Travel tales

Velcro Dog Excursions

The story of Finn and Zeal (Velcro Dogs)

Living in the Pacific Northwest provides a never ending list of outdoor activities that we do with our dogs. The fun begins in our backyard with agility equipment. Dog sports are a wonderful way to meet their exercise needs while providing mental stimulation at the same time. Vizslas require plenty of positive reinforcement as they are very sensitive and strive to please everyone. Because they have such high energy levels, plenty of exercise is a key component to having a well mannered and happy Vizsla.

Day Hikes

Day hikes are a wonderful way to get outdoors and let everyone have fun. We prefer the less traveled trails where our dogs can run off leash safely. Finn is now at the point where he stays with us, mostly trying to avoid Zeal as she runs past him like a locomotive. This is an excellent way to allow Zeal to run her 20 miles in circles around us, while we hike 5 miles. It’s important to know the terrain of the area. It isn’t uncommon for there to be beautiful cliffs that overlook a river or lake. While we don’t have to worry about Finn, it is completely possible for Zeal to run off a cliff before she realizes there’s no ground beneath her feet. This is our responsibility to keep her safe. There is a rest stop just before Bend Oregon with a sign warning dog owners to keep their pets on a leash, as many dogs have died by falling off the cliff. While I appreciate the safety reminder when you pull up, it’s also a reminder that it can happen anywhere. We travel with a first aid kit for our dogs as well as ourselves.

Water Days

We all love the water as well. While the initial training in kayaks was both hysterical and somewhat frustrating, it’s always a wonderful way to get out in nature. The challenge with Velcro dogs in particular is their separation anxiety from the other person. It’s a lot like children, they want the person in the other kayak. On our maiden voyage Finn decided he wanted to be with Tim. Having no way to switch dogs mid-lake, we had to listen to him howl and complain for the first 30 minutes. Anyone who spends time on the water understands how that noise travels. It was as though he was serenading all of the residents and was quite embarrassing.

Finn and Zeal

Day Hikes

Water Days

Camping

Camping is a special treat when we can find the time to get away. We choose to tent camp and enjoy being able to look up at the night sky. This is one exception to letting the dogs sleep with us. They each have their own crate that we cover with a blanket. It’s amazing how happy they are to get into their space at night. They sleep all night and don’t make a sound, except for the time wild boar were foraging around our tent and we could see them rub up against the tent. This was a moment when I considered crawling into the crate with my dog. Finn recognized the threat and growled to warn them off.

Road Trips

We frequently take cross country road trips with the dogs. Our first priority is always to keep them safe. We purchased Gunner dog crates that have a lifetime guarantee and will not be crushed in case of an accident. This also means our dogs have a better chance of survival than we do in a bad accident. This led to an interesting conversation with a friend to ask if she would care for our dogs should something happen to us. Again, just like children, you need to have a plan in place. Not everyone is up to caring for our beloved Velcro dogs. They are great travelers and get into the routine on the road very quickly. We tend to stay away from the dog park and areas at rest stops where everyone walks their dogs. We look for open areas to let them run and stretch their legs. It gives us a chance to walk around as well before we get back on the road.

Camping

Road Trips

Are you ready for a vizsla of your own?

A versatile Vizsla is a wonderful companion and can add so much to your life. The decision to add a dog to your family is very important and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The first step is to identify how they will fit into your lifestyle. Although we have already said they have a high energy level and need a lot of exercise, we don’t mean a walk around the block. Our dogs needed to run a mile a day in order to burn off the excess energy, although they will gladly run longer than you can. It is difficult to say when they have had enough exercise, but when you are tired and need a break, this is the perfect time to incorporate mental stimulation and work on training. We have a friend who has said she would never want a Vizsla, because she doesn’t want a dog on her and the furniture, or who isn’t a little independent. Fortunately they have the perfect dog for their lifestyle and everyone is happy. While Vizslas have short hair, they do shed. We have yet to meet any Vizsla owners who don’t have fond memories of being owned by velcro vizslas. You will continue to see pictures and stories of our adventures with Finn and Zeal on this site.

Where Can you find a Vizsla?

There are many Vizsla breeders out there; however, responsible breeders are the key to maintaining the breed standard. Go to the American Kennel Club https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/vizsla/ for more information on the Hungarian Vizsla puppy.