The Good Dog Blog - Vizsla

Tucker, in his day, had a thing about Nancy’s underwear, loved to grab it and walk around the house with it.  He wouldn’t ever really hurt it, wouldn’t chew it, but loved to pick it up and carry it around with him.

Always fun to explain why there is a bra in the living room, or panties in the kitchen, never dull, but always interesting.

We would play with him after he started to show his little “fetish”, we would hook the bra over his head with the cups looking like ear-muffs – all in fun, but I’m sure Tucker was thinking… What the hell, I bring this in here just to lay with it, and they try to embarrass me.

Of course, Bodi picked up the same little fetish, carrying Nancy’s underwear out to the window-seat, just to lay on it and go to sleep. But Bodi will pick up shoes, socks, he’ll walk right by you and grab something out of the hamper and go lay down on top of it, you can’t get mad – all you can do is laugh at him and try to teach him not to do it.

I’m sure other puppies have the same quirks, and other people have to figure out how to explain things to their friends and family members.  Our little companions love to embarrass us in these ways – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just wanted to do a short post… found some pictures from Thanksgiving 2008.  Here we have Tucker… trying to see what’s on my plate.

"Hi mommy... I noticed that you are sitting here alone... with your plate of food. I think I'll join you."

Tucker LOVED food!  Almost as much as he loved us

"Just what do you have on your plate? And... is it something that I might be interested in?"

Here I am, sitting on the stairs, eating some apple pie… and along comes Tucker!  “Gee mom… looks like you’ve got enough on your plate… for both of us!  Would you care to share with me?  I’ve been a very good boy and probably deserve a little treat”.

"Mommy... you are the best"!!!!!

“Okay Tuck… just one little bite of apple pie for you… but it will cost you.   How about a little kiss for mom?”!!!

Love and miss my little guy!!

Bodi with his first Christmas tree with us

This was Bodi’s first trip to the Christmas Tree Farm (with us)… a tradition that we had shared with Tucker for 12 blissful years! It was emotional.. to say the least.. as we had always had the Tuckman with us.

As we pulled into the tree farm parking lot… an overwhelming feeling of joy and warmth and happiness as well as sorrow and sadness had filled us both. As the tears began to well up in our eyes, I said to Jim… “I can just see Tucker, running through the Christmas trees.. helping us in our quest to find the perfect tree”!

Our little Bodi was thrilled to be a part of this tradition! He had a blast at the Christmas tree farm.. and didn’t pee on any trees!!

Bodi and Daddy and the Christmas tree

As you can see… Bodi O thoroughly enjoyed posing with his Daddy. So proud of that Christmas tree …that would soon be home, all decorated and filled with presents for Bodi!! Life is good!

What a happy (and very lucky) puppy this is! Bodi is awesome and we feel very fortunate to have him in our lives. He is now a huge part of everything we do.

Mommy and Tucker, Christmas 2008

This time of year… is a time to reflect.. and a time to celebrate the good in our lives. And it is a time to be so very thankful for what we have today… including sweet memories of a loved one lost. Even though that loved one has left this life, their sweet, beautiful soul will remain in our hearts forever!

Many years ago Nancy , Tucker, and I were invited to our good friend Rick Hustead’s, where as a professional photographer Rick set us up in the studio and we started taking some pictures.

Recently I pulled the CD out and took a look at the pictures again – it brings equal doses of laughter and tears as I think of the times we spent at Rick’s with Tucker, the way he loved to run through the studio to say hi to everyone – the way he’d go up to greet the models, even when they were in a state of undress, and most surprised by a typical Vizsla “cold nose” greeting. When there were children getting shots in the studio, they would play with Tucker and he would always put up with their playing, at least for a little while.

These shots are just a small sample and feature Nancy and Tucker in a more personal setting.

Tucker obviously enjoying the modeling, is putting up with a little hi-fiving, sure that a treat will be offered for him doing his neat little trick.

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After doing his trick, Tucker decides that a treat must be near and pushing his cold wet nose in to find the treat that is obviously being held back, Nancy feeling the heat, keeps the treat hidden and tries to get some more poses out of Tuck.

As Tucker gets more insistent, Nancy decides that keeping the treat out of reach would be the best move, seeing the treat being held high so as to keep it away from him, Tucker starts to re-think his decision to be a model, there seems to be a lot of tricks, with very little chance of treats, and then he hears the human models talking about starving themselves to keep a tight body… hearing how models eat, and what they eat, Tucker is worried…

And then, after hearing that to be a model, he must keep a svelte figure, he must eat very little, he must purge whenever he eats too much, he decides that he must get the treat right away… and finally getting the treat – Tucker quickly finds out that it is a veggie treat, and definitely not to his liking…

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Clearly, Tucker has made a mistake… starving himself, eating veggies all the time, sticking his paw down his throat, he has made a mistake, he was thinking of something else all together… yes, he knows what he really wants to be… a food taster!, that is what he wants to be, a FOOD TASTER must be the best job of all.

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These have turned out to be some of our favorite pictures with the Tuck-Man and he fell into the part of being our little model for the day. Nancy and I both got our pictures separately with our little guy, and then we, of course, go pictures with the three of us – Tucker was a gem, posing for us and generally putting up with the silliness of sitting indoors and having a flash go off in his face for hours.

Rick has invited us to do a posing with the pup named Bodi-O, and we have to just get our butts over to the studio to get the first of our series of memory makers with Rick and Bodi – like kids, they grow so fast and one day you are looking back and wondering where all the time went.

Had quite the stressful week, long and stressful, so decided to take a late afternoon walk with the Bodester – of course, had to wake him up from a deep sleep under the covers on the bed, but he is always up to a nice walk.

Weather was perfect, sun was low – good time to detox from the stressful week.

Slipped on the iPod and hit shuffle… The iPod seemed to know the mood and what was needed at the time – slipped into some Diana Krall, Van Morrison (from the Mystic Years), Jonny Lang and even tossed in a thoughtful “Tears” from Rush, 2112. The trails were empty, the music enjoyable without being too much – the detox worked, and the mind seems to be in a slightly better place.

Bodi, as he is growing more and more a part of our life, has learned to be a little less frantic back and forth across the trails and settles in a little closer to the hip, sliding back and forth, front to back as he checks things out, but always paying attention to where we are and getting stern corrections at a lot less.

Tonight he was perfect, kept close, stuck to the trail and even though I had the earphones in he kept the drain on my attention to a minimum… exactly what was needed on this walk. Bodi now knows our rhythm on the walks, whether it is a power walk or a thoughtful stroll, he picks up on the energy and melds into a good walking buddy, it really is the perfect tonic.

Anyone who has a sporting dog and doesn’t take the time to get away from it all and let the dog be himself (after teaching them the guidelines) is really missing out on one of the truly beautiful things in life. To watch one of these dogs in its element, muscles tensing and releasing as they pick up a scent, bodies moving effortlessly through the brush and over the rises, this really is a great gift to have and to enjoy, and I plan to never be without a “V” for as long as I possibly can.

Just a real quick post… Nancy, Bodi and I went to our favorite Car Show… The French/Italian Show at Woodley Park, had a great time, great weather, great cars and great company.

Enjoy the shots, as usual, Bodi comes across as the happiest little guy around, he gets as many looks as the cars, and tons of people want to come up and ask about him – The hit of the party, and we, as usual, are the proud parents.

It always turns out to be a nice day, big park so Bodi gets to enjoy the grass and the picnic we have (and of course we started the tradition with Tucker, so we get all the memories), and we get to see some great cars and listen to some great Eye-Talian music… Good Stuff!!!

Sterling and Gracie as happy as can be!!!

Here we have Bodi’s friends… Sterling and Gracie! Two awesome Weimaraners!

Sterling and Gracie have the most incredible personalities. They are both beautiful (of course), fun loving, energetic (their mom and dad can vouch for this), loyal, regal, goofy, majestic, sensitive, silly, etc… etc…! Does that sound a lot like our V’s? Yes! And just like the V’s (and in the human race.. as I am told by my husband) the females become a little more challenging… pushing your buttons (hee hee hee), all along the journey of life and the males are big babies, and become even bigger babies as they get older. So true, so true! Sorry… couldn’t resist! Tucker become such a baby… I loved it!

Just look at Sterling and Gracie… both of them have their tongues hanging out… running to their daddy.. as happy as can be. I love this! I love the energy! These guys are so cool and Bodi O is very lucky to have them in his life.

"There's Gold in Them There Mountains... Oh Wait, That's Just Bodi, Leaving a Golden......!"

A little over a month ago… I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with Sterling and Gracie’s Dad, Brian, out on the trails while I was walking Bodi. It was great! We had a good walk, and talked about Tucker… as Brian knew Tucker and Tuck loved Sterling and Gracie. But it was so nice to see Bodi walking with Sterling and Gracie… to see them exchanging kisses, mainly with Gracie Girl, all along the way. It was good healing for me… as I have been hurting so much, from the loss of Tucker. To see my little Bodi, out with these guys, being so good, so loving… it just touched my heart in so many ways.

On that note… I will sign off and leave you with these great pics. Enjoy!!

How do I love my daddy? Let me count the ways…

Luv my dad!!

Daddy… I love to come to work with you!

Daddy… I love to give you kisses!

Daddy… I love when you give me kisses!

Daddy… I love when we go for walkies!

Daddy… I love when you feed me!

Daddy… I love when you give me treats!

Daddy… I love when Mommy gives me treats! Okay, okay, that will be in another post… gotcha!

Daddy… I love when you take me out on the trails!

Daddy… I love when you take me to the park to see other doggies!

Daddy… I love when we wrestle and you let me nibble on your ear!

Daddy luvs my kisses!

Daddy… I love when we wrestle and you nibble on my ear!

Daddy… I love when you let me crawl under the blankies with you, on a cold morning… just like my big brother Tucker used to do!

Daddy… I love when we go to breakfast with Mommy… and you give me a “generous” portion of your bagel! Unlike Mommy, who gives me a tiny, morsel, here and there : – | Love you Mommy… but Daddy gives me a “real” bite of food!

Daddy… most of all… I just LOVE BEING WITH YOU!!

Love,

Bodi O!!

I love you Bodi O! Love, Daddy

And Daddy… loves you… Bodi O!!!

Couldn’t resist embarrassing Bodi (really Nancy) with this little mock-up…

This was our first real “Holiday” with Bodi, and consequently, our first real “Holiday” without the Tuckster in a long time.

Bodi was great, primed him for all the kids that were going to show up, waited, and waited, and no kids came by our neighborhood at all. So we enjoyed our little Halloween decorations, and enjoyed our boy – next year, we dress him up and go out for the hunt – all little kids BEWARE!!!