I'm Going to Get You Havanese Style

Who says big dogs can't play with little dogs just fine? Treasure just adores her Terra and I can understand why. She has the patience unlike any others despite Treasure acting like the puppy she is. She yanks on Terra. She jumps at her till she says okay, I will play and I do believe she loves it!

Are two dogs better than one? You bet but 2 Havanese can do that famous run-like-hell game unlike any other but still the Terra tries - and oh does she try.

The weather is getting better and it's time to take photos. Look for photo opportunities. You will be glad you did!

Havanese Communications

More dogs die as a result of behavior problems than all preventable medical problems combined. Frustrated owners simply give up, and their untrained dogs often end up in animal shelters with uncertain fates. Luckily there is a Havanese rescue but the answer is to find a way to make it work - not give up or you will be wondering why things happen as they did.

Part of the problem lies in miscommunication. It's easier than you think to teach your Havanese the wrong thing. Well meaning owners do it all the time. We've all seen owners yell and yell for a dog to come as the dog blissfully ignores the command, madly chasing squirrels instead. When finally the dog comes, the frustrated owner may pop the dog on the nose and yell some more. The message? Would you go to somebody who might hit and yell at you? Consistent training and positive reinforcement with treats and praise work a lot better to enforce the right message.

Teaching a dog proper behavior means knowing how to correct him when he does something inappropriate. There are both good and bad ways to correct your Havanese. Owners should avoid spanking, kicking, rubbing his nose in it, or yelling at a dog. Besides rarely communicating the message the owner intends, this type of correction can cause even more behavior problems.

If you spank your Havanese for going to the bathroom inside, the message is, don't do it when I'm looking. Havanese are intelligent but they need to know what you are asking.

A common history in dogs with behavior problems is that they are not walked regularly. Owners may have difficulty walking a dog that pulls or barks, so walks become less and less frequent. A Havanese that is not exercised regularly will find other -- often destructive -- ways to vent his energy. That's why teaching your Havanese to walk calmly on a leash is so important. If your Havanese pulls on the leash, change directions suddenly. Whoever determines the direction has leadership. The idea is to interrupt the bad behavior and praise the good.

Learning to communicate with your Havanese is complicated. But when it comes to your Havanese, a little patience and consistent training will earn you years of enjoyment. Enroll in a local training class to master the communication tools you need to make the most of your relationship with your Havanese. You will create a bond and learn how to achieve the 'desired' behaviors you are looking for.

Not all schools are equal. Ask others that have attended or visit an ongoing class and then join. If you practice what you learn, you will end up with an amazing Havanese doing what you want it to with personality thrown in.

Teeth & the Havanese

I am a puppy so my teeth are still coming out and new ones are coming in. My teeth are rather white but what if you have an adult with plaque? What should you do?

Someone who follows the blog mentioned that they took their nail and scraped it off - well you can do that and many a show person does. It surely beats going to the vet to be put under.

The tartar can be irritating to the gums and can cause an inflammation called gingivitis. This can be seen as reddening of the gums adjacent to the teeth. It also causes bad breath. At this point it is necessary to remove the tartar with a special instrument called a scaler - that works much like your fingernail does. Problem with this method is it works but it also doesn't polish the teeth. If plaque is bad, you may still want to have it done at your vets office. They not only clean them but polish them.

But if you are simply trying to stay on top of the issue, you can brush daily, use a scaler to take off minor plaque and/or use a product called Leba. Leba works but it is pricey.

What else can you do? Bones - chewing on bones helps scrape the plaque of naturally and most times it does an excellent job.

Well, today was bath time for some - hang out time with daddy outside but now it's raining yet again.

Now where is that sun? The lack of it surely didn't stop this play.

Moody Havanese

Mommy gave me a reprieve - no bath till Friday - ROFL So, I am a tad messy but I rather like it that way...hahaha

The weather is gorgeous. The dogs are hanging out and we enjoying it before the rain comes...yeah rain yet again. Oh well, the garden will grow.

At Talemaker Havanese, we have a house filled with girls in heat and 1 male. Only Wasabi is getting bred so it's interesting times. This too will pass. Let's just say - it's keeping dogs separate - washing tummies and just lovin' them. They tend to get a tad - please just love me during this time and I rather enjoy the moments. I do not enjoy separating them. Good thing there is two of us so we can manage it easily and this is just twice a year - remind me of that - will ya?

Soon, Kat/Lola pups wil be born and we can't wait to see if we get Wasabi/Kat pups. I want to have puppies swimming this year - oh how fun!

Handling Class: Socialization

When you go to handling classes, you meet all sorts of dogs, from big to large to SUPER large. It's a great way to socialize and slow condition your dog to all sort of breeds.

It takes time to do classes with your dogs but it can be ever so rewarding. It doesn't matter what type of class - from obedience to tricks, to agility to handling - it's all fun but you do have to practice in between.

Today, I did day 2 of exercise, planted plants in the rain and the dogs got muddy and wet. Then had a backup and cleaned out the laundry room - wow - huge mess then handling class and oh yeah I did lots of work too. I know Fiona has knots from today so guess what I am doing next...sigh --- and that bed is calling me - and you?

Craziness at Talemaker Havanese

I woke up and exercised today as I need to get back into that groove - the you know - nothing fits groove so I have no choice and it's HOT and why did I wait so long. But that's okay - Nathan is doing the same running around the backyard like a banshee with the pack and walking the entire pack two by two - the usual.

We have a weekend home doing nothing but dawgs and gardening, I suppose.

Running with the dogs is grand fun. Why don't you give it a try? Maybe all this exercise won't kill us and we will become healthy - yeah - right - and you?

Talemaker Havanese Brags

We had a busy weekend this week with good company and fun moments - like Fiona's sister getting her first 2 points this weekend.

We are excited for Yvonne BIGTIME! Fiona thinks her sister is so fabulous dahlink!

Treasure and Fiona and Nathan had a fab weekend - Fiona finishing her championship - which isn't all that easy to do - it just looks easy to some, I might add and Treasure collecting enough points now to put her halfway to her championship at 6 months old.

You can't show them till 6months and Treasure just turned that.

One thing that has become evident that this showing is a roller coaster ride. You are excited as everything comes together or you are shaking your head wondering what went wrong or you are realizing you are always on a learning curve or all the above. There's more to show handling that putting a lead on a dog.

You have to do classes to perfect your skill and just when you think everything is perfect, the real show comes around, a balloon pops - the judge doesn't see what you do, your competition leaves a show early so you don't get points needed - and then some.

Then of course there is the grooming and that's a learning curve unto itself. It's not easy. You make a lot of mistakes and learn from them. But you get there you think and then you learn some more and you are always perfecting and that is what is true in the ring as well.

What is evident in this photo above is Nathan has a good time with his dogs. He laughs in the ring, he has a great attitude and it shows.

None of this is easy and not all dogs are meant to be show dogs. Some are meant to romp and be dawgs - perhaps get into rally or agility and just enjoy life but some dogs - well they just think this runway stuff is all that. I don't get it but it's true. Not all dogs in the ring have that something extra that makes you smile but some are born with it - some grow into it and some have better things to do. None of that is right or wrong. It's just life.

Thank you for allowing us to brag as we are so very proud of Nathan and his gals. They are everything to us and they make me proud.

Now that Fiona is a champion, I can woo her over to my side. tee hee... I can hear Nathan saying - not likely but we shall see. It's hard for me as I have to love them, care for them but try not to allow them to get too close as a bond with a handler and their dog can make all the difference in it all but when they achieve that championship, you can decide to go on and special them or be proud and find another passion for them and have fun.

I just adore the Havanese and those that do not have one or two in their lives (we have 7), well you don't know what you are missing. It's hard to explain but it's truly amazing.

Thanks again - and now for more shows and more challenges and more ups and downs and on to perfecting our skills I gather. That's life!