Sebastian Came to Visit

Sebastian and his human mom came to visit us today and the siblings got right back into it having a roaring good time but neither could figure out who was the boss. Here's Sebastian looking in at Sassy going 'you can run but you can't hide' They have such a great time playing with tunnels. From inside to outside, the pair couldn't get enough of each other and I do believe Wasabi was happy to see him as well. It was an exhausting day for all the doggies but fun to watch. We hope the video turned out.

Then when they finished playing their little hearts out, they started to fall asleep. Sassy is still wiped.

It's going to be amazing to have him visit next time. We can't wait! Thanks goes to his parents for bringing him by. It surely made our day!

Havanese Tug With the Big Ones

Well yesterday we covered Sassy playing with Wasabi and who did you figure ended up being 'Top Dawg' - oh - it wasn't mommy. Sassy usually puts on a good defense with Wasabi but yesterday she won - out and out won even if it was in a mischievous way.

Sassy takes on all comers too. Look at her pulling for all she is worth with Terra. Now Terra knows this game well and she used to play it with Shoshi. She would sometimes let Shoshi win and guess what - she's doing the same with Sassy but all this winning is giving the little girl a big head. Oh oh!

More later...

Sassy Frazzled or Top Dog?

We visited Sassy's new forever home (she goes next week) and she got to meet her cat-mate and her retriever-mate (retriever-mate she met previously) - her new human mom and dad and her sibling Josh - no darts Josh - I am part of the family now - ROFL and was able to look around. She even got to check out the bedrooms. We whisper Sebastian's name in her ear and she perked up - knowing she will be doing visits with him sometimes. We know she is going to love it there.

When she got home, Wasabi and her got into it in Terra's bed and you can almost not tell where one body starts and the other ends but what you can't see is that stick to the right - well it makes a gad-awful sound of birds tweeting and they LOVE this thing and yep - it's a cat toy.

Well, guess who won? We will tell you tomorrow. Today, well you will have to guess. Back to watching the play!

New Years Havanese Slideshow

With so much snow, we got to spend New Years with our friends Yvonne and Alex from Chicadoro Havanese. We had a roaring good time and these are only some of the photos. We hope Yvonne does a slideshow on her site as there are so many more photos with her beautiful litter.

Kemi Becomes a Canadian Champion

Last summer Risa had a litter that was identical to Wasabi's in that there were five boys and a single girl. Many of you have seen at least one of that litter, our Katsuro. Well, today I am proud to announce that Katsuro's sister Kemi received her Canadian Championship this past weekend. She makes us all proud.
Nathan

Tux Sends a New Year Greeting

This is a photo we received in our email from Rita and it looks like Tux is practicing - I am all that look. Got to charm those judges now that Kemi from Risa's litter got her championship this last weekend - you'll have to show them how the males strut their stuff. :-)

We have no doubt that he will - as he was a charmer from birth. ROFL!

Nice - photo, Rita - keep them coming!

Havanese Winter Comfort

Here's Sassy this morning playing tug toy with Louis. She took a day or 2 to warm up to him as Louis was playing with Katsuro more but the last couple of days, Sassy thinks she's a grown-up gal especially after seeing Yvonne's pups. She played with the pups but decided she wanted the challenge of the older dogs and Louis is almost the same age as Katsuro - just a few weeks younger.

Later today we are going to do a slideshow of our trip hopefully and maybe some video as we really had a great time but we shall see how busy work is. We won't be going out on walks today as it is too cold so it will be out to the back and back in and inside the house games.

Sassy really LOVES the big dog's bed and the big dogs. She loves the goldens. She's a gentle soul much like our Katsuro but she also has his spunk - meaning she won't take grief from others but plays the politician part well - hahahahahaha She's going to make someone a really wonderful dawg - I tell you.

More later...

Happy Havanese New Year

Well, we just got back from having a fab time at our friends Yvonne and Alex. The crew is sitting in their living room sopping wet and they had lots of snow and if I can get a video rendered, you may see then running like the dickens outside having a grand time.

Sassy had her shots so yesterday she was sore but not too bad. She weighed in at 4lbs 6 ounces. Her vet loved her patellas - said wow - really great ones. He thought she was in excellent health and we are glad and he said - oh my this one looks like her mommy - such a beautiful face. That was nice.

We spent a really great time at our friends but one can't sleep with 6 Havanese in a queen size bed. It's way too funny and we had all sorts of issues with technical stuff but hey that calmed down and we watched TV and human daddy snored and Yvonne had to say - ah let's go to bed and Risa was asking for hours already.

Today we tried to render a video but will have to give it a shot here. Till now, you can look at Sassy and her mom out in the backyard at Yvonnes. She soooo adorable in looks and personality - I tell you. Big dogs, little ones - she got her grounding and played in such a short time - it was great to see. Even when Britney (an old Beardie - the leader of the pack at Yvonnes and Alex) was barking she said - what was that and continued on without issue.

I need to eat but wanted to say Sassy did well on the long ride there, the shots, the strange house, the different bed to sleep on and all those doggies to play with. She had a roaring good time and so did the rest of the pack but when we said home, Katsuro got excited then the rest did and they are almost all conked out except Louis, our visitor (who goes home tomorrow - sniff) and Sassy who are playing up a storm. More tomorrow and hopefully a video but too tired tonight to pull it together.

By the way, Sassy has really and I mean really perfected her jumps through snows and her going up and down stairs. Me thinks she's going to be quite the athlete like Wasabi.

Last Bath of Year

Sassy had her last bath of the year this morning. Here's daddy drying her gently with a towel - more patting down as rubbing will create tangles and Louis is looking on trying to figure out if he is next but mommy needs to finish brushing him before he gets a bath. You never bath a dog that has knots as it tightens them. Keep that in mind.

Tips for bathing - always use a whitening shampoo to keep the whites brilliant. I use Chris Christensen and a couple of other brands and they don't lighten the darks just brightens the whites - not bleach - just gives it that nice white and these pups have that white as a driven snow colour - which is nice - most don't and they take after Wasabi for that. I also use Chris Christensen's Day to Day conditioner. The thing about conditioner is it's a must to reduce the tangles but you must get all of it off other than your spray on conditioner like Ouidad that is safe and good to leave on. If there is any residue, your dog is apt to scratch and let you know you didn't get it all. If that is the case, a warm face cloth wiping in the direction of the coat will remove the last residue. You can even do this just to be sure. I forget at times but realize after a few rolls in the snow, they have essentially done the same thing. Some pups are more sensitive than others.

I also use Ouidad spray on conditioner and I use a comb throughout the hair and without, a comb may catch as tangles may be starting. You may feel your little one squirms too much but I have a great trick that helps especially if you have a crate like mine with an opening up top.

I take my blower - which never gets hot but warm and you can use a blower dryer on a low setting but anyone with more than one dog should own a blower, imho. I do not know how I did without it but pricey it is. Place your dryer on a stand or have someone else hold it. You put your pup in the crate like I have and spray and comb and/brush through the opening. This helps me have free arms to do what I need to and the pup is in a safe place but you must brush/comb as you dry to eliminate any tangles. Next bath, I am going to introduce Sassy to laying down on various sides to allow me to thoroughly comb her out but at this point, the key is to get her used to the combing itself which I am doing daily now - not that she needs it at this point but she will end up like the rest of my dogs laying down without issue and allowing me to comb and brush them out. It's all slow conditioning and it works.

Well, off to get ready for our road trip. Mommy has to brush out all the Havanese. They had baths 2 days ago and Louis and Sassy were the remaining dogs. Louis will have to wait till we return.

More later...

Last Havanese Posts of the Year

It's the last day of the year and we have been running around in fresh snow and human mommy took a photo of us through the door - so you sort of see us, sort of not.

Louis has been playing with me non-stop now. At first he would play bow in a way that I thought he was going to pounce on me and so I tried it that way and soon we were running around like banshees this morning. Mommy was laughing so hard she thought she would wake the neighbours. Then she went running for the door hoping we would come but we didn't notice her so she stood at the door waiting - then called and here we are in this picture waiting for her to open the door.

Well, mommy says I am getting a bath today as I go into the vet and then I am going to do some New Year's eve visiting. I can't wait - new adventures, new environments - all good to help me be all I can be.

The doggies are in for a whole lot of fun today and what a great way to end the year - I tell you. It does the humans hearts good to see such fun. Photos will come.

Visitors and Perfecting Running

We have Louis visiting. He's the black Havanese in this photo. We adore Louis as he is one of the most agile havanese we know walking across the top of the agility tunnel last picnic we had. Everyone else walked or ran through - not him on top just like his mom Gidget formally named Paris. Black Havanese are hard to photograph and you have to have a technique - called get them up close that I didn't have here. :-) Sorry...

As you can see, Sassy is running across our safety cover towards Louis. She's been having a blast today. She also had a golden visitor called Casey that was rather cool to have over. We love Golden's around this place.

Tomorrow Sassy gets her next set of shots. She's in for a treat seeing Lex as she likes him and more surprises tomorrow coming her way.