Chillin' & More Havanese Style

We were away overnight without our dawgs. Yes - we actually go away at times. Out oldest son watched the dogs and sleeps with them so they get a similar routine.

But guess what... In this wonderful hotel room with my hubby - no dawgs..what do I dream about? The dawgs of course. I am hopeless.

It was great to get back to them and what a reception we get.

Someone who reads our blog and is getting a puppy any day from someone sent a note about crate training and the size of the crate. It is true that you need to have a crate only large enough for them to stand up, turn around and stretch out. Anything more you may get them soiling on the part they do not consider their den. You CAN put a divider in and reduce the size and move it each time they need you to due to growth.

Well, we finally got the pump back for the pool. We could have swam today if the water was heated and the pump came back in time but it didn't. By the time we get the heat on - it may or may stop forecasting rain and Wasabi may or may not be able to enjoy this floating that makes life easier for the pregnant ones.

Dreamin' of the pool...and you?

Dog Butts..and All That Havanese Stuff

You never know who you are going to meet at handling class. Last class we got to see Havanese puppies from someone we know that kept them in her car for safety. She just wanted us to have a look see and we appreciated it.

As the crew went around to practice their stuff, I kept capturing our small ones and all big dawgs. If it wasn't for us, it would be a big dawg class.

Treasure has to be going through a fear period. Oh, it's not your typical and they all go through it so you have to still get them out there and socialize. But...she started growling at the big dawgs..not in a bad way - more of a vocal chorus to let the others know who is in charge. This can happen when there is a sea of large dogs and one or two small dogs. It's how you handle it that matters. Exposure - conditioning and correcting if their response is inappropriate and proper meeting and greeting. Not all dogs are meant to get up close and personal with your little ones so it is enough for your little one to have its comfort just walking close by as you do in handling classes. To be able to walk in a sea of huge things is good enough and not all dogs in handling class want to play with your little one. One may see your small dog as prey especially if it starts to get into a game of run-like-hell.

You have to assess each situation despite what the owner says and either allow the meet and greet or allow a close proximity without the meet and greet. Both are fine and how YOU react matters. If you are fearful, your dogs will pick up on it and go into protection mode. Then you are left wondering why your dog is not friendly. You have to figure out what emotion you are sending down the lead.

Not all dogs are meant to be your little one's best of pals friend. Some - if you pay attention are sending out signals that are anything but friendly. You must learn what other dogs are saying. Not all owners understand that the reason dogs are reacting to it is what their own dog is saying to others and how you are feeling about the situation. Despite it being fun to 'get' what the other dogs are saying to yours, it's a wise thing to learn.

Think about it..would you be comfortable with everyone invading your personal space?

Enjoying Your Havanese

There's nothing like the hair flowing through a long coated Havanese that is running and having fun. It's sort of like the photographers that place a wind machine on a model to get that hair flowing - well the Havanese get it naturally from moving and so would the models if they did the same.

Kat has been enjoying the run-like-hell game with Treasure who feels she finally has caught the boy's attention.

There are a variety of things you can do with your Havanese from swimming to running to games but get 2 together and suddenly you don't have to try all that hard to see action.

We have a cat toy that has a ball that goes around it and Treasure adores it. It frustrates her at times enough to get her yelling at it as she can't get the ball out. It's the games that make them think that create fun for them and gets their mind working.

Did you know your Havanese can learn hide and seek games? Go hide when your Havanese is not watching then call him. Go crazy when he finds you. Say 'good hide and seek' or whatever you want to name it. Keep playing the game getting someone else to hold your dog. You hide and whomever is holding them says - find x. If your Havanese doesn't understand what you want, the person holding your dog may have to give them some help till they understand the rules. Kids do this with their dogs all the time without thinking about it and the dog 'gets' the game. Try it and be creative with it.

Running in Step Havanese

Last night we had Treasure and Katsura at handling class and no one was there yet so we let them off lead to have a run. You can't do this unless you have an excellent recall. Both of these dogs have done the Total Recall class and we reinforce their recall always. That doesn't mean if something totally distracts them that they will listen to you immediate but it's pretty darn close.

That means Nathan stands on one end - me the other just to have that level of voice barrier and still with excellent recall, you let them off far from the street. We simply don't take chances.

Last night the duo was rip roaring around chasing each other and Treasure loves the game especially with Kat but she also has learned to cut him off and he seems to enjoy that she figured that one out. If you look at the photo, they are perfectly in sync with each other. It's a delight to watch them.

If you are not already doing so, do follow Wasabi's pregnancy through to her puppies going to their homes. Her tummy is ever growing and you can now feel puppy bumps.

Talemaker Havenese Craziness Evolves

Treasure is off to handling class tonight as she has a show not this weekend but next. She knows her stuff but it is always good to practice, practice and perfect. We are working on getting all the waiting to be fun. Will we manage it? Time will tell.

If you haven't noticed, in the right hand column, we started an area just to talk about Wasabi, her pregnancy - the pups when they arrive and all the fun till they go home.

All the dawgs count around this place so anything non preggie or pup related when they arrive will be here.

You may want to read both but for those that just want a look into what it takes to do this breeding business emotional and otherwise and want to see puppy photos, look at what sort of date to date status Wasabi is at and much more, well visit us at Havanese Life.

Howling the Blues Havanese Style

It's rainy, I am chillin' and it's one of THOSE days. It's human Daddy's b-day and the sun doesn't even come out. What is THAT about?

The pump is dead on the pool. It's not warm enough to swim and I am getting fat.

Mommy has decided to put up a day by day calendar sometime this week on the changes my body are going through. Then we will be doing a daily dose of the Wasabi pups from birth to home. Hopefully, it will help you understand what we go through, what the Havanese mom goes through and how the pups change from birth to the delightful beings they come to be.

We will also be updating all the files I have on care etc as time goes on, we find new things and find new ways and do new development tests to get the pups to be all they can be. We adore the pups and they deserve it. :-)

PS: Treasure got points Friday and Sunday towards her championship and nothing on Saturday. She's almost there.

Hannah Goes Home

Hannah's not a Havanese but a Bichon that we watched this week while she was at her national specialty in the states.

This dog has been a delight and has the personality of a battery that won't quit. It will be a quieter place around here when she goes home today.

We are off to the show soon - taking Kat to visit and I am up ever so early as we have 2 people needing to dry dogs after a bath so I am trying to do mine extra early. Going to get to it - yes I wash daily at show time.

More later today - at least we are on early...