No, not that Birdman (great movie), this is the birdman that Whiskey LOVES. We are working to train Whiskey with birds (trying to get her to hold a point right now). Eric has been our very informative trainer and this time Whiskey recognized Eric’s car and just jumped right in. It smells like birds, fun, and dog. We met up with, his brother and Yoffi, his now-junior champion Vizsla. Yoffi ranked 7th in puppy field trials (dogs up to 1.5 years of age) out of all pointing breed dogs in Canada and was the only Vizsla to place! I was so stoked to watch Yoffi “work”. Now we don’t want to compete with Whiskey because it’s a full time commitment but it’s really nice to see the dogs work and learn. They are happiest doing the work they are bred for and I just love learning.
wading into the field
Yoffi, handsome junior champion
Puppy in training
We went out to a big field to practice and Eric brought some birds. He set up a bird tied to a string that was fluttering around and both dogs were so excited. This is expected in an experienced dog, but really key for Whiskey. I then tried to walk Whiskey in a big loop around the bird to a pre chosen position, then encouraged her to stay still and hold a point, lifting her back into place when she lunged ahead. After a couple rounds, she got much better and understood what we wanted.
initially Whiskey was so hard to hold back
Putting Whiskey in a “suitcase” and learning how to handle
these dogs are so beautiful
getting better!
Yoffi showing us how it’s done
birdman and birddog
watching from the sidelines
Switching to something else before the dogs lost interest, we kept Whiskey while Yoffi got to go “find” and point a bird. Eric took a bird in a launcher 500m away, came back to Yoffi and released him. It was pretty crazy to see Yoffi run full speed tracking the bird and pointing it out way before we could catch up to him. He held the point until the bird was released and is currently training to keep his point while the bird takes off and flies around.
Yoffi finds the bird and holds point
walking up and he doesn’t move
Still holding point while Eric encourages good style
pointing another bird
I’m really excited to continue her bird training as I just love to see these dogs point. I can tell Whiskey loves it and she’s so keen to learn.
We’ve had a couple minor health problems since spring rolled around. We’ve had a couple bumps crop up and are currently finishing up another case of Giardia (Giardiasis) so I thought it might be of interest to keep a diary of small problems should they crop up again.
Bumps
I self-diagnosed these as hives which was caused by an allergic reaction to physical contact (in this case) with something in the environment (a vet would later confirm, but was unable to see the bumps). A couple small bumps would come after a walk in the park and last several hours only appearing on her lower muzzle. I was pretty sure it wasn’t food since I hadn’t been introducing anything new to her diet and it was a specific area (the part she shoves into everything interesting on the ground). Her appetite didn’t change but because she was a little swollen she looked miserable. They were slightly itchy but otherwise didn’t seem to bother her. The bumps appeared on and off for about a week and even her worse case of it had the swelling go down quite fast.
the worst case she had that lasted just hours
Bumps on ear- bumps all over just one ear after a play at the park. Gave her a ear mite treatment just in case, but they disappeared and never came back.
Treatment
I boosted her immune system by cutting out the kibble entirely (she only has at most a cup a day) and giving her a spoonful of local honey every night. Honey has been my go-to when Whiskey has a problem. It’s great for infection and wound healing (applied to the skin) and in this case local honey helps both humans and canines for allergies. I also sprayed on some Burts Bees Anti Itch Soothing Spray because it seemed like she had a mild itch. We also washed all bedding just in case and gave her extra cuddles.
Giardia
A week after the bumps went away completely, there was one evening when I noticed she was less energetic at the park (walking to retrieve the ball, not running). I kept an eye on her and she happily ate dinner and but then was super sleepy. An hour later I noticed her tummy gurgling more than usual (I was lying down with her because I felt something was off) and she didn’t even seem interested in some cantaloupe which she normally loves. Overall it wasn’t a huge change in temperament, because even my partner thought she was just tired from her hike that day. That night she woke us up whining and when we took her out, she pooped twice (soft) and went back to sleep for the rest of the night.
My sleepy girl with gurgles in her tummy
The next day her energy level seemed better but she vomited during a car ride. In the evening again she seemed ok, but in the middle of the night woke us for another poop. After that she was fine with no symptoms since I changed her food back to home cooked and added extra probiotics. We weren’t too concerned at this point because everything went back to normal and we had assumed that she just ate something bad at the park.
energy level is quite normal
Then several days later the wake-up calls to soft poops started again. After a couple days of getting progressively worse it got to the point she was straining to go but couldn’t and would try over and over again. She would also wake us up 3 times at night to go out. At this point we took her to the vet.
waiting at the new vet
During the wait for the vet, she tried to go poop 5 times in an hour. Because it was last minute, we tried out a new vet closer to home that was available (her normal vet was booked up that day). This one was much more thorough in the examination, but asked to do more expensive (and maybe unnecessary) tests. He noticed her heartbeat was slower than normal and did an EKG (she’s just really fit). We also ordered a very comprehensive parasite panel and diarrhea panel, but needed to wait a couple days to hear back. That night I went to Costco and bought a ton of ground chicken and sweet potato so I could start her on a bland diet.
during the day she is normal
We went back to the vet the next morning after 2 rounds of vomiting (mostly bile) and waking up 4-5 times at night for poops. Strangely she was eating fine and her energy was good at the park, but more subdued at home. This time they did a full blood test, gave her extra electrolytes, a subcutaneous fluid injection (fluids injected under her skin) to help elevate any dehydration, and got her started on antibiotics and some special super canine probiotics. Her blood test came back with everything normal, which was a relief because with home-feeding it’s good to have the feedback she’s doing well. Within an hour Whiskey had perked up again has been getting better ever since. Eventually a couple days later we got a call about the poop results and confirmed she had Giardia and I could come pick up more medication.
the lump is the fluid injection, disappears over the day
Whiskey’s had Giardia before as a puppy but this time didn’t present the same as last. As a puppy it came on very fast and was obviously a problem. This time the illness was non-continuous and harder to tell it wasn’t just something she ate in the park.
a bit skinny, needs more food!
Treatment
Vet bills were over $900 so it’s good we were insured!!! If we weren’t insured, we wouldn’t have agreed to all the tests and treatments. So Whiskey had a heart test (EKG), bloodwork, poop test, electrolytes, a subcutaneous fluid injection, probiotics, prescription probiotics, antibiotics, and a small change of diet. The last time we had Giardia we only had a poop test, with quick feedback (40 mins vs 4 days) and antibiotics so the price to treat and diagnose this can vary like crazy depending on the vet!
extra velcro these days
Lessons Learned
-Insurance pays off, especially moments where you don’t want to make decisions based on money
-Even though we spent more at this vet and did more tests, it took longer to get a diagnoses because the fecal test was sent to another lab. Our other vet would have been quicker because they can do it immediately, even though we would have had to wait an extra day to get an appointment.
-A sick dog plus two working parents make for a very hectic week and lots of worrying
It’s been raining puppies lately and I’m overjoyed at being able to set up some play dates for Whiskey. I was a bit worried about Whiskey being gentle enough around the little ones but with treats, recall, and lots of “lie down” she was great sharing the attention. I really can’t believe how fast her first year has gone and when I see these (10 and 16 week-old) puppies I honestly can’t remember how small she was. Puppies are just so floppy, awkward, and such a joy to watch romping around discovering the world.
Pana, the little sassy girl
Sophie is a mini Whiskey
First we met up with Sophie, Whiskey’s full sister from a different litter. They’re both from Stella and Ripley (click for links). Sophie is 16 weeks old and has Whiskey’s puppy confidence. It was her first time off leash and she did wonderfully! The only problem was she developed habit of sneaking off to drink seawater. Naughty puppy! I love Sophie and can’t wait to meet up with her again.
It’s so cool to see the sisters together
Whiskey looked just the same but their personalities are different
Sophie is fearless and will use her teeth
Whiskey’s got Sophie’s collar
These girls are so good together
A quieter moment
Checking out the genetics
They really are little mirrors
If only I could have two…
Teaming up against a sweet Bernese
Sophie’s learning to pose
And just last weekend we met up with Pana from Egerton Vizslas in Nova Scotia. We were also looking at Egerton when looking for a breeder but they didn’t have any litters coming up back then. A couple provinces in Canada including Nova Scotia have a law that prevents docking tails and dew claw removal so Pana is fully natural! That’s a whole other topic for another day but it’s great to see a full tail wagging on such a happy dog.
This is Pana
Because Pana is so young, Whiskey spent most of the time on the ground
My little girl is 1 year old. We’ve both been working overtime these days so we haven’t been able to have her a little party, though I we gifted her with a custom made dog monster-toy from etsy. Lets see if this one lasts! Here’s a little look back at our growing puppy:
We knew Vizslas were fast runners, amazing trail/obstacle racers, and we knew they could jump high, but we didn’t quite realize what an agile little bunny we had with Whiskey. Early on we encouraged her to climb up stumps, problem solve barriers, and navigate steep cliffs. We were thinking to ingrain her with a joy of climbing, yet a healthy regard about what was within her limits or unsafe. Now she loves to climb for fun!
a very little Whiskey learning to walk along logs
we encouraged her to climb
and so she was fearless!
balancing on strange shapes
All this made agility classes seem so attractive. We were lucky enough to find an agility class downtown that also mixed in intermediate obedience. In fact, there is a ton of obedience necessary to run an agility course well. A dog that is easily distracted, or doesn’t follow at heel would be really difficult to get through a course. And a super bonus and surprise was our class had 3 vizslas (out of 4 dogs!). Watch the experts here– I’m just super amazed at these dogs and trainers!
are we ready for class today?
practicing stay with distractions
Whiskey’s half-sister Millie was one of those Vizslas, and we would usually meet up for a romp at the park before heading to class so they were sufficiently tired enough to concentrate. Our first classes we started with some obedience training (heeling, staying with distractions) before trying out the course. We also switched to short leashes that didn’t trail when they went into tunnels.
I dunno about this!
our first classes had the ladder on the ground
gets raised as we go
flying Whiskey
The hardest obstacle was the weaving poles. It’s not a natural movement for these hunting dogs, and I would venture to say that herding dogs would have an easier time with the movement. Tunnels and jumps were super easy though, and we’ve had Whiskey balance on logs so often as a pup that the see-saw wasn’t a problem at all. The biggest challenges were when the tunnels got longer, or had a sharp bend in them. Also, Whiskey found the chute and sharp corners in the course (two jumps at 90 degrees) difficult not to veer off course. Our instructor changed the course several times a lesson so we never got bored.
weaving is hard!
you must tell them which way to go
see-saws can be hard for lots of dogs
waiting our turn
this chute business isn’t so easy either
One of the things worth considering was that our lessons were held indoors on a hard surface (the green was a thin layer) and a 10 month old is still developing so jolts and jumping and running shouldn’t be encouraged much. We thought once a week was ok (we only walk the course a couple times and our speed couldn’t be considered a ‘run’), especially since we do all our training and practicing in the forest. It was also great to get in the obedience training and realize our “stay” was pretty poor with distractions. In the end we were able to run the course mostly off leash (except for the weaving poles. Did I mention our class uses no treats? That’s not easy for Whiskey! We were also the youngest by far and we did pretty good, if I may say so myself.
So within the span of a couple months I decided to rescue my cat, Moo, and fly home a puppy- Whiskey. I went from never having pets to being surrounded by fur. We purposefully picked up a cat-like dog (Vizslas are supposed to be cat-like) and dog-like cat (Moo was advertised as very dog-like in personality). Here are my personal perspectives on owning a dog vs a cat
dog-Whiskey
cat-Moo
Training
-both are equally trainable to DO something. Moo is crazy for food, just as much as Whiskey is so training them both was pretty easy. Both have great recall, sit, lie down, paw, roll over, and go where I point (up, down, etc). I just spend more time training Whiskey because it’s more useful and she doesn’t make you bleed when she is frustrated.
-it seems impossible to train my cat NOT to do something. With a dog, it’s still difficult because you may not always be able to control the situation (ie, Whiskey barks when she is playing with other dogs) but Vizslas generally want to please you. On the other hand, my cat completely understands she’s not allowed to do something, but doesn’t really care about what you’d like. You need a strong enough incentive for her not to do something bad at ALL times, and we’ve so far not found that incentive yet (water spray, loud noises, scruffing, bitter taste, double sided tape, etc).
try to train a cat not to escape….
training recall on the long line
Ease of Toilet
-Cats are so much easier to potty train and you don’t need to walk them outside in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain when they need to do their business. In most cases, cats come trained and kittens learn by copying mom. Of course, you still need to buy and clean litter in most cases (we are trying to train Moo to use the human toilet so we are past the litter stage), but it’s generally easier than picking up dog poop and carrying it around until you see a garbage. -It took about 3 months to fully housebreak Whiskey and we’ve trained her now to ring a bell, but when she needs to go in new situations or if we leave her for long periods of time, it’s still sometimes tricky.
Moo using her toilet
Boarding
-Whiskey is actually easier to board, surprisingly. She’s really sweet and will listen to others, recalling without issues and doesn’t tend to rummage through and eat everything in sight
-Moo is only trained to me and people she knows (her recall is usually only to me) and she’s so sneaky she’s able to get everywhere she’s not supposed to go (eg: the windowsills 30 floors up). She’s also harder to deal with in terms of her getting into food on the counter and getting into drawers and shelves (so far the dog hasn’t learned to open drawers yet). Also moving her to another location is more of a problem since cats are generally territorial, and won’t immediately get along with other household pets like Whiskey does. Luckily we have amazing friends that will cat-sit Moo at our apartment and have learned to cat-proof any food.
She’s been so easy to board
Health Issues
-Because Moo is an indoor cat, there are much less vet visits or digestion problems from eating stuff on the ground. Dogs get into everything, everywhere, so more vet bills but both have been really healthy so far. -It is far easier to inspect and handle Whiskey.
An outdoor dog has more health problems
Claws/Nails
-We are getting better at trimming the nails of both animals as we do it weekly with really good snacks. Only Moo will draw blood and bite but we are making progress!
Food
-Both Whiskey and Moo love their food though Moo is less picky (she will happily eat anything from dog kibble, butter, raw anything, to slices of bread and chips). They will enthusiastically help clean pans and dishes and Moo regularly jumps into the fridge to approve of our groceries. Moo eats daintily while Whiskey inhales her food. Moo also steals Whiskey’s Kongs and enjoys them just as much.
We trained Moo to tolerate Whiskey with lots of treats around the puppy
Moo stealing Whiskey’s Kong
Cuddle factor
-Strangely my velcro dog doesn’t normally cuddle unless we’re in bed (prefers cave bed to couch) but if we force her to cuddle, she’ll tolerate us -Moo only cuddles on her time, when she wants, where she wants (even if you are sitting on the toilet, you may be informed it’s cuddle time) though she also has the softest fur ever and never smells bad.
both are great sleeping buddies
it can be slightly more uncomfortable with the dog on top
Grooming
-Whiskey is pretty clean for a dog but extremely smelly and dirty when compared to a cat -Both will groom themselves but Moo has never had a bath (god help us if we need to), Whiskey gets a bath once a month when she starts to smell or has rolled in something foul
Moo is twice as soft
Exercise factor
-Contrary to what you may think, cats need you to exercise them too! Moo needs about 15mins daily compared to 2+ hours Whiskey needs. On the plus side, we can hike with Whiskey but Moo refuses to wear a collar or a leash so we can’t take her outside. -You can exercise Whiskey whenever is convenient, though Moo has her own schedule and may decide that midnight is time for Kung Fu practice.
playing together (ie, Whiskey trying to avoid getting hit)
Toys
-Whiskey plays with both cat and dog toys and regularly destroys them -Moo will only play with feathers, string, boxes, and your newest package of food on the counter. She will also destroy them
Destruction level of home
-So far my socks and sheepskin slippers are now dog toys. Whereas all my wicker baskets, my cloth hampers, my bedframe, my blankets, my bathrug are all Moo’s. All the curtains (bath and windows) as well as the leather couch have little claw marks from climbing training. -Whiskey will relocate items around the home, while Moo just shreds them in displeasure -Knitting is difficult!
both love to chase yarn
our bed is now theirs and require lots of washing
Friendliness
-Both will meet me at the door, but whereas Moo sees it as a chance to escape, Whiskey will give me a welcome like she’s just won the lottery. There’s really nothing like coming home to a Vizsla -I think my cat just stays with me because I have the best treats. Whiskey actually likes me (and the treats).
Both rock our world!
Curiosity
-If a poor neighbour happens to have their door open at the moment we have our door open, both pets are likely to rush into their home and immediately start exploring. Both are quite fearless and love checking out what is going on in our bags but overall I would say Moo is more curious and thorough
And what is for dinner tonight?
Ultimately…
In conclusion, Whiskey is like my human daughter with floppy ears, a sweet personality, loves you to death, and totally dependent, while Moo is like a cranky elderly roomate who yells at you to feed her, has a taste of everything you eat, is totally up in your business, but is also really sweet once in awhile.
The past long weekend we decided to take a cheap, dog-friendy vacation to Hope for some hiking. We managed to be lucky enough to have one dry day between the crazy rainfall and got in a couple hikes.
The view of the town of Hope
playing in the forest
posing in the forest
The town of Hope
Famous for the film location of the first Rambo, we did our research by watching First Blood with Whiskey in bed. We stayed in a beautiful AirBnB suite with a really comfortable bed and friendly family and had a blast. Hope is a pretty small town and we didn’t really meet any tourists out.
the roads around Hope are beautiful, even in the rain
The first day we set out early to conquer Mt. Hope, a 6+ hour hike. Unfortunately, Hope recently had a bad ice storm that damaged a ton of trees around the area. The logging road to the start of the hike was hopelessly blocked but we tried to get through anyway to see if it was just a small section (it wasn’t) and found the extent of damage was pretty incredible. This was the ultimate agility course for Whiskey and she was super quick to jump over, climb on top of, crawl under, and find her way though all the downed trees. She didn’t understand why the humans had so much trouble.
road is blocked!
yeah…not the easiest to get through
she gets through this mess like a wiggly snake -no problem
Next we made a random stop on the highway and found a small section of the Boston Bar Trail. Named after the Americans that had found gold on the Fraser, this is a really old trail that dates back to the 1850s. Now used by ATVs, there was no one out so we just strolled on through, throwing sticks and taking pictures.
not too shabby a stroll
weeee! happy dog
little waterfalls everywhere with melting snow and rainfall
Coming back to town, we next did the Hope Lookout trail, “the Grouse Grind of Hope”. It certainly was a grind and a good workout but with more variation in scenery than the Vancouver one, and much much less crowded. The finish wasn’t at the top of the mountain, but had a cute bench and a nice view of the city.
Another short-ish hike because, hey, it’s the long weekend and we wanted to sleep in a bit. We were the only ones on this hike which starts right off the highway. There’s no precursor- it’s just up up up and there are some scrambling parts as well with ropes to help out. The top has quite a bit of ice storm damage but the trail was really easy to follow. I would say that this might not be dog-friendly to small or old dogs because of the incline but any athletic dog would be fine (Whiskey was chasing sticks up and down like it was nothing). Also, since it was a rainy day, I would suggest to make sure you have good traction shoes for this hike. We had the most fun on this one, but be warned- we found ticks!!
the trail starts up right away
in lumpy moss land
we gain height quickly
taking a breather
she really doesn’t understand why we are always so slow
a quick peek
a couple ropes to help
Whiskey sits on my lap in the middle of a scramble
top top top!
waiting for me to finish the ropes
This is one gorgeous hike
she races up and down this mountain
until next time
Ticks
Oh gross oh gross oh gross. I’m not really good with bugs and was really happy to have someone else pull these buggers out. They can grow to enormous sizes and carry some serious diseases (rare) so make sure you check your dog if a hike is known to have ticks. We found 2 well hidden behind Whiskey’s ears and killed them in alcohol (flushing them down does not kill them).
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.
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!
At the end of October we went off for a long diving vacation in Mexico. Suffice to say, the trip didn’t go to plan and we were both counting the days until we could come back and snuggle with Whiskey.
Mexico’s Great White Sharks (not dog friendly)
We picked her up at the boarder’s the day after we landed and were welcomed with a bundle of wiggles, nibbles (she still nibbles when she is too excited) and loads of licks. There’s nothing like coming home to a Vizsla! Best.Day.EVER
A Mexican blanket for Whiskey
Apparently she was perfectly behaved and got along famously with the house dog (standard poodle) and another GSP that was also being boarded. They went on at least one hike a day and she was so exhausted when we got home. So far she’s been right back to our schedule with few behavior changes we assume is just part of her maturing. The boarding experience was so great that we don’t even feel guilty about it.
an empty kibble bag keeps her entertained for quite awhile
paws everywhere!
She had no accidents at the home, was great on recall, and only missed one meal (Whiskey has about 1 meal a month she just decides she doesn’t want). She’s also changed quite a bit. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is, but she’s bigger and her muscles have filled in a bit. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have her back in my life! Excuse me while I go demand more cuddles…
can’t move…I’m stuck
And Moo. Still up to no good, we had a fabulous house sitter that watched over her.
