Now this was an adventure! To get to Widgeon Falls, one must drive to Pitt Lake, canoe or kayak across, make your way up a creek, and then hike a couple kilometers to a beautiful waterfall. This was my first time and I really enjoyed this day trip. The previous day Whiskey had cut her back paw so we were happy for a short walk (and a bootie to protect her).
The sunrise light on blueberry fields
Arriving at Pitt Lake
Whiskey and Millie, her half sister
We woke up really early on Sunday to drive to the canoe rental shop since we had heard it can get really busy and we had a big group that didn’t want to miss out on canoes (11 people and 4 dogs). Well the shop was supposed to open at 8am but we didn’t realize we needed to knock next door in order to get the shopkeeper (presumably living next door) to open up so we waited around for a good half hour before figuring it out.
Tugging on a found sock, yucky!
What mom? can we go yet?
Millie checking out the view
You got the canoe? Lets go!
The canoe was wonderful and all dogs behaved themselves, even the boat with 4 people and 2 dogs (we were on a 3 person 1 dog canoe). Canoeing to the hike point can be harder than you expect if you aren’t used to paddling and steering but we had enough Canadians to work it out.
a 4 person 2 dog canoe
Little Ginger was also keeping watch in her canoe
It was hard to keep Whiskey fully inside
Amazing mist on the creek
Really beautiful scenery
She kept sniffing the water
We reached the hike point (also the camping grounds) in an hour and the hike itself is very pretty and quite short. The falls were fantastic (my best friend even trucked in a cake to celebrate my birthday early) and it was just wonderful to sit in the sun.
Beautiful light on the trail
Millie takes a dip in the cold water
Widgeon Falls
Part of our group
A little birthday on the rocks
My family
Millie inspects a hole
Shira is our gorgeous 4th dog today
We had paddled out in the early morning on high tide (Pitt lake is large enough to be tidal) but coming back was reaching low tide so there were moments the heavier canoes had to be pushed to get through some very shallow parts (it’s a good idea that someone has water shoes). Also, on the way back Whiskey decided she had enough with canoeing and jumped out into the marsh. We were really happy we could convince her to get back in without jumping out ourselves! I do believe my Vizsla is not the biggest fan of canoes and would rather walk.
Last weekend we took off on a little mini vacation to a place I kept hearing about, but had never visited: Salt Spring Island
the beautiful clouds at the ferry terminal
Stuck in the lower deck with Whiskey
Yey! We’re here
We spent a total of 5 days on this small but packed island with the whole family including our cat, Moo! While we started driving to the ferry as soon as we got off work, we had to endure a 3 hour ferry ride getting shuttled from one island to the next to finally reach Salt Spring late in the evening. When we finally reached our super quaint airBnb cottage and herded everyone in, we were so tired we fell asleep super fast and couldn’t wait for our next adventure.
Moo explores and dreams of escaping
The dock at our vacation home
breakfast with posers
I’m not sure why, but our normally mellow Vizsla was very very excited to be on vacation and wasn’t happy to let us sleep in. While my partner slept until noon, I took Whiskey out for a little tour of the farm we were staying at. She was so excited about meeting the sheep, I was afraid she would sneak under the fence!
Vizslas are the best!
She kept trying to “touch” the other dog
omg sheep!! hello sheep!
We choose Mt Erskine as our first hike of the island as it promised great views and hidden fairy doors. The start of the hike was a little hard to find, but once we got started we really loved the trail. A relatively short hike, we soon reached the top for extensive views of Vancouver Island. Along the way we only found 2 fairy doors but we heard there are many more we missed and along the other trails. At the top was a beautiful stone dog bowl dedicated to someone’s loved one.
On our way up Mt Erksine
No better place to explore
A fairy door! Who lives inside?
I love banana slugs!
At the top much faster than expected
really nice views
I love these fairy doors
knocking to see who’s inside
The next day we headed over to Ruckle park on the other side of the island. It has a much longer trail up to Yeo point and we met few people. We passed by a couple tiny beaches and overall loved how quiet it was on a long weekend.
Ruckle park’s scenic walk
It’s chilly but there are some dive sites here
loving the moss covered rocks
racing to the camera
Taking a moment
Loving the fresh air
more sheep! why cant’ we be friends?
After the hike we checked out a local cheese farm, brewery, and hopped out a couple times on the road to check the farm stalls. There are unsupervised stalls along the roads with fruit, veges, eggs (and one time bacon!!) that you can pay for on the honor system leaving cash in the cash boxes provided. We just loved the trust here. Afterwards we drove around the main town which was full of cute little local stores. The Saturday market was in full swing and I really loved wondering the stalls (but dogs are not allowed) and buying up all the local produce, even local dog treats!
Saturday market
cooking with all local ingredients (Moo approved)
This is how Moo hangs out
Farmer’s stalls everywhere
On our last full day it looked pretty cloudy but we hit Mt Maxwell anyways hoping the clouds would clear when we got to the top for a little view. We didn’t really get our view but what we saw was much better: fog. I love fog and the pictures usually look so much more beautiful than under blue skies. It’s also easier taking photos with someone else to direct the dog and being able to take your time. The hiking here was super well mapped out and signed and I suppose the clouds had scared away most people because we didn’t meet anyone except at the top (which you can drive to). I’m so happy we didn’t drive!
We started here and walked 1,5,4,6,6a,2 and back
Just starting out and it’s pretty
This is the life! 4 days off
not much of a view, just a hint
I am in love with fog
Playing with silhouettes
running around the trails
My shot of the day!
I’m not sure how much Moo enjoyed the trip but she wasn’t stressed out at the change whatsoever (great appetite and went straight to exploring). Her escape plans are getting better though, and we had a couple scares but we caught her quickly. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have such a confident genius cat…
Last day’s beach visit
until next time Salt Spring
A much nicer ferry ride for us
Whiskey wonders when we’ll be done with ferries
The last day we had found out the ferry was full so we ended up taking a ferry to Vancouver Island, then another one back to the mainland. We were so happy and tired when we got home!
Last weekend we went back to the same place as last year for a camp trip: Fountain Lake
Last year she was still a puppy
This year fully grown
We had a different group, and different luck (or lack of) with the weather. This time, as we drove past Pemberton to the site, we enjoyed a thunder and lighting show as we safely avoided the remnants of small rockslides on the windy roads. By the time we arrived, it was pitch dark and rainy but thanks to an awesome tent, we got set up in minutes and could help everyone else. It’s quite a different experience from last year when we were wearing t-shirts to this year with several layers and a rain jacket.
a very rainy drive
halfway through setting up a group shelter
A cloudy and chilly lake
Someone is not happy in the rain!
Still beautiful
Fountain Lake
It rained consistently until late afternoon the next day. Rain can be miserable but it’s all about the right gear to enjoy even the worst weather. It’s also about distracting your rain-shy Vizsla with games to keep her from complaining with lots of stick throwing and sniff games. This is where I’ll go on to advertise merino wool as the best camping clothing. I was the only one toasty that morning clothed toe to head (socks, undies, shirt, hoodie and beanie) in merino. Whiskey had her new chillydog jacket and I was testing my new rain jacket (both worked great). A couple thermoses of hot tea and a well-rigged tarp ensured that we could happily play board games and nap until the sky cleared in the mid-afternoon.
Sleeping in the same bag
A couple strolls around the lake
Some low and high clouds
Working on balance
Lots to do even in bad weather
As we chowed down in the evening under a sky full of stars, we felt pretty lucky! Whiskey probably had the best sleep out of all of us. She absolutely loves sharing my sleeping bag and feels no guilt in waking me up in the middle of the night with a “punch” when she gets too hot. Somehow she is able to wiggle up and down my mummy sleeping bag and curl into a ball on my side (I don’t let her crawl down to my toes). We’ve tried bringing blankets, even a dog bed before, but she’s always ended up inside my sleeping bag. I’ve given into her now…
Really unsure about horses
Daddy…Is this safe?
Hold me!
Baby frog season
Getting sunnier!
Ariel view of Fountain Lake
The next day was beautiful, warm, and sunny. What a change! We took a walk around the lake where we met some little frogs. Whiskey “checked” them out with her mouth (all survived) but wasn’t interested in making friends. When we came across a couple friendly horses, I found Whiskey was more concerned for our own safety than curious about the gigantic creatures. She was clearly not comfortable with us petting them but I do want her to get used to horses in the future. Soon after, we had to pack up soon after lunch for a long drive home. The road back is fantastic and we made a couple stops for photos and drone pictures.
20km (roundtrip), 8-10 hours starting from Seymour Mountain Parking lot Link to hike OR this link
Lake Elsay
This was a tough one as we didn’t expect such technical terrain and had started later than planned. Carrying heavy backpacks we took about 5.5 hours each way with lots of breaks. While it was my first time on this trail, I found the trail pretty easy to follow even though there are loads of warnings about the “poorly marked trail”. There were orange markers everywhere although I can see how it would be difficult to find the trail with fog or snow so make sure you are fit and experienced before attempting this one in less than ideal conditions. Also, there are a couple creek crossings which may be difficult in high water (we are currently in a drought so no issue there).
photobombed!
It would be so nice to sit down…
Well marked path in the summer
technical terrain
We parked at the 2nd Seymour parking lot (designated for overnighters) and started on the trail to Seymour peak’s first pump. Right before first pump, there was a marker to veer off towards the Elsay Lake trail. From here there are about 8kms to get to the camp site and about 6kms of it is technical and tough terrain going down down down. Just a note of warning, we did see someone carrying their dog back the trail in a backpack because the poor pup had warn through their pads on the hot rocks, so make sure your dog is used to hiking on rocks and check their feet often.
starting out with Seymour’s first pump ahead
my vizsla-goat
turn off to Elsay trail
From the turn off, we soon turned a corner to see an enormous panorama of the valley. We crossed about 4 rockslides and followed one more down. There are some streams along the way (about 2kms to the lake) and the lake itself was pretty large for swimming. For space in the emergency hut, make sure you get there early (houses 6). It was a long weekend and we were a bit surprised to find another 6 tents up and a group staying at the hut.
She loved the rocks
just wow!
my hiking buddies
Taking a well needed break
crossing a creek
The way back seemed so much easier although it took the same amount of time (this time going uphill). We had run out of water in the summer heat so we stopped by the creek to filter a couple liters while Whiskey rested on some mossy rocks. I was surprised since this is the first time I’ve seen her lay down on a hike! We made sure she had plenty of dehydrated food, water, hard boiled eggs, and she shared all our food. She even crawled into our sleeping bags at night taking turns with mommy and daddy.
setting up camp while Whiskey supervises
so hungry!! feed me
it was too hazy for stars
waking up with a Vizsla in the sleeping bag
swimming in the lake
heading back home
Overall the hike would be much faster without the packs, but it’s still pretty long for a one day hike unless you are a trail runner. The payoff wasn’t as amazing as many of the other trails we’ve done though I acknowledge we are spoiled for choice in BC. In the end I’m glad we did it but I won’t be planning another hike or overnighter here for a couple years.
It’s been such a busy summer that this weekend I found my usual hiking buddies were already booked. No problem! I’ve got my most dependable canine buddy to go with. This day ended up being scorching hot and I finished my 3L hydration pack with Whiskey. It’s probably the fastest we’ve done this hike since I skipped 1st and 2nd pump and took very little rest on the peak.
just starting the hike
mom! take a picture!
a resting space with a view before going on
very hot today!
Around first pump it becomes very rocky
fantastic views all around
With just me and Whiskey, we didn’t have any distractions and finished in under 4 hours (taking our time) despite not having been hiking this incline in quite awhile. Whiskey never wanders far, usually in my eye line and a little shout brings her right back to me if she runs to far ahead. She also poses like a professional model and several times froze in a position begging me to take several photos. I’ve always treated her for posing so it seems now that she knows what to do without asking. Over time I’m realizing I’m not the great dog photographer I was hoping to be- Whiskey is just an amazing model I’m lucky to have (because no other dog I’ve photographed does what she does).
2nd pump just beyond
looking back at first pump
it becomes steep to the peak
great views of the north shore mountains
the scariest section
my hiking partner
As we were on the way to the first pump we passed several groups that had been waiting 15mins for a mama bear and her 2 cubs to pass. I put Whiskey on leash for a bit after that, made lots of noise, and took out my pepper spray. We saw no sign of the bears but it’s good to remember that the wildlife is moving more than normal because of the drought so watch out!
view back on the city
so many mountain ranges here
Coliseum Mountain behind Whiskey
Since Whiskey doesn’t like to drink water along the route, I’ve found mixing dehydrated food in a container with water worked great. We’re experiencing a unusual drought in Vancouver so many of the ponds along the route have dried up into greenish algae infested puddles. Make sure your dog doesn’t drink from these (I make sure Whiskey is well hydrated before we pass by) but dipping hot paws into the water/mud may not be a bad idea.
what a view!!
these roots were a challenge for Whiskey
Posing like a model
I just love it here!
There are some passes on this hike (mainly between 2 pump and peak) with steep falls, so watch your step, though we also passed adventurous pre-teens on the peak, and toddlers on 2nd pump. Vancouver is truly a hiking city!
We’re finished! I was so worried about having a female dog in heat, downtown, in the summer, in an apartment. I’ve heard that the first heat isn’t very representative of the future ones, that it can be lighter, shorter, and apparently sometimes people don’t even notice it. I’d be super surprised to not notice my dog in heat, but it honestly wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Neither Whiskey nor any male dogs we met in these weeks went “crazy” and it really was only about 5-7 days in total where her drive to mate was strong enough to overtake her normally great recall.
off to quiet trails
a waterfall is welcome during a dry summer
The first week she bled, I noticed a decrease in energy and lots of small pees, but male dogs were not showing interested in her. I started feeding more buffalo/beef which has lots of iron as I notice that I become anemic and tired when I’m also bleeding. After that her energy popped right back up.
working on our modelling skills
By the second week, her appetite was back to normal (for 2-3 weeks before it was up and down) but the bleeding had shifted from bloody to a more pinkish color. The smell also go much stronger, which my partner hated, but for some reason it didn’t bother me. Whiskey became MUCH more interested in flirting with particular males (not every male) and males because quite interested in her. As, we live downtown, most males are neutered and haven’t encountered a female in heat before. I kept her on leash around other dogs and did many quieter hikes. I’m so lucky that there’s so much real estate for dogs to run that I never had a day I couldn’t let Whiskey run off leash for at least 45mins. Our normal dog park is normally empty at 7am for fetch, and there is such a selection of trail networks that you don’t have to go far for some beautiful walks on weekends.
the smoke from wildfires drifts into Vancouver
The dog diapers worked great for the most part but there were a couple leaks. I ended up going with gigantic “night time” pads and hand washing the diapers every night as something would always leak. Our sheets also got stained as Whiskey loves to roll over for belly rubs (rolling around in diapers is bad).
pointing the way
At the 2.5 week mark point, the bleeding had stopped and males had stopped showing interest. Whiskey is still swollen and peeing lots but I’m really happy not having to worry about diapers. It gets annoying walking to the car with a diaper in your hands and don’t forget it to it off IMMEDIATELY when they get out of the car (2x she peed in her diaper).
my mountain goat in the North Shore
Overall it wasn’t the disaster I had expected in a busy downtown area with lots of dogs. I imagine this would have been much easier with a house and yard but it’s nice to know it’s manageable in an apartment. I’m still tossing up how much longer to wait to get Whiskey spayed, and what kind of spay, but at the moment, I’m just happy to have gone through this with her. She’s grown up now but she’ll always be my little Whiskey girl.
I’ve done this mini trip several times and have always loved it. The Killarney Lake loop is very flat and easy and is great when you have a large group to wrangle. There is a surprising variety of terrain and landscape and lots of my favorite slugs (yes I love banana slugs). In the fall it’s full of berries and the 2 hour hike easily turns to 4 hours while I pick and eat along every step. This time we met up at the ferry launch in Horseshoe Bay, all 11 of us and took a quick ferry ride to the small island.
Our large hiking group on the ferry to Bowen
Nothing like company on the deck
Slugs!!! I love slugs
After a relaxing breakfast at the cafe, we wandered over to the path to start the walk. Whiskey was super bouncy and had a ton of fun. The trail was quite empty, meeting a couple runners and maybe 4 other groups including some horses! Whiskey was really excited about the horses.
Pointing out chickens
Introducing the group to our first viewpoint
Beautiful path to the lake
marshlands are so pertty
ancient forests
and horses! it was hard to hold her back
Great group this time!
At the lake she fetched over 15 times and swam in circles trying to find the stones everyone was skipping. The lily pads are hard for a dog to swim through and get tangled in their feet so we tried to keep her away from the worst of it. We found one leech on Whiskey that was easily removed so watch out for those!
swimming enthusiastically
perfect spot to stop and hang out
this girl has so much energy!
After an ice cream, some drinks, and live music on the grass, we headed back home over the ferry. What a beautiful day even covered in clouds!
Whiskey has impeccable timing. The day that my partner left for Belgium, she started her heat. We’ve been noticing that she’s been slowly swelling for about 1.5 months before she started bleeding. The last 2 weeks her nipples had swollen up as well and she had been losing appetite for 2 weeks prior. Other changes were that she’s been getting more protective (barking at “strange” people and sounds) and there’s been more “discussions” about rules in the house. For instance, Whiskey “talks” to me to try to convince me to give her my dinner. Or she’ll “argue” with me that she doesn’t think it’s time to go into her crate. The latter could be just part of her growing up and nothing to do with her heat.
I bought dog diapers on amazon when Whiskey was 6 months old. Her mother had her first heat at 6 months so I count myself lucky that she held on for 1.2 years. I bought a size medium, which is too large so I just ordered another size small. You really do need 2 so you can wash one while she wears the other. Currently, with the diaper and a load of sanitary pads, the bleeding is fully contained and not a huge issue. I’ve lined her crate with light coloured towels and change them daily so she doesn’t have to wear diapers in her crate. Thankfully Whiskey is tolerating the diaper because I know not all dogs will. The reason we are not spaying Whiskey yet is to let her full develop and also to avoid health issues later in life.
A meet and greet in the woods
As soon as her heat started, she became more interested in other dogs, especially males but they are not yet going “crazy”. Her training is pretty poor (recall down to 50%) even without other dogs around but I haven’t felt an increase in velcro tendencies or much more overall moodiness. She much more often though, and is very very interested in smells around town.
Still hiking! Still smiling
Meeting few hikers on the trails
We take walks in quieter areas now with only female dog friends. She’s still ok with a couple dogs around, but to avoid problems I’m trying to go on less populated hikes so I can let her off leash. Once she starts “flagging” or lifting her tail, I’ll have to be much more cautious and keep her mainly on leash. I’m pretty happy a know quite a few “secret” hikes to do during this time.
Just girls these days. Hana already had her heat.
Shorter hikes in the summer heat on Whiskey’s heat
So last weekend we took a little trip to Kelowna, the Okanagan, in the interior of British Columbia. It was my first trip there and we had a great group of 6 to share a wonderful vacation home. I’ve been wanting to visit for ages as it’s BC’s wine region and is famous for its local produce.
Lots of weddings and nice scenery
everyone helping out in the kitchen
The Summerhill Winery
Moo having loads of fun outside her normal home
our beautiful rental
This was the first time we’ve taken Moo for a trip and as our cat-sitter was coming along, we figured we’d give it a go. Moo is not a typical cat and has experience moving homes as a rescue. We had an idea she would be fine because she was so quickly comfortable in our house when we first got her. So this time we traveled with a full car-load, cat scratchers, litter box, luggage, food, 3 humans, 1 cat and 1 dog. Moo and Whiskey were great in the car for our 5 hour trip although Moo wouldn’t take any treats (Whiskey had no issues). When we arrived, Moo didn’t eat for 1.5 days but was exploring non-stop. Luckily the house we had was 2 floors and Moo felt safe on the top floor away from a friend’s mini Dachshund (who wasn’t allowed up the stairs). In all, we were 6 people, 2 dogs and 1 cat.
the group
Whiskey working for bacon
naps surrounded by a zoo
yummy home cooked meals
travelling companions
Kelowna
Our first day consisted of a farmer’s market, 3 vineyards, a goat cheese farm, and an amazing Korean rice roll dinner. Whiskey strolled around the vineyards and I had such trouble keeping her calm with the wild Quail (with babies!), ground squirrels, marmots, and birds everywhere!
SpierHead Winery
Waiting for the adults to taste
Oh Boy! A goat farm!!
Very interested in goats
Our 2nd day was a lazy sleep in, followed by fun on the lake, a bbq dinner, and board games.
Ginger rather stays on the beach
Getting ready to do a 3km swim
BBq dinner for all
S’mores over the fire
Moo even got to explore the garden for short (very carefully watched) outings. The 3 acre plot was fenced off so we felt very safe letting Whiskey roam (though she stayed really close to us the whole time).
Not quite sure about going outside
I wonder what she’s thinking
Checking out the garden
Time to come in!
It’s nice she can travel with us
Moo’s been great with the two dogs
Our last day was spent doing a little hike up Bear Creek, then a lazy breakfast followed by packing and heading out. The road trip back was uneventful with beautiful passing scenery. We really can’t wait to come back for a longer stay.
Low tide at Spanish Banks is really one of a kind. Spanish Banks is regularly a great dog beach but if you can get there on a low tide (arrive at least an hour ahead of the tide time) then it’s really special. With a fantastic view of the cityscape, it feels like you can almost walk out to the tankers and the beach is 1000x bigger than normal.
The tide is an hour away from low
It goes on forever!
Expert digger…not sure what for
Seriously, is this the only Vizsla that just sits in the middle of playing?
Playing a tiny bit of fetch
So happy!
We arrived at 9:30 on a Sunday morning and there were so many dogs and owners there that we met 3 other Vizslas!
Making friends
I had to lay on the sand to get this low
Meeting and playing with Hugo
There’s nothing like two Vizslas playing
Instant friendship
This time Whiskey was accompanied by her good friend Ginger who looks like a mini Vizsla with a no-nonsense attitude. Ginger was sporting her new life jacket (complete with handles) just in case the tide pools came too high. The two had a blast running around and meeting other dogs.
Little Ginger is so short!
Ankle deep water is pretty high for her
Whiskey chases the seagulls
Ginger swimming along
This is what the handles are for!
Amazing morning
Whiskey had fun sniffing out crabs. At one point we even had to leash up Ginger when a bald eagle decided to hang out on the sand. In the end we had two very happy and tired puppies on the way home.
