Posts tagged ‘pack dynamics’
Litter Reunion.
6/8th's of the Tarndair litter: Maize, Pogo, Noah, Sparky, Phoenix, Dolly.
With Pogo at the water trough.
Magnetic attraction to H2O.
Meeting brother Sparky.
Romping with sister Dolly.
...and Noah joins in the chase.
The (Half) Sisters.
Phoenix met up with her half-sister Henna (Ebeegeebees Razzie) together with her breeder and human companion Catherine today. Henna is almost a month to the day older than Phoenix but the two pups are more or less the same size and look incredibly similar to one another. After much bouncing ‘n’ boinging at one another on-lead – and much to their delight – we let them both off their leads where they proceeded to have a good old tear-around. One of the things that was really interesting to see is how the two “girls” completely tuned into one another and reacted to everything as one pup-unit, something that we’ve not observed Phoenix do with any other puppy. Somehow both pups knew that they were with another of their own kind….but can you spot which is which in the above pictures????
You a Wire Haired Vizsla, Yeah?
Every night at about 8.30 everyone hits the sofas and lollops around for a few hours. Recently, we’ve been watching Modern Toss and Life in Cold Blood with the eternally wonderful David Attenborough. It must be the bright colours and the sound design because Phoenix is absolutely fascinated by the TV. She also went into a barking frenzy at the sight of giant turtles. This took everyone by surprise. Those turtles really flipped her wig…
The Business of Show.
We’re now in full preparation for Phoenix’s official first show – she’s in a graduate class at the 3 day long Taunton and District Canine Association Open Show in a couple of weeks where she’ll be showing amongst much older and considerably more experienced handlers and dogs. It could go either way: she’ll either show like a dream, or wreak havoc and chaos around her like an anarchist mob in a grump. It’s the not knowing that lends an edge to the whole thing….
Meanwhile Phoenix continues to grow apace and we’re hoping that she eventually slows down before morphing into a new breed: the GHWV (Giant Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla). This impression wasn’t helped any when we were approached by an admiring family when out walking recently. They said in an emphatic rather than questioning way: “She’s a Great Dane, isn’t she?”
Memorable recent canine HPR interactions for Phoenix have included numerous Weimaraners in a variety of shapes, ages and sizes, and a gorgeous pair of GSP (German Shorthaired Pointer) boys with whom she had a great romp whilst we owners all held a mutual appreciation meeting. She also took a particular shine to Merlin, the spectacular Irish Wolfhound whom we met at ringcraft. Merlin was rescued from a pub in Liverpool where he was being “kept” by a couple of teenage boys who mistakenly thought that because Wolfhounds were very big, they’d make good fighting dogs. Wolfhounds are *very* gentle and who knows what horrors would have befallen Merlin if he hadn’t been scooped up and delivered to his new and very loving home. It’s nice to hear of a happy ending for a change…
Scarface.
Scarred?
Phoenix was very briefly attacked by a collie-cross while we were out walking recently. She approached her potential new pal, wagging and jolly to say hello who then promptly, and without warning bit her on the face. She now has an inch-long and currently rather conspicuous cut on her cheek. We’re desperately hoping that this won’t leave a long term scar, but it will probably be some weeks before we’ll know. Thankfully it hasn’t in any way put her off saying hello to other dogs though, which is good.
Her recall and general ability to sit, stand etc. has improved enormously and she regularly manages to impress other people when we call her away from them. That click and treat thing has worked wonders.
On our walk today Phoenix was cooed over by a family with two Border Terriers who referred to them as their “border terrorists”, which made us giggle.
Electric Boogaloo.
Cool New Game: pretending to say hello to Adam, then stealing his glasses off his face and waltzing off with them with an evil cackle and a wag of the tail which I believe the Armish would refer to as “proud” while Adam crashes around the place like a breakdancing hippo. I’m sure it’s funny to someone….
The Pack Expands.
With Fred at the River.
Although they met when Phoenix was six weeks old, Freddie (who is Tim’s son) had not spent some “quality time” with Phoenix since she arrived here, due to his pressing international engagement schedule and general jet set lifestyle. The two were reunited today and much play ensued gilded with yaps, barks, nips and squeals from all parties.
Puppysitting for Dummies.
Tim went to collect Fred, leaving Adam alone with Phoenix all day. Adam went into a panic, unsure what he was supposed to do if the dog vomitted, howled or freaked out. He knew that unlike with babies you can’t slip the pup some brandy (damn those animal welfare laws) or chocolate (because this would lead to death). So in the great British tradition, a leaflet was prepared and all was well in the land of mutt:
Instructions for Adam 1.
Instructions for Adam 2.
A.D.D. hits Show Ring Horror.
Ringcraft pre-stack positioning.
First proper ringcraft session for Phoenix under Judge Glenys Sykes of Daraquist English Setters. Phoenix was typically excited and indeed excitable in the midst of twenty-odd other dogs. She was highly praised for her spirit (!), although a little more control would certainly have made the evening less like a wrestling match and more like a dream walk in the ring…
…still, everyone was extremely complimentary (at least to our faces) and hopefully Tim’s handling skills will slowly improve alongside Phoenix’s concentration.
Ringcraft examination.
There were lots of really nice people at the session and we met some of the heavy hitters in the gundog show world .
Phoenix’s status as an only dog at home seem to mark her out as being notably more “animated” than any other puppies present, all of whom came from multi-dog households. Once again, all we can do is persist with her canine socialisation programme, and hope that we can get her as focused in the ring as she is at home.
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 