We’re very late this year for snow on the mountains and today we finally had a good dump up at Seymour Mountain. The mountain still isn’t fully open for skiing so we had several slopes to ourselves. We took the Goldie Lake Loop and were the only ones on the trail (we could tell because we were the only footprints in foot-high snow).

She’s flying!

new snowfall

so proud of my happy puppy!

It’s such a different element to hike in

small snow covered lakes

Whiskey and her Great Dane puppy buddy Hanna (7 months) were so excited about the snowfall. They chased snowballs, ran ahead on the short trail, and met many other happy dogs at the parking lot all under the thickening snowstorm.

Great exercise in deep snow

winter wonderland!

pointing the way

Grooming new runs

waiting for more snow

We’ve been instructed by our breeder how important it is to trim Whiskey’s nails and keep the quick short. She suggested us to trim every week with a Dremel and although it’s been a 2 person task, we can finish it in 10 mins.

Moo watching on while Whiskey gets her nails done

The noise of the Dremel and being constrained is scary for a dog not used to it. The easiest position we’ve found is having her lying on her back on someone’s lap while the other person works around and does the manicure. Press down on the pad so the nails come all the way out and get as close to the quick as you feel comfortable, rounding out any sharp edges. We start with her back paws so the tool isn’t in her face straight off.

take your time and round out edges

Even though we’ve done it since she was a puppy, she doesn’t love it and still struggles and grunts.

Whiskey shows you her paw while her back nails are done

Taking photos while you hold on a struggling puppy getting a pedicure is a challenge

Here are some tips for Dremeling your dog’s nails:

-Whiskey always gets a special treat in the end. I put the treat in my pocket so she can smell it the whole time and she knows it’s coming. You can also give her a smaller treat with each nail, or each paw.

-Get more people if possible to help. I typically hold Whiskey while Thierry works the Dremel.

-Work the back paws first as they are further from their head not as scary as starting near the face.

-Talk to your dog and tell them how wonderful they are in a low voice during the whole time.

-Have some styptic powder on hand in case you trim too deep.

-Make sure you have lots of light!

-Do it often so they get use to it

-Don’t stop the session as soon as they struggle, otherwise they learn if they struggle, they get out. If you need to release your dog, do so after they are calm.

-Trim nails when they are calm, relaxed, after exercise

push on each toe so the nail comes out and trim close to the quick

Here are some tips if you’ve never done it before:

-Get our dog used to being flipped over on their back and held. Give treats and talk in a soothing voice only letting them up when they are calm.

-Turn on the dremel and give treats to get them used to the sound

-Touch and handle each paw until they don’t mind (we clean her paws all the time when we get back from a wet/muddy walk).

-Just trim one paw at a time, and work your way up.

-Keep a bag of treats next to you and give them a treat for each nail when they are calm (reduce treats over time). Be generous with the treats at first.

-If when you release the dog, they don’t run off, and are immediately interested in snacks, you’re doing great!

start young and it’ll be easier!

Finally…

Be calm yourself. Whiskey is easy to do since she’s still a puppy and we were able to train her. Moo (my cat with attitude) is another story. We need to be in a zen mood to trim Moo’s nails. Make movements, slow and deliberate. If you are scared or anxious, the animals pick up on that. If you are confident and calm, they will be more receptive.

All done! Where’s my snack?

Since I’ve gotten Whiskey I’ve been happily daydreaming about having another Vizsla sister for Whiskey. Imagine my glee when we met up with Whiskey’s half-sister Millie (from the same father Ripley).

The two half-sisters (Whiskey with red)

They are both fearless climbers, though a little silly as they are “stuck” on the log

Millie is 2 years old and this is our second time meeting up. The first time was at night in a downpour so no pictures could be taken. They get along famously and I’ve never seen Whiskey run so much! It’s just great watching them play and get into trouble together (they found the same pile of poop to eat, and another pile of poop to roll in).

They ignored all the other dogs at the park

Whiskey learning to hold her own

Chaos getting two Vs to listen!

Whiskey is getting faster and is the same height as Millie but you can still recognize she’s a puppy with less developed muscles and a shallower chest. Her turns aren’t as sharp and her gangly legs make her tumble more. We watched as a blur of orange zoomed around and around and tried to photograph them. In the end I think we really need to invest in a faster camera with better auto-focus!

getting the most out of a ray of sunshine

until next time!