Caught By the Tail

It's exciting times at the Talemaker Havanese house. Two litter mates from Wasabi's last litter are here and they are playing up a storm non-stop.

They certainly add a lot of fun to the mix and Kooba is beside herself trying to join them but the two are playing so fast and non-stop that I bet you they sleep tonight.

We also have Gidget here and you can find her watching Fiona's pups. She seems to adore the little ones and Kooba - well she adores Kat - hahahaha and she gets him to play non-stop.

Quito has found his place with Abigail.

But you know what is funny - it can all be different tomorrow and it's bound to be.

Stay tuned tomorrow to see how sleeping with 14 dawgs works out. We will fill you in who sleeps where and if Chewy - one of the pups licks our faces, pounces on our heads and tries to play at 3am...ROFL.

But we love it...honest!!

Dawg Happiness

What's the best game for a Havanese to play with another Havanese? The chase game, of course.

Kat is rarely caught but looks like he best watch out as Abigail is either cutting him off or catching him in sheer speed. She does practice this game a great deal and Kat only has moments of pure fun where he does.

He's rather happy at the moment as he has Quito, Kooba and Gidget here and he really likes what they bring to the mix. Kooba tends to be relentless forcing him to run and play hard and he loves it.

Male dawgs that are intact in a pack usually invest too much time in other things to just let loose but when someone engages him in play, it's like chicken soup for the Havanese soul. I put it up there with his diving in the pool - well almost. Nothing seems to compare to that for him.

Plus today we had a visitor over and their daughter was running around and getting them going. It was sooooooooo nice to see. So the dawgs are in fun mode and to be honest - it's contagious. I hope you catch the bug.

It All Comes Together

Shoshi is a pet dog. She came to our home strictly as a pet. When we first got her the breeder pushed us to get her extra early saying she would fly in with her sister and you don't want her flying alone.

We wanted to come to the breeder's house to get her but always a reason why we couldn't.

These are all warning signs as you should be able to visit your breeder if you live close by or even if you want to fly in.

Breeder's have lives too and have doctor's appointments, dinners out and all the things that us humans do so we are not here waiting for people to visit and when we have litters, we have to be extra careful as those visiting breeder after breeder can bring things on their feet, hands, clothes etc.and you can lose puppies that way so we balance our puppies needs with those interested.

If you are just wanting to get a puppy fix and not serious about acquiring one, you should think about the health of the pups and be extra careful. Leave your shoes at the door, wash your hands and if the breeder won't let you hold that puppy as its too young, then listen. It's not about you but the health of the puppy. As they get older, then everything gets easier.

So far Shoshi has been really healthy. We have been lucky. But she came to us very shy, afraid of the world and not socializing with people. If she had been homed without other dogs, she may have remained so. But she was lucky that she came to the crazy Talemker Havanese home.

She gets exposed to many people and dawgs. This has been positive and as she gets older, the more secure she gets. You can find her now sitting on stranger's laps and enjoying people.

She is one of the reasons we know that anything is possible given time, exposure and conditioning with love thrown in. Due to coming home too early, she was under developed in reading other dawgs, how to introduce play and how to simply meet and greet. But not everyone has a home like us with many people and dawgs coming in and out.

Here we have Quito and Kooba who is visiting us. When we first started boarding, we worried about conflicts and we learned how to introduce and how to read dogs and how to handle situations Every dawg that has come in no matter how nervous feels relaxed when matched with another that welcomes them in. Abigail is the very best for this job. She's like the person at the party and everyone is standing separate around the room and she gets them all interacting in a positive way. It's marvelous to watch.

Who are the best pals these days? Abigail and Shoshi. It does my heart good!

Look for Gidget and Saki and Chewy coming soon. My camera will be busy for sure.

Creative Expression

Kat was in a bit of a funk today. Do dawgs have moods - YEP.

They have likes and dislikes. Each have their very own unique personality and that's what makes them truly a delight.

They also pick up on YOUR mood. So, if you are in a total funk, your dawg may try to get you out of it or he will be your best friend and sulk and pout right along side of you.

Havanese are very intuitive. They are smart and tend to read your emotions like a book.

If you are in obedience training or conformation and you are upset at the wife/hubby/friend, the boss - whomever - don't fool yourself but that new trick you want to teach them - well unless your mood lightens up will be a tad more difficult to teach than if you just try and find your happy place.

So, no matter what is wrong with your world - all is right when a Havanese is in it. You just have to make it so for that Havanese and you!

Today's Mucking It Up

When female dawgs get together and there are puppies involved, there is always some good natured one upmanship like we experience at times with this crew. In play and in all things, they are still trying to vy for top female.

It's sometime off before they rise to that occasion but they do play and they do have a true fondness for each other.

This was just some of the pictures that Nathan took today.

Almost Two

Abigail, the dawg inside the bed will be 2 on Wednesday. Abigail is an apricot sable who is the heart dog of this crew. She takes a nervous dog and gets them to feel accepted. She has a heart as big as ever and is quite special, in my book.

Abigail is going in for her final tests before she has another heat this week. She's due to come into heat at month's end and will be bred to Kat. We are very excited about the possibilities of these pups.

It's a busy week. We have visiting dawgs coming this week and we are SOOOOO excited. It's nice to have the lull of just our crew and then we start missing what visitors bring to the mix and suddenly we are enjoying the craziness of dawgs. More walks - more play - more bedtime snuggles.

Hope that all of you survived the holiday. Go easy on the turkey with your dawgs. They may get upset tummies. Each dawg is different. Practice moderation.

Now back to grooming and outside play before mother nature and rain spoils all the fun.

Cold and Havanese

It's bitter cold and the Havanese love it! I am not sure I do. For them, it is invigorating. It's fun to watch. It's like poetry in motion!

Dress real warm - get outside and get them to practice movement. If you join in - think of the fun you will have. You may even laugh at yourself trying to keep up.

I think tomorrow, I will cuddle up on the couch after a jaunt outside and enjoy hot chocolate and Havanese and blankets. What about you?