While during the summer it’s the hippie nudist hangout, in the winter Wreck Beach is pretty much empty and inviting to energetic off-leash Vizslas. We met up again with Whiskey’s sister Millie (and Millie’s owner) and let them race up and down the beach for several hours.
It was raining the entire time but you can’t even tell from the photos and the happy puppies. Just a small warning there are only garbage bins at the top of the stairs (not at the bottom during the winter) so it’s easier if you can wait until your dog takes a poop before you head down.
Another great day for a hike last weekend. It’s been raining so much that parts of Vancouver have been under threat of flooding but everything stopped by the time the weekend hit. We decided to push forward with slowly increasing our hiking distances and drove over to Cypress to do St. Marks Summit (11km, 460m gain, 4 hours)
St Marks trail
really really dry ski slopes
Scouting out the trail in front
Daddy showing Whiskey how to climb
St. Marks is the first summit on the Howe Sound Crest Trail that goes from Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain to close to Squamish at 30km over several mountains. Luckily it’s dog friendly and we saw very few people on the way. Usually the trail is much more populated but it’s off season and the threat of snow on the trails keeps most people away. It’s been too warm to even gather much snow on the top of the trails but it was snowing for most of our hike! It’s so beautiful.
Snow! It’s snowing big snowflakes
Switchbacks going up
Happy hikers
We went through many types of atmosphere up here
Whiskey had a couple adventures this time. At one point she had climbed up a steep rocky point and couldn’t figure out her way down for a couple minutes. Then poor Whiskey was happily galloping around at some point and fell through a pond covered in ice and snow. She was so cold but it seemed to make her run around even faster. We kept her moving and chasing sticks and didn’t stop very long at the top (there was no view in the clouds but the view is usually breathtaking). Soon she dried out and we were back on the dry ski slopes.
Poor thing can’t get down
I match the tree!
Who’s that in the crack?
How beautiful can British Columbia be?
It was so nice to get outside in the crisp air without the hassle of snowshoes. I’ve been carrying a small jar of Musher’s Secret Paw Wax just in case her paws have trouble in the snow and ice but so far we’ve had no issues. I was a wee bit worried that it was a longer hike than normal for Whiskey but she spent the rest of the night running around at a friend’s house and never really crashed much. It’s weird because it seems like hiking energizes her instead of making her tired. Usually she spends the day sleeping and doesn’t seem so excitable.
We’ve been instructed by our breeder how important it is to trim Whiskey’s nails and keep the quick short. She suggested us to trim every week with a Dremel and although it’s been a 2 person task, we can finish it in 10 mins.
Moo watching on while Whiskey gets her nails done
The noise of the Dremel and being constrained is scary for a dog not used to it. The easiest position we’ve found is having her lying on her back on someone’s lap while the other person works around and does the manicure. Press down on the pad so the nails come all the way out and get as close to the quick as you feel comfortable, rounding out any sharp edges. We start with her back paws so the tool isn’t in her face straight off.
take your time and round out edges
Even though we’ve done it since she was a puppy, she doesn’t love it and still struggles and grunts.
Whiskey shows you her paw while her back nails are done
Taking photos while you hold on a struggling puppy getting a pedicure is a challenge
Here are some tips for Dremeling your dog’s nails:
-Whiskey always gets a special treat in the end. I put the treat in my pocket so she can smell it the whole time and she knows it’s coming. You can also give her a smaller treat with each nail, or each paw.
-Get more people if possible to help. I typically hold Whiskey while Thierry works the Dremel.
-Work the back paws first as they are further from their head not as scary as starting near the face.
-Talk to your dog and tell them how wonderful they are in a low voice during the whole time.
-Have some styptic powder on hand in case you trim too deep.
-Make sure you have lots of light!
-Do it often so they get use to it
-Don’t stop the session as soon as they struggle, otherwise they learn if they struggle, they get out. If you need to release your dog, do so after they are calm.
-Trim nails when they are calm, relaxed, after exercise
push on each toe so the nail comes out and trim close to the quick
Here are some tips if you’ve never done it before:
-Get our dog used to being flipped over on their back and held. Give treats and talk in a soothing voice only letting them up when they are calm.
-Turn on the dremel and give treats to get them used to the sound
-Touch and handle each paw until they don’t mind (we clean her paws all the time when we get back from a wet/muddy walk).
-Just trim one paw at a time, and work your way up.
-Keep a bag of treats next to you and give them a treat for each nail when they are calm (reduce treats over time). Be generous with the treats at first.
-If when you release the dog, they don’t run off, and are immediately interested in snacks, you’re doing great!
start young and it’ll be easier!
Finally…
Be calm yourself. Whiskey is easy to do since she’s still a puppy and we were able to train her. Moo (my cat with attitude) is another story. We need to be in a zen mood to trim Moo’s nails. Make movements, slow and deliberate. If you are scared or anxious, the animals pick up on that. If you are confident and calm, they will be more receptive.
This weekend we finally had beautiful weather and enough time to head to Squamish for “The Chief” hike. One of our old favorites it has become so popular that over the last 5 years it’s come to rival the “Grouse Grind” for the must-do hike in Vancouver (even though I don’t consider the grind a hike). I now only do the Chief when conditions are such that I can avoid crowds. In November when the trail is full of ice and snow, the peaks chilly with arctic winds, we met relatively few hikers and had a blast.
on top of the Squamish world
Ice and sun
Whereas 7 years ago when I first did this hike there were few stairs and it really did feel like a natural hike, nowadays the trail is mostly comprised of man-made wooden or rock stairs, especially to the first peak. There are 3 peaks in total and I normally climb the third, then second and call it done. Most people do the peaks in numerical order so you avoid any lineups going the opposite way. Also the trail down from 3rd peak is the most rugged and hardest on bad knees (we’ve got a few bad knees in our pack) so I prefer going up that way.
We start at the Shannon Falls parking
Just starting out
Seriously Mom? You want me to climb that?
I’m doing it! Whooop!
Whiskey was super stoked to get going, especially since she was shivering right out of the car. Of course as soon as we started the upward trail we were all shedding our layers and pretty soon down to one shirt.
Puppy on a mountain
On Third Peak
It’s an amazing view from here
Looking north to Whistler
In the summer I would lie down and nap here
Watch out for chipmunks and crows that like to lure the dogs to the edge
Looking south from 2nd peak
The peak on 3rd was happily wind-free, and as we crossed the quick section to 2nd peak the sun was threatening to set. Coming down from 2nd peak is a challenge with a dog (many people don’t attempt 2nd with a large dog) because there is a ladder and chain section. Whiskey was a little nervous but was carried down with no drama (except the Vizsla drama). Check out those sad sad eyes! She was gripping so hard, I sometimes wonder that she isn’t human.
Heading down from 2nd peak
It’s a good thing she’s so used to being carried
Oh that sad face
the drama! It was too icy to put her down
awwwww
Here I’m happy I don’t have a larger dog
We handed her down
For those that want to avoid crowds in the summer, a nice side trail off from Chief is the Upper Shannon Falls hike. I’m sure we’ll do that one with Whiskey soon! I’m just super stoked that she’s big enough now to do “proper” hikes.
It’s currently the awkward time of the year in Vancouver when it’s cold and rainy but the mountains have yet to become snowy. Our normal hikes are blocked by clouds for views while the trails have become streams (and no snowshoeing yet). Where to go for a quick afternoon hike? North Vancouver of course!
our climbing Vizsla
streams in the trails
Daddy’s girl
I’m constantly surprised by my mountain goat
where’s the stick?
While Deep Cove, Lighthouse Park, and Lynn Valley become packed with families when the skies are low and grey, Brother’s Creek on the bottom of Cypress Mountain is somewhat empty. There are a variety of trails and loops here and many of them are more “natural”, less groomed, which is what we prefer. In half of these trails the rainfall has turned them into streams but it’s nothing a water-proof ankle boot can’t deal with. Whiskey had loads of fun chasing sticks, climbing logs, and posing for photos.
Our Whiskey girl discovers the remains of an old sawmill
how pretty is the rain in the sunbeams?
majestic forest in our backyards
Beams through the clouds
We still have phone connection here so with our GPS phones we can’t get lost and can create whatever route we want. There is even a section of old growth trees you can check out (9m in diameter). When we began this hike in the rain, the clouds passed through the trees creating amazing lighting and after an hour the sun came out making me wish we had attempted a longer hike! Next week.
Canadian graffiti
Mom why do we need to stop every meter for photos?
Since I’ve gotten Whiskey I’ve been happily daydreaming about having another Vizsla sister for Whiskey. Imagine my glee when we met up with Whiskey’s half-sister Millie (from the same father Ripley).
The two half-sisters (Whiskey with red)
They are both fearless climbers, though a little silly as they are “stuck” on the log
Millie is 2 years old and this is our second time meeting up. The first time was at night in a downpour so no pictures could be taken. They get along famously and I’ve never seen Whiskey run so much! It’s just great watching them play and get into trouble together (they found the same pile of poop to eat, and another pile of poop to roll in).
They ignored all the other dogs at the park
Whiskey learning to hold her own
Chaos getting two Vs to listen!
Whiskey is getting faster and is the same height as Millie but you can still recognize she’s a puppy with less developed muscles and a shallower chest. Her turns aren’t as sharp and her gangly legs make her tumble more. We watched as a blur of orange zoomed around and around and tried to photograph them. In the end I think we really need to invest in a faster camera with better auto-focus!
At the end of October we went off for a long diving vacation in Mexico. Suffice to say, the trip didn’t go to plan and we were both counting the days until we could come back and snuggle with Whiskey.
Mexico’s Great White Sharks (not dog friendly)
We picked her up at the boarder’s the day after we landed and were welcomed with a bundle of wiggles, nibbles (she still nibbles when she is too excited) and loads of licks. There’s nothing like coming home to a Vizsla! Best.Day.EVER
A Mexican blanket for Whiskey
Apparently she was perfectly behaved and got along famously with the house dog (standard poodle) and another GSP that was also being boarded. They went on at least one hike a day and she was so exhausted when we got home. So far she’s been right back to our schedule with few behavior changes we assume is just part of her maturing. The boarding experience was so great that we don’t even feel guilty about it.
an empty kibble bag keeps her entertained for quite awhile
paws everywhere!
She had no accidents at the home, was great on recall, and only missed one meal (Whiskey has about 1 meal a month she just decides she doesn’t want). She’s also changed quite a bit. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is, but she’s bigger and her muscles have filled in a bit. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have her back in my life! Excuse me while I go demand more cuddles…
can’t move…I’m stuck
And Moo. Still up to no good, we had a fabulous house sitter that watched over her.
We are off to Mexico in a couple days and we’ve had a bit of a trouble finding a place to keep Whiskey while we are gone, probably because I’m very picky and only want the best for her. Our main concerns were that she would have off leash walks at least once a day, that she would be closely monitored on the small chance that her first heat might start early (very tricky!), and that she would get lots of cuddles and human attention. Honestly I wouldn’t have booked the vacation had I known we were getting a puppy but the vacation was pre-paid, no refunds before we knew about Whiskey.
There are so many choices in Vancouver for boarding and we visited 4 locations before making our choice. We considered her staying with her walkers, daycare locations, some excellent “getaways for dogs” and kennels. In the end we were recommended a professional home boarder that doesn’t work and stays home with her child. I’ll update you when we come back on how it all works out! Here’s a compilation of choices we had:
family/friends positives: One of the best case scenarios is that you have family willing to take in your dog while you’re gone. It’s free (hopefully!) and they have more invested because they know you. Also they will know your dog, their issues, and wouldn’t be a stranger. negatives: If your dog needs lots of exercise, depending on whom takes care of them, they may not be able to let them out as much. Then again the opposite could happen where they have more free time to take your dog out. A well meaning family member could be “softer” on the rules then you and encourage bad behaviour.
kennels eg a Dogs Life positives: if your dog has dog aggression issues, this will ensure he has his own space. Some kennels are very clean and have runs attached to them. They are usually temperature controlled, have beds and you can easily separate sick dogs. Usually cheaper than a “dog getaway”.
negatives: They look like prisons and dogs don’t usually get natural grassy areas to run and socialize with other humans and dogs. The quality of kennels can range and you have ensure your dog will have enough human interaction. Walks may not always be included.
professional home boarding eg Deepcove dog, Mountain and Wave positives: More one on one human time. Sleeping in a homey environment. Less noise, less stress and faster feedback on issues. There will most likely be times your dog will be left alone (not a huge staff). Hopefully the boarder is not a stranger, and most likely you will meet up first and see how the dog is reacting and the space they will stay. Professionals should be insured, bonded and have first aid training. Most of the time a regular amount of walks are included.
negatives: hugely dependent on the person boarding the dog, make sure they have had Vizsla experience or are happy to learn about the breed ahead of time (no punishments or harsh “training” methods)
daycare boarding/ location getaways eg Outward Hound, Ruff Stuff, Bowen Island Ranch positives: Lots of playing time during the day with loads of other dogs. Exercise will most likely not be a problem. Usually cheaper than other options. These are professionals so they tend to upload pictures and have reviews that you can read with ratings.
negatives: not as much human attention and contact, more potential to get sick and pick up bad behaviour. Not as well monitored since there are usually lots of dogs to person ratio. The staff may be students or not trained specifically with dogs. They may rely on dog playing for exercise so the dogs may not necessarily be walked on trails.
petsitting/dogvacay positives: Usually cheaper with more personal time. The dog gets a home style environment and you’ll probably get a better idea of how they’re doing. You can give more one-on-one instructions and most likely it’s in a quieter environment than with lots of dogs. Usually a petsitter won’t take many dogs at once.
negatives: If you’re not going through a company like dogvacay, your petsitter could be uninsured and won’t be covering any accidents that occur during their stay. This person may not have the expertise to take care of tricky situations or dogs with issues. They may also not reinforce all the training you’ve worked so hard on. It’s so easy for a dog to learn bad behaviour that you may spend months having to retrain them. They could be a stranger and you would really need to trust them.
It’s funny how the basic commands can also be the hardest. We sometimes have problems getting Whiskey to “lie down”, or “sit” quickly but as soon as we say “find it!” or “where’s daddy?” she immediately stops what she’s doing and starts looking.
I’ve started introducing a chain of commands now with her sniff training since she loves it so much. First, she’s told to “come here”, “sit” and “stay”, sometimes on an unstable platform. I’ll let her sniff the item I’m hiding, then I walk around, up to 5 meters away and drop snacks (lamb lung) in high and low places. I’ll then walk back and tell her to “find it” and after each find I’ll praise her and repeat “find it” until she gets them all. Now, as soon as I say “find it” she starts sniffing with her nose. When she’s found all the treats I then throw a party and tell her “that’s all!” and she knows the game is over. (hint: only as many treats as you can remember where they are)
Do you want to work?
SIT STAY and then I bobble the springs so she needs to keep her balance
staying while I position the treats
sniffing them out (she never remembers where i put them even if she is watching)
there’s one in the slide!
I like using the playground because it also becomes and agility work too
At first I would wander around the area where the treat was dropped as a hint to search more in a specific place. It was challenging to keep her in a stay while I walked around at first. If she broke her “stay”, I would try to get her to go back to her “stay” place and so it’s easier if the spot is in a defined area. She’s learned over time to search both high and low areas and it’s so much fun to watch. On the downside, she’s gotten extremely good at sniffing out food people have left in the parks. Did I mention sniff work is pretty tiring for dogs? Great for rainy days!
another sniff location
use locations that have a visual boundary
she will ignore people and dogs while she is “working”
searching high and low places
she loves this game!
At home we do this in a larger and larger area. It’s harder though, because we have a hungry cat and we don’t want them both competing for food. While Whiskey won’t jump up on the counter and steal food from a ziplock in my purse, Moo won’t let any barrier stop her! (Moo just stole a sausage from a pan as I typed this)
We’ve had to get another coat to keep up with her growth
We were off to Whistler last weekend and though forecast was bleak, we had really good luck with the timing of rain. Because we both work full time, sometimes our lives seem nothing more than walk the dog, eat, work, walk the dog, eat, laundry, sleep. On the weekends however, we try our best to roll out of bed at a decent time and go on an adventure. Sometimes we go alone in the rain (since it’s hard to find rainy hikers), but this time we were lucky enough to have a great group with us. Whistler is about 2 hours away and we had chill time eating, hot-tubbing and chatting along some nice walks.
On a side note, since we were staying in a new place, Whiskey has started to bark when she hears something different or sees people jogging past the house. It’s surprising us and we’re wondering if she picked it up from the Aussie Shepherd last week.
Just outside our accommodations
A Canadian scene
Whiskey loves to walk along logs and stand there for a photo
A little sun among the rain
We even found a local ghost town called Parkhurst that was initially a logging town abandoned in the 1930s and then again in the 1960s. There were remnants of a bed, stove, house, and even a logging tractor
