Travel tales
Our velcro owners
The story of Finn and Zeal (Velcro Dogs)
Why We Choose to be Owned by Hungarian Vizslas
The story of Finn and Zeal (Velcro Dogs)
Meet Finn McCool and Zeal, our faithful companions who are with us every chance we have to include them in our adventures. They enhance our life and make outdoor adventures more lighthearted, watching them run, explore and play. Vizslas are:
- Affectionate and strongly bonded with their humans, thus giving them the nickname “Velcro dogs” since they tend to cling tightly to their people.
- High energy dogs who require plenty of exercise daily and fit in nicely with an active lifestyle.
- Extremely intelligent dogs who require mental stimulation in addition to plenty of exercise.
- Family dogs who are good with children.
- Medium-sized dogs with a low maintenance, short coat requiring only the occasional bath.
- Purebred dogs with few health problems.
Finn McCool
Finn McCool will be 13 in April and has ever changing needs as he ages gracefully. As Velcro dogs, it is their right (in their mind) to sleep in bed with you, which he has done since he was a puppy. A few years ago we added a bench to the bottom of the bed which allowed him to jump much easier. Because our mattress is exceptionally tall, even the bench wasn’t adding enough height recently. We decided to remove the box springs and Tim added more boards to support the mattress. Now Finn jumps up from the bench as if he were 5 years younger. The next area we noticed him having issues was climbing the stairs because his feet would slide. I immediately went online and found carpet stair runners with a rubber back. Fortunately they fit perfectly and don’t move because of the rubber back. These two simple changes have made a massive difference in his daily life and help to keep him safe.
Finn is such a family dog, he is the best host when people come to visit. When he turned 1 my mother-in-law baked him a cupcake and put a birthday hat with an elastic strap on him. We all sang happy birthday to him and then he gobbled down his cupcake. Ever since then, anytime we sing happy birthday to someone Finn thinks it’s for him. He sings out in excitement, very loudly I might add. It has become a tradition for him to sing with us for everyone’s birthday. His second favorite holiday is Christmas. He absolutely loves to open gifts. One year we hosted at our house and everyone agreed to let Finn open their gifts. He tore tissue paper out of bags, ripped wrapping paper off of boxes and had the best day. The room was a disaster, but it was worth it to see everyone so happy.
Finn is our first bird dog. As such, Tim decided to send him to a bird hunting camp. At 8 months old they had us bring him out to see if he was “birdy”. It was amazing to see how their breeding and instincts are so natural. I was not a fan of this plan but I lost.
On the day we took him out to start his training I imagined he would be sad to leave us. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. When the trainer opened the door to the crate in the truck he jumped in so fast it made my head spin. My only saving grace was the thought that he was happy. We were able to visit and Tim worked with him as well.
While Vizslas are very tender and sensitive, they also have a stubborn side. As Finn was nearing the end of his training they had me working to give him commands. He would ignore me until the trainer said that I couldn’t let him get away with that and had to continue until he obeyed my command. It was at that point that we decided I would enroll in an agility class with him so that he would learn to listen to me as well as Tim. Finn was a superstar in agility. Once we had learned and practiced all of the various equipment we would run the entire course. Finn was so good the entire class would applaud. I’m convinced that he knew it was for him, not me.
This worked very well in training him to follow my commands. One of the reasons he was so impressive to watch, depending on the source, is that Vizslas are either the third or fourth fastest dog. Toward the end of his bird hunting training all he wanted to do was get in the truck and come home with us. That was a wonderful day!
Loving Memory of Sequoia
Sequoia was our second Vizsla who we adopted late in her life because she needed a home. We were her third and final home, where she was finally an indoor dog who slept on the bed and was allowed on the furniture. Her tail had been docked very short but it was cute on her. Every morning when we would all get up she would throw her head up in the air and just sing while wagging her tail and heading downstairs. When we had company I would give her a sock to keep her from waking everyone up. Gives a new meaning to put a sock in it. She eventually was diagnosed with a cancer that was inoperable. It’s very hard to explain to your other dog why their friend isn’t here anymore. It’s been four years and is still difficult to write about because she was the sweetest little girl and will always be remembered with love.
Zeal
Zeal is our precocious third Vizsla who we decided to get before Finn was too old to tolerate a puppy. I can say with confidence that we just barely made that marker. A Vizsla puppy is a lot of work to say the least. Still to this day she leaves bruises from pushing off your lap so fast. She doesn’t torment poor Finn as much as she used to, but there are moments. She will be three in April and is becoming a wonderful dog.
When Tim works from home, the moment he enters his office Zeal is there, under the desk ready for the day. She will come upstairs periodically throughout the day to check on Finn and me, and then right back to her post under the desk. We made the mistake of letting her chase a red dot when she was a young puppy. At the time it seemed like a great idea to help wear her out. Now she is fixated on reflections and will lay in wait if she thinks there’s a possibility of one appearing off of your phone or watch. It’s impossible to pull out the hose in the summer without her being right there waiting for the first stream of water. She will run around the entire yard leaping through the air to bite the water. It’s incredibly entertaining until you actually need to use the hose for something else.
Zeal has definitely lived up to her name. Vizslas being high-energy dogs, she loves to run around the backyard as fast as she can. As she goes around corners she barks to make sure you are watching. Vizslas love an audience and will definitely put on a performance. Another trait for which they are not as well known for is having sticky lips. Her lip gets stuck on her teeth and it’s impossible not to laugh at her. Zeal only recently started sleeping in the bed with us. Finn considers this his territory and is not thrilled about sharing us or the bed. They are both adjusting well and from time to time we will wake up to them laying together with Finn’s head on her. It has always been my preference to have two dogs. They are social and enjoy one another, most of the time.
Velcro Dog Excursions
Living in the Pacific Northwest provides a never ending list of outdoor activities that we do with our dogs. Day hikes, water fun, road trips, and more!
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Embroidered Brushed Twill Cotton Cap
$28.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Extreme3 Fifteen Performance Cut Short Sleeve Tee
$35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Extreme3 Fifteen Cotton Blended Adult/Unisex or Youth Hoodie
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Extreme3 Fifteen Fleece Jacket
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Why We Choose to be Owned by Hungarian Vizslas
The story of Finn and Zeal (Velcro Dogs)
Meet Finn McCool and Zeal, our faithful companions who are with us every chance we have to include them in our adventures. They enhance our life and make outdoor adventures more lighthearted, watching them run, explore and play. Vizslas are:
- Affectionate and strongly bonded with their humans, thus giving them the nickname “Velcro dogs” since they tend to cling tightly to their people.
- High energy dogs who require plenty of exercise daily and fit in nicely with an active lifestyle.
- Extremely intelligent dogs who require mental stimulation in addition to plenty of exercise.
- Family dogs who are good with children.
- Medium-sized dogs with a low maintenance, short coat requiring only the occasional bath.
- Purebred dogs with few health problems.
Finn McCool
Finn McCool will be 13 in April and has ever changing needs as he ages gracefully. As Velcro dogs, it is their right (in their mind) to sleep in bed with you, which he has done since he was a puppy. A few years ago we added a bench to the bottom of the bed which allowed him to jump much easier. Because our mattress is exceptionally tall, even the bench wasn’t adding enough height recently. We decided to remove the box springs and Tim added more boards to support the mattress. Now Finn jumps up from the bench as if he were 5 years younger. The next area we noticed him having issues was climbing the stairs because his feet would slide. I immediately went online and found carpet stair runners with a rubber back. Fortunately they fit perfectly and don’t move because of the rubber back. These two simple changes have made a massive difference in his daily life and help to keep him safe.
Finn is such a family dog, he is the best host when people come to visit. When he turned 1 my mother-in-law baked him a cupcake and put a birthday hat with an elastic strap on him. We all sang happy birthday to him and then he gobbled down his cupcake. Ever since then, anytime we sing happy birthday to someone Finn thinks it’s for him. He sings out in excitement, very loudly I might add. It has become a tradition for him to sing with us for everyone’s birthday. His second favorite holiday is Christmas. He absolutely loves to open gifts. One year we hosted at our house and everyone agreed to let Finn open their gifts. He tore tissue paper out of bags, ripped wrapping paper off of boxes and had the best day. The room was a disaster, but it was worth it to see everyone so happy.
Finn is our first bird dog. As such, Tim decided to send him to a bird hunting camp. At 8 months old they had us bring him out to see if he was “birdy”. It was amazing to see how their breeding and instincts are so natural. I was not a fan of this plan but I lost.
On the day we took him out to start his training I imagined he would be sad to leave us. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. When the trainer opened the door to the crate in the truck he jumped in so fast it made my head spin. My only saving grace was the thought that he was happy. We were able to visit and Tim worked with him as well.
While Vizslas are very tender and sensitive, they also have a stubborn side. As Finn was nearing the end of his training they had me working to give him commands. He would ignore me until the trainer said that I couldn’t let him get away with that and had to continue until he obeyed my command. It was at that point that we decided I would enroll in an agility class with him so that he would learn to listen to me as well as Tim. Finn was a superstar in agility. Once we had learned and practiced all of the various equipment we would run the entire course. Finn was so good the entire class would applaud. I’m convinced that he knew it was for him, not me.
This worked very well in training him to follow my commands. One of the reasons he was so impressive to watch, depending on the source, is that Vizslas are either the third or fourth fastest dog. Toward the end of his bird hunting training all he wanted to do was get in the truck and come home with us. That was a wonderful day!
Loving Memory of Sequoia
Sequoia was our second Vizsla who we adopted late in her life because she needed a home. We were her third and final home, where she was finally an indoor dog who slept on the bed and was allowed on the furniture. Her tail had been docked very short but it was cute on her. Every morning when we would all get up she would throw her head up in the air and just sing while wagging her tail and heading downstairs. When we had company I would give her a sock to keep her from waking everyone up. Gives a new meaning to put a sock in it. She eventually was diagnosed with a cancer that was inoperable. It’s very hard to explain to your other dog why their friend isn’t here anymore. It’s been four years and is still difficult to write about because she was the sweetest little girl and will always be remembered with love.
Zeal
Zeal is our precocious third Vizsla who we decided to get before Finn was too old to tolerate a puppy. I can say with confidence that we just barely made that marker. A Vizsla puppy is a lot of work to say the least. Still to this day she leaves bruises from pushing off your lap so fast. She doesn’t torment poor Finn as much as she used to, but there are moments. She will be three in April and is becoming a wonderful dog.
When Tim works from home, the moment he enters his office Zeal is there, under the desk ready for the day. She will come upstairs periodically throughout the day to check on Finn and me, and then right back to her post under the desk. We made the mistake of letting her chase a red dot when she was a young puppy. At the time it seemed like a great idea to help wear her out. Now she is fixated on reflections and will lay in wait if she thinks there’s a possibility of one appearing off of your phone or watch. It’s impossible to pull out the hose in the summer without her being right there waiting for the first stream of water. She will run around the entire yard leaping through the air to bite the water. It’s incredibly entertaining until you actually need to use the hose for something else.
Zeal has definitely lived up to her name. Vizslas being high-energy dogs, she loves to run around the backyard as fast as she can. As she goes around corners she barks to make sure you are watching. Vizslas love an audience and will definitely put on a performance. Another trait for which they are not as well known for is having sticky lips. Her lip gets stuck on her teeth and it’s impossible not to laugh at her. Zeal only recently started sleeping in the bed with us. Finn considers this his territory and is not thrilled about sharing us or the bed. They are both adjusting well and from time to time we will wake up to them laying together with Finn’s head on her. It has always been my preference to have two dogs. They are social and enjoy one another, most of the time.
Velcro Dog Excursions
Living in the Pacific Northwest provides a never ending list of outdoor activities that we do with our dogs. Day hikes, water fun, road trips, and more!
REcommended Products
-
Embroidered Brushed Twill Cotton Cap
$28.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Extreme3 Fifteen Performance Cut Short Sleeve Tee
$35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Extreme3 Fifteen Cotton Blended Adult/Unisex or Youth Hoodie
$44.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Extreme3 Fifteen Fleece Jacket
$48.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
