Living the life of Riley

Bad News :(

2013-05-15T20:03:00.001-07:00

A friend & I took a day off from work today to make the 4 hour round trip to UC Davis for an orthopedic specialist to examine Riley's knee. I'll be brief. Her cruciate ligament in her knee is torn. I had suspected this was the case all along based on how she had been favoring the leg ever since she was attacked.

The resident AND faculty vet both agree it's a ligament tear & requires immediate surgery (they wanted me to schedule the surgery for next week, if possible.) They also recommended the TPLO method, which will cost around $4,500. The vet also says it would be best for her to have the metal plate/screws removed after 3-4 months of recovery to avoid the risk of infection, due to her past history, which is an additional $1,500.

We're relaxing at home with my sweet baby girl and trying to figure out how we're going to make this work. Today's appointment cost $600 (a small fraction of what we've already spent). Please send prayers and good thoughts our way. We could use them.

Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park

2013-05-13T11:52:00.001-07:00

Reuben did the "Run For Your Lives" zombie run on Saturday. I decided to take the pups with me to drop him off and see if I could find a spot nearby to go for a short hike. We discovered a beautiful park with a place for the pups to explore and swim.

Entrance to the upper side

Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park (that's a mouthful!) is located about an hour northeast of Sacramento. It's a gorgeous park and has all kinds of wildlife, including ticks, so make sure to check yourself before you leave.

Posing for a picture by the creek

I was very excited to discover it was a short walk to the creek. Riley's leg has been really bad, but she looooves to swim and it's a great way to tire her out without hurting her leg. Both pups swam for about 45 minutes before we went on a VERY short hike to explore the area.

Cooper goes full derp

Riley with a little silly lip action

These guys move so quickly it's hard to get good pictures of them! Riley and Cooper both showed off their derpy sides and made faces for the camera.

Pointing at the deer - "Mom! It's over here!"

The deer came bursting out of the bushes to the left

I always doubted the pups would be any good at hunting fur (as opposed to feathers). Well, they found fur for me. A very big, furry doe! Riley kept going nuts around a large cluster of bushes and she locked up onto a point a few times, with Cooper honoring. I just told her she was silly and kept walking. She was so frustrated with me that she ran around the opposite side of the bushes and barged right in... flushing a deer out right in front of me! I was so shocked I didn't even think about taking a picture. The deer definitely wasn't scared of me and just kind of stood there staring at me before she leapt away and effortlessly cleared the barbed wire boundary fence. A few seconds later my hunter pups came running around the bush and started trying to track the deer. I had to recall them a few times before they gave up. My lesson from that day was to trust my pups' noses!

I discovered a new panoramic setting on my phone and took a couple of pictures to show just how gorgeous the park is. If you have a chance and are in the area I strongly recommend visiting the park.

One flag left!

Muddy and yucky, but he survived

Oh, and my hubby did great at the zombie race. He "survived" (didn't run out of flags) and earned a medal for his accomplishment! Cooper's been running with him during the cooler hours of the day and they're both in great shape now.

Velcro Vizslas

2013-05-06T21:38:00.001-07:00

Is there anything better than Vizsla cuddles? <3

Pups & Peanut Butter

2013-05-04T08:45:00.003-07:00

I love putting peanut butter on my pups' noses. It's hilarious to watch them try to lick it off! After a few minutes, they discovered it was easier to lick it off each others noses. Smart pups! :)

Hunting Styles

2013-05-02T11:27:00.001-07:00

"If you have a Vizsla you hunt with who is subtle, then get to know him or her and don't dismiss it as a lack of prey drive, as it may just be they have a different way of letting you know." ~ Aussie Vizsla Diaries

"Try telling them the freezer is full"

A brilliant blog post written by my friend "down under" about hunting with dogs who show their points in different ways. I hate it when people are discouraged by trainers who tell them their dog has no hunt potential simply because they don't have obvious, showy points. Please check out his blog! He has some great tips on bow hunting and training dogs the natural way. :)

Orthopedic Specialist Time

2013-04-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

Riley has been limping worse and worse as each month passes and refusing to put any weight on her injured leg. I can pick up her right hind leg and she absolutely collapses if I make her use the other leg as support. A few days ago she sat on the floor and stared up at me, crying, because she couldn't jump onto the bed. I knew it was time to schedule an appointment with a vet at UC Davis. We are going to see an orthopedic specialist (translation: very expensive vet for leg injuries) on May 15th. The hubby and I are hopeful they can give us some answers and possibly some solutions for our poor little girl. Hunt training has been put on hold (yet again) until she's better. 1st appointment is going to cost us $140 just for them to look at her leg, not to mention the cost of gas for the 4 hour round trip drive. I'd better bid my meager savings account farewell.

Sweet Riley has a hard time getting comfortable these days. She likes to lay on the back of our couch because this way it relieves some of the pressure on her leg. <3 It's hard to see a family member you love in so much pain.

Cuddling with her brother

Cooper is her best buddy and they do everything together. We are so blessed to have 2 of the best dog breed in the world! (We are a bit biased, of course!)

Cooper is getting so big! Almost 70lbs :)

Vizsla - A LONG TERM Commitment

2013-04-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

I read this on the Vizsla facebook page today and it made me feel sick:

"Cedar is a seven year old owner surrender. He is being surrendered because he does not get along with other dogs and there is a new puppy in the home. Cedar is WONDEFRFUL with people- a total sweetie with no issues and has had training. He enjoys lots of time playing and cuddling with his family, daily runs, and sleeping in bed. Cedar likes playing in his fenced yard, so a fenced yard would be great. He is an active boy, so a family with older children would be fine, but he may be too much for young kids. He truly loves everyone, so take him home!! MUST be only dog."

I found it hard to believe that someone could do this to a Vizsla! A little more investigating and I found the owner's response to the situation:

"For those of you judging me without knowing the whole story, perhaps I can enlighten you. This dog came into my home at 10 mos. of age, and I have spent a lot of time working with him over the past 6 yrs. He won my heart almost immediately, and I will always be in love with him. Cedar is the most affectionate dog I have ever owned, and I love him to pieces. He will stay with me until I find a home good enough for him, and I will be very picky about who that is. The puppy is not here with me now, and will not come here until Cedar has found a new home. The puppy is with the breeder, and will stay there until I can have her. Cedar has always been reactive to other dogs. I was hoping I could work through this, and show him in obedience, rally, and agility. I now realize that that's not going to happen, so I have found a dog that I can compete with. You will never know how many tears I've shed over this decision. Perhaps you shouldn't judge people until you have the whole story..........."

The situation is appalling. I don't understand how you can own a Vizsla for 6 years and decide that you want to dump your family member for a new puppy. People reading this on facebook are all stunned and I'm frankly shocked that this idiot of a woman was brave enough to try and defend her actions. The whole situation has made me livid.

Here is the link to the facebook page and a picture of the sweet boy if you're interested:

Cedar - 7yr old Vizsla up for adoption through New Hope Vizsla Rescue

Poor Cedar :(

I guess there are people in this world who see dogs as tools. Some hunt trainers see them as ladders to winning ribbons, looking good in front of their peers, and making more money from training. If you have to step on some dogs along the way (ruin their legs by inadequate supervision while with other dogs, etc.) it won't bother you because you're not doing it for the dogs, you're only doing it for your own self-centered interests. This woman doesn't care about her dog. She just wants a pup for the things she wants to pursue in life. What pisses me off the most is that her dog probably only has 6 years (tops) left of his own life. Would it KILL her to wait that long for a new puppy?

My Riley's leg is ruined by a bad trainer who couldn't care less about destroying some dogs along the way. As a result, I am left with a pup who can't do anything I planned to do with her. To me, it doesn't matter. I love the pup, not her abilities. I made a long-term commitment to love her no matter what happens. If you can't commit to a dog long-term, you have no business owning one.

/rant

Ear Infections & Cuddles

2013-04-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Poor Cooper had been shaking his ears and scratching at them for a few weeks, so I decided it was time to take him in to the vet. We'd been regularly cleaning brown gunk out of his ears and he started crying when we touched them. I realized that he must have an infection of some sort. Turns out he had a very bad yeast infection in both ears (it was worse in the right ear). $160 later and we have a tiny bottle of drops for his ears. They said dogs who have long ears that retain moisture have a tendency to get ear infections. Cooper's ears started bothering him right after a weekend of swimming! From now on, we are going to dry out his ears after he swims. I'm convinced this is what caused the infection.

If you're reading my blog, please be aware there is a reason why Vizslas are referred to as "velcro" dogs. They wan to be with you ALL the time. We have 2 couches in our house, but the pups choose the couch we are on every time... which can lead to some pretty hysterical cuddle arrangements...

When you run out of room, lay on the human!

Riley is the best work-from-home buddy!

Random Musings

2013-04-05T18:07:00.001-07:00

Chester kisses for auntie <3

My youngest sister just left for culinary school, so her chihuhua pup Chester is missing her lots (as are we)! He is such a sweet little boy and he loves to give kisses!

Love those cute little Vizzie bottoms <3

I decided to go on a nice long walk with the pups for Easter and we had a blast. Riley's leg has really been bothering her even on the shortest of walks. I don't think we hardly walked over a mile and she was limping severely that evening. :(

Dancing pup!

Riley decided that Zumba looked like lots of fun, so she joined my mom! I was impressed with her dance moves.

"Mom! Can we take one of THESE toys home?!?"

We took a trip to the pet store to see what different types of collars/leads they had available to help us with Cooper's pulling. We've tried multiple different methods and nothing has worked. I finally decided to try the prong collar and OH EM GEE, it works! Cooper walks like a dream at a perfect heel and we hardly even need to correct him. Reuben's started running with him every day and it's been great for both of them. Reuben is losing weight and Cooper is much more laid-back. Of course, Riley stares out the window and cries until they come home. Poor girl. :(

Riley The Diving Wonder Pup!

2013-03-25T10:02:00.003-07:00

We took a trip to Sunol yesterday morning intending to meet up with Louie for his 1st birthday celebration and ended up being 20 minutes late. The pups still had a blast, romping around through the grass, chasing birds, and swimming. We also have discovered that Riley loves to launch herself into the water for sticks! This is not something we trained her to do, she decided completely on her own that the fastest way to get the stick was by jumping into the water. She can jump so far, in fact, that sometimes she catches the stick as she lands in the water. I'm thinking maybe we can try dock diving for her? :) Her leg was really bothering her yesterday after the hike, so we'll be cutting the length of her hikes in half (sadly). Cooper was absolutely full of energy and could easily have gone for another hike. Maybe I can fashion some kind of sling that Reuben can carry Riley in once she's had enough... lol.

Anyway, here is a video of our amazing little dock diver!

Sunol Hike - 3/15

2013-03-19T17:07:00.001-07:00

The pups pointing at some cows - leash time!

Reuben took the pups on their first Sunol hike in a loooooong time and they all had a blast. Riley's leg was really bothering her that evening, so it looks like we will need to limit her hikes and do more water activities. Riley LAUNCHED herself into the water after a stick (for the first time ever!) and Reuben even got it on video. :)

Tug-o-war under water

Sticks are awesome

The pups love "their" car - the turf works well to keep dirt off

Sharing a nice, cool drink of water after the hike <3

Happy 1st Birthday Cooper!

2013-03-13T14:59:00.001-07:00

Our big goofy goober turned 1 year old on Sunday (3/10)! We didn't have much of a chance to celebrate as I wasn't feeling well that day, but I cooked up a bunch of chicken sausages for him this morning that he seemed to enjoy. I can hardly believe we've had him for 6 months already! He's such an integral part of our family. :)

1st day home! Riley isn't too sure about this pup...

1st picture - sent to me by prior owner

Cuddle bug <3

Riley quickly learned that he made a good chair

Hiking adventure at Sunol

All legs!

Riley also uses him as a pillow

1st ride in "their" new car!

Hike at wildlife area

1st point!

Training with Reuben

Happy 1st birthday Cooper!

Saying Goodbye To A Dream

2013-03-13T14:43:00.001-07:00

The past few months have been rough for me. I've realized that Riley will never be a competitive hunter due to her knee injury. It wouldn't be fair to put her through that kind of agony. She *thinks* she can still go at 100% speed, but her knee just can't handle it.

I've definitely gone through the 5 stages of grief:

1. Denial - Her knee can't be *that* bad! I'm sure it will heal up eventually and be just fine. I told myself this for the first 6 months.

2. Anger - For a long time, I was extremely angry about the situation. How could someone be so careless as to let this happen? I TRUSTED them with my 6 month old baby girl and they let me down. I was also mad at myself. Mad that I took the risk of sending her for training at such a young age. I figured it was just as much my fault.

3. Bargaining - There MUST be something, anything I can to make her knee better. Epsom salt baths, massage, long walks in harnesses, etc. I tried it all. Our last resort would be surgery, which we can't afford.

4. Depression - Well, my girl's passion for birds is now completely out of reach for her. Everything I hoped and dreamed of is over. No ribbons, no titles, nothing. What was even the point to pursuing hunt training if she had a bad knee? All that time, effort, and money... down the drain.

5. Acceptance - Thank goodness I can finally say I've reached this point! Will my Riley ever hunt competitively? No. This still makes me sad, but I've finally accepted it. We will continue to train her on a limited basis to be my own personal buddy and hunting companion. At the end of the day, I'm not trying to gain notoriety or money off this. Riley doesn't care if she has medals and she honestly would rather hunt in a natural setting with me. All I care about in the end is her happiness. :)

We are currently with an excellent trainer - Bryce Mann down in Tollhouse, CA. He loves the pups and both are excelling under his guidance.

I also went to a beginner lesson for falconry this past weekend and it was absolutely awe-inspiring. My plan for retirement is to train a Vizsla and a falcon together for hunting upland birds. My friend and I want to continue taking lessons and become licensed falconers some day.

Kitties Rule, Puppies Drool!

2013-02-25T15:39:00.002-08:00

My pups know that cats are the rulers of the house! Riley went to visit a friend the other day who has 2 cats (and no dogs). The dominant cat learned very quickly that he was safe with Riley as long as he growled and didn't run away. It made for a pretty funny picture!

"Save me from the evil kitten, Auntie Bree!"

Riley had a fun day with her "Auntie" Bree. They went for a short hike, visited the Mozilla office, and also took a walk at a local park to chase the birds. I love having friends that are willing to take my pups on adventures!

Ducks!

Geese!

zzzZZZzzzZZZzzz...

Cooper the Pointer!

2013-01-29T15:05:00.001-08:00

We decided to take Cooper out for his 2nd chukar exposure since we first brought him home several months ago and he blew us away! He locked up in solid points on the chukar and made us very proud. We are so excited to continue his training!

1st point - so proud of our pup!

2nd point - lookin' good

Post-Heat Wildlife Adventure

2013-01-19T17:20:00.001-08:00

We took a short 1 hour trip to San Luis Wildlife area today to let the pups run. They had a blast, as usual, but Riley's leg was definitely bothering her after weeks of very little exercise. I tried out their new tennis ball launcher & it was an instant hit. :) Tomorrow we're going on the Point Pinole walk & I'm super excited for the pups to have some play time with other Vizslas.

Top 10 Reasons Why Vizslas Are Better Than Kids

2013-01-15T09:03:00.002-08:00

1.) Do you want to go out to the movies? Have you ever heard someone say "oh, she'll be alright in her crate for a few hours"? Oh yeah, that's what you can do with a vizsla.

2.) They can be potty trained... in a few weeks. Vizslas don't have to get a diaper changed multiple times per day unless you have a female in heat & even then it's only 2 months out of the year.

3.) Vizslas are a cheap investment, comparatively. A rescue is going to cost you a couple hundred and a pure-breed is going to be a couple thousand, at most. No additional insurance costs, no doctor's visits for prenatal check-ups, and no time missed from work!

4.) Cheap educational expenses. I don't have to pay for college tuition. 'nuff said.

5.) Vizslas don't hold grudges. The longest Riley was ever upset with me was about 30 minutes. I doubt she even remembers what happened that day.

6.) Clothing costs. I think I have bought 3 jackets total for Riley and 1 of them has never been used.

7.) Vizslas will always love you unconditionally, no matter what. They don't care what kind of house you live in, how much money you have, what kind of food you eat, or where you go. They're just happy to share their lives with you.

8.) You get to handpick them! Riley was the sweet, quiet pup in the litter who wanted nothing more than to sit on our laps and lick our fingers. Cooper was a re-home and when we met him at the park, we immediately fell in love.

9.) They will never ask you for money. Ever.

10.) Top 10 reason why Vizslas are better than kids? Your Vizsla will be a compassionate shoulder to cry on, faithful hiking buddy, determined hunter in the field, and a heater at night to keep you warm. They will be your most loyal companion to the very end.

Watching Birds

2013-01-11T18:31:00.001-08:00

Riley loves to watch birds out our front window & it's one of the few times she's holding still enough for pictures! She re-injured her poor knee somehow yesterday so she had an Epsom salt bath & cuddled in bed with me all night. We need a bigger bed so we can fit both pups!

Sleepy Pups

2013-01-09T23:46:00.001-08:00

Pup Portraits

2013-01-06T14:49:00.002-08:00

It's been a while since I took high-quality photos of the pups, so I dragged them outside and made them pose. Cooper did remarkably well and was actually able to hold still for about 30 seconds while I snapped a few pictures. He's come quite a long way since we first brought him home! :)

"Mom, this is boring!"

"Bird?!?"

Riley - 16 months old

Cooper - 10 months old

Chasing Birds

2012-12-17T10:43:00.003-08:00

We headed out to our favorite spot yesterday with the pups to "hunt" some quail. Riley made me a very proud mom! She found the biggest covey I've seen to-date. There must have been about 20-30 quail in the group. I had decided to get my camera out and ready to film a video once I heard some quail calling. Of course, Riley snuck up on the little buggers so fast they were completely silent the entire time we were approaching them, so I had my camera in my pocket as they broke cover and flew off. I'm adding a GoPro camera to my wish list!

It was a beautiful sight to see the quail flying off followed by both pups in hot pursuit. Cooper has honored Riley's points since the first day we brought him home and yesterday it was amazing to see Riley scent pointing where the quail must have been earlier that morning with Cooper holding a steady point right behind her, tail quivering in anticipation.

It makes my heart happy to see them running through the fields and bushes looking for birds. There is nothing better than seeing your pup doing what they were bred to do. This is where they belong - out in the wide open spaces. Hardened muscles propelling them forward toward their prey on the hunt. I'm just lucky they allow me to join them and be a part of it all.

I tried hunting on a whim and now I'm addicted. I'll be chasin' those birds 'til the day I die! :)

Merry Christmas!

2012-12-14T20:52:00.008-08:00

Riley and Cooper wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Cooper is birdy!

2012-11-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I've just been too busy. I took Riley and Cooper out to our new favorite spot to meet a friend who was bringing us some quail for Riley's training. We did a few (unsuccessful) plants and then he finally got a bird planted just right. I kept Riley on a check cord and when she found the quail scent she froze in a beautiful point. If it wasn't raining, I would have taken a picture. There is something magical about a Vizsla point. Tail up and quivering, cheeks puffing in and out with quick bursts of air to capture the quail's scent. I was very happy with how well she performed. Even with the poor weather conditions, she was able to locate every single quail. Of course, most of them were running away because the darn things refused to plant correctly! Haha!

When we were done with Riley's training, I asked my friend if we could just let Cooper see the quail and play with them if he was even interested. At first, I held the quail in my hands to let him come see it, but he would not approach me! He barked and play bowed, but wouldn't come see it. I was pretty upset and thought that maybe this meant he really was afraid of birds. I decided to set the quail down on the ground and let it wander around to see how Cooper would react. The minute that little bird hit the ground he was on it! I was so surprised! He chased it down and then when the bird froze he promptly picked it up in his mouth and proudly pranced around with it. I let him just play with it and have fun. The 2nd bird I actually planted in the grass for him to see if he could find it. It took him a while, but he did end up locating it and then proudly carried it around as well. I have yet to see him actually point a bird, but he does have the hunting instinct! :)

I'm also happy to see how Riley's range has started developing more and more. Now that she's been finding quail on a regular basis, she ranges MUCH further out from me. Some walks she even spends part of the time so far off I can't see her. I think it might be time to invest in a GPS tracking collar.

A "Close Shave"

2012-11-19T12:24:00.002-08:00

Cooper tried to commit suicide yesterday morning. Thank God he didn't swallow any of the blades. I also couldn't find any cuts in his mouth. This dog is going to give me a heart attack!

2nd Heat

2012-11-10T20:30:00.001-08:00

Riley's 2nd heat came just in time for hunting season. *sigh* I guess we'll have to do quite a few private trips to wildlife areas for the next 30 days. I'm also going to be training her using planted quail. Anyone want to hunt wild birds with us?