Maple
Bringing On Maple
We’ve had three Vizslas over the years and have rescued two Weims and a GSP to be companions at our farms in Maine and western Massachusetts. Erda, our first was a large headstrong female who died suddenly at 4 years old of heart failure. Shortly after, we got our Loge, a sweet male who bonded with our first Weim (Baker) and tolerated the very naughty second one (MacDougal). Loge died of cancer at 8 years. That second Weim probably liked being an only dog, but we missed our Vizslas and got Percy almost 8 years ago.
Of all the V’s, Percy is the sweetest and almost pathologically friendly dog we have ever known. When the second Weim passed, we felt Percy wanted company, so we took on a GSP rescue (Remy). He was a big boy and a challenge from the start, but had moments of tenderness that redeemed him to us and to Percy. Unfortunately, one morning he ran and turned his stomach. And despite heroic efforts, he didn’t make it. Friendly Percy was alone again.
So, we started looking, this time for another Vizsla. And Maple appeared much more quickly than we anticipated. That was probably telling. She has a gift for the un-anticipated.
While somewhat small, Maple is beautiful and VERY sturdy.
Like almost all Vizslas, she is fast, but beyond that, she is quick! After being lulled into complacency by our last few dogs who never counter-surfed, Maple can grab a piece of chicken off your fork faster than you can say “where did the tuna steak on the counter go?”
Quirky behaviors are another V trait, and Maple has several. We’re working on all of them, and have moved away from addressing them pharmaceutically, and have made good progress. But we are reconciled that some bits will always be part of her “personality”.
For instance, she is quite taken by bright lights and shadows. When she arrived, she would become completely fixated and start barking uncontrollably. Now, off medication, and with our techniques at anticipating and minimizing those situations (pull the curtains…) plus lots of treats/distractions, she is pretty easily called off almost every time.
Maple plays aggressively. Percy the sweetheart, never had that experience before, and at first never “corrected” Maple. I confess that the initial very rough play concerned us. But today, Percy has learned to communicate when he has had enough. And for the rare times we think it is going too far, it only takes a wave of a spray bottle at them to get both to head for their cozy caves.
Percy loves the water, fishing and swimming. Maple HATES it. When it is raining or even snowing hard, Maple high-tails it back into the house. We’re curious what will happen when we take her to our lake house in Maine this summer.
Maple also has quite a voice! When preparing their meals, she stands close at hand and barks orders louder than Gordon Ramsey. And when she wants something, she has a set of very musical whines. I wish we understood that language better; I’m hungry? I want to play? I want to go outside? Let me on the couch? We guess and sometimes we’re right.
Maple IS demanding, and can be quite a stinker if she doesn’t get what she wants. My wife Jennifer’s balls of yarn or knitting projects are a favorite target when she is frustrated.
But when I think about it, Maple is rather like our first Vizsla, also a female; strong in both body and head. She will be a work in progress for a while yet, but that’s OK with me…and Percy.
Rus (and Jennifer) Peotter