Owner/Handler Showing Havanese

In this photo, you can tell the difference between groomed and not groomed. Fiona, on the left is not groomed and Abigail on the right is. Nothing wrong with either - but an entirely different look.

Abigail is doing shows - not getting her points but was told by the judge that she had excellent structure, beautiful hair and she is positive we will finish her fast. ha!

More to these shows than you ever want to know but we are in for the long haul.

What have I learned? Professional Handlers have the edge with many judges. It is their day job after all.

I have also learned - not just in our breed, that a dog can win that is not within the standard and that boggles me. A huge winner in another known breed just got thrown out of the World event, disqualified due to a teeth issue but yet it has huge wins elsewhere in the United States and in Canada. It was the talk of our handling class. Go figure.

I could go on but just know this is not for the weak at heart.

What positive things have I learned? I have perfected my skills at grooming. I have learned how to allow a puppy to play and find balance for the dogs. I have placed the love of my dog over my desire to win. I allow her to play and live and enjoy and what will be will be. Doesn't make it right or wrong with those that keep their dogs separate - just this is what is right for 'us.' And yes, we realize this will take longer than it would if we completelyt seperated Abigail from her best friend in life, Fiona, so that they weren't jumping on each other and playing all day long which can affect her hair. Oh well, so it will take us longer.

We did have a Professional Handler tell us they could finish her in a week or two but it would be their win and hers not ours so we will plug along and you may get bored with this insight that I am bringing to light to those that may never show or are thinking of showing.

If Abs wasn't enjoying it (she does wait at the door to go and knows when we are) well - then we would say - this is WAY crazy. Our dogs matter more than any goals we may have.

Till who knows when - we will continue to fill you in and now I am afraid I must wash Abs yet again. Two more baths over the next two days and then a real break.

PS: Heard the pups at Yvonne's house are doing ever so well. Can't wait till we can see them.

More tomorrow>>

Havanese Play

The Havanese sometimes play in a fashion where they look like they are baring their teeth and they are but it is all in fun. You have to figure out the difference between the fun and games and bite inhibition of puppies. It's an essential learning process that helps them with socialization.

When a puppy is just getting around, it's mom will correct her pup in various ways if it bites too hard. I remember once seeing Kat's head disappear in Risa's mouth as she had enough. She was a very tolerant mom with him but he was a step over the line boy that loved to egg her on. She did what any good mom would do and say - enough. He didn't learn the first time but he did eventually get it or maybe he actually resigned himself to 'get' it.

When you acquire a pup, the canine mom has done a significant amount of training on what will be tolerated in this new world and what won't and so do the humans. This continues after you obtain your little one letting them know the boundaries - the rules by sometimes overemphasizing the reaction. Such as playing too hard, the human would yell louder than necessary to say - ouch or what have you. You can even turn your back and stop play. This is a clear sign that enough is enough. They do learn from this at all ages. Puppies enjoy and need rules, boundaries and some would say - then your love but as a mother of 7 kids, I rather feel rules and boundaries and saying 'no' when they look at you to melt your heart is love too.

When they are doing the right thing, that's when the snuggles and hugs and kisses should come.

You never use negative training but a 'no' and stopping the play is part of development.

If you watch a dam with her puppies, you may think she is too rough but in reality she is quite gentle but direct and straight to the point. She doesn't want to say - joey sit - joey sit - come on joey sit. If a dam was to teach her pup to sit and they don't do that but if they were - they would say it one time and then if they didn't, she would put them into position then give them a signal of what a good boy you are even though she put him into position. As humans we have to follow suit. We say it one time, we place them into position or stop the play and then start again and praise when they do it right.

The first couple of years they are like sponges soaking it up. They can and do continue to learn later on but there's nothing like those first couple of years.

As you can see, Abigail has her teeth bared playing with Fiona. If either was to get too rough, a yelp would be let out and the other would learn that they went too far. If they don't learn, the receiver of such overtures would not play with them till they did 'get' it.

It's our job to foster that development and understand it and not hinder it as they are learning but give them rules and boundaries. They will love you even more for it.

It's rare for a dog to be balanced that lives without rules and boundaries. They are what we put into them.

We are off to shows this entire weekend and not back till Tuesday but we will be posting - investing our time with the dogs and the computer will come 2nd. I won't miss a day but realize our focus is the dogs.

More later...

Sebastian Stylin! Lola Puppy Photos

Sebastian had a bath today and Nathan was giving him some snuggles. He looks so good all cleaned up. Gad - he's a cutie!

We were excited to see him smelling ever so good and feeling so silky. He cleans up well.

BREAKING NEWS: Lola had her pups 5 boys - oh my - photos here of pups less than an hour old.

Mom - Lola - human mom and pups are doing ever so good.

Maggie soon! - Meaning her turn to have pups.

Click on a photo to see an upclose photo of him.

Anyone who has bathed a Havanese knows that after it, they end up being way frisky.

Watch this crew in mid-air having some delicious fun.

More later...>>

Havanese Jazzy is a Social Guy

Our friends at Eye on Fashion (cool store in Richmond Hill) take their Havanese to work with them each day. As a single dog family, this works well for Jazzy as he gets to be exposed to all sorts of noises, people and even other dogs.

When we have puppies or want to get our dogs exposed, Jazzy comes here or we come to their store for a little socialization. It really makes a HUGE difference plus its plain fun for you and them to have playmates.

We just adore Jazzy and so do they - and you can tell.

Jazzy loves his visitors and loves his walks. He is quite the character and when you meet him - if you never saw a Havanese before or even if you did - you want one after getting exposed to him.

They all have their own unique personalities and looks and colours but they also all love the run-like-hell game, the mischievous antics that do remind you that they were circus dogs at one time - ready - willing to make you laugh.

We thank the 'Eye on Fashion' folks for allowing us to be in Jazzy's life and sharing these gorgeous photos of him.

I didn't post this to get you to go to their store - but you should. Rather - it was a way to tell you that a Havanese is a social dog that really needs to be socialized so they can be all they can be. The 'Eye on Fashion' people are an excellent example of finding ways to be creative with socialization.

More later...

Kat's in Havanese Puppies Waiting Stance

Well, Katsuro's head hair is starting to grow back after Rita's Opal had fun with his ponytail. heh It's about time - I say! watching hair grow is like waiting for the light to change. If you watch too close - it seems like it takes forever.

Kat's a happy boy these days. Miss Lola is going to have puppies sired by him any day. All I know is it better not happen while we are at a show this weekend so cross those paws Lola if it starts at the wrong time. ROFL!

If Yvonne is falling asleep after a long night of whelping, photos may not be forthcoming so it best be on another day as we want to be there with camera in hand. Exciting times for them and for us!

More later.>>

Flash of Paw: Havanese Style

Okay - is that a flash of paw from me - the Fiona or am I sucking up to daddy for something.

Don't believe for a second that I don't know how to wrap you around our paws and if one way doesn't work - well another may.

Well, the humans are winding down from the show this weekend and back at it this Saturday.

Busy times but mommy has to do dinner with some pals so sniff I get to stay with daddy. Well, I have to say that cause shhh she might think I can't live without her and hey - I like to have her think so. ha!
More later...perhaps tomorrow!

Boots for Havs and Swimming

What the %^&* is that on my feet, mom? Well, if you are a show dog and you have to go in the wet grass - these booties are the very best. They stay on. She can walk in them and it does what you want but she's so low to the ground, her undercarriage gets wet so we are going to start bringing a rain jacket and putting it on backwards so it covers the belly.

No points today but hey we get to do it yet again next week and that's 2 hours away. Are we nuts? YEP. We have to be.

Mommy is getting really good at washing, blow drying and doing all sorts of interesting techniques to get my hair to do what she wants it to. We stopped in a garden center on the way home and a woman said - oh my her hair is to die for so reward enough.

We are looking into a full body Lycra suit - wrapping the head hair - keeping Sebastian away from her ROFL as he loves to rough house - not conducive to hair being all flowing and all. Too much bleepin' restrictions for showing and hey I told mommy that if I don't play - I will lose my spirit and I think I convinced her so she is doing all this crazy stuff to allow me to have fun - fun - fun like dogs really should.

Well, Sebastian is - well not a total swimmer. He tends to get way too enthusiastic in this paddling business so we are going to keep taking him in and when we find him a home - they will have an expert swimmer by then. He likes it - just has to calm down about his strokes. Will take a photo soon so you can see.

Now who is a swimmer? Well, we know Katsuro is but little Fiona - who is related to him is turning out to be so much like Kat in spirit that she wanted to dive - didn't but boy did she swim and swim and swim.

She then climbed up on top of me on the raft and laid down and rested - as if to say ah..now thsi is grand - mid pool rest - cooling and laying on my mom - what coudl be better? Well having the camera to capture it would be. Well, we did get photos of her swimming.

More tomorrow...