Havanese Roll in the...

There's nothing like a roll on your back to scratch it. I wonder if that would work for us?

Dogs do all sorts of silly things that you wonder if you duplicated their manner, if there is really something simply common sense about it.

I know - rather silly but sometimes my mind wonders such things. I must be so immersed in dogs that I am losing it but what a grand way to lose it, I say!

Today we had our usual grooming session. Emma, the golden that stayed with us went home. It was fun to have a golden stay with us. We had a visitor that wanted to introduce their dog to ours before it came to stay and Abigail still remains with an upset tummy.

It's cold and it's Sunday and Kat had a bath. What about YOU?

Wet and Rainy Fun

Well, per usual, I started grooming and got all but 3 dogs done.

Then the crew had to go out and it is pouring rain.
Nathan was also out dripping wet making sure he does the poo patrol. It's the usual here - not the rain but the grooming and pickup after the dogs.

It's about time that the old snow goes and hopefully we will get new this afternoon.

Problem is, everyone I groomed is getting groomed again. I think I will either do it last thing before bed or when the snow hits. After the rain turns to snow, it will be easier.

As you can see, Treasure is soaking wet. We used towels to dry and a light brushing and a very warm house with warm bed and blankets till we get them all dry and then it begins again.

The crew is not doing their usual heavy play as it's simply too wet. They are playing in the house but not to the degree that they do outside. I can't wait for the snow to begin.

We have Oreo, Missy and Holly coming today plus Nathan is picking up Joker. Joker is getting mated to Wasabi who is in heat. Abigail is also in heat and getting mated to Kat. That's the plan. It means puppies late spring.

A number of you asked me to burn all the photos I do while your loved one is with us. I thought about it and if I was to include all the photos I take, that's a lot of weeding out of photos of just yours and others. I would have to go through each day, separate yours to a single folder and burn a few DVDs. The photos would be printable quality up to a huge size. You could also edit them etc. but it takes me hours to do a video and the photos daily. If you are interested, I would have to charge $25 and, at a conservative rate, that would be about 6 bucks an hour. That's not much but I would do it if you are seriously interested. I just have to get a note asking.

Most of you probably know that I got laid off from my daytime job which I did from my home along with the dogs and I am looking for ways to make $$ and still manage to keep our dawgs well taken care of - groomed, walked, loved and be able to do boarding and daycare. But I am not going to make any real $$ from the photo route. It takes a lot of work but it will be my pleasure if it is a service you desire. Just let us know.

Havanese & Wet & Nails and Ears

I have the wet blues. Mommy says I have a show tomorrow but I do adore the rain. I like to stand out in it, jump in the puddles, and simply get a terrible mess. Puppies are supposed to do that and usually she lets me but not the day before a show. I mean - she's going to wash me TONIGHT but she's afraid she will have to do it earlier and then have an extra long time keeping me clean. Mommy - can't you bathe me twice? I never thought I would say that ...but....

Well, if that wasn't enough, Wasabi is acting like she is the boss around here. That's usually Risa's job. Okay - even if you are preggie - don't you know *I* am the real boss around this place. Just watch..I give this look and everyone just does whatever I want - yeah right!

Last night Daddy did nails on the dogs and Fiona just HATES her nails done. So, he tried - she squirmed so Mommy held and he cut and all was good but if she had her way, she would have not had them done even though they were truly needed.

Some of us have strong willed dogs but you must persist with baths, nails, brushing tummies and feet - anything that they feel they don't like as it's necessary. If you can't do the nails many vets will but that costs and many groomers will. But don't think the nails are getting grounded down naturally unless you are doing marathon walks on cement daily.

Ooops and don't forget to check the ears - smell them and make sure you don't have an infection coming on. We do not usually have one but Wasabi had one that just wouldn't go away and after two different meds and lots of treatment - it went. It does happen - just not all that often.

After this wet - do a brushing to eliminate any knots setting in. You will be glad you did.

Oh well - shows - busy times and hopefully we will survive. Hoping you have an easier time and we get Zack and Coco a week from Friday - how cool is that? We are excited!

Anything for a Treat

Treasure is highly treat motivated. Heck she is food motivated. You should see her when it is dinner or breakfast time. It's as if she just was told that treat is a million dollars.

Well, it was bath times today. Got the Abs to do still. Kat, Fiona and Wasabi had theirs - Abigail will get hers next and tomorrow Rufus gets his and Gina gets hers on Tuesday morning before she goes.

So many baths...so little time and where did that weekend go? Still Nathan did a marathon walking the crew and then some. I couldn't go as I was attached to the grooming room. Did you get out and enjoy the warmer weather? I hope so!

More tomorrow and a clean Rufus before he goes.

Visitors, Baths & More

I don't know what it is about this place but I go and get dirty and mommy has to clean me.

After all this time, I still don't get this bath thing.

Mommy thinks I look pretty all cleaned up but I sort of like that disheveled look. What about you?

I have been spending much time playing with our new visitors. I rather like them!

My new two buds now (visitors) called Jazmyn and Marlee (this is Marlee) that are mucking it up right along with me but mommy won't be bathing them till just before they go home. They adore the walks but come home from them less than pristine so its waterless bath, run with a towel and brush, brush brush. Marlee even clears our gate at the front door in excitement for the walks. Can I say - a great agility future? heh

Do you have a jumper in your house? Got any fun stories about it to share?

Blowing Coat: Havanese

Havanese usually blow their coat once. Some are gradual - some are all at once like our Abigail. What is blowing a coat and how can you tell?

If the coat is coming out in any degree more than the usual and you are seeing those small knots halfway up the shaft or closer - well there is a good chance it is happening.

Abigail with each brushing, her coat kept coming till she is now down to a single coat and now the undercoat is starting to come in. That's what creates those lovely knots.

Just use a hair conditioner and gently pull the knot apart, brush and comb. Take one knot at a time and don't pay attention to the whole. This only happens once in their life and you can get around it if your dog doesn't show by cutting them in a puppy cut and letting them grow out later or you may decide you really like that puppy cut.

Shoshi is in a puppy cut and needs a brush once a week - Risa too. The rest of ours are in full coats. Now brushing once a week can be done while you are watching TV and can be made to be enjoyable for both of you.

We have pups in their new homes that are cut shorter than the traditional puppy cut and really do not need to be brushed all that often. It's all what you want/need and what YOU like.

But if you are keeping them long and dealing with the blowing coat stage - this too will pass.

Be sure to buy the book From Nose to Tail that is filled with EXCELLENT info on how to take care of a Havanese. It's really worth the read.

Havanese Almost One Night Stand

Having a male that is intact with a house full of females makes you acutely aware of the stress they go through when the females are taken away.

As you can see here, Kat looks downright sad and stayed up half the night looking for the girls that left. Although he saw them leave, I gather he had wish-filled thinking that they made their way back. It's rather pathetic as he whines for them but after 24 hours - it usually goes away. This whole scenario is known as 'doing an Elvis' - meaning leaving the building - checking out. There are still some people that believe they see Elvis. One wonders if Kat would be seeing his gals - his in his mind - in his dreams - if he lets himself sleep. I think if I had my druthers - I would have all females and no males. Oh males are sensitive souls - I adore them but if they are intact and you have intact females - well you go through all this stuff wondering how fair it all is to the boys emotional state.

That first 24 hours - you may as not clean them as they spend their time sniffing and sticking their face everywhere trying to get their scent. They don't sleep - they don't eat. I brush and use a waterless shampoo but it is all fruitless till this emotional state goes away.

I did manage to get a new bar for my grooming table and its heavy duty. I will try it out when I feel better and along with that shipment came a Madan brush and Vellus brush and I will let you know how that goes. I get this stuff from Doug at K9Grooming Supplies. He will be at Trillium so if you need anything from him, send him mail. He will bring it to the show. He has great grooming tips and I mean everything he has told me has panned out and he doesn't sell me something I don't need and gets things he doesn't sell for me. He's a great guy to support - seriously.

So, today I will try both brushes and let you know how it goes. Brushes are important to me as I need to keep the coats in good shape for shows especially when you have a playful dog like Abs who mucks it up with everyone and therefore gets her coat chewed.

More later and after a bit of work - may take a lunch break of snuggling with Havanese on the couch.

Play and Bath Times

How often should you wash your dogs? It really depends on when they look dirty to you. I tend to do mine about every 2 weeks or so. Today I did Kat, Risa and Wasabi. Tomorrow I will do Shoshi and Terra. Abs and Fiona was done for the shows so no need to do them.

What happens when you do wash the crew is a certain amount of excitement where they do run like hell and even those not washed get into the play.

Oh, and the Havanese do play well with retrievers. Heck, Fiona is enjoying a bull mastiff in her class.

It all depends on the dog and the more positive exposure, the better it is.

Sometimes when you give a bath, your dog can end up a complete mess as Risa does here 5 minutes after her blow dry. She just rolls, and shakes toys and has a grand time but although she looks a mess, well - she feels great and smells good too and that is what it is about.

Besides, I think dogs are meant to muck it up.

Our pool is getting closed this week. If you have a pool, consider a safety cover. You will relax more and it will expand the play area. Ours jump on the cover as if it is a trampoline and love it. We will be getting a video after it goes on this week, I can't wait to see the pups on it as it will be their first time.

Well, more tomorrow.

Havanese Testing the Space

Well, we are still jockeying for who gets what. The usual spot for Abigail and Fiona is on the back of the couch. After some serious playtime, they need a good brush out and Coach decided the top of the couch was not only for Fiona or Abigail much to the 'Hey it is NOT' that Fiona vocalized.

I have to say, every now and then Fiona needs someone to say - no - I am not following YOUR rules. heh

Then while I was watching 'The Wire' with Dennis, Wasabi decided she was also going to tell Fiona that the top of the couch was hers too. Not a good day for Fiona but she's dealing. Like I said, the pack is still testing the waters - which is quite normal.

Nathan is off walking 2 dogs at once. He walked the Coach first as he always loudly vocalizes that he thinks not being first really isn't fair. Usually that's not the way we handle it but the youngest son needed to sleep so we made the decision to do what we thought would work. It didn't. He decided he wanted every walk. :-) So, off outside we went with the rest of the crew playing yard games and now we are back in.

Usually we find Coach playing with Sebastian and Abs playing with Fiona but every now and then, the whole crew mixes it up bigtime. It's great to see.

Both Coach and Sebastian are incredible snugglers. It's great to have them in bed with us.

But - exercise is a chore for me as every sit-up is seen as an invitation to play. But, I am laughing and I keep trying. Now to figure out how to get them exercising beside me instead of on top of me.

We are going to do training this afternoon, grooming and vegging. Besides - Nathan will have to rest those legs after these marathons. Still, we are lovin this havenese lovefest!

Havanese Grooming Time

Are we having fun or what? As you can see, I got a bath today and what is that thing she is putting on me around my neck? What is that rush of hair blowing at me? Hey - I am not sure I like this!

Oh my, but if I stand still, I get a treat. Hmm - it's NOT all bad. Plus I look perfectly snowy white just like my canine mommy Wasabi that also had a bath before me.

This human has this thing that points at me and blows warmish air but not that warm at me. Then she brushes me while it is blowing at me and I am not sure I am thrilled with that but she says she must or I may get some knots plus the hair looks silky smooth when she does it that way. I know as I admired myself in the mirror that is around this place. Those humans think I think it's another dawg but I know it's me strutting myself. Plus - I look boot-i-full - don't ya think?

It's important not to make the hair bone dry unless you are going out. As you can see from this photo, I am a tad damp but not wet. This way my skin doesn't dry out and my hair stays smashingly healthy. She also sprays this spray on conditioner all over and that helps protect my coat and keeps it cleaner longer plus keep any knots away as long as I get a brush.

We got batteries for a toy that has a recorder in it. You are supposed to record things and when I move it, well that human's voice starts talking out of it. I am sooooo confused and it drops out treats. The humans around here may hide this toy as it is about to drive them nuts.