Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 3:58PM Abigail and Fiona and Nathan on lead won brace but we are too busy to post photos and way too sick still but we promise we will. No rest for the weary.
But I tell you - it was fun - sick or not. What a nice experience to be surrounded by all that Hav Love.
More later>>
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 7:36AM 
Well off I go on an adventure to stay with Yvonne's hubby Alex and their old gal Britney who looks like an oversized Havanese but they say she's a Beardie. She rather likes me but she seems to be more gal than I can handle.
I haven't been on an overnight stay without the human parents since I was a little one. They say it will be fun. Alex tells me we are going to have a boys weekend - whatever that is!
All the girls are coming back home and I have to go due to this thing called heat where I lose my brains. Really - I know where they are.
Oh well, I will survive but will Alex? Time will tell.
The specialty is being held in Toronto so many Havanese will be strutting their stuff. Did you buy raffle tickets?
Fiona and Abs is in a brace but due to that 'heat' thing they were unable to practice so we do not have high expectations other than lots of laughs. But that will make it great too. I hear we will have 2 other serious bracers against us. May the best brace win!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 2:29PM 
Fiona is destined to be a ball of snowballs. She adores the snow as you can see.
She plows through the whites stuff with wild abandonment. It's as if she is at a new amusement park and the outside are her rides.
Miss Abs & Wasabi woo comes home tomorrow and I can't wait to see them.
Much to do before then but in between that snow fun gives me giggles. It's nice. Hope you are enjoying the snow too!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 9:28AM 
Here Fiona is giving kisses to Risa. In a pack, the crew usually all give kisses to the alpha of the pack. So far, Risa seems to retain this position.
It's a position that takes a lot of work.
Each pack member has its own job and that can change. Add another and things get shifted all around at times.
I find it a fascinating thing to watch. The way the Havanese come together and become a tight knit pack as they seem to do here is fascinating.
When one is gone, it upsets the pack and it changes once again.
You can learn a great deal from your Havanese by watching them closely. By getting to know them on this intimate level, you can help them be all they can be.
Monday, October 27, 2008 at 6:02PM 
I bet you that you are getting bloody sick of hearing that the humans are sick but boy 3 weeks and counting for the female human. She can't even muster a walk. Things were getting better and then back to being way sick. We think the dogs are growing weary of this.
What's interesting is the dogs smell my breath often. Not sure what they are smelling but they are.
Here's the Shoshi with Fiona playing. They are a mess - the human is a mess and we will survive. Hoping to get well NOW!
More tomorrow!
Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 11:28AM 
Fiona is acting way sucky - unlike her and she is playing with Terra in a strange way - wriggling her body all over the floor and pouncing on her. She doesn't usually play with Terra but Abigail is gone so she tries.
It's okay as I still am sick and Nathan is away so we will hang out and watch TV and chill.
Fiona just finished eating and she had a saturated beard on one side. Now you tell me - how does that happen that only one side gets like that? Does she eat sideways? ROFL
Have you bought your Havanese grooming book? It's a must to get, IMHO. We have it to bring to the specialty so come out to it and buy it and if you can't, drop in here after Nathan is back and buy it from here. It is chock full of tips.
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 9:35AM 
What a suck Fiona is turning out to be. She truly misses her Abigail. I never saw her hang out and do nothing so much in her life. Oh, she has played with Terra and Shoshi but not the same.
It's interesting how everything changes when one or two leaves.
Am hoping she pulls out of this. Plus - I think she is missing her Daddy - Abigail too as she follows Alex around everywhere and howls her howl if she perceives herself left alone.
More later>>
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 6:45PM 
Here's a recent photo of Kooba and Quito. They seem to be hanging out quite well these days and it makes my heart swell.
As you know, Kooba was the Havanese rescue that we took in and fostered for the HFC and Quito's owner expressed interest in her and a connection was made.
They look great together, don't you think?
They just came back from Rice Lake and are hanging out together. We heard they had great fun!
Monday, October 13, 2008 at 9:27PM 
Havanese LOVE being in high places. Here the Fiona is sitting on the recliner behind the human dad. Even though the recliner is not solidly in place as it goes back, her balance is such that it doesn't seem to bother her in the least.
You can see her yawning here - getting ready to snooze out.
Some Havanese really have solid balance and that's why they do great in agility and many other types of sports.
More later>>
Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 11:39AM 
Is it my turn yet? When you get two puppies together, they can often be closer to each other than to you. Luckily, we got these 2 at separate times but still if they are very close.
But with a separation of time we managed to make us the focus and the play secondary with each other secondary or am I fooling myself?
Yes, you can hear me laughing hard.
Nothing like puppies especially more than one.
Canadians - Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. We get to have our turkey today. Much work for a few minutes of tasty satisfaction. hahahaha
Friday, October 10, 2008 at 5:11PM 
We had Yvonne and Alex's pups visiting and this cutie is known as Mac & Cheese (do I have that right?) who is a Kat and Lola pup.
He's black and white and tan. It will be interesting to see him when he is older. He was simply scrumptious and his owner's quite nice too. Thanks for visiting us. Wish I had felt better to be more myself. heh
Well, today I bathed the duo - Abigail and Fiona and just when I think I have the struggle done - well putting them on their back to dry their tummy with the blower doing it's thing, they remind me that they do not like this position. But it is important that they 'get' that you are in charge simply by holding them in place and in a matter of fact way, continuing and saying no firmly if you must. I have to say 'no' firmly with the Fiona. She likes to test what she can get away with ALWAYS.
In photographing the dogs, I find Abigail the most creative to snap as she always has a face on her filled with emotion. She seems to be the happiest go lucky dog when she is playing.
This doesn't carry this into the show ring yet but put her together with other dogs and she is - well deliriously happy. She also makes everyone feel as if they count. What more can you ask for?
Well, she isn't the only one that is artistically creative looking captured with a camera but here we have the old gal, beardie owned by Yvonne and Alex. The pup that was visiting - well they own the proud mom Lola that coddled and loved this little one till it could go to its forever home.
Well, we just heard Kooba is on her way to Rice Lake - lucky gal and we - well we are trying to not laugh watching Nathan practice a brace with Fiona and Abigail. I promise a video tomorrow after they give it another shot.
More later.>>
Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 2:41PM 
Today we have Yvonne's crew staying for the day and we will soon have a Kat/Lola baby visiting.
We hope to get a ton of photos though the human female here is way under the weather. We will try or maybe the human male will have to do it. We shall see!
Looks like the Fiona and her daddy took a sun bath snooze!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 6:01PM 
Oh my eyes - what are they doing NOW? This was Kat's look after trying to feed him this morning. He wasn't thrilled with the choice and decided later. Yes, he actually gives you a look when he doesn't like something. If you pay attention to your dogs, they have all sorts of expressions and body language stuff going on that will tell you how they are doing. The more you study them, the more you get to know what they are saying. They do talk - just with their bodies.
Sometimes your dog doesn't feel like eating what you put down a certain food but when he gets hungry, he will. Don't fret about it.
Well, Nathan is off to handling class with Miss Abs and Fiona did her best twirling and being all that so he took her. She's learned to love that one on one time. But it's Miss Abs turn and Fiona needs to learn to share and be patient. It's not a quality that she fully understands yet. So, these classes with Abs is good for her.
We may try a brace for the specialty but it may end up being a comedy of errors. It certainly will be a moment to remember. hehehehe These two = well they are a riot together. It makes you fall in love with puppies over and over again.
Ah - it's a dawg life at Talemakers - for sure!
Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 7:00PM 
Fiona was in the show today and didn't do well. She won her class the other day and Abs won it on the day she showed but today was a stress-filled day.
It started before the show and could have ended up to be a tragedy. I want to explain as this was an accident that I didn't foresee.
I have an old laundry tub that I bath the dogs in and have been doing so for years. Today, Fiona was struggling and ended up getting a foot stuck in the drain. It's one of the scariest things to occur as you do not know what to do at first. You must calm down first and you couldn't handle it alone. It tells me that I not only need a phone with me especially when I am alone but I also need a tool kit.
I screamed for Nathan and he came running. Our son came running as well.
Fiona was frightened and was screaming which added to the stress level. Her foot was solidly stuck. We tried putting conditioner down the drain and massaging her foot but it was stuck tight. She kept struggling and we kept trying to calm her down and hold her in place to eliminate serious damage to the foot.
Nathan used his head and sent our son to get tools to break the drain. We thought one side would open it up to allow her foot to come out but no, it took 4 sides broken to release the foot. During this time she had shampoo on that had started to dry in and was full of mats but initially that was not even a concern. We were worried about her being able to stand on her foot. I massaged the area and she didn't flinch so a good sign and then placed her on the floor to see if she could walk. Yep, all was looking good.
My next thoughts that randomly went through my head was, she's full of mats - now what? The sink is broken - now how to finish this. What if she needs an operation etc. Maybe we shouldn't show her but if we don't, it's like getting thrown off a horse and when that happens, you have to just do it.
Gad, I didn't realize the depth of my love for my dogs. Sure, I love them but it takes a fear like this to tap the true depth of those feelings. I think I would have fallen apart if she had been in pain and I thought she was but what I was hearing was fear cries. It's not something I foreseen. I used that basin for years without an issue. But still - to get past something like that...well it would be hard.
I got her ready for the show in 45 minutes when it usually takes me 90 minutes each dog. Adrenaline, mats and all is a crazy thing.
But - Fiona felt the stress. She refused treats from Daddy at the show. She slept all the way to the show and all the way back from the show. She was relying on me as I believe she saw me as the one that helped her when she was in trouble.
So now I will spend my time stepping back and letting Nathan become that person again. He's already working his magic. It's important for the handler and dog to connect as if no one else exists.
The point is, how you are feeling - how they are feeling affects everything for your dog. She wouldn't eat. She didn't scat and get cheeky as she usually does. She couldn't stay focused and she had STEAK and LIVER - her faves. But stress does crazy things to you AND your dog.
Compare it to a fight you just had with someone you love and and they remain angry at you but you don't understand it. They remain angry and suddenly you own their emotion by allowing it to get you down to that place they are. Well, your dog does this naturally. What you feel, they feel. They are the most intuitive beings.
The moral of this vent...
I think I would have demolished the sink entirely to save her. But, I will never be in the laundry room again without a phone. Nor will I ever have an old laundry sink with an opening wide enough to catch their feet. I will recognize that I am still upset after it is over as I have allowed my fear to sit and stay with me. This will affect my dog and I would have been better off doing anything to get past it but I did do the right thing making her get on that horse again per se.
I will have yet another horse for Fiona to get back on - 'the sink' but I will do that after a new one is in sooner than later to make sure it doesn't become an imprint that remains.
Fears are to be dealt with via slow conditioning. But what WE feel affects our dogs. We can't always control it but if we can remember that, it may minimize the depth of our emotional state.
Now on to the next day - please. :-(
Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 10:52AM 
It's a ruff Havanese Dawg life - I tell you with that human and a couch.
Well, our poor golden last night had an issue that we think is dementia. She's starting to show signs - well has been for a bit but when they get old - you often do that denial thing.
Nathan woke up with her to take her out and she ran through the plants etc. only to stare at the fence line.
He brought her out and got her to the deck only to have her run back to do the stare so he went back in and then she came to the door. Now she is sleeping.
So, after all that, Nathan gave up and went to sleep on the couch covered with half the Havanese and Whitney laying next to him on the floor. I had the rest of the crew. The dogs can play recovery but the humans - not as easy - and he gets to show today in a fog.
It didn't stop the pups from playing today. It wasn't them suffering from sleep.
Don't ya just wish you were one of these Havanese that can just play recovery with naps? I surely wish I could. I take them and I often feel worse.
As you can see, nothing like more than 1 Havanese. Just look at these two obviously they're best of pals. I swear Fiona just adores the Abs and her free sense of play with anyone and everyone. It's a quality to love.
But when you just have one, you will often see them saying - can you play? When you do, I can guarantee you that if you have the right mindset - you will have a session of laughter. Try it!
More later - after the show...
Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 3:38PM 
Abs and Fiona both won their class on their own respective days. Remember that ad where they say brusha, brusha, brusha? Well maybe you don't but this human feels as if that is all she is doing. Brush before show, brush the dogs on return and now entertain the son who is leaving to go back to his naval base.
Trillium - the big Havanese specialty is coming up soon and I will be posting raffle prizes - well pics of them. If you are interested in buying raffle tix - please let us know. There will be lots of Havanese from all over and a ton of vendors. It's a must to attend and its local here in Toronto.
We are thinking of Kooba - hoping she is having a really grand time.
Tip: If you brush 5 minutes a day, you will reduce the time you need to demat if your pup is going through that blowing coat stage. There are neat tips to help you and the Havanese Fanciers is selling a grooming book at Trillium. I haven't seen it yet but they say - it's a must.
Gad - I sound like an advertisement. Sorry - not my thang. Just sharing things I think you should know.
More later.>>
Friday, October 3, 2008 at 6:02AM Fiona Says:
Well, Mommy is up early having her coffee and then she has the audacity to think she is going to wash me. Got to head to Port Hope for the weekend. No time for anything including computer issues but we will post daily about our missives. More later>>
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at 9:58PM 
It's just the usual around this house. We are simply CRAZY dawg people who adore the play. Well, some of us do more than others as you can see in the photo.
The point is, if you play with your dogs, you solidify bonding, expel energy and create laughter. Between you and I, the world would be a drab place without laughter. So, get busy and get crazy - dawg crazy that is!
Catch you tomorrow! Bathing Kooba - new home and lots of changes tomorrow for the pack and us but a grand adventure for Kooba.
Monday, September 8, 2008 at 7:30PM 
Well, Daddy is out of town on busy-ness and we are dealing with moms, walks and her food. Oh joy...but we got necks for one meals so yum.
Mommy thinks Daddy must be doing something she's not doing as they weren't crazy about eating today - including Fiona who needs to eat.
I am having a grand time playing with Fiona and Shoshi. Mom kept trying to get extra special photos but we were not cooperating. All she kept getting is hair and more hair but boy we were having fun.
Fiona: Tonight, a dog was barking in the distance and I started barking back and that got everyone barking. I thought that was rather fun but somehow that Mommy didn't think so. To make it worse, I wouldn't stop and Mommy was on the phone so I thought I was 'getting away with it' but she had something else in mind. She got off the phone. Oh Oh
I decided to be cheeky and growled under my breath. Oh, I did the semi-submissive stance just to placate her but she was none too happy. She brought me inside, talked in that funny voice that tells me she is serious and told me that she was not going to allow such cheeky behaviour. Oh well, it was worth a try. I have tried it on Risa and she shut me down after putting up with it for awhile. You see, I am cute so I use it. But - maaaah
Mommy says - rules, boundaries and limitations...and boy that Fiona is a step over the line dawg with that paw. You just adore her but she loves to see what she can get away with.
Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 4:54PM 
I am not sure what Mommy did but I had a perfectly fine photo of me and she stretched it out - on purpose she says. I am Katsuro and I am the only male at the Talemaker crew.
About a week or so ago, that human mommy got a bee in her patootie that we needed to lose weight so she changed food. She was getting the idea that everyone was overweight - especially Risa with the exception of Fiona - who needs to gain weight and Miss Abs who doesn't really have abs at all but appears to be just right.
Well, we don't like it. We try to placate her and I get a downright upset tummy. Yes, we went slow but although we can eat every table scrap under the sun without this reaction, well mommy is doing too many wet bum thingies to me and I DO NOT LIKE IT!
So, she weighed the guys and yep Risa needs to lose weight so mommy thought - hmm let's start her exercise yet again with walking. We walked with daddy but he sort of does a saunter around the neighbourhood that burns about 2 calories. heh
Mommy decided to take Kat (who is 11.5 lbs and a good weight for his body) and Risa who needs tough love marathon business plan for a walk today and we walked at a fast clip. There was a lady jogging behingd us and we were doing a fast walk and we were keeping ahead of her. Risa said, "what's that about?"
About 15 minutes in, Risa had her tongue out doing this heavy breathing thing and Kat was still bouncing around as if nothing was bothering him. Mommy was dying like Risa. That's a good thing as this was her CRAZY idea and if she didn't feel what she was doing, well she may continue this craziness but no, she whispered - tomorrow - watch out - a tad further and see if you can keep up.
Risa slumped on to a pillow all wet - yeah it was raining, giving mommy the evil eye but that human knows she feels better and Risa feels better when she's not packing on those extra pounds. Still - it's not fun but when that crazy human thinks we are on a mission.
Risa:
Follow us on this goal to get fit before the white stuff flies too much. I will share if you share this craziness of getting healthy. Are you up for the challenge? What did you do today to work it? Me - I am hugging the couch and pillow for dear life.