Polo & Rudy

Great year of Agility

2009-12-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

We had a busy year in Agility and finished with 3 Q's each towards Rudy's MX and MXJ (Masters Agility Titles) and finished his Novice Fast title. Rudy also started working towards a MACH ending up with 1 double Q and 83 points. Next year we will continue to focus on the MX and MXJ and those hard double Q's. We also want to work on the USDAA titles and finish our first relay title with Polo.

Polo continues to enjoy Agility and we had some ups and downs this year. He had great motivation in some of the runs at the end of the year, so we need to work on his confidence and continue to make agility fun. Nothing like watching Polo run when he is happy and motivated and he loves his fans.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of fast clean runs!

Busy with Agility

2009-11-11T05:35:00.000-08:00

Mr. P Minding His Qs

2009-02-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

Polo had a good second day at the USDAA trial, Q'ing in both Starters Gamblers and Standard courses. Gamblers requires the dog to do obstacles at a distance from the handler (you can't cross the line on the ground). We practiced a little distance work the weekend before the trial and Polo did well that day but he did it perfectly at the trial and took 1st place.

In Standard, Polo just made it at a second under course time. He was a little slow at the start and on the dog walk, but he picked up speed and did not run off to sniff any spots or check out another dog walking by like he did last year. That's progress in our book!

For Rudy, the obstacle contacts were his nemesis!! Not his best day, but we sure know what to work on.

Great Start to the Agility Year!

2009-02-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

Sub-freezing temperatures this morning kept us by the fireplace instead of outside running the Standard course at our first agility trial this year. We remembered that we do agility for fun - and standing around in 30 degree weather is not fun for our Vizslas!

But we went to the USDAA trial for the afternoon for the Jumpers course. Rudy cruised through his first Advanced Jumpers, taking first place with a Q! Polo followed his brother's lead with first place and a Q in Starters Jumpers!!

Both were happy to come home and lie by the fire again tonight.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T05:12:00.001-08:00

FROM: Ch. Tivoliz Now Be Mine (aka Rudy)
TO: All the LoVe Bugs (aka 'Q', Arrow, Riley, Kelso)

The Love Bugs 3 years ago!!

A New Year of Agility

2009-01-20T17:12:00.000-08:00

2008 was a spectacular year for our agility super-stars!!

We started off with the goal of competing in at least one trial - and finished with multiple titles!!

Ch Tivoliz Now Be Mine OA NA NAJ ... aka Rudy
(plus USDAA Starters Jumper)

Ch Tivoliz CPR CRK Hungarian Gold NA NAJ ... aka Polo

And even had the opportunity to run with Kayla (Polo's sister's sister) while her parent's were on vacation:

We'll see what we can accomplish in 2009. Maybe our goal will be to kick some butt at the Vizsla Nationals this year in Charlotte!!

Snow Day!

2009-01-20T16:51:00.000-08:00

We got to stay home from work today and enjoy our first big snow in years here in NC - 6 inches of snow!

The boys played in the snow and chased each other around the yard.

If only Polo would run this fast on the agility field!

More Agility Success!!

2008-11-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

Polo earned his NAJ title with his best ever Jumpers run. He Q'd with a 100% - clean and under course time! He also took home a second place ribbon.

Rudy took first place and his first Q in Open Standard (the only dog that Q'd in all of the Open class), making the contact on the A-frame that Gary's been working so hard with him on. But in Jumpers, Rudy decided that the tunnels were the way to go whenever they were in sight. So now there's another focus to his agility training - tunnels!

Rudy loved the open pastures for retrieving his favorite toy.

Polo just wanted to check out the things with wings.

Rudy earns another Agility Title

2008-10-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Rudy Q'd this weekend finishing up his USDAA Starters Jumper (SJ) Title. He ran great in the Standard but missed the contact zone on the A-frame two days in a row. Rudy took second in Jumpers on both days and was three seconds behind a fast Border Collie , so he is one fast Vizsla (17 seconds for the BC and 20 for Rudy on a 35 second course). We will be back to the field tomorrow to work on the pesky A-frame ...

Polo was one sniff (~ 3 seconds) over course time in 3 of the 4 clean runs this weekend. He was distracted by his buddy Austin (super Agility Vizsla) on the other run. Polo likes AKC which has slower courses that allow for a more refined gentlemanly pace.

Novice Agility (NA) Title for Polo & Rudy

2008-09-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Polo double Q'd twice this weekend finishing up his NA title and Rudy finished with a single Q in Standard finishing up his NA title. Polo was a super agility pup in the muddy and wood chip covered agility fields. Rudy also did great, and having a fast Vizsla on a muddy field has it's challenges.

It is great to see how all of that hard work in practice turns out! Trials always provide a new list of focus areas and courses to set up. Time to cook up some more stew meat and chicken for training.

USDAA Day 2

2008-09-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

We only ran jumpers this morning and took the afternoon off to cook ribs, chew on bones, eat peach cobbler, and relax.

Rudy finished 1st and took his 2nd Q. Polo ran a relaxed clean run, looked beautiful, but missed the course time by 1.5 seconds. Polo wants USDAA to have a "Real Feel" adjusted course time since it was getting hot at 9:30 this morning.

USDAA Agility fun

2008-08-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today we had fun AND success at our first USDAA agility trial. Polo got 3rd place in the Standard run with a "Q" (qualified), and Rudy got 2nd place in Jumpers with a "Q"!!
It was a warm day, but we made ourselves a nice shady spot and tried to stay cool any way we could.

A big, long chew

2008-08-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

The boys were very pleased with what we brought back from the Durham Kennel Club dog show this weekend. YUM!!

Hungarian Gold again!

2008-08-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Polo and Rudy cheered for both the US and Hungarian Water Polo teams during the Olympics. In the end, the Hungarian's took gold and the US silver.

Polo says "that's my team!"

Ch. Tivoliz CPR CRK Hungarian Gold

What we did on our summer vacation ... Part 4

2008-08-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

At Aunt Debbie's we got to frolic in the woods with Mommie Siren, and some of our favorite relatives ... Owen, Baxter, and the newest addition to the Tivoliz clan: Miss Harlow. She's quite a beauty and not shy in the least. Here she is showing the boys who's boss ...
Check back later for some videos of this visit.

What we did on our summer vacation ... Part 3

2008-08-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

We were sad to have to get back in the car for the long drive home, but visiting with more Vizsla family made for a terrific trip. Next up, a visit with Polo's sister Hannah!Polo (left), Hannah (center), and Rudy (right)

We went to a wonderful park for off-leash running and swimming. The weather was perfect - we could not have had a better time. Thanks, Melissa and Hannah!!

We tried to talk them into posing for a picture with treats, but those Vizslas are too smart for that! Hopefully, Aunt Melissa got a good one ...
One more stop to go ... a visit to Aunt Debbie's and Mommy Siren! Video to follow ...

What we did on our summer vacation ... Part 2

2008-08-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Beach!!

We went swimming in the ocean on Cape Cod and loved it. No swimming pictures, but here's what we did when not swimming:

Digging in the sand, retrieving a toy in the back yard, and reconnecting with our human cousins.

What we did on our summer vacation ...

2008-08-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

We had a long car ride up north, but got to visit our Vizsla family along the way.
First up - Rudy's sister 'Q':

Rudy (left) and Q (right)

The two of them were so much alike! They had a grand time chasing eachother around the yard and inside.

Thanks to Sue, Q and Rumor for a great visit!!

Hungarian Gold!

2008-08-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that 4 years ago we were anticipating bringing home our first Vizsla pup and struggling to find the right name for him. We searched Hungarian websites for names and word translations, but nothing came together until we were watching the Olympics and heard that the water polo team was Hungary's national sport! And they took the gold medal in Athens. So that's how our 'Polo' got his name: Ch. Tivoliz Cpr Crk Hungarian Gold.

Polo sends "Congrats" to his native countrymen for winning their third straight gold medal in water polo at the Olympics!! And to the U.S. for getting the silver!
Polo trying out his water polo skills at the lake this weekend.

It's Summertime!

2008-06-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

Which means it's swimtime!

We're in the summer routine now that it's in the 90s most days. So Saturday mornings we go swimming at the lake.

Rudy races out to retrieve a thrown stick, and then shares a chew with Polo.

With all the practice swimming, we might have to try surfing:

http://loewssurfdog.blogspot.com/

Hey, where's my plate?

2008-06-01T05:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world!

2008-05-31T04:26:00.000-07:00

Rudy's Mom, Siren, brought 3 new puppies into the world. Check out how adorable they are ...

Congrats to Q!

2008-05-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

Rudy's sister 'Q' won the Vizsla Club of Northern California's 2008 Hunter's Gun Dog!! Awesome, baby!!

Weekend Fun - Day 2

2008-05-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

Day 2 started out slow, since the weather was a little cool and overcast (everyone was still tired from Day 1!). But we soon headed out to Dupont State Forest to check out the waterfalls.

Polo was so excited to go swimming!! Rudy dove in to retrieve a stick, then found out the water was kind of chilly! But still enjoyed retrieving it again.

Weekend Fun - Day 1

2008-05-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

We took off to the mountains of North Carolina for a long weekend away. Had a beautiful day for hiking in the Pisgah National Forest where the trees were just starting to get leaves. The boys had a great time pulling us along on the trails, over creeks and streams ... then up, up, up to the top of the rock face to some incredible views.

Back at the parking lot we could see where we had just climbed to - WOW!

A good hike makes for some sleepy Vizslas!

Four Q's

2008-04-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

We survived our first Agility Trial and have many "tails" to tell. Thought we would provide a quick update for Aunt Debbie and sister Q. The boys loved seeing Aunt Peggy at the trial, she really knows how to get a Vizsla excited!

Saturday - Polo wins Novice Standard and Rudy is number 2, both Qs

Sunday - Rudy wins both Novice Standard and Jumpers, 2 Qs

Think Rudy knows he crushed the competition and took home more ribbons and toys??

Ready Or Not ...

2008-04-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

We are entered in our first agility trial this weekend! Hopefully, the handlers (aka Mom & Dad) have trained enough to allow Polo and Rudy's natural talent to be on display. All the jumping, tunneling, weaving, and climbing are no problem for these versatile Vizslas. It's the handlers job to know the course and show them where to go. And sometimes signals get crossed, mis-read, forgotten, ... stay-tuned for results next week.

Relaxation Time

2008-04-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Rudy knows how to make us relax.

Go Austin!

2008-03-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Melanie and Austin are competing at the AKC Agility Nationals this weekend. They seem to be doing great and switched from 26 to 24" jumps if you want to check the results for Friday and Saturday.

Melanie is our Agility Instructor and she understands how to train a hunting dog to excel in Agility.

Go Austin!!!

http://www.akc.org/events/agility/national_agility_championship/

Pictures
http://www.akc.org/events/agility/national_agility_championship/2008/popup.cfm?image=lg_5308.jpg&caption=Vizsla

http://www.akc.org/events/agility/national_agility_championship/2008/popup.cfm?image=lg_5310.jpg&caption=Vizsla

AgilePolo

2008-03-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

We are working on Polo's Agility motivation and he is doing great. Everyone is amazed in our agility class at his progress and he seems to be having a great time! His AKC jump card arrived today.

Good luck Rocket on your Agility lessons. Polo and Rudy can always help if your handler has problems. Remember steak is the prime motivator (medium rare, seared stew meat).

AgileRudy

2008-03-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

We are practicing running the a-frame and dog walk. Rudy needs to touch the yellow contact zone at the end of the obstacle and not jump off. The best way to make sure he hits the contact zone is to have him down at the end of the ramp. Not an easy thing to teach, Rudy would rather skip the bottom and leap from half-way up the ramp. He loves to run!

Garden & Gun

2008-03-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Polo and Rudy each want to be the Prince and the Pea like the following pup in a Garden & Gun advertisement. We get all sorts of interesting magazines.

Remodeling

2008-03-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

We are still trying to finish off our first bathroom remodel. The boys think we are boring and do not understand why they cannot help with the painting.

Getting Ready to Trial

2008-03-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

Rudy received his official AKC Agility Height card and Polo's may be lost in the mail. We have moved up to the advanced sequences agility class and the first class gave the handlers quite a challenge (especially Rudy's handler, aka Dad). Front crossing a speedy Rudy can be difficult, and if you are not there on time, all you see is Rudy flying past.

Signs of Spring

2008-03-06T13:33:00.001-08:00

First Snow!!

2008-01-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

It wasn't much, and was melting fast. So we had to take pictures quickly. We never believe the weather man when he says we're going to get 3 - 4 inches, but we were hoping for more than a dusting. Maybe we'll get another chance next month.

Rudy trying to figure out what is on his favorite toy

Awesome Dino!

2008-01-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

We've been slow getting some photos up on the blog this month. Here's some of Polo having fun with his new Dino toy.

We love getting new toys, just because. And it's still in one piece. Rudy the Red Toy Destroyer must be on vacation.

Vizsla Burrito?

2008-01-03T15:02:00.000-08:00

A happy Vizsla on a cold winter day.

Rudy turns 2!!

2008-01-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Polo (left) and Rudy (right)
Rudy had an extra special birthday this year - his grandparents (human) were visiting for the holidays! That meant two other people who could throw his new toys for him to retrieve.
But nothing beats fighting with his brother over the new toy.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-18T17:49:00.001-08:00

Wishing all of our friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May you have a year filled with treats, toys, playing, love, and more treats.

Polo & Rudy

Holy Paw

2007-12-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

We have been distracted from blogging since Rudy has been gimpy. He is better after two Vet visits, x-rays and lots of time being checked out. The Vet missed the cause, it ended up being an object in his paw. Now he has a hole in his pad which is starting to heal. We figured it must be a sign - a Holy Paw for the Holiday Season.

Karate Dog

2007-11-13T14:30:00.001-08:00

Polo and Rudy had some fun with their new toys. The Karate Dog makes four authentic Karate sounds when squeezed. He was mean little dude and so decided to take on Rudy the Red Toy destroyer!! Rudy chewed on him to start the Karate sounds.

When the fight was over, Rudy went for the fluffy white insides and spread them around the room. All that was left was a Karate Dog carcass, time to take care of his brothers toy....

Tracking

2007-11-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

We learned about tracking last weekend in South Carolina. The Vizsla Club of the Carolinas Seminar was fun and Rudy excelled at tracking. Polo was distracted by the Vizsla babes in the class and tended to end up off course. He did get really excited about the gun shots in a nearby field so we will need to start working on hunting.

Rudy and Polo are shown below in their tracking gear. The person behind them is laying the track which ends with a glove covered with yummy hot dogs.
The main point we learned from tracking is that "they are not tracking if their nose is up."

2007 AKC/Eukanuba Nationals

2007-11-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Rudy was invited to the 2007 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship! He will not be going to the big show but we were excited about the invite.

Beach Movie

2007-10-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Rudy thought it would be fun to bury the pumpkin before playing in the waves!

Happy fall!

2007-10-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Columbus Day Weekend by going to the beach. The weather was great and the ocean was a warm 77 degrees. The boys had a great time retrieving a stick and visiting the other dogs on the only beach in NC that allows dogs year round.It is weekends like this that show us how much fun you can have with two Viszlas.

Polo hid his paws when it was time to go, a clear sign that he was not happy. We promised to return to the beach before too long.

How did my toy get up there?

2007-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

No challenge is too great for a Vizsla!!

AKC Responsible Dog Owner Day

2007-09-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Polo and Rudy helped out at this AKC event in Raleigh today.

Gary and Rudy showed their skills in the agility demo - their closest experience yet to an agility trial. Rudy was a bit hesitant at first like he wasn't sure what to do. But after that first jump and into the chute, he was off and running ... Great job, guys!!

We also took our turn in the 'Meet the Breeds' ring, where Polo and Rudy demonstrated the typical Vizsla characteristics.

But we gave the 'Best in Show' award to the Doberman across from us who's owner put together a display on the breed for her class project.

The French Bulldog next to us saw the boys and went "Oo la la!" What a great way to spend a Saturday morning. All you dog lovers - get out there and support your local RDO events (http://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/events/) this month!!

Hannah, Kayla & Melissa

2007-09-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hannah, Kayla & Melissa visited yesterday. What a greeting Hannah got....

Kayla missed the backyard greating because she is coming into heat. Hannah figured out the Table fast with a little treat encouragement (Rudy, Polo, & Hannah).
Polo gave his sister a big kiss for coming to visit while she was here for the Raleigh Shows. We wish her luck in future shows!

Kayla joined us for a great walk on the trail. Rudy thought Kayla was his new girlfriend. Watch out Ow'en, your girlfriend was caught flirting with another Champ!!!

Polo's Retirement Picture

2007-08-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Polo retired from the dog show world and decided he had enough of stacking and sat for his final show picture. Aunt Debbie could not keep her eyes off him, a proud moment to finish Polo! The sign has a few items - Winners, Best of Opposite (his sister Hannah won Best of Breed), and New Champion.

We are the CHAMPIONS!

2007-08-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Polo got that elusive 1 point needed to be an AKC Champion at the dog show in Greensboro. He finally got that monkey off his back! So Aunt Debbie got him another one to hang around his neck!!

Polo's Road to a Champion:

03/22 - 27/2005 Tarheel shows in Raleigh
Danville, Carolina, Alamance, Durham and Fayetteville Kennel Clubs
(Dog show boot camp with Aunt Debbie)

04/23 - 24/2005 Old Dominion and Baltimore County Kennel Clubs
(Long weekend at Aunt Debbie's while Mom & Dad went to Calif.)

06/26/2005 Virginia Kennel Club
(First roadtrip with Aunt Peggy)

08/12/2005 Danville Kennel Club (1/R)
08/14/2005 Greater Hickory Kennel Club (1/W/BW 2 pts.)
(Second roadtrip weekend with Aunt Peggy and first big win!)

09/02/2005 Alamance Kennel Club (1/W/BW 1 pt.)
09/03/2005 Durham Kennel Club (1/W/BW 1 pt.),
09/04/2005 Salisbury North Carolina Kennel Club (1/W/BW 1 pt.)
(Points, points, points! at the Tarheel shows in Raleigh)

03/23/2006 Alamance Kennel Club (1/R)
03/24/2006 Durham Kennel Club (1/W/BW 3 pt. Major)
03/26/2006 Fayetteville Kennel Club (1/R)
(Polo's first Major at the Tarheel shows - he WILL be a champion!)

05/26 - 28/2006 Langley Kennel Club (1/R) and Gloucester Kennel Club Of Virginia
(Whole family road trip to VA with brother Rudy too)

07/01 - 02/2006 Southern Maryland and Rock Creek Kennel Clubs
(Second whole family roadtrip to MD for Rudy's show debut)

08/11/2006 Danville Kennel Club (1/W 2 pts.),
08/12/2006 Carolina Kennel Club (1/W 4 pt. Major)
(Polo gets his second Major competing against his brother in Winston-Salem)

09/01/2006 Alamance Kennel Club (1/R)
(This time Rudy wins over Polo)

12/09/2006 - 12/10/2006 Forsyth Kennel Club (1/R)
(Hoping for lightning to strike twice in Winston-Salem ... oh well)

06/02/2007 - 06/03/2007 Charlottesville - Albemarle Kennel Club (1/R)
(Can it get any harder to win that last point? Blazing hot sun, pouring rain, arrrgh)

08/10/2007 Greater Hickory Kennel Club (1/W/OS 1 pt.)
(What fun to finish AND spend the night with sister Hannah and lovely Kayla!!)

Owe'n and Agility

2007-08-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Owe'n had fun playing with Rudy at our house.

We also tried some Agility practice with Owe'n and Siren. Our mini dog walk was a little scary for Owe'n, but no problem for Siren. A short video shows Owe'n running away from the walk, running back, and then he is working on two-on two-off.

It was a short visit, because we needed to pick up our New Champion, Polo.

Family Photo

2007-08-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Owe'n and Siren are visiting this weekend while Polo and Aunt Debbie are at the show. The weather is still hot and Owe'n, Siren, and Rudy (left to right) are enjoying the pool. They all thought a bigger pool would keep them cooler.

We found some pictures of Owe'n when he visited in Sept. 05 and played with Polo. It was our "test" to see if Polo wanted a brother. The test was a success and we talked to Aunt Debbie about adding to our family.

Time has gone by fast...all of these memories wore Owe'n out and he needed to rest.

Rudy Strikes Again!

2007-07-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

Rudy, the Red Toy Destroyer claims another victim. Or maybe he wants to be a racoon for Halloween this year.

New Champion Photo

2007-07-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here's Rudy photo from the last show when he finished his championship. What a stud!!

THANK YOU, Farley!!

2007-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Rudy sends out a big 'Thanks!' to his neighbor and friend Farley (and his parents John & Susan) for the yummy gift basket of dog treats. It was so nice of them to give Rudy a congratulations gift for becoming a Champion!! Both boys LOVE the goodies that are home-made by Happy Ino Bakery.

Farley

Happy Birthday Polo!!

2007-07-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

Polo wishes his brothers (Oszkar, Winslow) and sister (Hannah) a happy 3rd birthday today!

Hannah and Polo Meet Again

2007-07-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hannah and Polo had a family reunion at the show. It was short, but Polo loved playing with his sister. Their bodies wiggle the same and the tails confirm that they are brother and sister.

Hopefully she will come down and visit so they can run around together.

CH. Tivoliz Now Be Mine

2007-07-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Rudy finished this last weekend with a 1 point Best of Winners, two Reserves (2nd place),and a 4 POINT MAJOR on Sunday. He finished with 3 majors and 17 points all in the prestigious Bred by Exhibitor Class. His photo shoot with Aunt Debbie is shown below.

He did great and now gets to enjoy his CH and is more spoiled than ever.

Too bad the extra points are not transferable. Rudy would love to give one to his brother so he can also be a CH.

Polo will just have to wait until the next show!

Popcorn

2007-07-06T12:37:00.001-07:00

Dad got a popcorn popper for the grill for his birthday from Grandpa Hal. It worked great and the popcorn was yummy!
Polo was not too excited about eating the popcorn but Rudy loved it. Rudy is still on a diet and will eat anything!

Grammy and Papa visited us last weekend and had a great time with Polo and Rudy. Grammy is handing out the popcorn to the boys.

Birthday Break

2007-06-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Dad's birthday and had a great time. Polo helped open the presents after using them for Agility practice.

Rudy is on a diet and he has moved up to a 24" jump height. He is a great jumper and we are considering renaming him Kanga-Roo!

Nap Time

2007-06-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

After this last weekend, Polo thought it was time for a nap in his favorite chair. No need to worry about showing for a couple of months (stacking, gaiting, hot or wet weather, conditioning, weight, miles per day of exercise, and points) and time to focus on the other important activities - sleep, food, following Mom and Dad around, marking, walking, and agility.

Polo's First Outdoor Show

2007-06-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Polo showed in Charlottesville with Aunt Debbie this last weekend. He did great, although the weather was blazing hot on Saturday and pouring rain on Sunday. You will need to watch the video to see the Saturday result, just like the weather, Sunday was a washout.

Hannah the banana (Polo's sister) also showed for Best of Breed. She is ranked as the #6 Vizsla in the U.S. Polo enjoyed his short visit with his famous sister Hannah. Here's Hannah's turn in the ring.

Must be siblings, they both got beat by the same dog!

Teeter Time

2007-05-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the boys **newest** release - now with a soundtrack! Dad is getting awfully creative ... check it out ...

Supersonic Tail

2007-05-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

Rudy's tail is working fine after having problems at the beach. We are still playing with the video settings and here is our latest attempt. Polo makes a cameo in the video and he is working on his own project (in which he is the star!).

Dog Quotes

2007-05-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you Grandpa Hal for the great book of dog quotes. The boys are interested in testing out the following quote.

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

We wish Erin and Siren a happy Mother's Day.
Although Erin is no longer with us, she has left a few Angel kisses (freckles) on her son's nose.

Rudy is looking forward to playing with his Mom and half-brother Owe'n in June. Rudy was just able to get in the following picture with his Mom.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there ... those that are two-legged and four-legged!!

Happy Birthday Brisztow

2007-05-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here is our first video for the blog (after many purchases, i.e. $$). Check out Rudy working on Jump Grids! This is our attempt to keep up with the Jones's.

Happy Birthday to Brisztow Jones!

NC Mountains

2007-05-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

We drove to the NC Mountains last weekend and stayed in a small log cabin. Polo and Rudy loved the cabin and the trails. They even visited another cabin (called Hound Heaven) that happened to have people cooking sausage on the grill.

After the rain let up, we went on a hike and Dad let Polo and Rudy go into the river thinking that he could hold onto them from the shore.

So much for keeping his feet dry, Rudy and Polo thought it would be more fun to play with Dad in the river, so they pulled him in!

We found a stack of rocks as we continued on the trail. The stack was about 1 foot higher, but Rudy decided to check the structures stability and the top came tumbling down (Dad's an Engineer). The remaining stack is shown below with the wet boys.

Our Favorite Vizsla Blog

2007-05-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

The boys love to read their favorite Vizsla blog and even got mentioned by Brisztow Jones in a recent entry!

Brisztow is Rudy's half sister on his mothers side (refer to Tivoliz.com, Aunt Debbie's website for the family tree). A picture of Mommy Siren, she is sure pretty.

Polo and Rudy do not know how to tpe and spel. They are into sports and not school, but love to help Mom and Dad with the stories and picture selection.

We are trying to work on adding some agility action films and it may take some time to figure out how to do it on a PC. We guessed that Brisztow had a Mac since her blog is so great.

Seeing Progress

2007-04-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Novice Agility Class finished up this week. We learned a lot and saw progress for both Polo and Rudy and the handlers (aka Mom and Dad). Polo still is Mr. Confident on the course and had his best performance at a run through. He loves to run the course with Mom, but is not in too much of a hurry and stops for a smell occasionally (bird poop on the dog walk). Rudy spent the first few lessons running off to see Mom and Polo during his turn while Dad was running around like crazy to encourage him back. We think he won the "Most Improved" award since he ended the class by racing around the course with great enthusiasm and skill. We took a family photo after the last class.

Getting in Shape

2007-04-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

After reading about Brisztow Jones getting into shape (http://www.urbanmutt.blogspot.com/) and an upcoming show we have started running again. We do not want to get in trouble with Aunt Debbie for having an overly soft and rounded Rudy. For us, running is a 90/10 split between walking and running. Rudy would rather have it 100 percent running, while Polo would take the opposite, and Mom and Dad need help with any running.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-04-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Mom's 29th birthday again this year! Polo and Rudy did great in Agility class tonight, then enjoyed bully sticks while their 'people' ate ice cream cake.

Thanks to all for the cards and gifts!

Friends for Life

2007-04-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

We all enjoyed our time together at the beach. Polo & Rudy loved playing with their cousins and we think the feeling was mutual!Ryan and Polo

Spectator Sports

2007-04-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

The weather got cooler later in the week, so we went exploring up to Corolla to check out the Lighthouse. Polo and Rudy had to wait at the bottom while their cousins climbed to the top.

Dogs were not allowed in the lighthouse -- Such a bummer!

They also watched their cousins Ryan and Eric, along with Uncle Dave, speed around a noisy racetrack.

Outer Barks

2007-04-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

We discovered a great dog store in Duck called Outer Barks (http://www.outerbarks.com/). We bought almost all of the Vizsla stuff and the boys had their picture taken for the store photo album. After the shopping trip we lounged pool side back at the house and took a walk on the beach. We think the boys look dashing in their new Outer Barks bandanas!

We played in the ocean on our walk and Rudy hunted seagulls.

Lifeguards

2007-04-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Polo & Rudy had to be lifeguards and watch over
cousin Eric.
Polo also went swimming with Eric while Rudy was still recovering and digging.

Too much Tail

2007-04-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

After the first day of playing in the ocean, Rudy suffered "tail whip", a sprained tail from overuse. A few calls to Aunt Debbie, a trip to the Vet for some meds and rest for a day made him all better.

Settling in at the Beach

2007-04-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Polo claimed his space on the couch next to Uncle Dave to see if his uncle was actually allergic to short haired dogs. Luckily he wasn't and someday we hope to have a Vizsla cousin in Sacramento!

Polo loves Grandpa Hal's back rubs!!

Finding the Lost Colony

2007-04-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

On our way to the outer banks of North Carolina, the boys and cousin Eric found the fort at the "Lost Colony" after Rudy dragged Eric through the leaves.

Busy with Agility

2007-03-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

We have been neglecting the blog, but have been having fun in our agility class. Polo and Rudy are making great progress and the latest comment from our instructor is that the handlers need to watch "Great Dog, Shame About the Handler." I am not sure what she is implying.... Obviously, human's are no match for the Versatile Vizlsa's.

Polo went to his first run through and did surprisingly well for being at a new place with lots of dogs and people. We have learned about the great Vizsla motivator pictured here. Better than hot dogs, cheese, and less chewy than a bully stick.

Off for some fun and a break from class to enjoy the waves and sand.

A little blurry but cute in May 2006.

Redneck Agility #1

2007-03-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

Now that it's daylight savings time, we can work on our agility practice after work. We set up a course and decided to encourage some healthy competition by recording our times. We start agility class this week!

Gary & Rudy: 28 sec.

Janet & Polo: 36 sec.

OPUS ONE

2007-03-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a wonderful concert by Opus One this weekend. Thank you Ida for the tickets!
We met Ida when we picked up Rudy from Aunt Debbie, and Polo fell in love with Ida's puppy Popcorn. Polo and Popcorn chased each other around the yard and Sue in this picture (Rudy's sister Q's Mom). Aunt Debbie is trimming Rudy's nails before he came home with us.

The concert program even mentioned that Ida and her husband Steven "can be found, passionately pursuing their hobby of breeding, training, and showing prize winning champion Hungarian Vizsla dogs under the kennel name Opus One Vizslas."

New Carpet

2007-03-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

We had new carpet installed in our family room today since the boys traffic could no longer be cleaned up. A little more brown in this version and Stainmaster for all of the dirty paws. We also replaced the transition between the tile and carpet so the old picture shows the wood floor. As time goes by, our house seems to become more and more dog friendly!

OLD

NEW

Rudy Show Pics

2007-03-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

Rudy's show pictures and ribbons arrived last week. What a stud!

Puppies!

2007-03-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

We visited Aunt Peggy's latest litter and got our puppy fix. Most of the pictures turned out blurry since they were all very excited to have visitors. Janet was able to catch one and enjoy a puppy hug!

Rudy's First Annual Vet Visit

2007-02-25T09:11:00.000-08:00

Rudy was thoroughly checked over by our Vet this week and he is doing great. Tipped the scale at 53 lbs and was generally not happy with being poked and prodded. After surviving the Vet, we went to Petco, the dog park (by himself), and had a Rudy the Red Toy Destroyer event. Not such a bad day after all.

Dad also bought Rudy a silly hat for the beach.

Big Show Weekend

2007-02-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

Rudy did great this weekend with Aunt Debbie at the dog shows in Greenville, SC. He got a 5 point major on Friday and a 4 point major on Sunday. Total points for Rudy 12, Polo still stuck at 14 (one away from the CH). Rudy came back with Aunt Peggy but forgot his ribbons. He is looking for them in his trophy display case.

Thanks Aunt Debbie for working with Rudy and

making him look so good!

President's Day Holiday Weekend

2007-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

We have been working on the house. Not much fun for Polo who just napped under his favorite blanket.
Another bathroom has been upgraded thanks to our plumbers helpers!

Thank you Papa and Grammy for the advice on installing a toilet.

Good Luck Hannah-banana!!

2007-02-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

Wishing Polo's sister Hannah the best of luck at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show this week!! You go girl!

Picture from March 2006

Puppy Bowl - Starring a Vizsla!

2007-02-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

Polo and Rudy thoroughly enjoyed this year's "Puppy Bowl" during the Super Bowl that starred a fellow vizsla puppy!

Aunt Debbie wouldn't approve of those long nails, little boy!!

More Snow & Homework

2007-02-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

It snowed again this morning but turned to rain around lunch. The boys loved playing in the snow and took it as an excuse to dig in the backyard to find out if snow improves the flavor of mulch.

Since the backyard has returned to its winter mud puddle status, we had Polo & Rudy do some Agility homework. The video was on improving speed for Polo who is our confident, precise, and generally slow agility dog.

Winter finally arrives

2007-01-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

Rudy and Polo enjoyed playing in our first snow of the winter. We were were not sure if winter was even going to come this year since we have had spring like weather.

Rudy was not sure about the cold stuff on the deck and had to check out the yard before venturing out.

The boys chased each other around the yard until all of the snow had been kicked around. I tried to get an action picture and was lucky to catch them in the view finder! They finally stopped for a treat.

Happy New Year

2007-01-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Looking forward to a great year of shows and hopefully a novice agility trial.

Rudy keeps growing and tips the scale at over 50 lbs. He has been playing with his Christmas toys and loves to pull the stuffing out (sorry Grammy)! It is tiring work.

Christmas Day

2006-12-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

The Christmas day counter is down to zero so it is time to celebrate!

Santa filled the boys stockings to the brim with toys and a yummy bone.

The boys received lots of toys and treats from our family. Mom and Dad bought them a new piece of Agility equipment (Pause Table), unfortunately like the other kids in our area, they will have to wait until it stops raining outside to play with it in the yard.

Merry Christmas!!

2006-12-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

Wishing all our family and friends a Merry Christmas. Polo's putting in a good word with Santa for all his four-legged friends and relatives!!

Holly Jolly Christmas!

2006-12-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

Rudy watched his favorite Christmas show - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - ... he had a very shiny nose ...

Polo & Rudy Show

2006-12-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

The boys human cousin, Kathryn made them a plate for Christmas. She really captured their personalities and we think it is great! Polo and Rudy say thank you Kathryn.

Here is a picture of Kathryn, the artist!

Christmas Tree

2006-12-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Nothing like the smell of a new Christmas Tree. Polo is checking out the ornaments and likes the Santa.

We also have a Vizsla hanging on the Tree.

Just like the boys, it is an Angel (most of the time!)

Snowman's Nightmare

2006-12-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

Rudy has become a big boy (leg lifting) and
is waiting for his first opportunity to melt a snowman.