Tiki (briefly introduced in Turner’s Tails) recently celebrated a milestone birthday—she’s ten! I can’t believe she is 70 in human years, but it’s rumored 70 is the new 50, and all things considered, Tiki is aging like a fine tequila. Born on Cinco de Mayo, her birthday is easy to remember and celebrate. Beverage of choice for us and birthday cookies (safe for dogs, of course) for her and the pack.

Tiki Torch—as we affectionally called her in her younger years, was fierce and bold, which has now evolved into a more composed, stoic, and softer temperament. A favorite among family, friends, and strangers, she stands out with her sweet, quiet, and dignified nature, supplemented with a vigorous butt shake when greeted.

Her self-assured and relatively independent nature shines daily except during scary thunderstorms that cause excessive vibrating throughout her entire body and a need to be glued to us. Vizsla’s have a famous moniker—Velcro Vizsla, and she embodies it, sticking to you for protection when the barometric pressure drops. 

Through her trustworthy behaviors (NEVER grabs anything that isn’t hers), she earned the privilege many years ago to enjoy free reign of the house when we aren’t home and upstairs bed privileges. To her credit, and being a girl that knows what she wants when she wants it, she will sometimes choose to sleep in her plush furry luxurious doughnut bed instead of with us.

She’s playful when she wants to be – deciding with great discernment and stealth-like surprise to suddenly engage with the younger crew with a bark and play bow. Or, when they are too rowdy and wake her from an afternoon siesta, she fusses from her chair, looking at them with a disapproving eye and her head and chin tilted just high enough to reinforce her annoyance with their obnoxious antics.

As the daughter of Jack, our first Vizsla, and the mother of Waylon, Tiki is treasured. We were lucky we didn’t lose her when she had to have an emergency c-section and spay four years ago, which produced four handsome boys. She and I endured a lot of stress and sleepless nights together, strengthening our bond.

Ten years flies by, and I hope we have many more healthy years ahead because there are still birds to hunt, squirrels to keep barking at, fields to run in, and shoulders to lean on. Happy Birthday, Tiki!