Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Vizsla the velcro dog

The Vizsla breed  makes an absolutely wonderful family companion, hunting dog and/or show dog.  They'll do anything you ask them to just as long as it is with you.  Because they absolutely love to be with their owners they have earned the nick name of "Velcro Vizsla." They are wonderful with children,  however as with any breed, the child needs to understand how to treat and care for the dog while an energetic puppy may overwhelm  a very small child.

A baby Natasha Rose cuddles and is stuck like velcro to family and friends;
ASC_1013
Velcro puppy

Each time Andy, our son, sits on the floor you'll find Natasha Rose climbing up to fill his lap. And if Andy's lap is unavailable she will try to snuggle with Samson our Maltese.



And as the hour gets late you can be sure to find her next to Jorge in bed.
A pair of legs make the best pillow














Your eyelids are getting heavy

You're getting sleepy...

And to all a good night

Please, please don't eat....

A favorite song from the movie of the same name comes to mind frequently when I share about Natasha's adventures these days:



I forgot all the fun involved in raising a young, teething, curious puppy whose only brainwave is signaling her mouth to chomp on what ever happens to be in front of her nose at the moment. Items she has managed to digest in her 6 months of life include most of my container garden plants (roses, herbs, climbing vines, camellias), some more than once or twice as I replace them with new.  Once she finished devouring those she would move onto digging for their roots. I guess she felt she had to clean her plate, or would that be the pot?


Then of course there were the random shoes that didn't make it safely into the closet followed by the smelly socks. Next Natasha discovered the Neosporin. She chewed off the top, through the tube and finished off the contents inside. We now have the number of the Poison Center (800-222-1222) next to our vet's number on speed dial!

The carpets were another favorite. We decided to save them from both the inevitable pee-stains and now chewed corners by rolling them up along with their carpet pads. Little did we know how much fun she would have by chewing straight through the middle of the rolled up foam pad as though it were super-sized burrito.

Natasha even took to chomping on Samson our Maltese! She would sneak up behind him snap his feathery tail into his mouth and chew on the ends much as a little girl would nibble at the ends of her hair. This quickly became a game designed for one in which Sammy, attempting to escape from her mouth as floss through teeth would be slung with a quick toss of Natasha's head across the bare floors like a hockey puck on ice. Then the game would repeat itself until Natasha's teeth were clean or Sammy found a low enough corner to hide under.




When I saw what she ate next, it became crystal clear to me that what we really had was a beaver in puppy's clothing!

What was left of the coffee table leg
Table leg or ear of corn?

This taste treat was enjoyed while we were out for the evening. As a result we have established new habits in the care of the rest of the house and the security of her tender tummy.





To learn about kennel training visit:




How to Crate Train Your Dog or Puppy

Kennel Training and other tips





Thursday, February 16, 2012

Beyond the Westminster dog show, pet travel isn't always easy


By Laura Bly, USA TODAY


Sure, it's a dog's life for pooches staying at the Hotel Pennsylvania, the host hotel for this week's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. After all, what guest (and its owner) wouldn't drool at the prospect of a "paw mall" gift shop, canine concierge, and 24/7 doggie spa with treadmills, "his and hers relieving area" and masseuse?

By Todd Plitt, USA TODAY
But if you're not Westminster's Best of Show winner (a Pekingese named Malachy) or its competitors, finding dog-friendly accommodations might be tougher than you think.


Though review site Oyster.com did a recent round- up of seven other New York hotels that go out of their way to cater to canines, a new survey commissioned by the Northern California-based online guideDogTrekker.com shows that while 8 out of 10 dog-owning travelers find hotel policies and amenities important when selecting accommodations, 42.3% are concerned about expensive hotel pet fees and 34% are confused over pet policies.  Read more 

¡Bienvenida a Chile Natasha!


We left Argentina the evening of October 24, 2011 with Natasha and Procyon on board the LAN and touched down rin Santiago, Chile at 11:30 PM.

Prior to leaving Jorge had packed a bag of puppy kibble that the breeder had given us. I explained to both that the dog food would not be allowed through customs. There was some debate on that detail so I decided to just keep mum and let Jorge have an experiential learning opportunity later.

We left Argentina knowing we had followed the flying requirements to the letter:

LAN CARGO REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR PET 

  1. In order to be accepted for air transportation, Pets must be at least two months old.
  2. Provide an original health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that the animal is healthy enough to travel by air, is free of injury, and current on all vaccinations*. The certificate must be issued ten days or less from the date your pet will be transported.
  3. All pets must meet applicable government regulations, including those for Agricultural Institutions at the countries of origin, transit and destination. Permits might be necessary for entry at destination, or if your pet is an endangered specie. Contact the local authorities and corresponding embassies for their regulations governing animals.
  4. You must have an appropriate cage or kennel to transport your pet. In some locations, LAN CARGO offers a cage and kennel rental service. Specific guidelines for the acceptance, care, handling and container requirements are published in the IATA's Live Animal Regulation Manual.
  5. Please contact LAN CARGO at least a week before the day you wish to transport your pet, to make a reservation.
  6. If you are traveling with one of the LAN Alliance carriers, LAN CARGO can make arrangements so that your pet travels on your same flight. These reservations must be coordinated at least two weeks in advance in our Counters.


Our luggage made it ok through customs. Now all we had to do was to pick up our two month old puppies and make our way over to the SAG counter (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero- animal and agricultural arm of customs), get them checked out and be on our way!

Thats when we discovered that we needed to have looked at ALL the requirements, especially those related to arriving in Chile. 

Yes, there was that pesky item 7 we just didn't pay any attention to:
7. In case of pet transportation within Chile, other requirements apply.
Little did we realize that in order for the puppies to ENTER CHILE they needed to be THREE MONTHS old:


CHILE

  • The pet must be at least 3 months old.

Jorge and I shot each other a look of panic as we stood in front of the SAG agent imagining the possibility of having to leave the puppies behind at the airport's  SAG office for a month. The issue was the puppies needed to have had ALL their vaccinations.  Of course this meant they were missing their 3 month series that included the rabies vaccination.

The SAG agent would not let us pass without our first calling in a vet to come into the airport and give the 2 month old pups an early third dose of rabies vaccination, a requirement for entry into the country. Lucky for us the SAG agent had a directory of vets within a close radias of the airport and who, for an added fee, would be very happy to help out.

Nearly an hour and half later the puppies were given an early rabies shot and we were on our way home... oh and without puppy food.  I won  the bet that SAG would not allow dog food into the country either.   Jorge had to throw away all the food that the breeder gave him for the trip home admitting he was smarter now!

We informed Juan Carlos about the vaccination troubles and that we'd be arriving later than expected with his puppy, Procyon. He was there at our apartment eagerly awaiting our arrival.

We all made it home finally, but not until nearly 1:30 AM.  And despite the early morning hour Natasha still wanted to play making herself quite comfortable in her new country and home.

Read my first experiences of traveling into Chile with our Maltese, Samson: 
Chile Dog- Gringo Style
Flying the Friendly Skies with Samson to Santiago

Photos of the ride home:


Almost there
Almost there!

Vacinated and ready to go home
Vaccinated and ready to go home

Into the car
Into the car

Leaving the airport finally
Leaving the airport finally

Natasha and Jorge
Natasha and Jorge 

Natasha Rose with Donna
Natasha Rose with Donna

Natasha Rose
Natasha Rose

Egads! Where's the dog?
Egads! Where's the dog?

Bienviendos Procyon
JC picking up Procyon

Two new puppy papas
Two new puppy papas

Home at last
Home at last


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Natasha Rose's international saga begins

Jorge, my husband, first learned about Vizslas when he started to hunt with his good friend, Juan Carlos Castro. Together with Juan Carlos' Vizsla they would hunt for turtledoves, grouse and rabbits in the fields outside of Santiago (see related story in my personal blog, And she took her journey).  It was love at first sight for Jorge.  Then and there Jorge decided to have one too.

Sadly, Juan Carlos' dog tragically lost his life.  Now both friends were desperate to have Vizsla puppies.  They contacted the breeder of Juan Carlos' first dog, German Ezequel Rodriquez-Can D'Ijuma, in Dolores, Buenos Aires, Argentina.  As luck would have it German's  Ceila Can d Ijuma was expecting puppies in August of 2011.



Jorge reserved a female and Juan Carlos a male.


After an impatient wait of two months Jorge and I left for Buenos Aires in October to pick up our new puppy, Natasha Rose Can D'Ijuma and her brother selected for Juan Carlos, Procyon Can D'Ijuma.

We met German and his lovely family as they carefully carried their wiggly packages to our hotel. They gently handed Natasha Rose to Jorge and we went on inside to sign the necessary papers needed to take ownership of our Natasha and to carry Procyon, or Procy, back to Santiago, Chile.


Jorge is a daddy once again
Now it's official











Then it was off to  to the airport with our precious cargo.  But first we had to figure out how to squeeze two dog kennels along with our luggage into the back of a tiny taxi.

Piece of cake!
Ok this may take some doing.











We made it to the airport with no trouble. The real adventure started when we tried to figure out where to to go to check the dogs in to their flight.


Now where do go?
Hands full with papers and puppies
















We had to first go to customs...of course on the OTHER side of the airport

The paper chase begins
Big wheels rollin' down the airport hallway













There was little problem in checking the dogs out of Argentina's customs. The hardest part was locating the agent who at first was no where to be found.

Now it was back to the LAN office to "check-in" the puppies.





With a farewell hug we were off with the agent to the cargo load with Natasha Rose and Procy









We threw them our kisses as they were loaded up into our plane

Leavin' on a jet plane

We boarded ourselves and soon we were off -- leaving behind Argentina and heading home to Santiago, Chile.

Don't cry for us Argentina!














View the slideshow of this saga here




What is a Vizsla?


Adapted from: AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: VizslaFCI - Federation Cynologique Internationale: Breeds Nomenclature




  CACIB: Certificate of Aptitude for International Champion of Beauty
  Working trial: ( = only for the countries applying for it
   (  = only for the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland)
 Section 1 : Continental Pointing DogsCACIBWorking trialStandards

DateLanguage
FCI- Rövidszörü Magyar Vizsla (57) (Hungarian Short-haired Pointing Dog)    
06/04/00English PDF



The Hungarian vizsla is one of the ancient breeds of Hungarian dogs.  The Vizsla is a medium-sized, short-coated hunting dog that is essentially Pointer in type, although he combines characteristics of both pointer and retriever. An attractive golden rust in color, this "dual" dog is popular in both the field and the show ring due to his power and drive while hunting and his trainability in the home.

A Look Back
 
Read more about the Mayger Vizla's history
The Vizsla’s ancestors were hunters and companions for the Magyar hordes, who conquered the Carpathian Basin at the end of the 9th century and settled in what is now known as Hungary.

The agricultural terrain of Hungary created a dog of superior nose and high-class hunting ability well-suited to Hungarian climate and a variety of game, including upland game, rabbits and waterfowl. Nearly extinct by the end of the World Wars, the Vizsla gradually regained popularity and began to be imported into the United States in the 1950s.

Right Breed for You?
The Vizsla thrives as part of an active family that provides daily exercise. He is lively and affectionate to his people, and possesses an above-average ability to take training. Although he sheds, his short coat requires low daily maintenance.

Sporting Group; AKC recognized in 1960.
Average size: 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder.
Hunting dog, family companion.

Vizsla Breed Standard/ Sporting Group (Group VII)



Classification (FCI): 
Group  Pointing Dogs.
Section  1 Continental Pointing Dog. With working trial (Field and Water Trial)


Important Proportions: 
The body length slightly exceeds the height at the withers.
The depth of the brisket is slightly less than half the height at the withers.
The muzzle is slightly shorter than half the length of the head.


Behavior/Temperament

  •  Lively, friendly, evenly tempered, to be trained easily. 
  • Outstanding willingness to keep contact with his master while working is an essential quality
  • Cannot bear rough treatment and must be neither aggressive nor shy. 



General Appearance

That of a medium-sized, short-coated, gun dog of noble appearance and distinguished bearing.  Robust but rather lightly built, the short coat is an attractive shaded russet gold. The Vizsla's dry, lean structure embodies the harmony of beauty and strength. Originating in Hungary, the Vizsla was bred to work in field, forest and water. Agile and energetic, this is a versatile dog of power, drive and endurance in the field yet a tractable and affectionate companion in the home. It is strongly emphasized that field conditioned coats, as well as brawny or sinewy muscular condition and honorable scars indicating a working and hunting dog are never to be penalized in this dog. The requisite instincts and abilities to maintain a "dual dog" are always to be fostered and appreciated, never deprecated.

Head: Dry, noble, well proportioned.
Lean and muscular. Skull moderately wide between the ears with a median line down the forehead. Stop between skull and foreface is moderate. Foreface or muzzle is of equal length or slightly shorter than skull when viewed in profile, should taper gradually from stop to tip of nose. Muzzle square and deep. It should not turn up as in a "dish" face nor should it turn down. Whiskers serve a functional purpose; their removal is permitted but not preferred. Nostrils slightly open. Nose self-colored. Any other color is faulty. A partially or completely black nose is a disqualification. Freckles due to aging or sun exposure are not to be faulted. Ears, thin, silky and proportionately long, with rounded-leather ends, set fairly low and hanging close to cheeks. Jaws are strong with well developed white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. Eyes medium in size and depth of setting, their surrounding tissue covering the whites. Color of the iris should blend with the color of the coat. Yellow or any other color is faulty. Prominent pop eyes are faulty. Lower eyelids should neither turn in nor out since both conditions allow seeds and dust to irritate the eye.Lips cover the jaws completely but are neither loose nor pendulous.

Neck and Body
Neck strong, smooth and muscular, moderately long, arched and devoid of dewlap, broadening nicely into shoulders which are moderately laid back. This is mandatory to maintain balance with the moderately angulated hindquarters. Body is strong and well proportioned. Withers high. While the Vizsla may appear square, when measured from point of breastbone to point of buttocks and from the highest point over the shoulder blades to the ground, the Vizsla is slightly longer than tall. A proper proportion of leg length to body length is essential to the desired overall balance of the Vizsla. The Vizsla should not appear long and low or tall and leggy. Backline firm with a slight rise over a short and well muscled loin. The croup is gently rounded to the set on of the tail and is not steep, sunken or flat. When moving at a trot, a properly built Vizsla maintains a steady, level backline. Chest moderately broad and deep reaching down to the elbows. Ribs well-sprung and carried well back; underline exhibiting a slight tuck-up beneath the loin. Tail set just below the level of the croup, thicker at the root and docked one-third off. Ideally, it should reach to the back of the stifle joint and when moving it should be carried at or near the horizontal, not vertically or curled over the back, nor between the legs. A docked tail is preferred.

Forequarters
Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping moderately back and fairly close at the top. Upper arm is about equal in length to the shoulder blade in order to allow for good extension. Forelegs straight and muscular with elbows close. Feetcat-like, round and compact with toes close. Nails brown and short. Pads thick and tough. The removal of dewclaws, if any, on front and rear feet, is strongly recommended, in order to avoid injury when running in the field.

Hindquarters
Hind legs have well developed thighs with moderately angulated stifles and hocks in balance with the moderately laid back shoulders. They must be straight as viewed from behind. Too much angulation at the hocks is as faulty as too little. The hocks are let down and parallel to each other.

Coat

Short, smooth, dense and close-lying, without woolly undercoat. A distinctly long coat is a disqualification.

Color

Golden rust in varying shades. Lighter shadings over the sides of the neck and shoulders giving the appearance of a "saddle" are common. Solid dark mahogany and pale yellow are faulty. White on the forechest, preferably as small as possible, and white on the toes are permissible. Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest is a disqualification. When viewing the dog from the front, white markings on the forechest must be confined to an area from the top of the sternum to a point between the elbows when the dog is standing naturally. White extending on the shoulders or neck is a disqualification.White due to aging or scarring must not be faulted. The Vizsla is self-colored, with the color of the eyes, eye-rims, lips, nose, toenails and pads of feet blending with the color of the coat.

Gait

Far reaching, light footed, graceful and smooth. When moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog single tracks.

Size

The ideal male is 22 to 24 inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades. The ideal female is 21 to 23 inches. Because the Vizsla is meant to be a medium-sized hunter, any dog measuring more than 1 ½ inches over or under these limits must be disqualified.


FCI Height at withers:
Dogs: 58 - 64 cm
Bitches: 54 - 60 cm


Temperament
A natural hunter endowed with a good nose and above-average ability to take training. Lively, gentle-mannered, demonstrably affectionate and sensitive though fearless with a well developed protective instinct. Shyness, timidity or nervousness should be penalized.
The foregoing describes the ideal Vizsla. Any deviation from this ideal must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Deviations that impact performance and function should be considered more serious than those that affect only appearance.

Disqualifications

Partially or completely black nose.
Solid white extending above the toes or white anywhere else on the dog except the forechest.
White extending on the shoulders or neck.
A distinctly long coat.
Any male over 25 ½ inches, or under 20 ½ inches and any female over 24 ½ inches or under 19 ½ inches at the highest point over the shoulder blades.



Eliminating Faults (FCI):
Any type of weakness in temperament.
Distinct deviations from the characteristics of the breed.
Strong deviation from the sexual characteristics.
Atypical head.
Spotted(butterfly) nose
Pendulous or dribbling flews.
Under- or overshot mouth. Wry mouth, including all intermediate forms.
One or more missing incisors and/or canine and/or premolars 2-4 and/or molars 1-2; more than two missing PM1; the M3 are disregarded. Not visible teeth are assessed as missing ones.  Supernumerary teeth not in line with the o-others.
Cleft palate, harelip.
Light yellow eyes. Very loose eyelids; ectropion, entropion. Distichiasis (double row of eyelashes).
Pronounced dewlap.
Dewclaws.
Very faulty movement.
Atypical coat.
Dark brown or pale yellow colour. Parti-coloured, not uniformly coloured. White chest patch larger than 5 cm.
White feet.
Lacking pigmentation either on the skin or on the lips and eye rims.
Deviation of more than 2 cm from the above mentioned heights at withers.









Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Meet Natasha Rose Can D'Ijuma

Welcome to my blog about our Magyar Vizsla, Natasha Rose Can D'Ijuma. Jorge Martinez is her  owner on record and I'm, well you might say, her manager.
Natasha Rose at 6 months


 Here you will be able to follow her adventures (and ours with her). The blog will include photos of her growing up in Santiago, Chile.

What to expect from Natasha? There's much to report about the few months we've had her in our home -





from the day we picked her up in Argentina



to today ... this Valentine's Day posting of her.




Jorge's plans are to train her for hunting.

Jorge and Natasha Rose in the field














While mine is to have her shown here in Chile...and beyond.

Natasha Rose with handler, Fernado Burgos
at Expocan Viña del Mar, January 15 















Hope you'll follow along to see how her life and ours progresses.