Housebreaking the Vizsla

Today on my morning walk with Ralphie as he was doing his potty duty outside I was having flashbacks of housebreaking the Vizsla ... both my long-gone Jazz and my now Ralphie.  It amazes me that Ralphie is living with an old Yorkie, Ollie, who is deaf, blind, and has dementia.  Ollie has no idea if he's doing his business inside or outside.  Lately it's more so inside.  Ralphie sees this everyday.  What makes Ralphie know that it's not okay for him to go in the house like Ollie?  Of course Ralphie has been housebroken for a long time, but he sees Ollie doing his business inside and he sees me cleaning it up.

Then I talk to numerous dog owners at the dog park having problems with housebreaking their pups/dogs.  Why was it so easy for me with both Jazz and Ralphie?  Does a Vizsla have this abnormal doggy intelligence?  Maybe, not so sure.  I've also talked to other Vizsla owners that tell me about their trials and tribulations of potty training.  I don't know, maybe I just got lucky and got 2 smart Vs.  So what did I do to make the potty training process easy?

• The minute I brought my pups home, potty training starts immediately
• Every 2 hours or sometimes even more often, I let my pup outside
• When he does his business, I praise him obnoxiously a lot, just to make sure he knew he did    the right thing
• I crated them when I left the house.  Ralphie was crated up until he was about 1 year, 9 months old
• I just never gave him a chance to go in the house, because I was taking him outside that often

That's all I did.  Ralphie had only 2 accidents in the house.  Once as a pup...a pee accident.  And the other just recently, a bout of diarrhea.  Obviously he had no control...I was not home and he had an upset stomach.  

I'm still not sure why Ralphie doesn't pick up Ollie's bad habit doing his business in the house...maybe Ralphie knows Ollie is old and can't help what he's doing.  I do see Ralphie staring at Ollie often...I always wonder what's going on in Ralphie's brain.  Yep, I believe Vizslas are extremely smart dogs and yep, the most lovable!  Vizslas are THE BEST!

Declaration of Love

Am I so weird to love my pups more than loving people?  How can I replace the love for a person with a dog?  Seriously, can there be something wrong with me? LOL

I've never felt a connection with a dog (or even a human) than I do with Ralphie.  I've never met a human so loyal, so loving, so caring, so connected to me.  I know he loves me so much by his actions.  He's by my side whenever he can be, 24/7.  He knows when I'm sad and shows his empathy by being right there for me.  Ralphie has been my healer of a broken heart after losing faith in humans.  He's my motivator.  He keeps me healthy both physically and mentally.  In return I try to give him all the love I have.  My world is pretty much centered around my dogs.  Strange?  Maybe to non-loving dog people.  Maybe to someone who never had a pet/human connection before.  Whether it's strange or not, I'm here to declare my love for my dogs.

I know you can't replace a human's love with a dog's love.  But why can't humans be more like dogs? Humans can be very hurtful, while a dog just shares his love so blissfully.   Truly I wouldn't feel connected to anyone that doesn't love dogs as much as I do.  It would need to be a very special human that can declare his love for their pup as I do.  That person would 'get' me.   Of course I'm not giving up on humans, but I can tell you one thing...that dog-lovin' human that is able steal my heart would need to be very special not only to me but to Ralphie and Ollie as well.  I always say, "humans can learn so much from a dog."

S.T.R.E.S.S.

S.T.R.E.S.S.
Yep, we all know about that.  It seems like I'm at my limit lately.  My work has been extremely stressful with changes, working double duty, and on and on.   It was a particular rough day today.  My work day wasn't all that great.  On my drive home I was anticipating a nice evening at the dog park, playing with Ralphie and his doggie buddies.  Just to de-stressed and enjoy time with Ralphie.  But it didn't happen that way.  I came home, walk in the house, the first thing I smell doggie poo.  I mean I really smell doggie poo.  I glanced around, poop literally all over the house, stomped on, dried up in the tile grout, on the walls...it was a disaster.  It looked like the house was bombed with poo!!

I stayed cool.  Didn't say a word to the dogs.  Just focused on the job at hand.  I know little old Ollie has dementia and he just can't help it.  He doesn't know what he's doing, plus he's blind.  He has no idea where he's going potty or that he's stomping in his mess.  Ralphie had a major accident!  He never poos or pees in the house.  It was obvious he had issues with diarrhea and upset stomach today.  It was a real mess.

It took me over an hour to clean the floors, walls, sofa throws.  STRESS.  Then I had to bathe both dogs...they stunk!  STRESS.

I truly feel I was tested today.  How much can I handle.  Craziness at work...aging dog...sick dog...smell...gross...all was cleaned up...then again, while I was in the kitchen making tomorrow's dinner...I look up and Ollie pooped again, stepped in it...more mess to clean up.  STRESS.

But as the evening winds down, I lie on the sofa, Ralphie above me, paw on my shoulder, curled in a ball, I drape a warm blanket over him...he sleeps so contently; Ollie on my lap nuzzled against me with an afghan wrapped around him.  I close my eyes, inhale, exhale, feeling the warmth of two pups that love me so much. Yes, it was a rough day but it all ends good.  LOVE.

"Mama, my day was stressful too!"

"Mama, I'm not stinky anymore!"

Ralphie's Brother

Two totally different breeds ...

Ralphie a young, strong, sleek, energetic, stunning dog...a Vizsla.
Ollie an old, small, fragile, fuzzy, stunning dog...a Yorkie.

Yes and they are brothers.  Little Ollie is Ralphie's older brother.   Despite his size, Ollie is the alpha dog in our home.  Ralphie respects Ollie.  Ralphie is very patient with little old Ollie.  And today Ralphie let Ollie have HIS day.

Happy 15th Birthday my dear Ollie!  You may be deaf, blind, have dementia...you are still a feisty one!  Ralphie loves you.  I love you!

Happy 15th Birthday!

Silly boy.

Yum, yum. Special birthday treat!

Ralphie's older brother. Happy 15 Ollie!!!

The Intelligent Vizsla

Sure we live in sunny, warm Florida, but it does cool down a bit during the winter months. Thus, the pool water cools down to a temperature where you really wouldn't want to jump in.

I was playing with Ralphie yesterday, just tossing the ball in the backyard and he fetches it, throw again, again, and again.  One toss ended in the pool ... oh no, what is Ralphie going to do?  Normally he eases in the pool by walking down the steps, gets the ball, swims to the other side of the pool, gets out and shakes off.  So I figured, that's what he'll do.  Does a dog really know about temperature, whether the pool water is cold or warm?  This video shows you exactly how Ralphie gets the ball in the middle of  Florida winter...

Tell me, how smart can a Vizsla be?  How did he know if he used his paw to paddle the ball closer to him so he doesn't have to go in to get it?  In the summertime, he would go in!

Paddle, paddle. "Come on ball come closer to me!"

"Can I get it?"

"I'm getting it, I'm getting it!"

"I got it!"

YES, the Vizsla is one smart dog!!

Happy 2015 from Ralphie!

It was a quiet New Year's Eve.  I'm getting over a bad cold, now in week 3, so I simply wanted a nice, relaxing evening at home.  I ordered a pizza and just vegged with Ralphie and Ollie.

My neighbors across the street were having a party.  It looked like they had friends over with their kids.  It sounded like the kids had a ball with their sparklers.  At midnight, fireworks were going off left and right...boom, boom, boom!  Needless to say, Ralphie does not like booms!  LOL  He's a big baby.  LOL  With the sky lit up and the booms in the air, made Ralphie so excited that he literally was attacking me with his doggy kisses.  No need to feel left out being alone on New Years Eve ... Ralphie filled the bill... uncontrollable slobbery kisses as if he knew what to do when it hits midnight on New Years Eve.  I just love my boy so much!!!  Yes, I am surely blessed.

Happy New Year from Ralphie.

All tuckered out! Bring on 2015!