June in Coeur d'Alene: too hot for Ildi!

We took Ildi with us on a trip to Coeur d'Alene where Chad had an ironman race. It was actually a great experience with her because of the crowds - she actually settles down a bit and doesn't try to jump on everyone (which she would do if there was just one or two people around). It was also interesting as we discovered this crowd (of super athletic people) know her breed very well. And several couples came up to us to get their Vizsla fill as they had left their Vizsla at home. She was the star of the event!

Though it was also her first time in hot weather - with temps around 30C every day. While we tried to always keep her with us - not stuck in the car, we noticed that by the end of 2nd day she was drooling uncontrollably. One the 3rd day in CDA (2nd day of drooling), we were extremely concerned and started googling and emailing friends for advice. One site suggested it could be puppy warts and with a thorough check of her mouth we did discover some (they looked like canker sores as they were just beginning to form). But I actually think the problem was the heat (though it was good to discover the warts too). I kept her in the AC'ed hotel room on the 4th day in CDA (race day) and that stopped her drooling finally. It was scary to learn that just being outside (and usually in the shade) with only short car trips was having such an affect on her. We know for future we have to be super careful with her on our road trips! (the 2nd picture is of her hiding under the bed - heat exhausted)

Also of note, she was legendary on this trip for not coming when called! by the end (30min of trying to get a hold of her!) I was furious!! She would just turn and run in the opposite direction if I tried to get close to her and there was no way she was coming when I physically called her. I tried every tactic I could of - being super fun and cheerful as I called her, being very firm (but calm), running away from her, poking in the grass (so that it looked I discovered something interesting) and even trying to be very zen like and sitting on the ground sending positive thoughts for her to come. NOTHING worked!! Finally, I tried poking around in the dirt more (as that's what she kept returning to a certain sport for) - and had to lift this enormous log - so that it created a fresh spot of earth for her sniff.
I think this is beginning of her rebellious stage...

June pictures

June: Ildi tries to swim!

I wish I had a picture or video to go along with this post!
Ildi has only been near open water (that's not a rushing river) twice now. On her first time, she was with a fellow vizsla who loves to jump around in the water. Ildi eventually walked into the water (up to the top of her legs) and was splashing about - bopping the bubbles each leg lift would make!

Then on her second time near water - to a place we call Shangri-La (an off leash park in Canmore), she came into the company of a GSP and a Chocolate Lab - who were fetching and frolicking in the water. She loved trying to play with these guys so much that she would walk into the water here too - with lots of praise from us! Then out of nowhere she bounded in deeper and found herself not being able to touch - it took her a second to try and figure out how to get out of this predicament, but she did. She swam! though not the most efficient swimmer yet - you should have seen all the splashing! :) You could tell she still wasn't sure of the whole swimming thing yet as she was still only comfortable going in up to her legs. She did start dunking her entire head under though - I think she was trying to pick up rocks under the water. too funny - she looked like a duck with her head under water and her body above! But then, out of the blue - with no dogs to chase or toy to fetch she bounded into deeper water and tried swimming again!

needless to say, now that we have found a couple of safe swimming spots, we're going to give Ildi lots of opportunities to master swimming.