At your service

Mom, do you want a toy or your shoe?

Miska

Diva

Elsie update

"Elsie" was Miss Yellow in our last litter born May 31, 2011.  Her owners recently sent me some photos of her.  You can definitely tell she's a girl and not a boy!  Very feminine!  I can see a resemblance in her face/head with her sister Stella and also her brother Bodi.  Thanks to Elsie's owners for providing these pictures.

Survival skills

Diva, "If mom lets me get a little closer, I can catch that wascally rabbit."

This baby bunny had better learn some survival skills and not let predators get so close! Otherwise it will be lunch or dinner for a coyote or bobcat.

HOT, HOT, HOT!

That's one "HOT" for every F digit we've finally reached in Phoenix. 102 F (38.8 C) was yesterday's temperature outdoors and it was 110 F (43.3 C) in the shade of our patio where heat gets trapped. Today it's forecast to get up to 105 F. Finally time for the dogs' cool coats and caps.

 

Tyro, Diva & Miska

Amber joins Bartok over the Rainbow Bridge

BPG * CH Varazs On Point at Blackbullet
"Amber"

February 2, 1998 - April 20, 2012 

Sadly, just two days after her brother Bartok crossed the Rainbow Bridge, his sister Amber followed in his pawsteps to join him.  Amber died peacefully and asleep in the arms of her beloved owner, Sherryanne Farr.  Amber and Bartok were the last puppies out of a litter of four born in 1998 to my foundation bitch, Am/Can CH Maritza of Kezdet Nekah Am/Can CD CGC Nekah.  With Amber's passing, all of Nekah's puppies and that generation are now gone.

Jewel with her human, Wes Daniels

Amber was a Best Puppy in Group and also had 2 Group placements in conformation during her show career in Alberta, Canada. Amber was the foundation Vizsla bitch for Blackbullet Vizslas (Sherryanne Farr and Wes Daniels) in Alberta.  She was bred three times but only one mating was successful - the one done at her home in 2004 with her humans close by rather than when she was sent away for breeding.  That's often the case.  Her kids are:

Amy - Blackbullet Amethyst of Vegso
Chester - Blackbullet Il Mio Amore Varaz
Cooper  - BPG CH Blackbullets Heart of Varazs
Jewel - CH Blackbullet Varazs Legacy NAVHDA NA Prize II
Maggie - Blackbullet St. Mags of Varazs
Nando - Blackbullet Varazs Braveheart 
Rufus - CH Blackbullet Varazs Grof Rufus

Amber's spirit and beauty live on through her seven puppies and many grandkids through her daughter, CH Blackbullet Varazs Legacy NAVHDA NA Pz II, "Jewel".  Amber will be greatly missed by Sherryanne and Wes and leaves a big hole in their hearts. And I share their grief.

Amber on point

Amber, visiting me in Ontario

Amber with her toy

 

Surprise visitor

Found this fella in the house the other day lying on a power charger. He has lost part of his tail.   He must have entered via our screen door which we often leave open because there are so few bugs here. For some reason, the dogs didn't smell him, TG as it would have been chaos.  These lizards run very fast and when I tried to steer him towards a door, he'd run and hide under furniture.  "Fortunately" Hubs computer was open since he was repairing it.  Mr Lizard ran into it and hid, allowing us to carry the computer outdoors and free him.   TG, it was a lizard and not a rattlesnake!

A life lived & loved

Varazs Bartok Bluebeardscastle "Bartok"

February 2, 1998 - April 18, 2012 

I am sad to announce that Bartok crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday to be with his brother Otis, sister Rosie, mother Nekah and father Rowdy.  He was out of a litter of 4 puppies and the last breeding I did with his dam, Nekah.  Bartok, in his 15th year, was loved and owned by Renate, Oliver and their son Jarno Gepraegs.  He will be greatly missed.  Rest in peace dear, sweet and mischievous Bartok.

Jarno & Bartok

Photos courtesy of the Gepraegs family.

My first agility Vizsla

Keira (CH Varazs Nekah's Gold Edition Am/Can CD, Am/Can CDX, AGN, NA, NAJ, TT) born June 5, 1997, was an awesome obedience dog and my first agility Vizsla.  Today is the seventh anniversary of her death and I still think of her and miss her.

My thoughts of Keira have been more frequent in the past year as I competed with Miska in Open obedience and now as I train Miska and Miska's daughter, Diva, in agility.  Keira did extremely well in obedience and breezed through her trials, often with high scores.  I don't know if she ever didn't pass a trial.  Miska has been totally different with many, many "did not qualify", especially in Open.  Mind you, Miska is an awesome hunting dog which Keira wasn't.

Keira doing well in Open (CDX) obedience in the US

I recall the weekend I headed to Niagara Falls NY for 2 days of AKC Open obedience trials with Keira.  She had already earned one leg - and 2nd place - at the Vizsla National events in Charlotte, NC in Oct. 2001.  Well, we returned from Niagara Falls with her CDX title, passing both trials, including placing High in Class and getting a second place in her other trial - something I never expected to do but was absolutely joyful about!  Believe me, people were very envious of our success!! 

But the most fun I had was doing agility with Keira.  She proved to be fast and very good at it and she earned 3 titles and one leg in AKC Open Standard before being diagnosed with hepatic hemangiosarcoma which took her life all too soon in 2005.   

It has taken me several years to get back into agility. I have two very good prospects - Miska and Diva  - so I hope to relive the thrills and fun that I had with Keira in this fun sport. Thanks for the great times Keira!
   

Happy Easter 2012

Happy Easter to all our Christian friends. 

Private boarding

Still being relatively 'new' to the Phoenix-area, the only place I found to board my dogs to date was a commercial boarding kennel in our community.  It's convenient although expensive but the dogs appear to be well taken care of.  However it's entirely indoors (at least I know they are safe from snakes!) but let's face it, I know a lot of the time is spent cooped up in a suite or condo cell and even if they have a TV, I know they don't watch it.  It's not like home.

So I was very happy when I found a private boarding place for our dogs - a home on 4 acres in nearby Cave Creek AZ - with llamas, emus, chickens, a horse and even a giant tortoise.  It's called Llamapalooza Ranch. After checking out the place and meeting the human owner, Pamela and her son Cole, and their menagerie, I found it acceptable and knew Miska, Tyro and Diva would have much more fun here than at the commercial pet 'resort'.  My one concern was rattlesnakes but Pam said in they have only had 2 in the past 8 years and it wasn't in the fenced areas where the animals are but on their front patio. Snakes are very sensitive to vibration and all the pounding of llama, horse & goat hooves probably keeps them away.  At least that's the theory hope.

And after picking them up last night after a 5-day stay while we vacationed in Palm Springs, they were absolutely exhausted!!! Tired dogs are happy dogs!

Llamas & horse

Meeting one of the goats

What kind of canine is that?

What an adorable face!

Whoa - Miska did NOT like the tortoise at first. Look at her body posture and Diva has her hackles up too.

More relaxed now. The tortoise actually likes dogs!

Another boarder with the tortoise