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We all love our best friends, our
constant companions and muses, our vizslas. And if you’ve been paying
attention, you know there is no better indication of a human/canine match made
in heaven than Darcy DuVal and Bart. Darcy and I picked Bart as her future son
very early on when he was just a wee baby not even weaned from his bio mommy
Raisin. In fact, we started calling him Bart at about 6 or 7 weeks old. Our
male pick of the litter made his grand entrance at his new
Cute yes, but talented too! We’ve all heard stories of Bart’s accomplishments in the ring and in the field. The brags are countless. As his breeder, I am hugely proud of CH RAZN the Bar JH, who has three legs toward his Senior Hunter title and one point toward his Field Championship. Bart’s been blazing trails, running big and smart and turning the heads of many judges. The boy has hit his prime. His mom, owner, handler, trainer and now wife (don’t ask) Darcy is even more proud of him. As a first-time pure-bred dog owner, she had dreams well before he was even born of participating with her dog in AKC events. Together they attended conformation handling classes and numerous field training seminars just to meet folks and learn the rules of the games. I have never seen anyone with so much determination and excitement about showcasing her dog and giving him all the advantages a versatile pointing dog could ever want. And she does it for the love of Barty and her commitment to the integrity of the breed….to nurture the natural instincts of her beloved vizsla. And that she does. After three short years, Darcy had produced her first champion and serious contender in the bird field. He just may be the vizsla to beat this fall.
And, while enjoying all the accolades they deserved and belly-laughing daily at Barty’s constant shenanigans, life presented an unfortunate blow that caused an audible thud in our hearts. Bart was diagnosed on June 4 with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). In the span of only 10 days, he was diagnosed and had a scapulectomy on his left front leg. I won’t even go into how this news rocked our world off its axis and caused extreme heartache and pain. But, I will go into just how supportive the vizsla network is in this area. Those who were friends quickly became family. Darcy and I were not prepared for the genuine outpouring of love, friendship and support from vizsla moms and dads in the southeast and beyond. As we frequently said to each other, “this thing has taken on a life of its own.” There are no appropriate words to express how deeply felt your prayers are or how very much you are appreciated. Your continued good thoughts are what see Darcy through her darkest hours. They are nourishing Barty’s sweet body. Darcy is extraordinarily blessed to have such a wonderful extended vizsla family.
At this writing, Bart is adjusting to his new body, undergoing chemotherapy, experiencing emotional ups and downs and continuing to leverage the attention he is getting for all it is worth. He is on the fast track to complete recovery. Darcy is ever there to dote on Barty and nurture him back to full health with her arsenal of holistic supplements, massages, raw diet and all the comforts at home that he requires.
I believe we are all here for great purpose, whether we choose to recognize it or not. We laugh, cry, love, hurt and try to figure out ways to improve ourselves without causing too much pain along the way. In the daily course of our lives we are wise to pay attention to what is truly important. Going through this heartbreaking experience with Bart has reminded me in a most profound way just how in-the-moment they truly live their lives – and how we can learn from that. Isn’t that all we have, after all?? And, also how their boundless exuberance for life is matched only by our own. Darcy has enough enthusiasm for them both, so she can pick up his slack until he gets back to his usual energy. Until then, please continue to pay attention to what your dogs are telling you, and let’s all say a little prayer for Darcy and Bart as they continue to celebrate their love and life together.
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and Maya
,
to fall in love with him. After some time for negotiation, things fell into
place very well. Romeo, a bit perturbed at first, is now one of Barty’s biggest
fans. Maya, nurturing and stoic by nature, loves Bart but until Bart came into
her life, never knew what it meant to just be a dawg. Thanks to Bart she is
enjoying puppyhood for the first time and can now be found sprinting through the
house chasing after balls and toys. Before her red brother came bursting into
her life, she literally did not know how to hold a toy in her mouth. Everyone’s
lives are deeply and forever enriched for just knowing Bart.
