Strategies

It's funny but if you watch closely enough, the havanese will figure out how best to get what they want. They may wait and watch and asess the situation but they are doing so.

Treasure always gets the ball except when red figures out how to distract her and get it himself. At times 2 of them will work together for a similar result.

Do they have relationships? Yep! Are they smart enough to figure how to win? Yep! But just liek people, some are more smarter than others but it only means each is good in their own thing.

Treasure you can have a conversation with and she figures out what you want. Is she picking out keywords? Does she remember where that toy is she left YESTERDAY? Yep!

Sometimes, even still, the havanese amaze me! Tell me what yours does to amaze you!

Brain Storming

 I am thinking about putting together a list of products and how I feel about them. I want comments though so we can all go - is this a viable solution or not.

I am sick of wasting $$ on things that just don't cut it.

So, after I am not sick, I am going to create an area that I hope you also participate in so we can stop wasting those precious bucks. What's in it for me? Nothing except a free flow of information helping me to not spend my hard earned $$ on ahem crap.

Why this photo? Well, that's Sassy's butt as if she is saying - that's all folks.

Now to crawl on to the couch or recliner with the dawgs. The doggie apron is coming off.

Washing Day

I think I am getting the crud. I took a nap with the dawgs. They enjoyed it - outside on the furniture.

Whitney seemed to not be able to control her urine output so bathing her was necessary.

I also bathed Abigail and Treasure and stopped. I want to crawl into bed and stay warm and get well. But I will blog it here, watch tv and snuggle with the dawgs.

May tomorrow be a well day.

Stormy Times

Well, if you live in the Toronto area, you felt one heck of a storm at what 3am last night? All our cushions were soaked so we were drying them all day. Silly us for now taking them in.

I started grooming and then finished and the 1st dawg I did looked a total mess. I laughed. Dawgs they make you find your sense of humour or you would go totally bonkers.

I played a game of Bejewled today. I don't have the time to invest like others but you play against your facebook friends and I play with a huge handicap as I have dawgs draped on me while I try to play on the ipad.

Today I laughed when I watched Coco and Raylan running like banshees and Coco's tongue hanging out. Then Coach diving for Raylan and Sassy trying to rescue Coach. Nothing like a full day of body exercise to get the mind right - or so they say. I need some of that dawg exercise. Think I could run as fast as the havanese? I don't think so!

Do you think you can? Ah...a challenge... are you up to it?

Last Day of Summer?

I just adore when it is warm like this. It's not too hot. It's not to cold - it's just right. Wasn't that a Godilocks and 3 Bears sort of statement?

I took my camera outside after grooming half the dawgs and put the cushions on the chairs and the dawgs just jumped up and cuddled up and i swear they said ahhhhhh this is the life!

I had my ipad out there so I played as well but all and all I just enjoyed till I had to come back in, feed the crew and get Nathan at the train station.

Nathan is off to handling class tonight with the pups that will be going to England and he may bring our son Tal. I will be interested to see how that goes.

I washed the pups together and if I hadn't I might have been extra decadent and hang outside forever. What a thought.

What did you do the last day of summer?

Blast From the Past

I saw this photo from a couple of years ago and noticed my camera and skills improved somewhat.  

It's nice to take photos so you can see if your memories are the same as reality and you get to capture special moments.

I have not been taking many photos of late but its a funk I am in. I have to get back to it.

I did clip all the ends on Abigail as I practice scissoring. Good thing she doesn't care but so far so good.

The weather is cooling down. Games of retrieve are indeed a good part of the day. When we walk the dogs we see the leaves already starting to fall. It's rather scary that the cold weather is coming.

Abigail has decided I am her person again as she snuggles each time I climb into the recliner to watch the new TV shows. The rest of the gang climb on top of me to sit with me or on the huge bench that straddles the recliner on purpose. It belongs in front of the couch but hey this is an accommodating dawg house. I did get caught up on a few new and old shows such as Rizzoli & Isles. That's a new one I rather enjoyed and will watch again. I also have a bunch on the PVR and will have to play catch-up while I groom and snuggle with the dawgs. Tonight brings a bunch of new shows such as Lone Star, The Event, Mike and Molly and Hawaii Five-O plus an oldie, House. They may be old to you if you are American but we are playing catch-up here. We also get things the Americans get later at times. Crazy - should just get them at the same time.

But many of you will have fun with your first winter season with your little one. Something about snow that invigorates them. You just wait... Or then again you can find a recliner, take photos from the window and send your spouse out into the cold and if you don't have a spouse or a significant other - your mom - your dad your...

Benefits of Being on High

Have you ever noticed that Havanese like high spots so they can look down and survey all?

It puts them in a place of control over their environment - a safe place to be and it is plain fun to be able to look from a strategic place at their surroundings.

For us, height is something that is built in due to our size but not for the Havanese. They have to sit on high like a cat to get the same birds eye view we do.

Can you imagine having to crank your neck to see what is going on always?

So when you are wondering why your little one is sitting on the back of the couch or a recliner or.... it's just plain easier to see all.

Coco enjoys getting a birds-eye view of all especially with Raylan and Red so she can pounce and have the edge in play.

The Havanese - well they are smart!

Mia Has a Love-in With Her Human Parents Today

Isn't it fun to have special moments in your life or watch others? I find when dogs connect with their humans it is rather special.

Dawgs don't care about bad haircuts or bad smells  they only care if their human is off kilter. It's amazing how intuned they can get with you.

But some are strong willed and ooops can even be demanding and sometimes we just indulge out of love and then can't understand why our cuties are demanding. What do we do if we find ourselves in such a crazy circle? With kids we used to call it 'tough love' and it's similar with the dawg crew. Rules and boundaries lend comfort and in reality ARE love!

So, if you are allowing something because they are just soooooooooooo cute and you can't help it, well step back and start over and say no. That cute thing can snowball and become a huge irritation. It can't be something you say - today it is cute - tomnorrow I have no patience for it. Consistency is important no matter how much life gets in the way. But life DOES get in the way and when it does, you start again and that's okay.

Nothing is perfect except in our own minds at times. :-)

For those that posted about Whitney, thank you for helping with this journey. It's one of the hardest ones we face and we all have to eventually. She's up early today, no seizures and enjoying the little ones.

Getting Old

This morning our old lady golden had a seizure. She has them every now and then but this one was more acute. Usually she doesn't even get up till afternoon but today she wanted to come down 1st thing. She must have known. Then she had 2 more. She's never had 3 in a morning.

While this was going on, Fiona who is in this photo snuggled, licked and tried to comfort her the last 2 times it occured. Red Adair tried to pull her tail as if to say, come play.

It's hard getting old.

What is hard is figuring out the time to say enough. It's not an easy process especially when she played tug just an hour ago with Red. It's the 1st time she has played tug in a long time. She plays with Terra wrestling but puppies are magic for her. I can't explain. They appear to muster something genuinely fun in her. She smiles and tunes in to them like it was her own trying to teach and play and enjoy. I guess once a mother always a mother.

Whitney never had pups while she was with us but we heard she had too many - something we could never do. From research we did she went from breeder to breeder and almost died her last 2 litters. Why someone tried to breed her again we will never know but they can't have been thinking of her. If I almost lost a dog due to breeding, they would not be bred again. Only healthy dogs should be bred but there are people that it is about them not the dog. How you can bring a dog into your life and not love them enough to want the best for them, I don't know. But it happens with puppy mills...people who think of them as ONLY dogs. (sigh) To us they are so much more - family members who each bring something special and rewarding to your life.

When we got her she was a rescue hardly in any condition to do much and afraid of the world. With patience we taught her that life can be fun when you rid yourself of your fears and embrace the fun. It looks like that lesson has remained even though her eyes are cloudy, her heart is still open and wide and receptive to the pups.

They say the time is right to say enough when they are no longer having 'fun' but do you tend to see it even if it is not there - is it about you and not them? It's important to honestly explore this issue but it's not easy. Two years ago when she stopped walking and Nathan took her in the pool daily and got her walking and playing - well I thought it was time then.

It's not fun getting old but it's also nice to know that from pup to older havanese, they do give her life more meaning and we hope we do too.

Not to be too much of a downer...just hard and so much responsibility - doing it for them not you. We all eventually have to face it if we have canines in our lives.

And as I type, the crew is all rallied around her sleeping around her while she sleeps. What are they trying to tell me? I look for answers.

Magic of Havanese

It's raining again. I just got the crew brushed and yep it is raining yet again. Oh, we need the rain. But does that add to the amount of grooming - heh.

Some havanese adore the rain. Others lift up their feet going oooh it's wet out there Mommy. But you can get them past this by slow conditioning. Yep that word(s) again. Just take them out and plunk them in the middle of the grass so they go. It means you have to go out in the rain too but I am a firm believer that you don't just open the door and let them out. I want to know if they are getting into something or they have bowel issues or... you get the idea.

So we take our dawgs out in rain, snow, sunshine or even windy storms. It just means more drying and brushing out.

Our crew has spent a great deal of time hanging out today. Just like humans, I think the rain brings on this lazy attitude - the desire to just be and that's okay at times. Something about a recliner and draping their bodies all over you that make me feel good and them. They usually vy for the spot they want. It's a riot. It's almost s if I have a new coat.

Dawgs - well they are wonderful! They warm your heart when it is aching and make you smile when you think you want to cry. It's as if they posses magic. It's rather nice!

Relationships are Complicated

What is going on? I have been madly looking for old puppy photos for the calendar that Nathan is doing and I keep coming up with fun memories. That's the thing about photos - they have these memories attached to them. Sometime you should go back over your old ones and see what you remember.

Today the rain is coming yet again. We did greenies and they adore then but Wasabi ate half her beard - argh! I guess it will grow again. Be mindful of that especially if you are showing a dog.

Coco's car conditioning is going off without a hitch. Mia's jumping where she shouldn't be is a continual learning experience. It's the challenges that they offer you that make us realize life is a set of challenges and solutions need to be found. Why? Because you love them and they are worth it!

I bought a poker lottery ticket just to see what it is about. I lost of course and it was too fast of a loss for me. I do not think I will be buying again. 3 people bought them before me and guess what - they lost too. hehehe Perhaps it is a sign?? I do buy lottery tix from time to time and dream about the ultimate dog designed house - a mad sickness, I tell you. But it is fun to dream every now and then. Without dreams, what do we have?

Mia loves her mom so and plays with her as if she has a bond like none other but she finds Red Adait fascinating too.

Relationships are complicated in dogs and they can be so in humans too. We need to cultivate them, treasure and make the most of them. One never knows what life has in store.

Lack of Updates

No updates today. Just know the dogs are well and loved and groomed. What is that %^&* about? Well we got called away for something important but we are back at it tomorrow!

Mia and Coco are grand loves! The rest - well Fiona refuses to stay brushed. Brusha brusha and then roll it on out. Sorry mom but this is way funny watching you try to keep me brushed. I think I will do it tomorrow too!

Shampoo/Conditioner Verdict

I tried the shampoo/conditioner from K9Competition. It's cheaper than Isle of Dogs or Pure Paws. It left the coat very soft and unmanageable - fly away. It's also not as silky as my coats usually feel when I do them with Isle or Pure Paws or even Laser Lites.

But the grooming spray is the easiest I have used to get mats out. It's all natural. I hate the smell but you can use Pure Paws Finishing spray to have that nice smell. If it was local, I would buy the spray but not the shampoo and conditioner. I have a variety of coats and I didn't have that wow factor in any of them though 2nd day was more manageable than 1st.

I believe in giving it my all to really test it and I am always looking for cheaper but this may be cheaper but it is not all that.

You may have different results but I can usually get a coat feeling nice. I still get it nice but not as nice. That's not good enough for ME but it may be for you.

Shoshi just had a bath and she has the most cottony coat. This stuff makes hers soft but dry. Not good.

When Shoshi has a bath she loves to run-like-hell and act all crazy. All the havanese tend to get so excited after a bath. This was Shoshi sliding - yes sliding in to catch the hacky sack. For an older gal, she sure has an adventurous soul.

Mia has found her mom play daily these days. I never saw so much play between two. Coco has found Abigail and Red Adair. I know I have said it before but the hacky sack is bringing so many grand moments of movement. The games they play with each other to get that little round thing is way funny.

I need to work on photos and upload them. I did do a Remember When gallery on Facebook. I am going through older photos of ours and other people's dawgs that visited us. I haven't made it through all them so if yours is not there - sorry friend - I will be sharing in the future here and there as I go down memory lane. It's only a sliver of what I have but I felt like sharing. One day I should do the best of the best.

Hacky Sack Rules!

Can a golden play with a Havanese? Yep! Size doesn't matter if the bigger dawg is gentle.

For some it comes natural. Other times not so. Sometimes it's a learned behaviour - being gentle.

It started out wet today. It ended up GORGEOUS.

Hacky sack ruled for everyone. You really have to try a game or two or three.

Coco came to visit us today.

I have yet to upload and resize the photos but she recognized her mom and I was enjoying the play. We also enjoyed our visit with her human parents.

The dawgs were in real form all chasing each other over the hackysack.

Beyond any other fetch toy, I swear this is the best. It fits in their mouth nicely and it is easy to carry. It's a winner. If you can find one, get it and play fetch with your Havanese.

Mia also had a great time today, massive snuggles and Fiona's attitude...

Today was the game - don't let Treasure win. Treasure didn't seem to mind and saw it as a challenge. It surely ramped the game up and they are now exhausted.

The sky is grey. I had errands to do. Nathan hung out with the dogs. I am going to go lay down. I think I am actually getting a massive headache. Strange as that is not the usual for me.

Know that the dogs will snuggle up with me now that they have eaten and played hard. The dawgs - they tend to know what you need!

One of Those Days

It's colder outside. I need to brush the dogs, do food shopping, do laundry it seems (a laundry basket is filled and out in the middle of the hallway) but I want to crawl into bed and snuggle with dogs and pretend the world doesn't exist.

The dawgs ate their cake though not totally crazy about it. I am usually a good cook but maybe not a good dawg cook????

I have not exercised today. I haven't taken a photo today. I haven't even eaten today but I am thinking about it.

I did play games with the dawgs and I did snuggle. I did play with the ipad for 15 minutes. I did clean up the backyard and did a 'did I miss any droppings' visit.

I made sure hair was out of everyone's eyes and I clean the eyes, do the teeth and check the ears.

It is one of THOSE days.

We all have them. Much like Fiona in this photo, I probably look like I just crawled out of bed. I guess it is time to get my act together. hahahaha

The dawgs are not suffering. They rather enjoy this snuggling and low key day every now and then as we all do! Enjoy the weekend and why not make it your low key weekend too!

Celebration of Play

Don't you love the way Havanese play. You get 2 together and they do the 'run like hell' game or they appear they are in their first dance class with a partner and they stand on their back legs playing forever or so it seems.

Havanese are incredibly agile.

Well, I am going to bake a doggie cake for the 9/9/9 crew. Fiona will say - what for me? But it is a celebration for her babies.

It's a cold day out. We are off to the daughter's tonight for dinner.

For all our Jewish friends we wish you a sweet New year filled with only good things.

Today I may crawl into the bed or watch some tv after washing a couple of dogs and then I am done to laze around and snuggle. It can't get better than that. I call these moments ones to treasure and etch in that memory bank in your brain. I will let you know how the dawgs like the cake. Here is the recipe.

Dawgie Cake - Yum!

• 3 cups flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 2 jars strained chicken baby food
• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• plain or vanilla yogurt
• 2 or 3 strips of bacon, fried crisp, then crumbled, or use bacon-flavored jerky strips, cut into bits.

Generously grease and flour two 8" round cake pans; set aside. Combine flour and baking powder; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat softened margarine until smooth. Add eggs and corn oil; mix well. Add strained chicken, and shredded carrots and mix until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour batter into the 2 prepared 8" cake pans. Bake at 325° for 60 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Place one layer on a serving plate and spread yogurt over top. Place second layer on top, then spread yogurt on top and sides of entire cake. Sprinkle crumbled bacon or bits of jerky strips over top. Use "Pupperoni" sticks instead of candles.

Washing Too Often?

Risa had a bath yesterday. I washed again today trying out a new shampoo conditioner spray combination. It's an all natural - good for the skin type of stuff. It did make the hair way soft but not controllable. I did get a natural shine from it. Do I like it? The verdict is still out. Ask me in a few days. I do adore the grooming spray.

This is what Risa looked like before her daily grooming. She feels to die for - more manageable than yesterday and it makes you want to snuggle for long periods of time so she has been in the recliner with me when I can get her away from playing with Mia. Yep - she was off playing with Mia today. Just when you think the old gal is all played out, she goes and fools you. Don't just ASSUME they are too old for such things.

We have a strong skunk smell in our yard. It must have sprayed somewhere around in our yard or the next. It's driving me crazy as I am always on high alert when I smell such. I guess I would get my shampoo workout if a Havanese got sprayed.

It's raining off and on and I like the dawgs clean. How much is too much washing? Well, when you are drying out the coat and damaging it, that's a good sign but you can damage a coat other ways. What's too long? When it's dirty and you keep getting mats at the touch - well then it is probably overdue.

Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

Why do Havanese like the sun?

Just like some of us sun helps to relax the muscles in a very relaxing way so it feels really good on the muscles. Ever take a heated yoga class?

As long as its not too hot and it is comfie for you to be outside, then why not lie down on a recliner and have your Havanese join you.

Today Raylan and Risa got washed. Tomorrow I continue. I am trying a new shampoo/conditioner brand. The verdict is still out. I will let you know.

Fiona and Kat's daughter won a best puppy in group this past weekend in Halifax. We are so excited for Val and Kitzie.

The dawgs are enjoying watching TV with us and with less dogs, we have time for such sedentary stuff. True Blood, The Good Wife and Closer here I come. ROFL

What do you watch with your Havanese?

Road Tripping

We went to Suzie and Helen's to play with their dawgs, eat, drink, forget and enjoy the company but I think the mojitos is not sitting with me well as I am going to crawl into bed.

Those that know me is I do not crawl into bed unless I am just not feeling okay.

I also didn't want to not blog as I know many count on us.

I have been rather sad seing all the dawgs going.

To bed - more tomorrow.

Helen and Suzie is wonderful!!