An Offering

For those of you who haven't read about it, my dogs are in a daily competition for who gets to sleep on "Mom's end of the Couch."

You really must read that post to appreciate Ivy's tactic for the day to get Eve to give up the coveted spot. Yesterday morning, Ivy presented Eve with an offering of their favorite toy. Eve, who sleeps very soundly was oblivious to Ivy's advances. Ivy circled and circled, nudging the toy closer to her sleeping opponent. She was determined to get that spot. Eve was out like a light. It was really funny to watch Ivy's frustration building as Eve ignored her. Ivy is not used to being ignored and she didn't like it one single bit. Eventually she had to resort to the trick that always works--barking like a mad dog and racing to the sunroom. Eve took off like a shot to take up her squirrel watching position. I expected that Ivy would take the spot, but instead, she nosed the toy to the floor and stalked off, triumphant still, somehow.

I wonder what was going on in that doggy brain?

Today she is a very thirsty girl. Last night I had five large pieces of pizza leftover from Sam's dinner awaiting Jake when he got off work. After dinner the rest of the family went hither and yon while I worked on printing our church's service folder for this Sunday and doing laundry in the basement.

When Jake came home and asked what I had ready for him for dinner, I absent-mindedly directed him to the paper plate full of pizza. You know the rest of the story--no pizza. We looked in the fridge (just in case) the microwave (just in case) the fridge again. Nothing but an empty paper plate on the counter and one very innocent looking dog. Grrr.

The growl is for me more than her. When, oh when, will I learn?

Related Tags: vizslas, dogs

But Mom. . .

". . .it's raining outside! I had to dry off somehow!!"

Related Tags: dogs, vizslas, Hungarian Pointers

Images of Eve

Squirrel Patrol

She sees one

She wants it

She tells us where it is.

If I had categories this one would be filed under "It happens every day"

Related Tags: vizsla, pointer, hunting dog

She's a hunter

Spring is here and the squirrels are back.

Eve hunts. She's a bird dog and her focus on birds is amazing, but she is also obsessed with squirrels. It is her duty to keep those little rascals in line (or at least in her line of vision) and so she sits under a tree in the side yard for hours at a time pointing at the squirrels in the trees.

But she doesn't have to be outside to hunt those rascally squirrels. No, not Eve. She keeps an eye out for them even when she's in the house. She doesn't bark and leap and run from window to window like Ivy. No, Eve points. The pictures don't really communicate what a vizsla 'on point' is really like.

She is absolutely still, except for an almost imperceptible trembling in her muscles. She is hyper-aware of her surroundings and yet she does not respond to anything except the squirrel. Normally, when I walk into a room, Eve wags. If I talk to her she gets up and comes to me. But when she has a squirrel in her sights she is completely focused and seemingly unresponsive.

I took these pictures, downloaded them to my computer, uploaded them to Blogger (and you all know how long that takes!) and typed up the paragraphs above. She is still out there, on point, on task, doing her self imposed squirrel duty. She will be there, pointing, until the squirrel finally goes off to tease the collie next door.

She's changed chairs, but she's still on duty.

Related Tags: hunting dog, Vizsla, squirrel, pointer, on point

A Sign of Spring

A sun-burned doggy nose.