zeke.thevizsla (2024)

15/12/2023

Thanks for being with us always, big guy. I miss you intensely on these walks, but thankfully Beezer takes it easy on me so I can enjoy the walk and remember the adventures I took with the best boy 💙

*this is the song I listened to while driving Zeke’s body to UW that I continually to play on repeat (& cry)

13/12/2023

Let’s do an ✨introduction✨

I’m Jamie, the voice you hear most on this page, and my husband is Dave. Pictured with us are our heart dog, Zeke, and his baby brother, Beezer. We live in Chicago, where I am a realtor and Dave works in produce distribution.

Zeke came into our lives after losing our puppy, Ziggy, to leptospirosis at 13 weeks old. He saved us. We did everything together. We loved learning tricks together, attending general obedience classes, I showed him in the conformation ring, and he ran agility beautifully with Dave.

Just a couple months before his third birthday, we took him in for some intermittent wheezing, and shockingly discovered that sweet Zeke had a large mass in his chest. We did everything we could, but doctors were never able to diagnose his mysterious condition, and we lost him 6 days after his third birthday. (This photo was taken a week before we said goodbye 💔)

Beezer came home in late June this year. He has big paws to fill, but he got a few crucial months with the best big brother around, and we see glimpses of Zeke in him every day. So far he is a resilient, happy-go-lucky puppy who loves his people hard like his big brother.

Typically on this page you would see training videos, dog sport highlights, daily adventures, and vizsla shenanigans. After suffering the deepest heartbreak this fall, we are just getting our feet under us again, so things may look different around here.

If you’re new, welcome! 👋🏼 If you’ve been by our side through it all, thank you 💕 We’d love for you to leave a comment to introduce yourself and what you like to see most on our corner of the internet!

06/12/2023

I can’t help but look back at old photos of you and wonder, were you sick then? Did you know it, yet? Why didn’t you tell us, bud?

In so many ways, Zeke was ultra sensitive. It makes it so much more confusing to know that something evil was growing inside him for (likely) a long time, and yet he gave no inclination. I can only hope it’s because he didn’t feel sick, but I also wonder how much he was trying to protect us from worrying or hurting.

My sister shared an excerpt from a poem by Mary Oliver with me today, that of course, made me cry:

“To live in this world
you must be able
to do three things:
To love what is mortal;
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when it is time to let it go,
to let it go.”

29/11/2023

Happy 7 months to this goofy puppy that does his best to make us smile & laugh daily.

To celebrate, here are some fun facts about the Beezer Butt:
• he has incredible leash skills for a little nugget
• he doesn’t have a favorite toy, but prefers the “gotta have em all” mindset and will dig through the toy bin for the perfect one
• he is king of the cozy cave
• he’s doing much better with place training this month, particularly when we’re eating
• he is SO good in the car that you could honestly forget he’s there 😂

28/11/2023

Nothing made me happier than watching Zeke tear it up on an agility course.

The pure joy on his face in these photos, combined with his obvious athleticism, brings back so many memories. Dave & Zeke were an incredible team, and I know these photos will always hold a very special (albeit raw) place in our hearts.

Thank you, for these beautiful memories of our boy 💙🥹

12/11/2023

Zeke, I’ve been trying to find the right words to express what you meant to me, but the truth is, you were more to me than all the words combined. I won’t pretend it’s possible to express all of my thoughts into a singular post, but there is no amount of exaggeration in my heart when I say you were our whole world.

You taught me everything I know about dogs, and I will never be the same. You opened my eyes and my heart to working beside you, and together we could have accomplished anything. You were the most patient teacher, just happy to be with us, even when we made mistakes or missteps. I’m so grateful for every class, show, trial, hike, and walk, and yet, there were so many more things we could have done together.

While you were not the reason I left teaching, I am so damn lucky that I got to spend so much of the last year at home with you instead of missing you all day. You were the most loyal coworker, and I loved being interrupted by your nose under my arm or chin in my lap. You showed me that life was all about balance, and that I would never regret the time I spent out in the world with you. How I wish I could have just one more adventure with you.

I will cherish the memories of you forever, and maybe one day they’ll make me smile instead of cry. Thank you for bringing your pure & joyous heart into our orbit, we are forever changed for having known your love.

I love you, Zeke, forever & always.

01/11/2023

Zeke 💙

10/25/20 - 10/31/23

Thank you for everything, buddy. Say hi to your big brother Ziggy for us 💔

30/10/2023

A picture is worth a thousand words

& a lifetime of memories

20/10/2023

When you’re dealt a sh*tty hand, the only way to survive is to search for the silver linings or lessons learned.

Something this experience has taught me is to DO the thing. It would be easy to look at our incredibly short time with Zeke and have regrets, but instead, I am so damn grateful for every experience we had together.

So my lesson for you is DO the thing. Take the class, go for the walk, try the new sport, go for the hike, take a break to play, take more classes, learn new tricks, register for the trial, take the road trip, etc. You will not regret a moment you spent with them.

And while I’m grateful to step out to the park to play with Beez, the fact that the boys never got a chance to do this together will haunt me 💔

20/10/2023

Hi baby Zeke 💙

13/10/2023

💙💚💚💙

04/10/2023

We could all use a collective hug today.

The hardest part about the last 5 weeks has been the unknown, followed quickly by the constant state of change. As soon as we find a bright spot to celebrate, our hopes are crushed by a new and scary symptom or behavior. Our hearts have been pummeled time and again, sometimes immediately following a swell of hope.

One thing we keep hearing is how perplexing Zeke’s case is. As an IG friend and professor of eosinophils put it, in vet med they are told, “when you hear hoofsteps, look for horses, not zebras. But in this case I think we need to look for zebras.” I have always referred to Zeke as ✨special✨ but just this once I would love for him to take it down a notch and let us find an inkling of an answer.

Thank you all for continuing to support Z and us. I’m almost certain we are set to spontaneously combust, because one cannot endure such ongoing stress and uncertainty. But for you, Zeke, we’ll keep fighting. So let this photo be our collective sliver of hope.

02/10/2023

Blessing the feed with baby Zeke 💙

His eyes could stare into your soul from day 1

22/09/2023

“Heart Dog”: a dog with whom you form a special human-canine bond. Sometimes referred to as a soulmate. Your everything, your whole world. A dog with whom you can’t imagine life without.

You, Zeke, are our heart dog ♥️

19/09/2023

He’s catching up to you, Zeke, but he still has a LOT to learn from you, seeing as you’re the best dog ever. ♥️

16/09/2023

✨ZEKE✨

I have added all of the stories to a highlight on our page, and I’ll continue to add them there in case you’ve missed some piece of the puzzle.

Long story short, what’s going on with Zeke is very serious. He has a large tumor in his chest cavity, which encompasses his trachea & pulmonary artery. The doctors at MedVet completed a fine needle aspiration that was inconclusive, so they did a follow up tru-cut biopsy which was sent out Friday. As of right now, the critical care team at MedVet highly suspects cancer of some kind.

They are transferring Zeke’s care to UW-Madison, which has a strong reputation, specifically in oncology. We will meet with them Monday morning to review all of his medical records & imaging. Ideally the biopsy will be in Monday as well, to help us understand if this is cancer, and if so what kind, so that the team at UW can help formulate a treatment plan.

To say we are devastated is an understatement. I keep thinking we are in a nightmare that we have to wake up from. I cannot fathom how something like this is happening to him, and to us, again.

Right now, our priority is getting to the bottom of exactly what is happening to Zeke, and then we will do every damn thing we can for him. And in the meantime, we will soak in every snuggle, hug, lean, kiss, and moment we can spend with him. He is the most special boy and I have to assume a miracle is coming. Please keep praying, we need all the love and strength you can muster.

10/09/2023

Really proud of this baby dog. He’s been handed off to friends and fellow vizsla owners this week so we can focus on Z, and he has handled it like a champ. Unless my friends are lying, he’s done an A+ job in their homes, on walks, and playing outdoors. I know this time isn’t easy on him, but I do think the time spent with other humans, dogs, and in new spaces is excellent for building a well-rounded dog.

Shout out to & and all the other Chicago friends who have texted with an offer to help as needed. We all appreciate you!

08/09/2023

✨enjoy every single day ✨

If you’re somewhat new here, you may not know that our journey with dogs began with a spunky bold little guy named Ziggy. Our sweet Ziggy had been with us just three weeks when he was hospitalized for leptospirosis. We gave him every chance we could, and he fought hard, but couldn’t win the fight at his young age.

Zeke came into our lives shortly after our devastating loss and was immediately healing to our broken hearts. We still think of Ziggy daily, but Zeke brought us so much love and joy from the moment we met him, and we are grateful for him every day.

The last few days, there were times when we thought our time with Zeke would be cut brutally short, and I think I can speak for us all when I say, that fact felt unsurvivable. Zeke is our everything. Our heart dog, our shared soulmate, our best friend. The thought of losing him was entirely soul crushing.

While his diagnosis is still a bit up in the air, and he has a road ahead of him (so we are choosing not to share details quite yet), we got a phone call yesterday to confirm it was NOT lymphoma, and life came back into our eyes.

Sweet Zeke, you have no idea the hold you have on our hearts. Thank you for being a little fighter & accepting our insufferable snuggles.

All this to say, go hug your babies today (or show them affection however they like it best 😉)

03/09/2023

Beez wants to wish you and yours a happy Labor Day Weekend!

Don’t forget to wake your humans up early despite tomorrow being a day off!

01/09/2023

“Okay, fine take my photo.”
…
“That’s enough, peasant. Be gone”

28/08/2023

The faces of Zeke putting up with a brother who doesn’t yet understand “stay” 🤪

I’ve heard from many that it’s getting harder to tell who is who in my stories! I’m sure it’s especially tricky when you can’t see the other dog for comparison.

Are you having a harder time telling them apart? How similar do you think they’ll look as two adult dogs?

27/08/2023

Couldn’t miss the chance to post these faces for National Dog Day. But who are we kidding, they rule our world every day 🌎

24/08/2023

Little pup, big personality 🤩

23/08/2023

It’s only fair I share some ✨Zeke facts✨
• He would prefer all meals to be sprinkled with Stella & Chewy meal mixers
• He will drool for just about anything, but roasted broccoli falls pretty high on the list
• He loves to train because he’s a major foodie and loves to connect with his people
• He is an excellent communicator
• He is a very sensitive boy; he has big feelings about things!
• He LOVES meeting new people, maybe too much
• He got scared at his favorite local bar, and now he is afraid of all patios
• His favorite place to lay is on the back cushions of the couch, or touching a human
• He loves to lay under blankets and will paw incessantly at yours until you give in
• He is selective with male dogs (probably because mom is a worry wart about them too!)
• He LOVES little humans, and is the sweetest soul with my nephews
• He has been the BEST big brother as his world was flipped upside down. He greets B at his crate door in the mornings, giving him ear sniffs and butt wiggles. He instigates play by holding a compelling toy out for Beez 😭🥰

22/08/2023

Beezer is 16 weeks old & here are some fun facts about his personality!

•He loves to give hugs, particularly right after eating (I consider it a thank you😊)
• He is impressively neutral around other dogs and people (we are working on ignoring, and keeping his focus on us)
• He doesn’t enjoy being picked up when he’s sleeping
• He LOVES to play tug or fetch (indoors)
• He loves to knead to self-soothe, just like his brother
• He is the BEST car companion, sleeping in his crate the whole time
• He picks up on new tricks or skills really quickly, he’s super thoughtful!
• He loves his big bro 🥰

20/08/2023

Swipe for the OG side by side 😭

August 18 —> July 9

19/08/2023

Oh Zeke 🤩

Zeke deserves all the appreciation posts for being the ✨best dog ever✨ He has taught Beezer so much, has been incredibly patient, playful, and gentle. I adore my 1:1 time with him, and I also love watching B’s little legs follow Z around.
Thank you, Zeke. I’m so glad you’re ours ♥️♥️♥️

18/08/2023

Watching these two become buddies has been the greatest joy.

They require constant supervision, regular “breaks” and Zeke isn’t keen on Beezer snuggles when he’s sleeping, BUT, they love to play bitey face, tug, and keep away, they follow one another around, and I can’t wait to see their relationship continue to grow 🥰

13/08/2023

I was joking with .rossi35 that none of the .scaries posts exemplify me running around after dogs, consistently sweating, pulling sh*t out of Beezer’s mouth, unable to relax and enjoy my coffee (he is on a golf trip 🙃). His response was, “I’m waiting for you to make one.”

So, here it is 🤣 A compilation of the reality of our weekend. Not pictured: basement zoomies, trying to kiss babies, peecasso-ing on the deck, and eating every dropped flower/leaf.

08/08/2023

Soaking up their last day in their own fenced-in yard at Grandma Dee Dee’s. They have had a blast out there, and come in completely wiped!

We love living in the city: all the experiences it allows for, the level of training it requires, access to the lakefront & its parks, and all the dog-friendly spaces…but man, sometimes I wish I had a fenced-in yard for them 💚💙

06/08/2023

Beez had another great brewery outing today at in St. Clair Shores Michigan!

He was a very sleepy boy, who mostly slept on his towel on the table, or in our arms. Soon he’s going to outgrow these spots, so he better enjoy being at eye level while he can!

03/08/2023

Swipe for puppy growth 😭

July 9 -–> July 29 —> August 3

01/08/2023

One skill this little guy has mastered is pausing to look into the camera 📸

Which is good because, he sure is going to be a looker 🤩 plus he finds himself in front of the camera a lot 😉

28/07/2023

Beezer is ✨blowing me away✨ on our socialization visits!

Yesterday, we visited a brewery where I set down a towel for him to settle on. (This was his first time on the floor, instead of in my lap, or on the table) He ate a gullet stick and then stayed put! I rewarded him intermittently with bits of kibble on his towel because this is EXACTLY the kind of behavior I want to see repeated.

A few people approached our table and asked about him. I continuing rewarding him (more frequently) while talking to the humans, and he STAYED PUT. I looked at my mom afterward and said, “THAT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE!!!”

In so many ways, I had to work backwards with Zeke, because I let too many people and dogs say hi to him, and had to teach him that not everyone was here for him 😅

I’m excited to set Beez up to stay calm and focused in various environments regardless of what people and dogs are around, and so far we are off to an AWESOME start because he has such a killer temperament.

We also walked past a busy event, heard a LOUD band playing (not his favorite), hung out on a pups patio (on the table this time to avoid contact - pictured 😉) and even ate cheeseburgers and fries while he was on said table 🤯 Man, I love this dog!

27/07/2023

There’s nothing like a puppy belly 🥹

23/07/2023

I may have outgrown my carrier but I’m still KILLING the socialization game. Today we hung out at our favorite bar as the Cubs game let out, which meant crowds, carts, sirens, cheering, etc, this boy is so resilient and it’s been so much fun to get him out to experience as much as possible! 💚

20/07/2023

Beezer LOVES a job!

Before we got Bee, I was worried about the task of “starting over” in terms of getting to know a dog. We have learned an immense amount about Z in his 2.5 years, and I love having such insight into how he’s feeling, what he’s thinking, and how to respond.

Now that Beezer has been home three weeks, and he’s settling into our lives and a routine, we are starting to see more of his personality, what he enjoys, what drives him, etc. now I don’t feel scared about getting to know him, I’m excited 🥰

The two are similar in some ways and very different in others. They are both wickedly fun to train, but while Zeke’s brain goes cuckoo for treats and he will madly offer behaviors, Beez is more thoughtful. You can see him really thinking about what you’re asking of him, and will repeat it so long as food is present.

I also know SO MUCH MORE about dogs, behavior, and training now than I did when Z was a puppy, so I’m loving building foundations with B!

If you have multiple dogs - what have you learned to love about their differences??

16/07/2023

I think I could do this whole dog show thing…put me in coach! 🐕

No love for big brother Z in the ring today, but B loved meeting all the fellow vizsla lovers! 💕

16/07/2023

Two butts in a pod

09/07/2023

Did you order two boys on a bone??

Zeke: “I better get paid for this”

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