Havanese Conformation Ring

Well, one thing we stick to is we tell you the real story without flowering it up. Treasure has been trained to go outside - in the grass and yesterday was her first outdoor show. So, as you can see in this photo, she took a break and did her business.

She's a puppy and this is her first time ever having a break midstream but the judge laughed about it especially when it looks like she has the largest bladder for a dog of that size.

She still managed to get winners bitch and that now puts her closer to that championship. She's almost there.

Today's another bath day, more competition and a sweepstakes. Then win or lose - if Daddy - (Nathan) can remember to crank up the heat in the pool, we will come home and Treasure will have her first swim and Kat will have his first dive of yet another season. He's been patient but he certainly wants in.

Me - before I swim I will have that video camera going and perhaps a photo or 2. Then another bath for the Treasured one for that show on Sunday then a Woofstock break.

Socializing Your Havanese

Oh, we all know or SHOULD know that taking classes is a safe way to expose your Havanese to all sorts of fun or strange dogs - well strange to them. If the class is good, the trainer has control of the class, it becomes a safe slow conditioning to all sorts of dogs big and small.

Sometimes people cringe and say - oh my but that class has only large dogs. I know - we have mulled it over in our minds too. Just last night we were at handling class with tons of large to really large dogs and one other small dog as you can see in this photo.

The other small dog was a tad hesitant but curious where Treasure - well this is the usual for her - the land of large dogs, it seems and a smattering of small. She is better off for it.

Realize that just bringing your Havanese to class is not enough. You have to bring the right attitude - an attitude that exudes - we are going to have fun as that attitude will run down the lead. Your Havanese are very in tuned with how you feel. They may know you better than your partner, husband, wife - mom/dad, significant other etc. when it comes to your emotional state.

But classes are not enough. You must follow through on what you learn even for a few minutes each day. By teaching your Havanese new skills, you not only create an amazing bond but you build your Havanese confidence. You are on the road to having the Havanese you want to if you follow through.

Right attitude - classes...big dogs - no problem!!

Photographing Havanese

Should you create the moment or capture the moment? It's really something any photographer thinks about.

When coming back from handling class, Nathan said, I will drive down the street and you try to get a photo of them with their hair flowing.

No, we don't allow them to hang out the window but I have to admit I wanted to see what it would look like.

Kat and Treasure seem to compliment each other in personality. It's quite nice to see - each being as adventurous as all get out.

Now daddy, can I drive the car I swore I could hear the Havanese mumble. ROFL!

Folks - get out there and capture moments - create moments and Treasure them!

Havanese: Rainy Day Play

Sometimes when it is cold and rainy or damp and rainy, well you have to think of games inside.

Treasure's fave toy is this cat toy. It''s cheap and keeps them busy trying to get the toy out of the ring.

Treasure doesn't realize it's impossible to get out but oh she does try.

She pounces on it making all sorts of funny noises.

It's great fun to watch. It's cheap and the best toys are those that get your Havanese using their brain and body - don't you think?

Reducing Havanese Output

Yike gad..what is she talking about NOW?!! Well, it's a subject that is trendy as it's a 'green' tip.

To get your Havanese the healthiest they can be, consider feeding a high quality dog food that is typically found at a specialty pet store or online.

Because these foods have less preservatives and fillers, your pet will excrete less waste. That makes clean-up quicker and easier. Your Havanese will enjoy a healthier, more nutritious diet and you have less mess to deal with!

By feeding a diet that is of quality, your dog's hair will be healthier, shinier etc Hair is an indicator of health at times.

Remember the term, garbage in - garbage out? Well in this case, it's talking about that hair on your Havanese.

Well off to brush dogs and wash some. It's raining so I wonder why but a dirty coat mats/knots easily and a clean one - even wet doesn't tend to.

PS: we are setting up Wasabi's whelping box today and capturing her reactions. We will be posting on the puppy site called Talemaker Puppy Life all about it. This is where we are posting everything from pregnancy to pups to home. You'll find the rest of our lives exposed right here.

Enjoying Your Havanese

There's nothing like the hair flowing through a long coated Havanese that is running and having fun. It's sort of like the photographers that place a wind machine on a model to get that hair flowing - well the Havanese get it naturally from moving and so would the models if they did the same.

Kat has been enjoying the run-like-hell game with Treasure who feels she finally has caught the boy's attention.

There are a variety of things you can do with your Havanese from swimming to running to games but get 2 together and suddenly you don't have to try all that hard to see action.

We have a cat toy that has a ball that goes around it and Treasure adores it. It frustrates her at times enough to get her yelling at it as she can't get the ball out. It's the games that make them think that create fun for them and gets their mind working.

Did you know your Havanese can learn hide and seek games? Go hide when your Havanese is not watching then call him. Go crazy when he finds you. Say 'good hide and seek' or whatever you want to name it. Keep playing the game getting someone else to hold your dog. You hide and whomever is holding them says - find x. If your Havanese doesn't understand what you want, the person holding your dog may have to give them some help till they understand the rules. Kids do this with their dogs all the time without thinking about it and the dog 'gets' the game. Try it and be creative with it.

Talemaker Havenese Craziness Evolves

Treasure is off to handling class tonight as she has a show not this weekend but next. She knows her stuff but it is always good to practice, practice and perfect. We are working on getting all the waiting to be fun. Will we manage it? Time will tell.

If you haven't noticed, in the right hand column, we started an area just to talk about Wasabi, her pregnancy - the pups when they arrive and all the fun till they go home.

All the dawgs count around this place so anything non preggie or pup related when they arrive will be here.

You may want to read both but for those that just want a look into what it takes to do this breeding business emotional and otherwise and want to see puppy photos, look at what sort of date to date status Wasabi is at and much more, well visit us at Talemaker Puppy Life.

Grounding With the Havanese

You can't pick some people off the ground. Something about being at their level, the gang just adores it. maybe he's one of the pack mates then.

Well, we have a busy day - a show - getting the pool ready - dogs - visitors today - lots to do.

I hope yours is as fun or quieter - depending what you need.

Hoping the weather eventually cooperates and we get new dogs swimming. Treasure looks highly curious. maybe we will have another swimmer like Katsura. We can hope.

Hannah, our visitor goes home tomorrow and we will be back down to just our pack. Sniff... We rather enjoy the extras. It's good for the pack to regroup though.

Shows, Friends and Dogs

Well, Treasure got Winner's Bitch today. That means she was given the award of being the best female today.

Then we had friends come over (Suzi is one of them and she is in the photo)that has Milo and Hugo and we expected Hugo to play with Hannah who is his litter mate but nothing. All were quite subdued but after they went home, Treasure and Hannah was playing up a storm doing run-like-hell.

Now what was that about?

Tomorrow we have more visitors and Linda may be dropping into the show...and I have yet another shampoo for the Treasured one. Is show weekend over? ROFL

Making an Old Lady Comfie

We tend to like long hair around here but Whitney - our non Havanese who happens to be 14 and a golden was just shaved down. I don't find her attractive but I do think she is more comfie. I doubt I will have to do much grooming on her for a bit but I will continue to look in her ears and check her body for unusual changes.

Most Havanese people who buy their dogs for pet like to cut their dogs down..not usually this severe but what is termed a puppy cut. Why do they do it? Looks - easy care - a variety of reasons.

We tend to keep Shoshi and Risa in a semi cut coat in between the puppy cut and a full coat. Come summer I may go shorter to make in and out of the pool easier as they won't be dragging wet hair around.

There's no right or wrong on haircut preferences - they are just that - your choice.

What's your preference?

Is She, Is She Not?

Well, they think they see 4 or 5 and the last time she had pups, she had 6 so we won't know till June 24thish or the x-ray on the 18th. We indeed saw 4 and what looked like 5 but too early to know.

They are saying she's due around the 24th of June. That means she bred an extra week for nothing. hahahah

Are we excited...yep!!!!

Oh my gad..exciting times - puppies!!

If you are in Richmond Hill this Friday to Sunday - come see Treasure strutting her stuff in the ring.

Revealing Havanese Day

Well, it's the day of the ultrasound and the tummy is growing.

There goes my summer of swimming but mommy promised if I am to have little ones, Daddy and her will teach them to swim before they go to their forever homes.

Just like Risa - they promised me they will let me float in the pool so I can be comfie when my tummy is uncomfortable. They say its something about being in the water takes the weight off of carrying around a number of little ones.

The woman does all the work and the Daddy just - well the Katsura DOES play with the pups but I get all the work.

It's a man's world - after all - hahahahaha

Well, this is the Daddy. Really he looks better than here with that mile long tongue and the weeds growing up all over the place. These humans - grooming us - lovin' us and not having time for those pesky weeds. Who would have thunk it?

The Kat..short for Katsura is the son of a famous US Havanese and his mom lives with us here. We actually have 3 generations in our home. It's wonderful to watch.

Kat also has pups at Yvonne's - we think a couple left..or maybe just one..but today we get to see them..and so does Kat for the first time. We are sooooooooo excited. Photos will be taken and placed in our memory books. He does seem to have rather cute faced pups. As Yvonne said about hers - simply gorgeous! We're glad!

Another Kat Cutie

This is another of Kat's and Mystery pups showing his Havana roots with that lovely ahem in his mouth. ROFL

No smoking allowed - especially for Havanese dawgs!

I just love this pose and appreciate the new owners keeping us in the loop with photos. They sure know how to pose the cutie.

A few more days and we find out if the Wasabi is pregnant with Kat's pups. This time he will be able to charm them and play with them. We can't wait!

Treasure Bites the Dust

I thought this day would never come. Treasure collapsed in exhaustion.

All it took was attending a dog show three days in a row, which meant getting up and being bathed and groomed each day. Then driving to the show, showing in Breed and then again in Group. Then driving back home.

As an added bonus both yesterday and today after we got home we walked the dogs to the local school. That meant we took four dogs at a time, two for Darlah and two for me. At the back of the school is a soccer field and as luck would have it, looking carefully in all directions, there wasn't another person in sight. So off came the leashes and the classic Havanese run-like-hell game ensued over a good portion of the field. All of us that own Havanese realize our Havanese invented this game.

Other breeds might have a facsimile but it just isn't the same.

We actually got some video today which Darlah will place up when she gets a chance. We just got back with Terra, Shoshi, Fiona and Treasure. Terra, our six year old Golden Retriever, knows this game well, having fallen head over heals over the years more than once trying to catch Shoshi who makes impossible turns that Terra cannot duplicate. So Terra loped along with them but didn't really get into the chase. That was left to the three Havanese and did they go. I even tried to run with them for comic relief. I mean they slowed down and laughed at me as they blew by. Treasure was exhausted in just a few minutes.

Then we still had to walk back home, almost a mile. About halfway back we pass a church with a nicely groomed lawned. Treasure walks onto their grass, sniffs for a second with me waiting patiently for her to do her business. She finally finds the right spot but instead of peeing, she collapses into the grass, flat out. She literally wanted to take a nap, right there.

I got her back up and we continued home. She is now out cold on the floor outside my office. It is the first time she has been this exahusted since she was a pup way back a few months ago.Maybe we'll do it again tomorrow depending on how much my own legs are burning when I wake up.
Nathan

Karma Came to Visit

Kat and Mystery's pup Karma came to visit today and oh my the gal looks so much like the Kat. She even has his mannerisms. It was interesting to watch. They are hoping she greys out like Kat. Time will tell.

I was washing Zack and Coco as they are heading home tonight so I didn't get to see her the entire visit but I did manage to do the fastest wash and dry possible and still do an amazing job so I could.

I am exhausted. We have a show tomorrow. I was eyeing some toy tables as an extra table. Shows are a dangerous thing.

Up to wash the Treasured one at 6am and roll out at 730 - ouch! Have a great night..I am off to snuggle some Havs..wait for the pickup and then go to sleep at the earliest I can get away with. What about you?

Havanese Undercover

It's way too hot for these Havanese today outside. They have yet to adjust. Treasure has never had a heatwave and Risa - well she needs to slim down like me. But still, Daddy got a walk in with every single dog here - that's 13 dogs, folks. If he can do it - you can do it with 1 or 2.

Can you find Treasure's face in this photo? I can't. The other puppy is Coco who is here till tomorrow. Boy has time flown by. It feels like they just got here. Her pack mate Zack is here too.

Treasure is in a show this weekend and she's the only Havanese, it seems. We thought 2 but we were told just 1 now. Usually it is many more than that. Then next week we are at Richmond Hill where there is more Havs. You need more to get the points but it's all show conditioning.

Tomorrow we get a visit from a Mystery/Kat puppy called Karma. Then Tuesday we get a Bichon puppy visiting till Saturday. Then Wasabi goes to the vet. Exciting times for sure!!

Retrieve and Wet Talemaker Havanese Uploaded

Just in case you want to see the videos we did today, we did a wet Havanese video - the Treasured one before her bath and Treasure Retrieving. Can you tell how much Nathan loves the dogs in the retrieve one?

Hope you enjoy. Can't wait till we can teach the puppies to swim but boy am I getting ahead of myself. Still another week and a bit till ultrasound day!

Chillin' Havanese

We had a really great day despite the human mom being sick. She gave me a bath - (Treasure) as I have handling class tonight and I like mucking it up and she took some wet videos of me. She's working on it now hoping to get a new video up (it's been forever) and another of me playing retrieve today.

When Daddy comes into the room to play the game with me, I have a bounce in my step and lots of fun is to be had. PS: I always manage to get the ball no matter when we play. I wonder what that is about...heh

Kat (our male chillin' in the background) says...I can touch it and get it first but why play that silly game. I much prefer diving in the pool. So, when is the pool opening up?

Look for videos coming soon. I know...it's been too long...

Havanese Connection: Sharing Matters

Do you know you can choose to connect with your Havanese or just be another being in your home. If you want a real bond with your Havanese, you have to create it. Sure, they will love you unconditionally but when I see Treasure climbing up her Daddy's chest to give him mega kisses all over his face, I realize to him, she's not just another being in the house nor is he just another to her. They have a real bond.

Sure, we get busy in our lives and there's always one more thing we have to do but there's nothing like watching that crazy guy stand out on the pool safety cover to grab that ball that the dawgs just won't get this one time and throwing it and laughing and allowing me to capture it on camera as a memory.

As that ball gets released and even in anticipation, the dogs are flying to get it. With camera in hand I get to capture that moment.

But you too can create your memories - like the photo book a friend did for her son's birthday with a Havanese called Sebastian.

Our moments are what we make them. Find a way to connect - to bond to make memories and celebrate a bond like none other. It can be as simple as massaging your Havanese while watching TV but take notice of your Havanese and don't just exist next to him. Touch and talk to him as if it matters - cause it does!

It's Mine Havanese Style

It's my toy - no, it's mine. There are so many games you can play with your Havanese and then with each other. It's not limited to retrieve.

Did you know you can teach them object recognition? Start calling a toy a certain name and get them to play retrieve with it. Then use a different toy and give it a unique name. Then put both toys down after they truly know the name of each object. You just expanded their vocabulary. You can also keep going. How fun is that?

Our dogs know walk, ambulation, W-A-L-K etc all for that great - do you want to go.... that they adore. We started using different words to each other so the dogs didn't understand but these smart Havanese caught on REAL fast! Try it!