Havanese Like to Do Run-Like-Hell

Did you ever see such a face and oh that tongue and teeth. ROFL

Abs was visiting at Rita and Willard's house today and was trying to get the crew running and after that, she laid down next to the water bowl and showed how deliriously happy she was along with how tired. This dog LOVES to play.

She didn't get any points today but she's a winner in my book as she does your heart good looking at her enjoying life.

Mojo was also running around like a banshee with her and it was a delight to catch him in action. That boy can run. Mojo is Risa's dad and Katsuro's grandfather and Fiona's great-grandfather.

It was great to spend it with good company - winding down and forgetting about the dawg shows!

More tomorrow! Break from shows till Saturday - not much time.

Follow our saga of trying to protect Abigail's hair and still get her to play. The word is possible lycra - more later when we find out more.

Shows & No Rest - HA!

Nathan and Abs did their stuff today and got reserve. It means she got a couple of more ribbons.

It has become painfully clear that we have to be proactive and dress Abs/cover her coat - use a snood all to keep her coat in condition as she LOVES playing physically so we will post what we come up with. At the moment she is sitting in a thin sweater (very thin) with a headband around her waist to hold it in place.

We have another very early day tomorrow and then we are off for a whopping 5 days - yeah only 5 and then back at it but far away and we are traveling each day. Now if we could only get a kid to watch the rest of the crew, we may be able to stay in a hotel and save driving one night - a mini vacation - yeah right. Oh well and we get to show all 3 days first thing in the morning. Fun.

Soon, Lola and Kat's pups will be born and we will have exciting times!

We have been exposing our almost 9 month dog to all sorts of situations and he seems to do well. He's going to make the right home a perfect addition. Our only biggest issue is he likes to chew on Abs hair. No biggie for a non show dog but - well Abs is a show dog.

More tomorrow...

Havanese Available & Holiday Sounds

I’ve reached a point where I’ve learned that nothing is ever perfect, that all we can do is the best we can. Any of you that follows Darlah’s daily blog posts knows exactly what we do every day, and how much of ourselves we put into this. We love our dogs without limitation, period.

We shared coverage of Wasabi’s litter from the day they were born. She had 6 pups: Tux, Coach, Remy, Zack, Sebastian and the single female, Sassy,

Tux was to be the show dog of Wasabi’s first litter. Instead, a month after he went to his new home where he was loved to pieces, he caught a terrible virus and died. It was a tragedy that could have happened to any of us.

Sassy ended up in a wonderful home with her litter-mate Coach. They are inseparable and living a wonderful life. I think the only thing better than having one Havanese in your home is two!
Remy shares his life with three children who have done an excellent job with him, and with educating their parents. J He too has graduated Obedience class and I’m told he loves his walks. Who doesn’t.

Zack lives in a wonderful home with Fiona’s litter mate Coco. He’s graduated his first Obedience class and is being enrolled next month in the next level with Coco, something we highly recommend for anyone. He loves having Coco to play with all day.


A few days ago we got a phone call asking if we’d take back Sebastian. Of course we agreed. In fact we’d made it clear all along to anyone with one of our pups that we will always take back our dogs. We are in this for the long haul. We brought them into this world and we do feel responsible throughout their lives.

This is Sebastian with longer hair. So you can see what his hair will grow out to be midstream.

So now we have an 8 month old puppy looking for a new forever home. He is fully trained and a sweetheart. He took Obedience Classes with Abigail, and Sebastian was the best. He heels perfectly. He sits, downs, stays, fetches faster than Shoshi which is saying something, barks at strange dogs but stops immediately when corrected, loves people, loves playing, loves life. He’s in a puppy cut (not the greatest but the hair does grow) and he has been neutered. If you are interested in discussing Sebastian with me, please send an email to me in private at nathan@potechin.com
Thank you.
Nathan
http://www.talemakerhavanese.com/

On another note: Holiday sounds can be scary. Do not take your little ones to fireworks. Watch them from afar and use a keyword always to allow them to understand when things are really in your control and they need not worry. We use 'silly boy (girl) a couple of times and they do 'get' it after consistency on any reaction to uncertainty. Watch their faces - their body language and use it. It does help!

Enjoy the holidays and the thunderstorms this summer. They can all be wonderful if you approach them right with your canine crew.

Motley Havanese Crew

We had Yvonne and crew over and we had a blast. Yvonne stayed in till she shrunk up and disappeared and I was the only one that decided this was not for me today - well almost - Maggie also decided such.

How do you get a Havanese to 'like' swimming?

Well, dogs are like humans - some love it - some tolerate it and some have no desire. But it does matter how you introduce them. We have the entire gamut when it comes to the water.

Katsuro is our jumping in fiend who adores it and can't get enough of it. Abs likes it but well she has her days when she says ENOUGH and Fiona well can I lay under the chair instead? Wasabi loves it but not to dive - swim and swim - yep.

So, how do you introduce a dog to swimming? Well, first thing you gently hold them, talk to them while you are in the pool with them and then show them the way out by guiding them. This is critical. You can also create a game after they gain their comfort level and that is why Kat loves it so. It's purely a game for him.

You can use lures that float. You can swim with them. The key is make it a game - go slow - and keep a positive attitude and it will come together.

Check out pregnant Lola (Kat's the dad) on top of her human mom's back.

Havanese love to sit on high spots and in the water - well for Lola - the water is no exception.

Wet - comfortable and chillin' Havanese style. Get wet with your Havanese.

Havanese Visitors

We had Linda and John over and her crew of dogs. Linda managed to swim a little and I was combing out Kat from after his swim when they arrived.

It was a nice relaxing time.

Check out Risa who thinks she has the very best seat in the house - and she does. No one ever said she wasn't quick. She jumped in that chair faster than anyone can blink their eyes.

Risa is on a starvation and exercise diet - well not really - diet yes - exercise yes but not starving but in her mind - hehehe but she can still move FAST!

Her granddaughter, Fiona got the cheap seat in the house - or maybe not depending on how you look at it.

Fiona is cooling off or maybe warming up on the cement after getting wet herself. Gad does she need a brushing!

She's been an outright pistol these days.

What's that you called me mommy? Not I!

Sebastian is visiting and here you can see him in his haircut. The boy is gorgeous but the hairdo does him no justice but it will grow.

We have been taking him on walks encountering many people, dogs, noises etc. He barked when about 12 people came down the walkway at once all together but I said no bark - placed him in a sit and voila - he was soon meeting a greeting all the humans and their dogs. He is an amazingly well behaved submissive dog who has yet to figure out how to totally placate Kat but he will. He's also fully house trained.

He's been in our pool twice and not on purpose so we are training him to understand the pool and how to get out etc. Gad - he loves his walks. I do too when life allows me to.

Here's a couple of photos of Linda's dogs that came to visit. She even took them in for a swim and gave them some lessons about how to get out of a pool. Good one!

More later - visitors coming!

With Just My Daddy Havanese Stylin'

Am I dreaming? Am I off to the show with just my Daddy. I get him all to myself! Oh my, how lucky for me indeed!

Looking at me at in this photo, mommy says - but I just brushed you - well showed Daddy how to and I look a disorganized mess but Daddy will primp me all up at the show, I am sure.

We are only doing this show alone and then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday that lady mommy will come too and she will hog that human - I just know it. She will also brush me like an insane woman. Daddy is a tad more balanced, I suspect but we shall find out and we will let you in on that bit of news later.

Well, more later!

Alone & the Show

I hear Daddy is off to a show tomorrow with just Abs. I am miffed. What about me! Oh - she has to have that greasy junk all over her and then get a bath and blow dry?

Heh...well then I can pass.

Well, not much to report on but I had a walk tonight with one of my kids and it was fun.

A no stressed day without Mommy in the equation tomorrow. So - do your best and forget the rest, Daddy.

Wink - you will shine - just call us right after - will ya. Mommy will be difficult to deal with otherwise. hahahahaha

Socialize Your Havanese

Last night I was walking Shoshi and Terra (our retriever and our - had no backbone - but a heart dog Shoshi). I tell you this as it has relevance. I got to the French school about 10 minutes away from the house and a guy with 8 dogs got there just before me and proceeded to let the dogs off the leash. It is not an off lead area. It's a school yard. Granted school is over - its night etc but still 8 dogs.

Well, we had no time to see that he released the dogs and I should have went another route but I actually curtailed it as I was also going to go through the school yard and out through a park but couldn't now.

The dogs - all shapes, sizes and breeds rushed Terra and Shoshi and Terra started drooling (stress big-time) and one of the dogs this guy had started growling. Terra continued to drool and Shoshi started to growl back in a vicious voice as if she was serious. The guy yelled from across the yard - he was a distance away that all the dogs are friendly and not to worry - they will say hi and leave. Well, one was not friendly but the rest seemed to be. Shoshi - who never had backbone has become slowly empowered by the pack - her pack. For her - who came way too early to us - she has found her spot and become better for it. Not that growling at a dog is a good thing but in this circumstance it was communications and was necessary. Often people do not understand the difference betwewen aggression and communications and a dog must be able to tell another - ENOUGH!

Well, Shoshi told the other dog 'enough' and the dog did listen and leave and Terra was relieved. It was not a fear growl but a protect my pack growl and I have thus over time realized and can hear and see the difference.

You could see it in her body and Shoshi then strutted like - mommy - see what I did? It's the same strut we get when she chases the ducks and is so proud of herself.

When you have a pack that is so tight knit like ours - each with their roles, it's interesting to watch. A new visitor that comes in throws the entire pack off and it takes days to adjust fully - hours at times with some and immediately with others. It all depends on the visitor and if he/she is sending out signals that the pack doesn't appreciate.

Shoshi - who hid under the chairs at obedience class and was frightened of the world walks with confidence on walks now. It took time and many situations where she learned to feel empowered but it happens so anyone who has a skittish dog - don't give up.


Keep giving them exposure and experiences in a positive way and they will get there if you don't give up. Shoshi is still the heart dog we started with but she is not the same dog as she was. She may have been without the pack, I imagine but we will never know.


Socialize people - it's well worth it!


We are on a mission to expose the Fiona to all sorts of dogs and situations and did this with Abigail. It makes a huge difference - Home Depot you can bring them in and they hear all sorts of noises and PetSmart and any garden center etc. Do it EVERY day for weeks and you will see a HUGE difference. What's 20 minutes out of your day?


I have way too much work - been working from 5amish to 11pm many, many night and its getting old but I take breaks - get dogs walking, me walking and then I can code again without mistakes. It's called balance but oh I wish I would win the lottery. I would quit working - invest my time totally in the dogs and get de-stressed!