Hearing & New Adjustments

Miss Abs went for her hearing test today and was told that her hearing was exceptional. What does that mean - she can hear the guy down the street snore? Oh no!

Nathan and Yvonne got there very late as there was a huge snowstorm. I couldn't even bring the dawgs out till we had paths shovelled. They looked out the door and turned around as if to say - you want me to go out in THAT - it's over my head! So, paths they got - tons even the ones that give you tunnels under a garden bench, another under a picnic table etc. We have to make it interesting, you know. That's what it is all about.

Miss Fiona is here for the rest of her life and is making the adjustment. She's not sure what to think with all these changes but we will keep you aware. She's figuring out the lay of the land and investigating all over the place.

Yvonne had the puppies here - actually all the dawgs but we only took photos when the pups were here (see the slideshow below) and forgot about the camera when Yvonne came back. We had a roaring grand time visiting with them.

More later or tomorrow....got to feed the dogs and train the little ones - stay - and what is it you are doing better than us, Sebastian? Watch out - girls RULE!

Fiona's First Day & Yvonne's Dawgs

Top Dawg C-Bass

C-Bass is practicing his show stance on top of WHERE? ROFL. Now relax - ohhhhm get rid of that arch (his mom just told me it's a tuft of hair - and looks like it now that I have my glasses on) and you will blow them all away. Mommy was checking what!!! - you say? Now I understand why the hair is sticking up but don't worry about it - you'll get used to it - you may even grow to like it.

You ask - what are they talking about? Well - use your imagination. A dawg never speaks of such things.

Are you practicing stay? If not, maybe the gals - if they get their act together will blow you away in class on Saturday. Can't have a guy dawg thinking he is king - now can we?

The Fiona comes tomorrow and baer tests are getting done. Reports later. Thnx for the photos of C-Bass - we just love them!
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Mark and Maryanne said...
It's a tuft of hair standing up, not an arched back! Honest!!!

Dog Shows - Woodstock 2008

Well, I woke up in serious pain - actually been up half the night. My back hurts terribly and not sure why. I did manage to get the Woodstock dog show videos up on You Tube. You can find them here:

I couldn't match music - too long and you can't put it up as one file as You Tube has its limits so I had to do 4. I didn't make them slick - just way too much work when I have other things on my plate but it does allow you a view. I didn't not erase ANY copy so its crude. Sorry but the owners get to see what their handlers were doing and the owner handlers get to see what the other are doing in all their glory. The only thing I did was take out the audio. Sorry, Kathy - I did not get that winning face. Enjoy!
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqXqp0MikE
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmT-eLDiHD0
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsdrGK2JCmw
Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KTvMYCzGoI UPDATED

More later on the Talemaker crew after rest.

The Big & Small: Eating Together

Sometimes things are better with friends - even eating.

We had a full day today. Beth Obrecht came to visit to see her Miss Abs and visit for a bit.

We also did training with pups. Oh all I can say is class will be interesting. We are getting there but C-Bass best be ready for the gals to rule! Heh

Mommy is heard screaming this primal scream that makes dawg barks seem like gentle raindrops as she keeps crashing. She's working on that dog show video and I gather its too large for YouTube. She'll keep trying.

We played a game of retrieve the toy and they all got into that. That human son of my parents - Joe - well he was hanging out here. He loves the dogs so.

Two more days till Miss Fiona gets here. Crazy dawg house at Talemakers - and we can't wait!

All you Wasabi pups - practice, practice, practice. Stardom can be yours - just get that stay down.

Shots, Visit & Late Arrival Home

We went to get shots today for Miss Abs (3rd one done) who weighed in at 6lbs. She got her shots and so did a couple of other dawgs in our crew. The vet thought Miss Abs had great knees, perfect bite, nice compact body. He thought she was a beauty. He even commented how clean her bum was. I wanted to ask what kind of bums he saw but I held my tongue and thought to myself that I didn't want to know. ROFL!

Then we headed to Yvonnes and saw her pretty babies (pups) and got to play with Fiona - who comes home Thursday after her Baer test. Fiona has 4 white sox like her grandmother - our Risa. I got more photos of Yvonnes pups that I will post and we had lunch - thnx Yvonne and Alex - most gracious and then headed home. The dawgs were really happy to be home.

I have work waiting - the dog show video to do and all I want to do is crawl on the couch.

Here's a photo of Fiona (is that what we are calling her?) It's not a good quality but I had the camera on the wrong setting - gad - shows me to play with it. I promise better photos after she comes.

She's an Ever-Ready battery - at least at Yvonne's and then she crashes. It's going to be a ton of fun - ah puppies - nothing like them!

Havanese Game Time

I try really unorthodox things at times and when I saw two dogs getting a tad too aggressive in their tug, I put the toy in my mouth and was teaching them to 'drop it' so they understand the game isn't always about winning but the play.

It seems to have worked as they were seen playing and dropping and waiting and pouncing so the game became something entirely different and more fun than simply yanking . Even Risa got into it but I will tell you tomorrow how the jaw feels.

The photo here is the least of the ridiculous ones that Nathan clicked tonight.

Tomorrow afternoon we have 3 dogs going in for shots and a very busy morning so updates may be late in the day. I am also going to get a video up of the dog show, if possible to help you see it as if you were there - sort of.
So check back with the Talemaker Havanese crew and see what fun we are up to.

Puppy heaven, adult heaven - I just love them and you thought Nathan was the only one who lost his mind around this place. Maybe his sense of adventure with the dawgs is catchy. hehehehe

Woodstock Dog Show '08

We got to attend the Woodstock show today where 11 Havanese were entered. What a sight to see all the Havanese! Sorry about the quality of the photos but we got what we got.

Havanese Comforts

Well we are off to a dog show today to see all the dogs strut their stuff. I promise to bring home lots of photos for you to see. I best remember the camera and I best remember to take it out.

Our beloved Fiona - is that what you are calling her, Nathan? Well, she's coming on Thursday after her Baer and Abs gets her Baer then too. Monday we have 3rd shots and we can rest a tad easier.

Our home is really for the dawgs. We create comfort places all over the place. Here you can see Wasabi sitting under a table on a bed. This gives her a birds-eye view with the comfort of a perception that she is in a den. The dawgs LOVE things like this. It doesn't cost you hardly anything but a pillow under the table and it all works for them.

We try to give our dawgs a sense of really having the cush life and they do.

Our son came in from Japan and that was way exciting. Today is Super Bowl time and all I can think of is yeah Havanese - not yeah football so virtually shoot me all you Super Bowl fans but we are off to the dawg show and will be lovin' it seeing old faces, new faces and getting into a positive state of mind. More after we come back.

Second Class Down

We have the 2nd class down and the little ones did well. As you can see, Sebastian has that adoration thang - where's that treat down cold. He's so cute. You should have seen him playing with a big dawg after class and having a roaring good time at that. Miss Abs wasn't quite sure about the guy - wanted to play but wasn't sure about all that movement. After her next shot, we will be on a mission of making sure she finishes her socialization list and getting exposed to various people, dawgs so she also has that exhuberence to play with guys of all sizes etc Shots come on Monday.

The duo - Miss Abs and Sebastian needs to work on their stays. Sassy Lassy missed class and will have to play catch-up this week. Miss Abs actually seems to have that 'stay' thing going on. We even did off leash. practice, practice, practice guys as we expect perfection next week. hehehehehe

Here you can see Abs practicing heel - amazing considering she bucked like a bronco the first time we put a collar on her. Give me treats anytime daddy and I will do what you want. She's turning into an amazing dog and catches on quickly.

Did you notice that the ladies in this crew are not in the photos? What does that tell you? We got to sit, watch and critique - an easier job by far. Next week I will be taking Sassy around, I am told so that should be fun. More about that later.

Havanese Training Tips

Well, as you can see, Miss Abs really did a job on her abs - ROFL. She snow plows through the snow and ends up with all these snow piles all over her tummy. You can easily remove with tepid water or they will melt their way all over your house. Remember to brush after or you may end up with tangles.

We have a really busy weekend. We are going to have a puppy playmate today, classes and our Mom and Dad's third oldest child is coming in from Japan to get married. Wow! Then we may head to a dog show to see the Havanese on Sunday and applaud all their efforts. We promise photos from that!

Classes need practice daily but we must admit, we missed yesterday. There was too much going on. Mommy didn't sleep much - long story but life throws curves at times and you keep doing the best for all those you love. We do!

Here's some tips on making classes work.
1. Build training into your DAILY life. Take 5 to 10 minutes a day - that's all is needed and you will make a HUGE difference.

2. Keep the training sessions SHORT. Best to do several a day vs. one long one. Puppies get frustrated by long sessions unless you change it up frequently and make it interesting.

3. Use your voice properly. If you say 'sit X' and you say it as if you are bored as ever, don't expect your dog to get excited about it. Your emotion and enthusiasm counts so try even when you do not feel like it. It will become a habit and you will both be better off for it.

4. Use commands once - if you say 'sit x' 'sit x' - your dog will hear it twice and start reacting only to when you do it twice. This is a tough one as I fall into this one myself. Try to say the command once.

5. Go slowly - use each command as a building block. This is not a marathon. To make it an imprint, it must be done over and over.

6. Remember each dog learns at different speeds. It's not a mark of intelligence. Some alphas will give you a very hard time in going into a submissive stance such as 'down' but persistence in a positive way works and you are building a bond and your position as alpha - all important in the scheme of things. Patience is really important.

7. Recognize that distractions can make things difficult and you may want to minimize them at first but as you go along start introducing them such as asking your dog to sit on a walk when traffic is whizzing by. Eventually, you want to get your dog used to all sorts of noises and distractions to get him to be a balanced dog.

8. Use your treats before you feed - not after. Your dog can go without lunch if your class is at noon. You want your dog wanting the treats not being picky as he is full.

9. Always mark behaviours to get your dog to understand when he is getting it right. You can mark with your voice and a clicker.

10. Always be aware that if you give free treats - you are giving away the bank for free. Always and I mean always get your dog to do something for a treat. Don't just give it to him. Make him work for it. This may sound harsh but they actually enjoy working for a goal and therefore you have given him a challenge. Keeping your dog's mind stimulated is a good thang!

Most of all - remember to have fun. If you have fun, your dog will have fun and it will all come together.

Talemaker Coach Visit & Snowy Days

Miss Abs & Coach got along fabulously. Coach was more gentle with her than with his canine mom Wasabi. Miss Wasabi Woo was delighted and it's a joy to watch her excitement when seeing the pups. A great time was had by all. Now it's snowing and we are also including the photos of that - snow covered dawgs - such fun! Another grooming day...hehehehe

Snow tends to invigorate the Havanese. Enjoy the slideshow below!

Talemaker's Coach Visits

Miss Abs got a visit from her half brother Coach - one of Wasabi's pups. Wasabi was delighted to see Coach but this photo was taken just before he was going home. The kids were still mucking it up and Wasabi looks as if to say - kids - do they ever stop playing?

You can click on all the photos to see a larger version.

The crew had a wonderful time. Look tomorrow for some priceless photos of the gang in a slideshow.

We hope Coach sleeps tonight. We know Miss Abs and Wasabi will. Thanks, John for bringing him by. It was a real pleasure. Surely made our day!

More tomorrow>>

Havanese Puppy Education

We are practicing our growls. You say WHAT - yes, our growls. When our dogs bark at the door, we find the leader, say no bark and growl but you have to sound like you mean it. Consistency helps. A quick bark to warn you is a good thing but not if they continue - well at least for us.

We have a dog in the neighbourhood that howls all day long and our dawgs think it's their job to warn us about it.

Daddy was out this morning getting chicken to make for us and the doggies - spoiled lovees that they are.

Miss Abs is adjusting to the leash and daddy has been going out with her once a day. Let's see how she does in class in TWO days. Will she remember. Will she shine or will she forget it all?

We hear that Remy is now in classes - bravo! Here's a photo that his parents shared with us. We miss the precious guy. Nice to hear how the crew is doing.

More later...

Windy Havanese Moments

The dawgs need baths - the wind is blowing fierce and our dawgs are loving it.

But for some, the wind is an unknown and when it is this strong, it may throw them off a bit creating a fear. Be sure to not make an issue of it if they do react and be creative on ways to make the experience positive and a fun one.

For our old dawg - it throws her off but we offer distractions, act as if it's an enjoyable thang that is going on and it all works. Realize your dawgs react from your state of mind. If you are tense, they are. Practice your yoga chants - if you must - hahahaha and stay in that healthy state of mind for you and your canine pals. It helps them and therefore helps you. It's all in the head - you know.

Havanese Abigail Adjusting to New Home

Rarely do we get to see an inside look into our dogs going to someone else's home in the formative puppy stage but every now and then we get blessed with someone entrusting us to help their little one be all they are meant to be. Here's a small snippet of Rockhurst Abigail at Talemaker in her first few days finding an effective way to communicate and where she fits in with the pack. Thanks goes to Beth Obrecht for sharing her with us. We now know daily they make strides in fitting in, finding their place and really bringing laughter to your life. What else could you ever ask for... Look for another video of Abigail playing at Yvonne's with pups soon.

Havanese Video Comes Tomorrow

Well, it's getting late and as you can see in this photo, Wasabi and Miss Abs are waiting for me to go upstairs. You can find them close to each other an amazing amount of time. I do believe these two are bonding the deepest thus far.

More tomorrow>>

Havanese Monday Blahs

Nathan and Miss Abs did their class homework. Did Sassy Lassy and Sebastian? We will find out come Saturday - hahahahahaha

Just to update you, I am a bit under the weather. Not sure why but feeling chills. I usually only feel that in other places. We are still working on the video of Abigail making her transition and the video from Yvonne's house but it may take me till tomorrow. Still hoping but want to crawl on the couch. Also, Yvonne will have some photos up on her blog and I will put a pointer here when she does from the weekend. Look for it soon.

By the way, Miss Abs has totally made the bridge. She stole a tug toy from Risa and played with her. She plays with Wasabi and Shoshi every chance she gets. She hangs on Katsuro's back and on and on. But for those that know Risa - stealing a toy from her - well the gal has guts and she has made it completely. ROFL

Wasabi even plays with Abs just like she did Sassy so that gal has real get up and go. Oh my! What fun to see.

Where's All the Havanese Excitement?

Here's the wet duo wanting to come in this morning. As you can see, Katsuro's hair is growing in from Opal yanking it off short on top but now Abigail thinks she can do similar so we will be spraying Katsuro's head with fooey. Not the best texture but better not to have it never come in - I say.

What we noticed is after a very full weekend, the day after - the crew needs to relax - even Nathan, hahahaha. So, they are all up in bed - I am working and they are vegging. What a life - I tell you. Nathan will have to play catch-up but the dawgs won't have to.

It's important to give your dawgs downtime as well as exciting, fun times. Balance is an important thing. You can still play retrieve, do walks, play but also find the time to snuggle, nap and enjoy the comfort of each other. Miss Abigail has found her way to the bed every morning after she wakes up much like our Sassy Lassy did. She comes down to do her duty, yank at Katsuro, jump on Wasabi, listen to Risa grumble and get Shoshi running. Terra just looks at all this shenanigans with a grin - I tell you and Whitney won't go out till after she eats - plain and simple.

Then Abigail will run upstairs and all I can hear is the pitter patter of paws running across the floor looking for daddy who is usually in the shower by then. If she can't find him, she barks - oh my.

We are working on videos of our crew - of Yvonne's crew and more so check back with us. I am trying to get it done inbetween work.

More later>>

Talemaker Sassy & Sebastian's Playdate

Thanks goes to Sebastian's Human Dad for sharing these photos with us. We do appreciate it!