Bena Berkey, the RedEye Cover Girl, Helps us Stay Fit!

Two weeks ago, Aaron was contacted by the Chicago Tribune newspaper because he manages a social group for Vizsla owners in Chicago. Vizsla's are becoming a rising star in the city, which is ironic because they are a hunting dog breed. Nationally, they are not a popular dog breed. The article was exploring why this urban group is interested in this hunting breed. A photographer came to our house and took some pictures. Then finally, on Monday March 9, I spotted Bena on the cover of the RedEye, a free commuter version of the Chicago Tribune distributed all over the city train and bus stops. It was exciting for us to see her picture on the news stands all over the city!

Last spring when Aaron was researching which type of dog would be good for our lifestyle, he found that Vizsla's are natural bird hunters, easily trained, athletic, and very attached to their owners.

Then, last June, we adopted Bena, which means "Pheasant" in Cherokee. Her parents are excellent hunters and she inherited the natural abilities. Last November, we sent her to a gun dog trainer and she learned very quickly. At ten-months, she's focused with hunting to "point" and retrieve, but very calm indoors. We live in a small 1,000 square foot condo in Chicago. Aaron takes her to the dog park every morning where she runs full speed for over an hour. Aaron discovered that she can pull you on a bike when she was only three-months old. She is very strong for her size. I'm very happy that Aaron convinced me to go for it!

The surprise for me was how active your lifestyle becomes when you are a dog owner. Think of all the outdoor activities you can do with your dog....

• Running/jogging/speed walking
• Biking with your dog on a leash
• Dog beach to run on the beach and play in the water
• Dog park and you can meet fellow owners
• Hunting
• Throwing a ball
• Getting outside multiple times a day!

Clearly, dog ownership is a lot of responsibility and it changes your lifestyle, especially in an urban area. So it's not for everyone, but is really rewarding!