Salsa at the Miami Valley Vizsla Club Specialty

Karen and Salsa looking like pros!

"You gotta hold your mouth just right!"

*photos by Holly Hatfield*

Wow, Can you believe they are 7 mo old?!?

Time sure flies when you are....well busy! I am still amazed that they are now 7 months old. It sure has been a fun 5 months. Dante has been busy with agility classes - which he is doing pretty well with. We hit some fear periods which put some of our progress on hold while we stuck to the areas he was comfortable with (tunnels, weaves, the table and baby jumps). Conformation training has just been well funny. His baby brain lasts for about 20 minutes and then you can tell he has had enough so we leave. I have definetely seen progress from the 1st class where he was so distracted he couldn't see straight - but as all of you who are going through the same thing, the baby brain can only handle just so much standing still or letting strangers touch them in odd places. There is one instructor in particular that I've gotten some great pointers from. Our next step will be putting these learned lessons into application at Dante's 1st show coming up.

He continues to make us laugh every day and is such a joy to have in our lives. His personality is so funny - he likes to spin in circles chasing his tail and we refer to that as the "wind up" because as soon as he's done with that he starts racing around the house at top speed. He also has a habit of taking out all the toys - brining them to you, when you throw it he promptly returns it to you so the game can start again. I've found he can also amuse him self by throwing his toys around or tossing them in the air and hitting it with his front feet. Such a clown!!!

Dante & Bree in Eagle, WI

I have been so terrible about not getting these pictures on the blog site. As Polly posted, Dante and Bree had a reuion in May in Eagle, WI at the Field Trial Grounds, not far from our house. Though it was a chilly spring day, the two of them had a great time running and playing together at the grounds. They had an opportunity to carry around a dead bird, see a live bird which was flapping around, see horses and take in the distant sounds of gun shot. John and Polly took both dogs down to the Junior Hunt field to run them, along with Treeva. This Wednesday Dante will be going up to Mark and Becky Smiths (Remark Kennels) for his initial hunt evaulation with plans for him to spend a month with them in the near future for formal hunt training. Mark worked with John on training Treeva and did a fabulous job. It was great to see that Bree and Dante were both unfazed by carrying around the dead bird and sticking their faces next to the live grouse which was actively flapping its wings around. It was so much fun seeing the two of them enjoying their reuion!!!! So glad you could come up Polly!!!!!