A Birthday Tribute to Our Hungarian Vizsla Toffee who is 13 Today
Pedigree Name at Birth – Stanegate Lupin Born – June 27, 2004
Where does the time go we often ask ourselves? Toffee, our much-loved Vizsla is 13 today and it’s hard to comprehend or compact all the walks and adventures we have had in one small blog – but I will try.
The bond was instant. Toffee chose us before we had a chance to even look at the litter of Vizslas running around our feet. Her fur was silky smooth and more blond than auburn – I confess I called her Blondie for the first few days before the name Toffee was chosen.
We already had another Vizsla named Fudge and the two became instant soul mates. Fudge being the boss of course, enjoyed playing with and rolling this tiny ball of fur at every opportunity. But the tiny fur ball soon grew and playtime became on equal ground. Toffee and Fudge were firmly glued at the hip. What one did, the other followed. In true Vizsla rules – what one has, the other must have to. What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine to.
One of my favourite moments with the two of them, we had a large trampoline in the garden and I was jumping on it one day when suddenly Toffee jumped up and started jumping up and down following me. While we had the trampoline, hardly a day went by the pair of them didn’t join me for some fun.
A very unhappy moment in her life was when we lost Fudge to a brain tumour
in 2010. Toffee was only 6 and had lost her best friend. I never knew this beforehand but dogs do genuinely grieve. She looked for her everyday for months and sat at the window expecting her return. She was so so sad, as we were to, so our solution to brighten up her spirits and ours was to find her a new friend. Exactly what we did, we introduced her to a new puppy called Honey. Their friendship was never on the same level as Toffee and Fudge, but it did alleviate the grief for all of us somewhat.
Toffee was never a ball chaser – her goals involved procuring food at any opportunity no one was looking and what better place to do that than a barbecue party. Toffee had no shut off valve when it came to food and promptly stole and gobbled about half a dozen hamburgers only to sick every one up a few minutes later. Her eyes were greedier than her belly so we were always on food thief patrol.
We keep a doggy file with all their pedigree papers, vet visits and records of vaccinations, worming and flea/tic treatments. That file has grown considerably over the years especially where Toffee is concerned. In January 2009 when she was only 5, we noticed she was carrying her right back leg and not putting any weight on it. It turned out she required a Tibial Plateau Levelling Operation (TPLO). The recovery time was 6 months and try keeping an active 5 year old Vizsla quiet for 6 months. The was a job and a half. Once she had recovered though she was back to her bouncy self.
We lived on a farm at the time and I was walking her in the field when I noticed her gleefully throwing something in the air, catching it and throwing it again. She then started to chew it. I quickly caught to her only to find to my shock and horror that she was snarling on a large block of rat poison. Straight to the emergency Vet where he induced vomiting and put her on warfarin for 7 days. Now please don’t think we keep rat poison on the premises – the farmer would put it in pipes around the farm but rats do drag it out from time to time and unfortunately dragged onto our grass. This happened on another occasion as well. Again it was an emergency Vet job.
Toffee has never been short of a few bumps and lumps. She had a large growth in her neck and we feared it might be cancerous. Another operation ensued and good fortune followed, it was just a lump of fatty tissue.
Just this year she got a terrible toothache and although she never complained her face was completely swollen. The only way to extract it was of course to put her to sleep which we were very concerned about due to her age, but in true form, she woke up from the aesthetic with an extracted back molar and love pearly white teeth. While she was under, there had been a protruding lump on her back and a decision was made to remove that while she was under. Again, good fortune prevailed and the lump in question was non malignant.
Our 3 coconuts
So here we are now with Toffee 13 years young and her two younger sisters, Honey and Cuki who love her to bits. She is definitely the Alpha dog in this house. No matter what life has thrown at her, she has remarkably bounced back from all her adversities and continues to go for short walks, sleeping a little more than usual and in general taking life easy as a senior girl should.
We know how blessed we are that she continues in good health, eats well and loves lots of cuddles and of course, treats. She is one special girl, never complaining and forever a faithful, loving and compassionate friend.
So today we celebrate in style with steaks all round, sausages and finish off with Mince Beef & Carrot cupcakes topped with cream cheese. We wish yo a very Happy Birthday Toffee and may we be blessed with many more.
I have included the recipe which was given to me by another Vizsla lover just in case anyone wants to treat their furbby to a special celebration. You can also watch the video on how to make it on You Tube – Mary PremierCru
Doggy Birthday Cake
500 g minced Beef, 6 eggs beaten, 1-1/2 cup wholemeal flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup oatmeal, 3/4 cup coconut oil, finely chopped parsley, 1-1/2 cup grated carrot. For Icing- use cream cheese plus top with doggy treats.
Mix/beat together beef with wet ingredients. Stir in dry ingredients. Put in cupcake cases. Cook at 200C degrees for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Decorate. Voila – Doggy Heaven. 100% Hungarian Vizsla Approved.
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