Valentines Eve Boarding at Talemaker

We have just one more visitor coming tonight and that's Jazzy. We just adore the guy.

We have had a very eventful day and it is far from over. I will try to highlight it while Wasabi gets her rest. Her belly keeps growing so she needs more rest that usual these days.

Nathan has been doing ring stewarding today and tomorrow so it's just me and the son till tonight. It's a local show and he is a fill-in as the guy scheduled had an emergency.

Let's see if I can highlight some of the day. Here's a few photos but no time to go through them all - sorry.

We have had our walks, our play sessions, our grooming - yep each and every one thoroughly. We had our snuggles. Maia (spelling?) is a new boarder here and she's fitting in quite well. She drank from my water glass with delight, jumped up on my lap. Explored the house and back yard and is NOT hanging out at the door so she's happy here. She's also a mad kisser. I never had so many kisses except by Daisy. ROFL She loves sitting on my lap.

Daisy has been playing up a storm with Zack, Coco, Treasure, Fiona and anyone else she can coerce into playing. Then she jumps in my lap when I sit down and nods off for a few minutes till the next play session.

Coco has been playing with Kat - yes KAT who rarely plays with the gals unless they are in heat. Oh, he does every now and then but they have to talk him into it. Coco did just that. Coco also gives some of the best hugs.

Zack has been playing with Marlee, Treasure, Daisy and anyone else that will play. He seems smitten with Treasure. Treasure eats it up.

Marlee is well Marlee. She is one of the most happy go lucky beings. Her attitude is infectious. She adores her walks and had to put up with me walking when she really is in love with Nathan, well at least at bed time. I manage to get my time during the day.

Jazmyn is a dear soul who cuddles up on me and rests and thinks the Treasure and crew playing hard is crazy. She runs with them but if it gets too physical, she says...you got to be kidding. Our Wasabi is the same way. She's quite happy though as she has an air about her that is way confident this visit.

Got to start organizing dinner plates for the crew. Will fill you in more tomorrow.

We promised you Tiger Lily photos from her visit yesterday. Hope you enjoy.

Talemaker Havanese Boarding

Jazmyn and Marlee are visiting. We also had an impromptu visit with Tiger Lily and her human mom, Heather. Tomorrow I will put up a slide show. Watch for it.

Tonight Daisy comes. It's going to be a busy weekend but a truly fun one. We are looking forward to it. We live for these crazy dawg times and so much snuggling.

Both Jazmyn and Marlee came in and settled in playing right away. This duo have been here quite a few times and we just adore them.

Marlee jumps over our gate with ease and climbs tall buildings at a bound, all for a treat. Yes, she was trying to figure out how she could get more treats than the one she got when she got groomed. Jazmyn usually is not as adventurous as Marlee but she said, 'oh - this is FUN! and followed Marlee on the climb. I had to try to stop from visibly laughing and celebrate inside seeing Jazmyn being so adventurous.

We are having fun this Valentine's Day Weekend. It's only just begun.

PS: I promised someone that I would write about how to take care of a cottony coat on a Havanese and the tips I learned. I will do so tonight. Just look for this area to be hot linked when it is done.

Learning as You Go

Really mom, I am not a bulldog. Shoshi had a bath and she has hair that is thick and stands on end. It's a tight wave. It doesn't look that way when you blow it dry but it does when it is wet.

Poor Shoshi looks like she has no neck but really she does.

I used to have someone thin her out but I haven't and probably will do it myself come spring. She's one that you can take out half her hair and she still would look like she has a ton.

Yes, they do have various types of hair from silky to cottony. Shoshi is our only cottony type dog. A cotton type coat is more difficult to maintain except when it is thick, if you use thinning shears in knots, well you can't tell. But I have learned a lot of tricks with taking care of Shoshi's hair. I figure if I can do her hair and keep it mat free, I can do any Havanese on a regular basis. Besides, I have learned brushing her daily thoroughly keeps all the knots away.

I do not find the silkier coats hard to maintain and thanks to Shoshi, I learned how to take care of cottony coats. So, she is more than just our heart dog but a learning experience.

Those of you that have children - more than one child knows that as you go along you learn, you get better and the last one is easier as you are either so conditioned or you simply have the confidence that you may not have that first moment they entered your life.

This Havanese business is a truly exciting learning experience and what you give, well you get it back 10 fold. They are truly special beings.

Woof! It Snowed

It's been almost a snow-less winter here at Talemaker Havanese. We are really looking forward to puppies come March but we are sad not having mobile pups in lots of snow. It's a fun experience as you can see in some of our videos.

When I took the crew out this morning, there is a bounce of excitement seeing new fallen snow. Me too but we aren't getting enough of it.

This weekend we have some visitors and are we excited. We are hoping we have more snow so we can get the video camera out. There's going to be a whole lot of snuggling going on, I tell you!

Nathan took the crew up to the forest 2 by two first thing this morning ahead of the sand trucks. The dogs stayed sand-less and that makes me happy. Nathan should have taken the video camera as he said a few of them were so delighted over the top to be chasing squirrels after a fresh snow. It makes me wish I had gone too.

New Website is Revealing

We are doing a new website and I found this shot. I had to laugh. Yes, we do sleep with all of the dawgs and the visitors.

Nathan, the English major hates when I use the term DAWGS but in my awful southern drawl - well it just seems right to ME!

Besides, this is mostly my eyes looking at this crazy life we exist in. I tend to expose and he tends to be a tad more reserve in this revealing stuff but by far the most social of us both. It's why we work.

It's also why the dawgs love us both. They get different needs filled by each of us including that son who is caught peeking in at puppies after they are born and just watching them.

The dawgs also appreciate our differences. When an unsure dawg comes to visit, they also choose their person(s) too depending on who they feel the most comfort with but then if they are here for awhile, they learn to get what they need from each human. It's how it works with the dawg crew. It's like going to a party and you don't really know anyone but with our effort, they find the enjoyment and the connection and the fun.

It's really important to us that all dawgs find that fun.

When they are having fun, we are. Now that is what this crazy dawg life is really about.

Vet Visit

The vet saw pregnancies but we won't know till the 26th on how many when we do x-rays. I know, even we don't like to wait.

But we are going to have puppies and that is way exciting!

Kat went in for his kennel cough as he does an odd dog show here and there and we need to be careful plus with boarders, we tend to keep up with such things.

Getting cracked pads? Do you ever check them? Use Bag Balm.

Escaping Bath Tips

I am the Treasured one and I managed to escape the bath. The key is wear Mommy out by staying out of sight and pretend you don't exist while she washes others.

I am sooooooooooooooo smart!

She washed Wasabi, Abigail, Fiona and Kat today. Fiona was really overdue. Kat, Wasabi and Abigail are off to the vet tomorrow so they got the water and dry treatment - with shampoo and conditioner thrown in, of course.

Mommy is way tired and I keep bugging her to play retrieve. She throws it. I bring it back and then I shake it and throw it with my mouth. I can't figure out why she doesn't retrieve it when I throw it. Is this a one sided game?