Hairy Havanese Times

So - I am off to a show - yeah on Sunday and you think I can get away with wearing my hair like this?

Coco and Zack went home. Apple, Cleo and Jazzy are here. Daddy has half the dogs...me I have the mom so I can miss the dad when I wake up and then show really well for him.

Fiona is doing her first show TODAY with her sister Downsey.

WE are off. Tips to come tonight on dematting.

More Sunday night...

Dog Shows and Locked Down Blogger Style

Just had a bath and I couldn't help but squish my face. So - I am a DAWG!

Day Two and our blogger lockout is FIXED. It was sitemeter. I deleted that block and voila - we are back rockin'

It tells me I need to do a blog or my own site elsewhere. Rather like it here but this is crazy. It will make the hubby happy - if I have to. hahahah

Well, we have 2 more dogs that came this afternoon - Chloe and Apple to play. Coco and Zack just went home. Jazzy is also here.

What are YOU up to? If you are in Orillia Sunday - come up and watch us at a dog show. It will be fun to meet you.

Sibling Lovin, Good Friends & Havanese

According to Google (Blogger) this site is blocked by mistake and they are working on correcting this one as well as MANY others. I hope it will happen soon as you all know - I never miss a day of letting you know about our home and giving you tips on how to get through life with this loves.

Here's a photo to share: It's a sibling tango. Oh, what a riot it is to watch the entire crew.

We had Linda and John and their dogs over. Remy dropped in for a week. Zack and Coco go home tomorrow and Mary brings her two. Wow - crazy dog house and we love it.

It's late. The dogs need loving and I still have some work to do.

How to Get Your Havanese to Swim

Coco is up on the deck in a 'safe' zone wondering what all the noise is about?

She's been in the pool once and decided although she can swim wonderfully - well its not the things she adores.

Zack...well he's another story. I have this feeling it's a 'boy' thing of competition. Zack sees the attention that Kat gets by jumping in so he tries it but only when he is lost in the emotion.

How do you get your dog interested in swimming?

Well it certainly helps if you are excited about it and you make it a game and it also helps if they shot the moon when they do, so to speak. Suddenly, your Havanese will be strutting and doing it again and again if he is into being all that!

Well, Zack just jumped in with his excitement at first but when he calmed down, he decided the stairs was an easier adventure. What is it about jumping in that is so overwhelming to most dogs? I guess the same thing that is scary for humans.

It's simply easier, I imagine.

But does it matter if they jump or walk in? Not to me. The best part is they are enjoying something you are.

Zack goes home on Saturday evening but he's found a new passion. Now let's hope his family likes to swim too or they will have to go on holidays again and drop Coco and him off for yet another adventure!

Controlling the Food Dishes

Food time is an exciting time around here. After the group goes outside to do their duty, they come back in and wait for the human daddy to feed them.

One would think with so many dogs that a lot of invading other dog bowls would exist but it doesn't.

The crew really tells any new comer that we simply don't try to steal the food from others - of course when they walk away - they all think it's open season.

It wasn't always so easy. We used to feed in different parts of the room or even put others in different rooms or stand between those that don't know how to tell another please don't touch my food from the one that thinks they can eat and eat and eat and that means everyone elses.

You can teach them to respect the space by standing between the bowl and the offending 'I want that food - dog' but you also have to tell them it's not agreeable. After awhile of that, I won't say they will never attempt to eat someone else's food but I will say they will keep a healthy distance till the other is done.

It is up to you - the human to set the rules and follow through on making them follow them in positive ways. Even if you think they are cute about it - you have to say - these are the rules and just because you look at me all adoring like - well you can't have 'x'.

The crew is out swimming and I am inside working. Who's having fun? Not I but the doggies are and Nathan is the 'excitement coordinator'. They can't get enough of the games he plays with them and the pool. It's nice!

One day I am going to film them all bombing out the door in excitement. It's so nice to see.

More later!

Pure Play: Socialization & Doggy Camp

We are blessed with the pleasure of watching other people's Havanese when their owners go away on holidays. We offer a fun filled crazy dawg house for the visitors.

We only take in small breeds as its a way for us to socialize our crew, enjoy others of like mind and besides - we prefer it like that.

Most of the dogs are our pups that were born with us and some are from referrals. All are indulged. We even moved in an extra bed next to our king sized one so all the dogs could fit.

We placate the owners and take crates and we even leave them open but we find they enjoy the bed and when they return home, they know the rules. But if you INSIST - we will leave them sleeping in a crate. We do care what your needs are. The Havanese are really intelligent dogs. So - it's vacation for them too!

Well, this week we have Coco and Zack. Soon we will have Mary's crew and Jazzy and we think Remy. Then Coach and Sassy. What an exiting summer this is going to be.

Now where am I going with this? Whenever you leave your dog anywhere, there is always a transition the first time. The next visit the transition is fast and they know what they are in for.

What are the transitions? Where do I fit in the pack? Where do I sleep - top of the bed, bottom, next to that human or that one? Who will play with me?

But we are blessed. We have a really great crew. The Abs is who I call my fishing rod. The dog that sits on the outside looking in - well she just reels them in. Here she is with all that funny stuff in her hair.

She's now finished being a show dog and we will be breeding her soon. Here we are trying to protect her head from chewing by other puppies by wrapping it with paper and conditioner but does it help? Nah - just makes you laugh at how she looks. The things we do for the show ring. Abigail is glad her show career is over. She has too much playing spirit to be held back and we like it that way!

But the emotional aspect of the dogs are the most important to us above and beyond anything else. She has a 'calming' spirit. Some say she doesn't act like a puppy in the ring as she is more laid back but if you ran in front of her and you were another dog - well then her love of life spills out and you - the human that watches will laugh and laugh. She knows how to play.

Zack and Coco are fitting in real well. They are even enjoying the massages I give to all the dogs when they get brushed daily. I wait for their baths even if they get dirty till just before they go home and spruce them up in between with waterless bath unless they are here extra long and they will get the baths like our resident crew does.

I call it 'grooming conditioning.' Each morning their ears are checked, eyes cleaned and they soon get it that I sit here and let this crazy human do this and I get a treat for it. Then depending on how the day goes, at various times throughout the day, they either find themselves up on the grooming table or on my lap getting brushed. Nathan does the after pool brushes most times. I get kisses - sometimes complaints but always patience and consistency wins out and that massage and treat business tends to get them excited too.

We are lucky as we have a son here that walk dogs as does Nathan and I. The dogs adore their walks. We only take 2 at a time and we usually split pairs up rotating who they go with. If a dog is timid, they get the alpha more assertive type on the walks. There is truth to the fact that the emotion of the companion (dog and human) on the walk gives you a positive or negative experience. I have seen a dog that is jumping all over the place, pulling its heart out with one dog and calmly walking next to another. It's also the humans attitude and the bottom line is - who is in charge? It's not a 'grrr' I am in charge but an attitude that I expect you to walk and no - I won't allow this or we will go home. Even the most 'step over the line' dogs soon learn. This is the time frame that most learning occurs and we take advantage of it for our visitors and for our resident crew where the learning never stops - even for us, heh!

This human here is an avid picture taker. My camera may be lousy (update - I have a better camera but still not the one I truly want) but I love taking the photos. I am bucking for a better camera as I want to capture the action photos so my memories will always be with me. I want a wide angle lens too - hahaha. Such wants...

You can catch us in the pool or Nathan running with the dogs or any of us playing retrieve or the many other fun things we think up to keep them entertained and us too.

If we see happy faces like we did today in these photos - well success and we haven't had a day where it hasn't been like that. The dogs - well I wish I was one of them at times and as I said - our lives - well they have certainly gone to the dogs and what memories we will have and treasure.

Obviously, we can only take care of small dogs in the Toronto area but I post what we do so when you are leaving your little one while you go on holidays - well now you know what to ask and what they should do while you are away. Your dogs deserve the best holiday too.

Teaching Retrieve: Get it if You Can!

Who says an old dog can't be taught tricks? heh

Actually - no one is old here except the Whitney so she just watched and who can blame her.

You can teach your Havanese to retrieve and its a great game if you only have one. It allows you to do something fun together and get some exercise on your dog in mind and in body.

As you can see, all I did was throw a toy and the first one to bring it back gets a treat. You may think that we would have fights over that toy but no. They just try harder the next time plus I play it in such a way to give an advantage to one that isn't as quick - otherwise what fun would it be?

You say yours won't bring it back? Well no treat. Just be sure when you start that you throw it close extending the distance as their consistency with bringing it back sets in. They should know if they don't bring it back the game ends and you also don't cuddle, play or give them the idea they don't have to play by the rules.

If they still do not get it, find a hallway with just one exit and you sit blocking that exit. Start throwing it down the hallway. In smaller quarters, it's easier for them to 'get' it. Reward by click, treat or voice but be consistent. They should think this is the best game since EVER.

Nothing like plying with your Havanese.

Turning an Ooops Into Training

Well, Zack fell into the pool not once but twice in excitement so we taught him how to jump in and how to find his way out.

The point is, we turned it into a positive training process and he LOVES the pool. He is an excellent swimmer too. Though Kat went - hmm I WAS the center of attention - as Kat had been in and now I have competition. heh

Any ooops that you have, if you think about it can lead to a training session that ends positive.

How did we do it? We stayed upbeat - positive and then showed him how to get out over and over and then when he wanted to jump in, we showed him how.

We never just let the dogs out so we are not afraid of them falling in accidentally but we will spend the rest of the week showing him that he doesn't go in unless invited.

We will fill you in as that occurs.

Right now Abs and Zack are playing up a storm and after a good brush out - well he is air drying. More tomorrow....

The Antics of Havanese

This fine - should be sunny Monday - bright and early - Fiona thinks she is holding court. It's not like the rest can't get up but she thinks she can hold them all at bay as if to say - hahaha - this is my top of the mountain.

Havanese play funny games.

Well the crew all needs to be washed but our visitors will get a waterless bath and come the day they are going home, they will get a bath.

We hear that Miss Mags pups are doing so well 1 gal - 2 boys. Well boys are such huge lovees anyways so if its the lovin' you want - well the boys are amazing!

More of their antics later...

Long But Fun Filled Day: With No Bark

We came back from Queens Quay, at the new Paws Way building. We were - well the dogs were ambassadors for the breed. Yesterday Nathan, Alex (thanks, Alex!), Kat and Abigail did the socializing stint and today Nathan, Fiona, Kat and I did. Although they liked seeing the dogs and people - there is nothing like home and the fun things they do around here.

Here's Kat after his return with Coco saying, "Is it time to swim, daddy?"

Here he is brushed for the show and he wants to swim? Okay - mommy will spray and brush and laugh at you jumping in the pool. Who owns us? The dawgs!! Oh, but the love and snuggles they give you in return - well they can own me any old time.

So - daddy is it time yet?

Let me tell you how crazy it was. We - okay Nathan - if we are going to get the story right taught the 'no bark; and that's a tough one when the dogs are all worked up as a gang excited about going swimming. Even if they are not interested in actually swimming.

Terra barked - Nathan said 'no bark' and she didn't listen so in the house she went. Then Shoshi barked and into the house she went. Poor Zack was watching this all in amazement without a peep. He does like to join in but is easily corrected. This time not a peep. The rest of the gang got it and no sound but the game wasn't the same. Still Nathan kept at it putting his finger up as a signal not to bark and they tried to contain themselves almost appearing as if that emotion was going to burst right out of them. Then he let the barkers out and they also learned. Hmmm this works.

What did we learn? You 'can' control the bark. You must be serious about it showing you are not going to put up with it but we also found out that we sort of like the excitement of the bark but one can't have it both ways so 'no bark' it is. There are times for barks and times that you simply can't. Not all barking is bad but you have to get control over it so they learn when it is acceptable and when it is not.

Then after the swimming and running around time was done, the crew all found their spots on the lounge chairs (See Zack on Nathan) and settled in for a long day's nap.

The crew was all smooshed on top of us and next to our bodies. I think we must have slept for an hour all wet and then I woke up and said - oh no I didn't brush Kat and he's almost dry.

A dab of spray on the brush - spray all over him and brush and I let him air dry - no knots.

Then it was time to brush the rest. I think Coco looked at me cross-eyed then put her little head down and went back to sleep.

Who me..you want to brush little old me...well I suppose it's okay but wake me up when you are done, will ya?

I decided to do her last so she could catch some more zzzzzs. it's been a simply exhausting day but now you know you can teach 'no bark' even if YOU like the barking. ROFL!