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.

The Silliness of Dogs

Terra is our resident big dawg that loves - no adores the Havanese. She teaches them all sorts of funny games with the snow. Here she is trying to catch snowflakes and Treasure is wondering what planet she is on. hehehehe

Thanks to Terra the gang has learned how to flick snow back and forth with their snouts as if they are having a snowball fight doggie style.

The Havanese have taught Terra how to outrun her by quick, short turns and they all seem to relish a snow angel game or two by rolling in snow and spreading their limbs out.

See, there are so many snow games that dogs play if you simply pay attention. If you do, you will laugh and laugh.

They are such a creative lot and they do believe in fun. We all need to embrace fun!

Tonight we have a golden coming to visit till Sunday morning. It will be the first time Terra has a visitor her size that has come to stay for a day or two. It will also be a first for the Havanese - a big dawg convention of sorts. How fun!

Emotion and the Havanese

So is a dawg's sense of smell so keen that it can detect emotions?

When you walk in your front door and your dawg is sniffing your hands, pants or shoes, he's greeting you and investigating the unique scents you brushed against that day.

Dawgs smell each other and their secretions to monitor physiological and emotional changes. It's like getting the morning paper or a hot-off-the-press tabloid.

Tips for Taming the Psychotic Smeller

If sniffing becomes excessive for your dog, you may want to try these tips to keep his snout in sync:

•Offer a distraction, like a chew toy or an awesome-smelling dog treat.

•Teach him to use the crate, especially if smelling visitors is of high entertainment value to him.

•Clap your hands and take charge with your leash when he sniffs other dogs inappropriately or excessively. Not all dawgs appreciate this sort of greeting to that degree.

•Give him plenty of exercise and positive attention.

Jazzy is visiting us and as you can see, he's blowing in the breeze - well his hair is.

He's rather smitten with Wasabi but we are keeping them away from each other till her heat is done. jazzy is neutered but no reason to get his heart a pitter patter with excitement, is there?

Treasure also loves Jazzy and is found jumping on him and playing up a storm. He's not quite sure what to make of her at times but he's growing to be charmed. :-) The first time she jumped on him he sort of looked at her as if to say - what are you up to but now I swear he is smiling.

The dawgs all went on their walks today as usual. Nathan has been doing the daily walks with all 2 at a time. They go on a fair walk so its a marathon for Nathan but the dawgs love it and I think Nathan does too.

It's actually quiet around here with only one boarder. Quiet you say...actually yes. :-)

What Are You Saying?

"I'm Feeling Relaxed, Normal ... "

My posture is calm and relaxed, just kinda standing around. Please ask my owner before you approach me or pet me, just to be on the safe side.

Yes, one should ALWAYS ask an owner if you can pet their dog. Even when one does, it doesn't always mean that the owner knows how their dog will react.

You have to get to know your dog and what other dogs are saying.

That is why its good to take obedience classes so you can learn what your dog is saying and what other dogs are saying. You will also have a more confident dog and that's a bonus.

Even the most confident dog in one environment may show concerns in others. It all depends on how YOU Handle it on how your dog will ultimately handle 'concerns.

Treasure has had many handling classes, several levels of obedience and is a champion show dog. She's been conditioned to all sorts of environments but I could take her to a bowling alley and her body may shake from concern if she heard bowling balls going crack. It's not something we would have conditioned her to so it would be new to her. That's the point. In life there is always something new but as time goes on, if you do your job right, not coddle and expose productively, those exposures that are new will come with coping skills and trust that you would keep them from harm's way.

So, slow condition and keep at it and you will end up with an amazing dog. We are what we know and that is true of our dawgs as well!

Butt to Butt

Okay, what is she going to talk about with THIS photo?

Well, Wasabi really vys for Kat's attention each and every day. She tries to give him kisses over and over again and it drives Kat crazy.

When she does, he growls under his breath at her getting louder and louder but this only entices her to do it more.

Then he corrects her putting her down and she is still relentless. It's a game he acts so irritated with but seems to enjoy the attention.

It's so funny to watch and quite interesting the bonding relationships the crew has with each other. They accept they are a part of the whole except Treasure who thinks she should be the top dog always. ROFL

Fiona's Empty Nest

They start going home tomorrow.

What's a mother to do when the pups are leaving the nest?

We make sure they do not go all at once and that makes it easier.

Ah - but we will miss them!

Last Day in Sudbury

Well, it's the last day in Sudbury and we hear it is rain all week at home.

Mommy will have lots of grooming when she comes home but little by little - she will get it done. At least the Kat man and the Treasured one won't need it.

We thank Yvonne and Alex for helping us BIGTIME.

Even if we don't get anything today - it was nice to be the top dawgs at the specialty in Havanese. With all this grooming stuff - I am sure Treasure and Kat feel that way too!

Pool will get covered come Monday or Tuesday and we will double the size of their playing area with the security cover. They love it too as it's like a trampoline to them.

We are missing our dawgs madly and we will be updating you on all their antics tomorrow.

We are bringing a boxer puppy to Toronto - Val to downtown so it will be a LONG day. Are we home yet?

Talemaker Havanese Snow Fun

We always manage to make the most of any type of weather as it's a dawgs life here for sure! Hope you enjoy our captured moments of fun at the Talemaker Havanese home.

Another Havanese Puppy Fix

Just got back from seeing Lola and Kat's pups and Maggie and Oscars pups. How cool is that?

We had great food, great company and lots of puppies. Abigail thought the pups were great. Kat only wanted Flora and Fiona was miffed the focus wasn't just on her. Dear old Wasabi was fascinated too. Risa - she just chilled out and this particular pup of Wasabi's that has been with us was checking this wee one out.

Fun was had by all. We will be posting lots of puppy pix tomorrow. There's only a couple of pups available from this crew. I am going to miss them.

It was priceless to see one of them toting away a slipper larger than its body. Got to love it!

More tomorrow!

Havanese Attitude

Havanese can have attitude. Each have their very own unique personality but some are born with that 'look at me' desire that I adore. Not everyone appreciates or even likes this attitude. Fiona has it going over the top.

What do you do when they buck the system - so to speak? You ask what do you mean by that?

Well, Fiona was laying on the bed with her Daddy and I came strolling upstairs. She didn't know who I was so she did a low-based grrr. Daddy - I am protecting you but also - this bed is mine.
Fiona has an attitude that makes you laugh at things like that but that's when you can get in trouble. If allowed, a dog like her will escalate and suddenly what you think is cute is no longer. It's best to nip it in the bud. They need boundaries just like that creative, challenging human kind.

I corrected her. She did the submissive roll to me. It wasn't me that was the target but rather what she can and can't control. She's a puppy and she is learning that life is about others - not just her. Some humans have an issue with that so why not dogs?

She will take a tad more work than say an Abigail who tends to comply and not step over the line but if you keep at it, she will be the dog you can't forget.

It's all in the way you handle it.

Interesting enough, I have found that a dog in my home may act different in another home and act even different in yet another home. How can that be? Are they wishy, washy or are they people pleasers? It's the latter and they will, even the most strongest personalities learn from you.

Remember, your dogs are what you put into it and what emotion you send down the lead. It's difficult to get into that mindset but that strong-willed dog needs you to be a calm assertive but so does that dog that is timid.

If your spouse or someone important to you is in a &^%$ mood, doesn't it affect you? Most will say yes. It's the same for the dog but you can't talk it out with the dog like you should with the human.

Fiona may always be a challenge all her life but not in a negative way but one who will try new things. Her brain is always ticking but she's also an emotional one and needs to understand that the world is not just about her. She's getting there but nothing is born perfect.

Again, they are what we put into them and if you are consistent and keep at it, you will have a truly amazing companion and wonder how you ever did without them.

I know I wouldn't trade any of my dogs for anything. They each bring something different to my life and I treasure that!

--Darlah at Talemaker

What a Havanese Day

Have you ever seen a growl and a grrr and a roll and a totally wrestlemania rough-house experience with your dogs?

We had guests over that assumed they were going to kill each other but they were having fun.

It's important to distinguish between play and aggression. There is a huge difference but perhaps not to a person that hasn't seen both in action.

Puppies play as if they are going to gnaw each others tail, hair, ears or what have you off but they know how hard to bite down and if one was to go yelp, the other would stop and then continue and lessen the impact. They don't want to end the play and if they don't 'get' it, well they won't have anyone to play with.

If you ever saw your dog growling or barking at others when they are a puppy, often its due to their inexperience in reading another dog's language and them being not sure if the other is receptive to play. They will 'get' that. Some get it earlier than others but if you socialize - and do it often, they will get it earlier.

Just like us, they learn from their experiences - good and bad. We have to guide them down that right path of being totally amazing!

Havanese Fiona's Shag Look

Fiona Says:

Daddy thinks I am a sheep dog. They say I am supposed to show natural but I can't see a thing. Oh the hair stays back and then I give it a shake and watch out!

The judge on Thursday didn't like Fiona's 'cheeky' attitude but today's did. She just has to gain a tad bit of weight and get fat - ROFL. So, the Fiona is on a high protein diet starting tomorrow and eating frozen raw chicken necks. We will see what that does. We may have to hold her in place to get her to stop expelling so much energy. Oh that human wishes she had that metabolism.

Well, we are still working on picnic photos. Some were corrupted due to a virus but we are recovering what we can. Look for them soon.

Havanese: Leave It - Drop It!

I compare a dogs mouth to a toddler's hands and mouth. You can't keep a thing out of it. You have to take it out, teach leave it and still - the lure of that stick seems so great that they will try to step over the line if allowed.

As humans - sometimes we can't help just allowing as its so cute but watch out - when you do, they may take a mile. Be sure you can live with it. A stick my dissolve in most cases but not necessarily and the damage it can do to bowels - well we won't go there so practice - 'leave it' or 'drop it' and see how many times you have to practice to get there.

Identify That Dog!

Every now and then we are lucky enough to receive email attachments containing photos of one of our puppies. I think I'll post this one up and see how many of you can recognize him. There is no prize at the end. There will be no test. Just for fun, guess who this is.

Nathan

Havanese Puppy Play: A Taste of Heaven

Every one of us needs the play that a puppy possesses. Here Miss Abs is saying to Fiona - come get me. They played back and forth like this for over 30 minutes then drank a ton and came inside and dropped.

I need that enthusiasm and play and most of all that energy. Know where I can get it? Is it contagious? I surely wish it was.

When everything is too much to handle and I feel like overload city, I sit down for a moment and watch these two and for that moment in time - all is right in the world. If they did nothing else with anything else in their life - they have filled a need - at least mine of laughter and we all need that.

Today I took a fab photo of our son and grand kids. None that I am overly pleased with the dogs but I am learning the camera. I am so jazzed with it.

No matter how much work the dogs can be when you have many dogs like we do, well they are work if you do it right and we muster up sick or well for them - well they are a bit of heaven on earth. Everyone should have some of that.

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!