Rant for the day

The process to register a purebreed dog with the Canadian Kennel Club is far more complicated and protracted than registering a human baby with the any Canadian province.  Seriously? 

Well, how do I know that?  I know because a few years ago I worked on a mega project to computerize the baby birth process for the province of Ontario and we also researched how other provinces do it and I can tell you, it's way simpler and faster, especially now that birth registration has been computerized here!! 

Anyway, to ensure my dog litter application reached the CKC offices in Toronto, I hand delivered it because I've heard hundreds of complaints about paperwork never reaching the CKC.  The CKC offices are only about 45 KM from where I live and I was on my way into Toronto anyway so it wasn't a big deal. It still took the CKC about 3 weeks to process that one page application and issue 6 pieces of paperwork for the individual puppy registrations (Miska had 6 puppies in her litter). 

There was no information in the package about being able to do individual dog registrations online.  In fact the last time I tried to do it online when it involved co-owning and putting puppies on non-breeding agreements, it was NOT possible. 

So after completing all the bloody paperwork by hand this year, making photocopies, etc, enclosing payment for the litter registration invoice, I mailed the package to the CKC on September 9.  This morning (Sept 27), I thought I had better check to see if my package had arrived because the cheque hadn't been cashed.  I was told they never received it!!!  And I am NOT the only one as I mentioned.  Is it Canada Post or is it the CKC?

So after speaking the client services rep, she tells me I could now do ALL the registrations online! If that's the case, why couldn't the CKC have informed me of this option when they sent me the package, for goodness sake.  All they needed to do was to enclose a flyer or put a statement on the individual blank registration form.  How difficult is that????


So I spent the morning online, re-doing all the registrations for 6 puppies.  It was relatively simple although the CKC says it may require me to send in the co-ownership forms & non-breeding agreements that my puppy buyers filled out and signed in contrast to the rep who told I had to fax them in.  How confusing is that?  Can you please get your story straight and consistent?  And there were also inconsistencies in the date formats between the paper forms and the online form?  Just more inconsistencies to make me annoyed.  Sheesh!!!


I hate the CKC. I don't think I know of a single person who loves the CKC or who would extol its virtues.  It appears to be a necessary evil in the Canadian dog registration world because we have no other choice.


Anyway. that's my BIG rant of the day!  Thanks for 'listening'. 

Fleeting fame

The last Vizsla Club of America News (electronic Sept '11) contained an obedience report and I was surprised but very delighted to find 2 of our Vizslas listed in the Top 10 in the USA!!  Tyro was #5 in Novice and Miska was tied for 1st in Open. Of course, these standings will change as more results for 2011 are tabulated but it's nice at least to be in the Top 10 even for a short while.This is part of page 10 from the VCA News.

A Breeze is stilled

CH Gardenway Celtic Breeze

August 26, 1997 - September 15, 2011

Bree - multi-group placing Vizsla & Top 5 Vizsla  in Canada from 1998-2000

The other morning I received a telephone call from Eileen Wilkes, owner of CH Gardenway Celtic Breeze, or "Bree" as she was known, to tell me that Bree had crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Thursday, September 15th, 2011.  Bree who had turned 14 in August, was dam to my beloved Nova (CH Ferngold Varazs Innovation Can/Am CD FDJ, JH, Am/Can RA, Am RE, Am RAE, CGN, and the maternal grandmother to 18 of Nova's kids from two litters, including my Miska as well as great-grandmother to 12 of Miska's puppies (Miska-Ozzie litter born June 2008 and Miska-Brick litter born May 2011) and 11 puppies out of Shandy, another of Nova's kids. 

Fortunately I had the opportunity to see Bree a very short time agao - at the end of July when I visited Eileen at her cottage.  Eileen knew I always delighted in seeing Bree. who was such a sweet and loving Vizsla.

RIP Bree and I hope you gave Nova a big kiss from me when you crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

December 3, 2006

Bree with 3 of her great-grand kids born May 31/11 to grand-daughter Miska

Bree with a few of her relatives in 2007
L-R, Miska (grand-daughter), Nova (daughter), Bree, Vadasz (grand-son), Chili/Tucker (grand-son)

Bree taken July 29, 2011, just before her 14th birthday

Bree in her favourite chair at the cottage, July 2011

Beautiful September day

Yesterday was beautiful!! Lots of sun, clear skies and warm temperatures. A perfect day and my kinda weather!!  Bodi (Miska-Brick litter born May 31/11) joined his brother, Tunder for a walk in one of our local conservation areas. Unfortunately Bodi wouldn't do a sit-stay so I wasn't able to capture him with his brother and mom together but later snapped one of Bodi in our garden.  This coming Tuesday, Sept 20, the puppies will be four months old.

Tunder (almost 4 mo.) with his mom, Miska

Tunder - I'm all eyes!!

Bodi in our garden.

Varazs Family Blogs

Stella is the latest Vizsla that we've bred or is related to our dogs to have her own Blog.  Here's a list of Blogs and websites featuring Varazs-bred or sired dogs.

World's cuddliest Vizsla

Bentley was Mr. Green in our May 31, 2011 litter between Miska (BIS (Veteran) Am/Cdn/Int'l/UKC CH Varazs Kiralyi Kedvesem FDJ, FD, NAVHDA NA Prize III, JH, Am/Cdn CD, Am/Cdn RE, Am RAE, CGN) & Brick (Int'l BIS BISS Am/Int'l CH Pirok Tegla MH).  His owners recently sent me this wonderful update on him.

All ears

I love Vizsla ears. They are soft like velvet, pendulous and can flap in the wind.  With puppies, we usually say they have to 'grow into their ears' since their ear flaps are often disproportionately bigger than their bodies.

Pets on furniture

Sleeping on soft, cushy furniture must be in a Vizsla's DNA.  After all, they were bred and raised by the nobility of Hungary - although some of the castles I've seen in Europe were furnished pretty sparsely so I don't know about soft surfaces in Hungarian castles.  Nevertheless, Vizslas gravitate to think it's their right to sleep on sofas and beds and also think it's below their stature to sleep on something hard, 

Honoring the 9/11 Rescue Dogs

Today is the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US and this post is dedicated to the four-legged heroes of 9/11 - the Rescue Dogs. Every day, dogs give their all for us but in these situations, they went far beyond the normal call of duty.

Source: http://www.dogheroesof911.com/photoslide.htm

Update on Will (Mr Turquoise)

I am like a "mother" when it comes to my fur-kids, i.e., the puppies I am responsible for bringing into this world and so I am always anxious (in a good way) to hear how they are doing, no matter what their ages.  Of course, I always prefer happy news but I know that part of being a breeder is you have to take the bad with the good.

Stella's camping adventure

Stella was Miss Red in our 2011 litter born May 31.  I am getting great reports about her wonderful temperament and great intelligence from her new owner, Teri Martin, who is really enjoying Stella.  Admittedly, I still really miss Miss Red but she is in a wonderful home so I can't ask for anything better.  On the Labour Day weekend this month, Stella went camping with her humans and her buddy Riley, a very black, black Labrador.

Watching over her

Bartok, a male Vizsla out of our 1998 litter - yes, he's 13.5 years old - recently acquired a new member - a baby girl named Cosima was born this summer to Bartok's humans, Renate and Oliver Gepraegs.  Here is a photo of Bartok taken in July 2011, watching carefully over his new 'sister'. 

"If I have to do a down stay, so should she! But why does she get a pillow & I don't?"

The Dreaded 9!

Blaze, a beautiful male Vizsla out of our Miska-Ozzie breeding in 2008, has been sitting on 5 champion points for the past year.  He needs a total of 10 points to earn his Canadian champion title.  While that might sound easy, unfortunately, there are very few Vizslas being shown in conformation in Alberta where Blaze resides so it can be really tough to pick up points in that part of the country without other Vizslas to beat.

Thank heavens!

Well, as of September 1, the Canadian chains called PJ's Pets and Pets Unlimited are reported to have stopped selling puppies in their stores.  To the horror of many Vizsla breeders, Vizsla puppies were being sold in their stores - YES and at EXORBITANT prices!!  Not surprisingly, several of them ended up in Vizsla Rescue.  While we still have our fair share of backyard breeders and so-called reputable breeders pumping out 2 and more litters / year, at least the pet store supply in Canada has ended.

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/national-chain-of-pet-stores-to-stop-selling-puppies-announces-partnership-with-spca-1550102.htm

Kong is King

Kong makes great toys for dogs.  In addition to their Air Dog toys which are Tyro's favourite toys, especially the ring (which I can't find on the Kong website but I hope it's still available because that's his all-time fav),

The relatives

Recently Blaze (a 3-year-old male out of my 2008 litter between Miska and Ozzie) met up with 3 of his offspring - Sam, Ridley and Sydney born Dec. 15, 2010 and bred by Sherryanne Farr and Wes Daniels of Blackbullets Vizslas - at a NAVHDA test in Alberta.  Sam, Ridely and Sydney (F) are Miska's grandkids and great-grandkids of our beloved Sasha and Nova.

Early Thanksgiving?

Well, yesterday evening I got a BIG HUGE and unexpected surprise.  Miska came running out of the bush on our property (actually way too close to the road for comfort) carrying a WILD TURKEY!  I was absolutely stunned.  I called her to me and she ran with it in her mouth.  All I could think to do was run to the house to grab my camera. It was still alive and she carried it all the way from the road to our house - over 400 feet.  Wild turkeys are not small birds by any means and they can be difficult to hunt, so for Miska to 'bag' this one was quite a feat!  By the time she got to the house and paraded it around a bit, she dropped it; she was tired.

Bodi is Blogging!

Bodi was Mr Blue in our last litter born May 31, 2011.  I'm delighted to learn that Bodi now has his own Blog called Urban Bodi!!  Check it out at http://urbanbodi.blogspot.com/  In case you forget where the blog is located, I have it listed under Electronic Vizslas as Urban Bodi.

Bentley (Mr Green) update

Bentley - looking regal just as his name suggets

Bentley's owners sent me photos of him in his new home. Bentley (born May 31) now lives with another Vizsla named Jasper who is also pictured below. It's another version of "it's a small world" because Jaspar's father is none other than Rex (Ch Varazs Blackbullets onthe Wing), a Vizsla I bred back in 1997 and sent to Alberta to live with Sherryanne Farr and Wes Daniels. Jaspar was born February 11, 2001 so he's now 10 years old. It's wonderful that Bentley has lots of company to entertain and keep him happy.