GPS tracking demo gets interupted by Coydog

After a quick and successful pheasant hunt this morning at Hasting's Island Hunting Preserve, Bailey still had a ton of energy to burn. We had found four pheasant in a matter of 45 minutes and I had taken two and missed one and let one fly (flushed two at one time.)

The fun wasn't over.  Another interesting morning being a Vizsla owner.

We sometimes stop at "Hare Central" on the way back.   A vast housing development out in the "delta" that never finished getting developed after the 2008 collape.  Here rabbits and hare live by the hundreds if not thousands.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/08/jackrabbits-and-vizslas.html

Today as I walked into the field and looked out about one mile ahead I was watching an spectacular "murmuration" in the next field of maybe 15,000 small black birds moving in huge dark clouds.  I grabbed my little Nikon camera and turned my camera to movie mode.  I wanted to capture this.

See below post.
http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/11/nature-of-birds.html

The birds had settled into the field and I was waiting to see if they would take to the air again so I could record it.

In the meantime, I thought I would show how the Garmain GPS tracker worked on Bailey as he ran happily through the fields.

My camera goes out of focus when I go to zoom in on the "coydog". 
The coyote was unlike any I had seen.    It must have been a mix of coyote and dog (Coydog) because it had an unusual reddish and dirty white coat but a coyote head. I have seen several dozen coyotes in the last couple years. This one was different. Bigger (about the size of Bailey @60 pounds) and stronger looking.  He was in full charge mode after my dog as Bailey high-tailed it out of the area.

http://www.apetsblog.com/pets-journal/coydog-coyote-dog-hybrid.htm

I never know what I'm going to come across out in the world with my dogs on any given day.
We just packed it up, got in the Jeep and got out of there. No harm, no foul.

1 Vizsla - 4 Hunters - 13 Pheasant

Bird's Landing, December 28th, 2011. 

 Bailey earned his kibble today.  Went out with three friends this afternoon for a hunt in Field #2 at Bird's Landing Hunting Preserve.  

 My long-time friends, John and Mike, had never hunted behind a pointing dog.  I think they liked the experience.  Tommy had joined Bailey and me last year on a hunt. 

  Today Bailey worked the field very well.  He retrieved all the birds and didn't let any get away.  We hunters missed a few birds. 

We hunted the field in three 45-minute walks. This gave Bailey a chance to recharge his batteries. 

 He hunted a total of 2 1/2 hours.

  I could tell he was done after over a dozen birds pointed and retrieved back to me.

Field #2 at Bird's Landing Hunting Preserve. 

We hunted about 25 acres.

After the first 45-minute session.  Bailey was ready for more.

Bailey was one tired dog on the way home.

Quote from Jenny Hawthorn:
" Once the Vizsla owner comes to understand that they have a companion hunter, a friend with them in the bush, out on the tussock, or by the riverbanks, life just keeps getting better. Those who want a tool they can train and work and put away in kennels when not in use will never want nor appreciate the Vizsla. "

Serenity of Being

 I know poets and song writers who can place words in lyrics and rhyme.
For me, I have no such talents. 

 Today, as I hiked the ridges of Briones Regional Park above the valley fog far below, I wished I had the poet's talent.  But words fail me and pictures do no justice to the feeling these walks bring to the dogs and me.

 Serenity of Being.  A state in which you are in the current moment completely and at peace.  This is the highest form of existence.

  I get so few opportunities in my day-to-day life when I can experience this state.  It is there for the taking with a little effort.

  When I do,
 I cherish those times.

In the hills this morning, there was no one but Bailey, Chloe, a few cows here and there, and a lone coyote off in the distance watching our movements along the trails.

 I experienced a great two-hour walk as the dogs had a fantastic

run.  They covered the hills and valleys like they were at home.  I kept up a steady pace through this breathtaking open space.

 We were at home. 
 I may live in a house, but I am most alive up in the hills.

So are the dogs.  My Vizslas live to run.

Merry Christmas

Here’s A Dog Nativity Scene Even Jesus Would Love!

By Michelle Collins

Fab Life editor Lauren Deiman forwarded this photo her aunt sent to her of an almost entirely accurate nativity scene made up of dogs and a very happy-to-be-included horse. The dogs, on the other hand, could not care less. Seriously, dogs, this is going to be forwarded to hundreds of thousands of relatives. Perk it up, pals

Now if they would have just used Vizslas the picture would have been different!

Vizsla Rescue Haven - "We Won!"

"WE WON THE PETFINDER’S CHALLENGE CONTEST!!!

 THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED!

CHECK IT OUT!" - Kay Ingle

"Sorry for all the caps but I am SO EXCITED!!

What a great holiday surprise -- a special thanks to the person who

started us all voting – not sure who it was but I could hug you.

The Vizsla Rescue Haven will start the year off $7,000 better off.

 (But don’t let that stop you from year end donations!)

Vizsla Rescue Haven.

 Now if Auggie would just start eating regularly, my holiday would be complete.

Who says Vizsla people can’t unite towards a common goal?

Happy holidays to everyone!!!

Kay Ingle - Vizsla Rescue Haven

Weekly Winners:

Each receive a $1,000 grant to help animals!*

Week             Shelter Name      Location

11        Vizsla Rescue Haven    El Sobrante, CA

10  Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue   Reinholds, PA

9    Rikkis Refuge   Orange, VA

8    Humane Society of Grand Bahama   Freeport, BS

7    Basset Rescue Crew of the Southeast   Columbia, SC

6   Save-A-Pet  Grayslake, IL

5   Humane Society of McCormick County, Inc.  McCormick, SC

4   Oldies But Goodies (Northern VA) Cocker Rescue   Newington, VA

3    Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary   Lancaster, NH

2   The Oasis Sanctuary   Benson, AZ

1  Friends of Felines Rescue Center   Defiance, OH

Redbirddog note:  This was a great win for a great organization that places the hard to adopt Vizslas.

More about Kay Ingle and Vizsla Rescue Haven:

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/01/alpha-female-of-vizsla-rescue.html

Petland USA relies on Puppy Mills

A happy hobby bred dog going to happy family  NOT A PUPPY MILL DOG

Like any other retailer, Petland USA relies on the holidays to bring in profits -- but the pet store chain makes its holiday profits by encouraging cruelty to puppies.

Mary Haight started a petition on Change.org to get Petland USA to stop selling puppies from puppy mills -- those breeding factories that churn out scores of puppies from the same mothers, over and over again. But rather than engaging in a real dialogue with Mary, Petland USA threatened to sue her.

More than 54,000 people have already signed on to Mary’s campaign. As the country's largest retailer bets on a jump in puppy sales in December, Petland USA needs to hear from you, too. Will you sign Mary's petition telling Petland to stop supporting puppy mills?

December is a huge month for puppy sales. Some industry sources report that puppy sales go up as much as 60% in December, compared to monthly averages from throughout the year.

Cruel conditions within puppy mills remain the same, despite the holiday sales -- dogs are bred again and again while living in cramped and unsanitary conditions, and without adequate vet care. When mothers reach five years of age, they're killed. And although the puppies from mills may arrive with a bow around their necks for the holidays, they are as likely to carry congenital defects from generations of forced breeding, as well.

When tens of thousands of people signed on to support her petition, Petland USA executives agreed to a dialog with Mary -- a hopeful sign, as Petland Canada stopped selling puppies last year after engagement by animal protection advocates. But hope for a real conversation with Petland USA quickly fell apart when the only answers Mary got to her questions about the franchise's puppy sales were either copied and pasted from the company's website -- or were personal attacks against her.

“More than 50,000 have joined this campaign since I started it,” Mary says. “This is great proof that people want the suffering of puppy mill dogs to stop. Petland's response? They're proud of their cruel business model.”

Petland USA has heard enough national outcry about its support for puppy mills to take offense. But it needs to hear an even louder chorus of concerned voices in order to take positive action. Please sign Mary's petition calling on Petland USA to stop selling puppies from puppy mills now:

http://www.change.org/petitions/petland-usa-stop-selling-pets-fire-puppy-mills-petland-canada-has

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Stephanie and the Change.org team

A hobby-bred Vizsla  Healthy mom, dad and pup

Dear friend,

While the puppies in Petland USA stores may look cute in their cages,

chances are the puppies have led miserable lives that threaten their health

from the day they're born.

Petland USA is the country's largest chain of stores that sell puppies. *Most

of Petland's animals come from puppy mills*, where thousands of dogs are

bred again and again to supply the pet trade. Dogs are kept in cramped,

unsanitary conditions, and they often lack adequate vet care.

There's hope to stop puppy mill sales at Petland stores. Last month Petland

Canada ordered its stores to stop selling puppies, in part due to

continuous pressure from animal protection advocates. So Mary Haight, a

Change.org member from Chicago, wants Petland USA to do the same. *She

started a petition on Change.org asking Petland USA to end puppy mill sales

in its stores.

Walk into any major pet store like Petco or PetSmart, and you won't find

puppies for sale. Those stores work with local animal shelters to find

homes for the countless animals waiting to be adopted across the country.

Yet Petland stores prioritize profit by selling animals from puppy mills,

propping up this cruel business.

Puppies bred in puppy mills are often plagued with poor health. Kept in

cramped conditions and often housed outside in all types of weather,

animals in puppy mills lead a pitiful existence. Puppy mill operators are

also known to in-breed puppies, leading to other health and behavior

problems.

Each Petland store in the US is an individually-owned franchise, meaning

Petland USA's corporate headquarters can't ban puppy sales in stores on its

own. But Petland USA can stop any new stores from selling puppies, and a

strong statement from the corporation would go a long way to putting a stop

to its existing stores that buy animals from puppy mills.

*Please join Mary Haight in calling on Petland USA to support adoption and

speak out against its stores doing business with puppy mills.

Sign the petition:

Petland stop selling puppy mill dogs petition

- Cristina and the Change.org team

Belle, Bailey's "Little Girl" comes over

The annual Northern California Vizsla Club Christmas Party was yesterday.  Julie brought Belle along and we dog sat while Julie and Vince got the place ready for the party. Belle is now eight months old.

 For a couple hours we had three dogs at the house.

  Quite fun actually.

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Quick stack of Belle at Vizsla Christmas Party

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Bailey, Chloe, and Belle waiting for turkey bits

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The "girls" working it out

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The girls: worked out 30 seconds later

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Bailey and Chloe show Belle how a dog door works

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Belle is smart and had the dog door figured out in no time

Chloe really enjoyed Belle after just a short period of time.  Bailey really couldn't have cared less after the initial meeting.   She weren't no bird.

A Vizsla on Point

There is not much that can top this in my world.

The Point

To think I didn't even know this world existed four years ago.

When your dog is on point, the world slows down.  It is just you, your dog, and the hidden bird. 

Bailey can smell the pheasant.  He ignores the smells of the crow, the hawk, the sparrow, the pigeon, the starling.  It is all about the pheasant smell.  And he will stay on point to let me know where it is until I get there.  Team work at its best.

Hungarian ParAgility

"Agility is a kind of sport in which a dog is involved and where both pet and owner must work hard to gain success. What attracts a lot of people to take up this sport is its manifoldness, since no identical exercises are to be done during a competition. An auspicious competitor must know exactly what is going on in the dog’s mind and must be able to draw precise conclusions about his/her dog’s body language in order to forsee how it will react in different situations. It is essential that the dog should trust its handler and the handler should consider the dog as a partner rather than a manageable machine. With the majority of sports done with dogs, the physical condition of the owner is not relevant. In the case of agility, however, it is of great importance. A good competitor must also pay attention to his/her mental fitness, since he/she must give meticulous commands at a number of obstacles in moments of time. During the demonstration you will see another, more challenging version of the sport, requiring perfect harmony, congruous cooperation and a lot of training both on the part of the dog and the handicapped in order to achieve triumph." - Budapest, Hungary June 8, 2008

Some comments from You Tube viewers.

I almost cried watching this! It is absolutely the most beautiful and perfect agility run I have ever seen. What a powerful bond between Father, Son, and Dog.

Beautiful.... love how the dog pays so much attention to his handler.

One of THE most special, most beautiful Agility runs I have ever had the privilege to watch on the net, fantastic handler team, fab dog, a brilliant reminder of what agility is supposed to be all about xxxxx

Oh my goodness! What a blessing to be able to watch this precious little one work her dog through this course. What a privilege to be able to feel the love that is in this ring in this video. Great job!!!!

Where the Vizsla stands in AKC numbers

The Vizsla AKC ranking is #41

 AKC Breed 2006 Count

(OVER 1,000)

Retrievers (Labrador) 123,760

Yorkshire Terriers 48,346

German Shepherd Dogs 43,575

Retrievers (Golden) 42,962

Beagles 39,484

Dachshunds 36,033

Boxers 35,388

Poodles 29,939

Shih Tzu 27,282

Miniature Schnauzers 22,920

Chihuahuas 22,562

Bulldogs 21,037

Pugs 20,008

Pomeranians 18,218

Boston Terriers 14,955

Spaniels (Cocker) 14,790

Rottweilers 14,709

Maltese 13,312

Pointers (German Shorthaired) 12,822

Shetland Sheepdogs 12,822

Doberman Pinschers 11,546

Pembroke Welsh Corgis 10,250

Miniature Pinschers 9,615

Great Danes 9,438

Siberian Huskies 9,342

Spaniels (English Springer) 8,205

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 8,124

Basset Hounds 7,844

Bichons Frises 7,839

Weimaraners 7,720

Brittanys 7,560

Mastiffs 6,913

West Highland White Terriers 6,572

Australian Shepherds 6,533

Papillons 5,673

French Bulldogs 5,509

Collies 4,711

Havanese 4,038

St. Bernards 3,828

Bullmastiffs 3,760

Bernese Mountain Dogs 3,714

Scottish Terriers 3,545

Vizslas 3,509

Newfoundlands 3,415

Bloodhounds 3,343

Lhasa Apsos 3,326

Chinese Shar-Pei 3,261

Cairn Terriers 3,224

Pekingese 3,155

Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) 3,120

Tibetan Mastiffs 2,925

Chinese Crested 2,555

Akitas 2,457

Rhodesian Ridgebacks 2,248

Airedale Terriers 2,243

Border Collies 2,181

Alaskan Malamutes 2,124

Great Pyrenees 1,983

Italian Greyhounds 1,963

Whippets 1,836

Bull Terriers 1,765

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers 1,762

Brussels Griffons 1,694

Chow Chows 1,592

Shiba Inu 1,590

American Staffordshire Terriers 1,539

Australian Cattle Dogs 1,499

Setters (Irish) 1,475

Portuguese Water Dogs 1,454

Silky Terriers 1,407

Old English Sheepdogs 1,403

Japanese Chin 1,388

Pointers (German Wirehaired) 1,352

Spaniels (English Cocker) 1,281

Parson Russell Terriers 1,232

Samoyeds 1,130

Irish Wolfhounds 1,016

  AKC BREED RANKINGS FOR YEARS 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000

(Top 50 positions in 2010)

Labrador Retrievers 1 1 1 1

German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 4 3

Yorkshire Terriers 3 3 3 7

Beagles 4 5 5 5

Golden Retrievers 5 4 2 2

Bulldogs 6 7 13 21

Boxers 7 6 7 9

Dachshunds 8 8 6 4

Poodles 9 9 8 6

Shih Tzu 10 10 9 10

Rottweilers 11 13 16 11

Miniature Schnauzers 12 11 10 13

Chihuahuas 13 12 11 8

Doberman Pinschers 14 15 21 23

Pomeranians 15 14 14 12

German Shorthaired Pointers 16 16 20 24

Great Danes 17 21 24 28

Siberian Huskies 18 22 25 19

Shetland Sheepdogs 19 18 18 16

Boston Terriers 20 19 17 18

French Bulldogs 21 24 38 71

Maltese 22 20 19 20

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 23 25 31 54

Pugs 24 17 12 15

Cocker Spaniels 25 23 15 14

Australian Shepherds 26 28 34 35

Pembroke Welsh Corgis 27 26 23 27

Mastiffs 28 27 33 39

English Springer Spaniels 29 29 28 26

Brittanys 30 30 30 31

Havanese 31 32 43 86

Weimaraners 32 31 29 32

Leonbergers** 33 N/A N/A N/A

West Highland White Terriers 34 36 32 30

Papillons 35 37 35 43

Basset Hounds 36 34 27 22

Bichons Frises 37 35 26 25

Collies 38 38 36 34

Bernese Mountain Dogs 39 39 47 58

Miniature Pinschers 40 33 22 17

Vizslas 41 42 44 47

Bullmastiffs 42 40 42 52

Bloodhounds 43 43 50 50

Newfoundlands 44 46 46 53

St. Bernards 45 45 37 36

Rhodesian Ridgebacks 46 48 54 57

Border Collies 47 52 55 64

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers 48 49 49 41

Akitas 49 50 51 38

Chinese Shar-Pei 50 47 45 37

From the Vizsla Owners Yahoo Group:

"We have come a long way....I can remember going to shows in the late 1970s when I had the only vizsla entered...now look at us - (unless I read this wrong, or simply missed something) we have the largest sporting entry at EUKANUBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" - Jill Brennan 11/29/11


SPORTING BREEDS

42 BRITTANY
29 POINTER
33 GERM SHT PNT
12 GERM WIRE PNT
26 CHES BAY RET
11 CURLY COAT RET
32 FLAT COAT RET
56 LABRADOR
31 NOVA SCOTIA
14 ENG SETT
17 GORD SETT
27 IRISH SETT
11 IRISH RED WHITE
3 AMER WATER SPN
14 BOYKIN
20 CLUMBER SPN
16 CKR SPN BLACK
9 CKR SPN PARTI
11 ENGLISH COCKER
18 ENG SPRINGER
9 FIELD SPN
9 IRISH WATER SPN
6 SUSSEX SPN
10 WEL SPR SPN
17 SPINONE ITAL
61 VIZSLA
21 WEIM
12 WIREHPNT GRIF

2011 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
December 2011



Qualifying For and Entering the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship

Automatic Qualifiers

Dogs automatically qualify for the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship by meeting any one of the following criteria:

•Dogs ranked in the top 25 of their breed (by breed points only) at the end of the qualifying period (1 Year) View List

•Dogs receiving an all - breed Best in Show at an AKC show held during the qualifying period (1 Year) View List

•Dogs winning Best of Breed at a parent club national specialty* (1 Year)

Fenton!!!

Over 2 million people have seen this you tube clip!

Make sure you have your speakers on.

 A good training collar would have done the trick.

Lily - Honorary Vizsla on a Vizsla Walk

While others were shopping at the malls on Black Friday, a small band of Vizsla owners gathered at Point Pinole.  Point Pinole, along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay hosts many Vizsla Walks.  Today our 14-month-old granddaughter, Lily, joined us.

As the 9 Vizslas ran off-leash in this dog Disneyland, Lily felt right at home.  Her small black Heinz 57 dog, Rowdy, came along.

 Walking along the trails, the dogs would avoid running into her.  They seemed to know she was small but fearless. 

She was just another pup along for a Vizsla Walk with a loving band of owners.  She really had a wonderful time.

She placed a stick in her mouth, imitating her dog friends.  I handed my camera to a friend and they snapped the picture below.  One day her parents are going to have to break it to her that she isn't a dog.  She might be crushed.

A Vizsla's Crime

Do I Go Back Home Today?

"When my family first bought me to live within their home. They cuddled and they pampered me and groomed with brush and comb.

They played with me and laughed with me and showered me with toys. I sure do love my family, and all the tiny girls and boys.

The children loved to feed me; and give me special treats. They even let me sleep with them - all cosy in their sheets

I used to go for lovely walks, often several times a day. They even fought to hold my lead, I'm so very proud to say!

These are the things I'll not forget - a cherished memory. for now I'm in a shelter, bereft of family.

They used to laugh and praise me when I played with that old shoe. But I didn't know the difference between the old one and the new

The kids and I would grab a rag, and for hours we played tug. So I thought I did the right thing when I chewed that bedroom rug.

They said that I had lost control and would have to live outside. I didn't really understand this, though I really really tried!

The walks they stopped one by one; they said they had no time. I wish that I could change things; I wish I knew my crime.

My life became so lonely shackled to a metal chain. I barked and barked continually I thought I'd go insane.

So they took me to the shelter but were embarrassed to say why. So they said I'd caused an allergy, then said their last goodbye.

If only I'd had training, as a tiny little pup. I wouldn't have been so hard to live with, when I was all grown up.

"You only have one day left", I heard the kennel man say. Does that mean I have a second chance? "Do I go back home today"?"

-Author Unknown

 

Pheasant hunting for Thanksgiving dinner

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Bailey and I were joined by Fawkes (Bailey's son out of last litter)and his owner Aaron for a pheasant hunt. 

We ran Fawkes (8 months old) for about 45 minutes with Bailey. Bailey and I worked a couple pheasant with Fawkes watching from a distance.  Fawkes has not been worked on gun shot before and showed nothing but excitement with running the fields with his dad.

After we put Fawkes away in his crate, Aaron joined Bailey and me for some walking miles in the fields for the next hour.  I  was in search of pheasant for the Thanksgiving dinner.

Bailey has become a great hunter.  His training is showing in his discipline around birds now.  He is holding through the flush and shot.  His retrieve to hand was perfect.  Very happy hunting.

We will add three pheasant to the turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. 

 Several of the guests will get to taste pheasant for the first time. 

Aaron took these pictures and he is going to do a write-up of what it was like to go on his very first hunting trip.  I'll post that write-up to redbirddog in the coming days.