The Traumatized Vizsla

It all began a month ago when Ralphie and Lucy were playing at the dog park when Lucy swung her hip around and hit the park bench.  She cried and cried.  Lucy is physically okay now but not mentally.

Most of the time Lucy refuses to get into my car now.  But when she does, I take them to the dog park to play.  Lucy barely plays anymore.  She'll sit there or sometimes hides under the bench.  She doesn't wrestle with Ralphie anymore.  When Ralphie wants to play, she'll play up to a point and then backs off.  She's become extra snarly these days with the other dogs at the park.  Honestly, I rarely take them to the dog park now.  Lucy seems to prefer her walks instead now.

I know Vizslas need that free-run in a wide open space to stay happy, but it's just not happening these days.  I try to get to the park extra early hoping no other dogs will be there so they can run, but there's always someone there.  My backyard isn't large enough for an open run, however Lucy has been swimming in the pool quite a bit these days.  I know this injury marred her and she's just  a scared little girl.  I really need to research this to see how I can bring her back to the 'ol Lucy.

In the meantime, she is still a very happy pup, very affectionate, maybe more so than ever.  She seems content but I know she has this dog park phobia now which really concerns me.

Lucy's typical behavior at the dog park.

Deciding if she wants to play or not.

Vizsla - Teamwork!

Ralphie and Lucy so amuse me with their intelligence and on top of that make me laugh out loud.

Ralphie does not care for the pool.  Now he'll swim after a ball at the beach, but just not fond of the pool water.  In the past years he would fetch a ball that I throw in the pool, but this year he really doesn't even want to do that.
Lucy on the other hand is pool-crazed.  She loves the pool!  She'll swim and swim back and forth. However I do need to watch how much pool water she consumes as she pounces on the water catching the splash then swallowing the chlorinated water.  If she has too much, she gets a belly ache.

Anyways, it's been really hot here in FL and I wanted Ralphie to cool off yesterday.  I figured I can get him in the pool with a nice bright squeaky ball.  So I brought out two new balls, one for Lucy and one for Ralphie.  I tried so hard to get Ralphie to fetch to ball in the pool.  And this is what happened...

Can we call this "teamwork"?  LOL

Ralphie + Lucy Instagram

So Ralphie and Lucy ganged up on me and said, "Mom, why can't we have Instagram? All the fur kids have it!"

Soooo, Mom gave in and created: vizsla.ralphie.lucy on Instagram.  I'll be posting many, many pics of my fur babies!  Come follow us!

Rough Play = Injured V

Lucy was hurt about a week ago at the dog park.  She was rough playing with Ralphie and she whipped around hitting her hip on the bench.  She shrieked and cried on her back and wouldn't move.  All of the other dogs wanted to see what's going on and she was snarling at them to say, "leave me alone."  She settled down and finally let me touch and comfort her.  She actually walked out of the park with a slight limp.  At home I gave her a half of a pain pill I had from when she was spayed.  That evening she was calm, no whimpering.

This incident happened on a holiday weekend so my vet wasn't open, but nevertheless I wanted to keep an eye on her before going to the vet.  The next morning she seemed normal, no limping and eating well.  By Tuesday when the vet office was open, she was fine and I didn't feel I had the need to take her in.

But now Lucy is afraid of the dog park. -sigh- A couple of days ago I took them to the park and Lucy didn't even want to go in!  She had to be lured in with a treat.  Inside the park she hid under a bench.  Finally she came out from under the bench and ran a few laps with Ralphie, but no rough playing.  She mingled with the other dogs but mingled more with the humans.  Simply said, she wasn't herself.  I'm not so sure if that painful incident damaged her desire for the dog park.  I'm planning to take them today, so we will see...

Lucy did much better at the dog park...see the black pit...Lucy just doesn't like
him and he's so kind and friendly.

Ralphie and Lucy enjoying the pool. Oh oh, the pit is planning to join them...

My Kids

It's been quite awhile since I've been here.  I've been side-tracked a little with life's craziness.

Recently I've been having days where I can just tear my hair out because of all the attention that Lucy is demanding.  I know a one year, three month old Vizsla is high energy and very needy...always in your face.  Haha  Then I wonder was Ralphie like this at this age?  Was he always under my feet and consuming almost every minute of my time?  I didn't think so.  But then I went back to my past blog posts when Ralphie was a one year and 3 month old boy.

Oh yes he was that crazy dog as Lucy is now.  How I forgot about Ralphie pouncing on poor little Ollie, my then Yorkie.   How I forgot about Ralphie pulling me down to the ground tearing my rotator cuff.  How I forgot his craziness at the dog park.  How I forgot Ralphie's humping days.  How I forgot how Ralphie would soak in mud puddles.  How I forgot how he wanted every minute of my time.  Now Ralphie has slowed down as he approaches 4 years old.  But Lucy is filling those young shoes that Ralphie has left behind.  After reading my past posts I now realize Lucy is a crazy Vizsla but not nearly as crazy as Ralphie was.

I just need to put my crazy days on a back burner, take a deep breath and just simply enjoy Lucy, her youth, her sweetness, her friskiness and enjoy Ralphie, his cuddliness, his calmness, his days when he tries to be a puppy again.  My gingers are my kids!

What To Do, What To Do

Life has taken a few turns recently and I've been neglecting this blog but certainly not neglecting my Ralphie and Lucy.

We're still going to the dog park and taking walks but I need to think of another place to take them to run free...a place without dogs.  Lucy is just not good with all the dogs.  She'll get along with some and some not.  But Ralphie and Lucy love to play with each other.  It's becoming way too stressful for me.  I know walking them on leash isn't enough.  Lucy loves swimming, so she's been in the pool a lot which gives her some exercise.   What to do, what to do.

This year I plan to sell my house to downsize a little and I can say for sure my want list will include a large fenced backyard with no back neighbors...and this will be all for my Ralphie and Lucy.

Dog park fun.

Tug-A-War

Big Boy Ralphie...Little Girl Lucy. Love.

All Eyes on the Vs

I have a funny story that happened the other day...

Normally when I walk Ralphie and Lucy, I'm pretty much dressed very comfy, well let's say sloppy.  I'm in big 'ol baggy shorts, well-worn big t-shirt, no makeup, and I just run a brush through my hair to look somewhat presentable.  It's all about comfort.  And geesh, I'm only walking the dogs.

Well the other day I walked Ralphie and Lucy right before I was going out.  I had my hair done nicely, makeup done to a tee and sporting my skinny jeans with a top that actually fits me.  I was in high spirits, feeling pretty good.  But the best part is that Ralphie and Lucy were walking together so perfectly, side by side.  No pulling.  They actually looked like well-trained Vizslas that walk in sync all the time. Not.

Here comes a shiny silver truck that passes us on a side road.  The truck stops and goes into reverse.  I see the driver is a mature nice looking gentleman with a head full of silver hair.  I'm thinking to myself, "oh wow, prayers answered."  I may still have it, even well into my 50s.  I was really feeling good now.  So the handsome man leans out the window and shouts, "Are those Vizslas?"

My heart drops and I say yes they are.

"I had a Vizsla, nice dog. Do you breed them?"

I told him I didn't breed them and they are just my pets.

Then he said, "Wow, they are just so beautiful and well-behaved too."

I thanked him for his nice compliment.

He smiles and off he goes...my knight is shining armor...out of sight.  -sigh-

Dang, AGAIN...all eyes on Ralphie and Lucy.  LOL   But I do have to agree with that man, they ARE beautiful. They are definitely head-turners attracting attention wherever we go.