroom, sharing the rest of the 73 sq.M house with me and Roi.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Animal Care

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Farming

  

  Van life

  

  Sustainability

  

  Pets

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Gardening

  

  Plant care

  

  Languages

  

  Writing

  

  Animals

  

  Beach

  

  Hiking

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Nature

  

  Dancing
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am Italo-British and can speak both languages fluently. I can therefore help with both. I love Spanish and can speak at an intermediate leisure level. Vieste offers a vibrant cultural experience with many festivals and events throughout the summer.

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  Help

  I only need 1 or 2 hrs a day of training and/or walking with my dog, Roi.
  And I am looking for a 5-day window (ideally July or September 2026) to go away and have him stay with a trusted person who can care for him in my absence.
  
  Dog sitting:
  Positive reinforcement training
  Free-shaping activities
  Ethological approaches
  Scent work
  Mental enrichment activities
  
  Requirements:
  You need to know about calming signals, and subtle behavioral shifts (e.g., recognizing trigger stacking before it escalate) .
  You align with positive reinforcement, relational training, and choice-based handling. You respect a dog’s "no."
  You know how to be a calm, grounded, and stable presence for a large, intelligent, and highly perceptive dog.
  You understand that a dog's well-being comes from mental stimulation—like scent work, tracking games, and decompression walks—not just physical exhaustion.
  You appreciate a peaceful, balanced lifestyle and bring a calm, low-anxiety energy into the home.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  The house is a 73sq.m basic country side villa sitting inside a very quiet private olive grove. It has two bedrooms and one bathroom, with an open-plan room for living and eating. Roi is allowed in and at night sleeps inside. We do not use air-con, and any guest needs to be comfortable with it. The place is well ventilated. The single bedroom is the guest room, and the bathroom is shared. Food will not be provided.

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  What else ...

  Please note that transport is very limited here. The best way to get around is on foot, by bicycle, or by car.
  I don´t have internet as I use my hotspot.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Roi is very well socialised and doesn't show too much resource guarding. However, accepting a workawayer with a pet is riskier - both ways - because if the interaction doesn't work, the stay is not possible.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  My animals / pets

  Roi (1 year)

  A balanced, intact Vizla-Corso adolescent male.
  
  

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