Sunday Fun at Talemaker Havanese

Well we are a full dawg house at the moment. There's never a dull moment.

The dawgs all got thoroughly groomed as usual but I did it in my office/family room so I got to watch TV while I did my marathon. They liked it too as they were able to look out the window.

Mia came for an overnight visit. Nathan's father and wife came over too. He must really think we went to the dawgs.

It's still mucky sandy so the dawgs undersides gets dirty. We had snow flurries but not enough to make a difference - for shame.
Per request, we had Joker, Holly and Cesar in crates all lined up against each other so they were close in the bedroom with me. Holly hardly slept a wink and has been trying to catch up during the day. I tried too with a couple of dawgs but that didn't work. Tonight's a new night and maybe we will get a full night set of zzzs.

Mia will be in bed with me and I am looking forward to that as she snuggles into my neck. Bailey no longer sleeps in her bed next to my head but instead up against my body. That's been going on for quite a few days now - nice.

Louis has been here so many times that he just settled right in on the top pillow and Risa just allowed. She is rather fond of Louis.

Nathan is in the other room. We do this during the times when we have a lot of visitors or gals are in heat. We prefer one bedroom but we do what works temporarily. He got Fred, Abigail, Kat and a few more while I got the rest. It all worked except Holly wasn't crazy about crate time.

Big tip - do not leave a SD photo card in your port in your computer with a puppy around. All it took was one quick bite and a 4 GB has bit the dust. It happens. Live and learn and I should know better.

Let's see - my observations today - Fred has become such a lovee. He listens really well. I tell him no and he stops. Way nice.

Zack, Cesar, Bailey and always some of ours tends to play up a storm. Cocoa gets into it when she wants. She is so much like Fiona before Fiona had pups. She plays hard when she wants and watches when she just wants to observe.

Missy had a grand amount of fun playing with Oreo today. She also is quite nice with her pack mate Holly - making sure she is okay.

Joker has fit in here nicely. He is a lovee to the max. He also lays on his back so nice letting you groom him.

Everyone played hard today despite it being too icy. We find that they are settling for running up paths where it isn't slippery when it comes to big play. The pool cover is a bear to get up and out of at the moment but they manage to without issue. I even found the deck slippery but they seem to be more sure footed than us.

As I type this the crew is all splayed out all over the place catching some zzzs after another round of going out. With all this outside time, I find I am also getting conditioned to this cold.

Snuggles - the dawgs are getting them - each and everyone a number of times a day. As someone who had a brother who thought his sisters (2 of us) got all the attention - well we make sure we distribute it equally.

Here's a few photos from today's fun.

Off to snuggle with a dawg or two or three or four. 6 fit on the recliner with me and the rest all over the couch while we watch TV and I rotate dawgs. It's a crazy way of living but fun!

2 COMMENTS:
Claire said...
darlah,
who is on slide 55? the little black and white hav? reminds me so much of my Petey!
enjoyed the pics, as usual!
Wish we lived closer so our dogs could play!

December 27, 2009 9:21 PM
Darlah & Nathan Potechin said...
Claire - that is Joker from Paula who did so well in the ring. He's a small boy and he's getting mated to Wasabi. With both of their attributes, I am hoping for outstanding pups. We shall see.

Yes, wish we lived closer. It's always a crazy dawg house here and I am sure you would enjoy that! If we ever win the lottery, we will have to send you a ticket to come play with your dawgs.

December 28, 2009 10:28 AM

Just a Few Photos of Today

No time to do a slide show today. We are having way too much fun. But here is a highlight. Louis just came tonight and Louis is a regular and we just adore him. We also appreciate the wine and chocolates - yum! Louis is having a great time.

Cocoa is Zack's pack mate. they live together and you can surely tell. They play as if they love each other and you can tell. Cocoa also plays with the rest of the crew but truly enjoys Nathan and Zack above all else.

Zack lives with Cocoa and is a party boy. He just loves all of the dawgs. If you are wiling to play - well he's your guy.

Fred adores playing with everyone and tends to like the gals the best. Sure he plays with the boys but those gals - well they smell nice. hahahaha

The crew got wet and more wet and was brushed and dried and brushed and dried as it has been raining non stop here. Now do you understand the lack of the slide show? Besides, the dawgs are priority - don't you think? Here a couple are snoozing after hard play.

Oh my - well Bailey found mud. She was so delighted it was so funny. She went under our Japanese Maple and ran like a banshee and got so muddy, it was unreal. Yes, we cleaned her up. But I know what floats her boat now more than anything.

Cesar is another party boy who plays nonstop with all takers. He is up and down the stairs outside, in out below ground patio, across the pool, under the deck - anything that gets those guys chasing him and he loves it.

So, can we come in - go out, come in - go out? Who cares if that crazy human has to clean us up. We LOVE this game.

Missy came this afternoon with her packmate Holly who is a little puppy gal who you can see playing with Treasure on Talemaker Puppy Life . She's not one of ours but we highlighted her on our puppy pages. Missy has been here before and makes herself at home. She jumps up and down on everything with ease and surely remembers most of the crew and shows it.

If I forgot someone - sorry but it's been a dawg wet day. Hope you understand. More tomorrow.

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.

December 25th at Talemaker Havanese

Looks like a snowy day today and yep - the snow was there on the ground but the rain came late in the day. What we will end up with tomorrow - who knows. I am hoping it's not too icy.

We had a full day today that started at 545am.

We had a play session outside and then came in and ate. After eating, that human groomed us all and back outside we went and here are some of the photos from today. I have many more but I just grab a chunk and resize and put them in a slide show. I hope when I do, I get everyone and I do try. I just don't have the hours in the day to post them all due to needing to resize all the photos. Check them out here.

Well, the crew also got their presents today and they had yum chew bones. They loved them and we enjoy it when they enjoy.

The crew played hard and seemed like they were never going to stop until the rain came. Then we came inside, played with Tiger Lily who is about to go home any second and cuddled and hugged and enjoyed.

A crazy game of retrieve is always played and Zack, Fred, Cesar, Treasure and Abigail is the - I will always play and the rest join in when they desire.

Sorry to make this short but we are tuckered out and we have a few more visitors coming tomorrow. It will surely be a ton of fun. Catch you tomorrow.

Christmas Eve at Talemaker Havanese

Well the crew will get special bones to gnaw on come Christmas after breakfast.

But today, they were in such a wonderful playful mood. I tell you.

Everyone got groomed and I had to write everyone's name on a list and check it off. I didn't do a cursory job either. Brush then comb through to make sure no knots exist and then they went on walks and got sandy dirty. I can't win.

Tomorrow we have one of Fiona's pups coming for just the afternoon. Then we have a few more dawgs that are joining us for what will be a ton of fun on December 26th.

Not much else is getting done but dawgs, dawgs and more dawgs but we love it.

Looks like Abigail is in heat now too.

Today Bailey is after Cesar big time in play. Fred's playing with everyone. Coco started playing and Zack plays with all. Of course our gang joins in especially that Abigail and Treasure that thinks play is their first name.

It's wonderful watching this play. The sand though on the walks is not.

If you want to see some photos from today - I know all of you that are leaving your loves with us want to...and that's why we do it - well check it out here.

Exciting Day Today!

First thing this morning, Fred came to visit. I was busy grooming dawgs so when I was done the crew, Fred went up on the table and got a thorough brushing and complete comb out. I groom the crew daily - visitors and my own crew.

I like a knot free dawg and the dawgs seem to like that too. Though some like grooming more than others - they do like the hugs, snuggles and kisses but most of all the treat at the end.

Late today Zack and Cocoa came. Their grooming comes before they head to bed. We had play and walks - yep they all walked and puppies visiting. We had a full day of play and fun.

Check out some of the photos from today and if you want to see more, soon I will be posting puppy pics on Havanese Life.

Fred fits in really well - playing with all but really loves playing with Bailey and Cesar. They muck it up bigtime.

Zack and Cocoa are hanging out and playing with Abigail, Fiona an Risa.

What a full day we have.

Due to Wasabi being in heat, we are splitting up the crew. Some will be sleeping with Nathan and some with me. Usually we are in the same room but she's being bred to someone other than Kat so it is what it is. We are hoping this brings in Abigail. Miss Abs will be bred to Kat. It's starting to look that way...stay tuned.

Ah..the life of crazy dawg breeders that love the dawgs and thank gad the humans share this passion as it is way crazy!

More tomorrow.

What a Day & Night

The day started out early with Nathan going down to get Val and her TT and Bichon and Havanese. The Havanese, Kit Kat was coming for a visit and her Bichon and TT was going to the vets with Nathan who had to take Terra for her standing Tuesday rehab visit.

Yesterday Nathan thought he had flooded the van and I told Yvonne about it but it started fine today She was coming in for a doctor's appointment and I offered to watch her 4 Havanese and her puppy who is a cutie and still available - almost ready to go to a new home.

Well, I had Kit Kat and Bailey one of our visitors was not too crazy about this miniature Havanese. Kit Kat never bothered her but something about her - well Bailey wasn't crazy about so, I tend to expose the dawgs slowly when they have a reaction like that. I placed Bailey up high with me while I groomed all the dawgs. I do this daily. They may not look that way midstream but I feel better that they are knot free. I then washed Fiona as she was getting cut down due to the puppies mangling her hair.

Then Yvonne called to ask if the van was okay and I said call Nathan. I am glad she did. She came by the vets, picked up Val and the dawgs to bring them here and Nathan waited for CAA.

While Nathan was waiting for a tow truck in lovely Colborne, Yvonne dropped off her dawgs including a puppy and Val with her TT and her Bichon.

It was a sea of dawgs here and Bailey eventually adjusted and so did Cesar who looked around and I swear was counting.

The dawgs played and played. Check out the photos from today, here.

The car's in the shop. Nathan is tuckered out - me too and so are the dawgs. It's 9:30 at night and I am typing away.

Tomorrow brings Fred, Zack and Coco and the 4 Fiona pups will be coming for a short visit in the afternoon. What fun tomorrow brings.

Off to snuggle and play with the crew. I need it!

Christmas & New Year's Eve Safety

As you know by now, everything new, shiny, crinkly or with an interesting smell, will at some point or another attract the interest of your Havanese.

Try to imagine Christmas or New Year's Eve from a dawg's point of view. Furniture is moved around to make room for the tree or accommodate guests. Decorations are on display.

All sorts of people are coming and going and some are even sleeping over. There are sounds that are unfamiliar and you are busier than usual.

PS: We know this as our two sons have come and gone back to school.

How do you both cope?

Stay calm. You can get stressed out during the holidays, and your Havanese picks up on your stress. He looks to you as the alpha leader. If you are calm, he is calm.

Make sure you spend quality time with your Havanese. A bored dawg can equal trouble. It's not that your dawg intends on creating trouble but if you are too busy, well there are things to do and places to be that maybe your Havanese shouldn't. Some of those can be toxic or deadly.

Play with your dog before your party. If you tire him out, he’ll be too tired to get into any mischief when your guests arrive. If that is not possible, hire a dog walker or take him to doggie daycare.

Try not to use toothpicks for hors d’oeurves because your Havanese can eat the toothpicks if they are dropped on the floor and they can get stuck in his throat or puncture his internal organs.

Be especially careful opening your front door when you are greeting guests and also with delivery people so your dog doesn’t dash out.

Block off your Xmas tree or place it on a table. Keeping the water, tinsel, lights and bulbs away from your Havanese is important. As an extra protection, Keep your dawg from drinking the water by covering the tree basin with a tree skirt.

Ask your guests not to feed your dog or let him drink any of their drinks.

To prevent your dog from knocking over your holiday tree, anchor it with cord or wire to the ceiling directly above the tree's trunk. Don't attach it with wire to a wall behind the tree because your dog could get caught in the wire if be darts behind the tree.

Hang your ornaments with ribbons rather than hooks to keep your dog from accidentally swallowing something that could get lodged in his throat.

Do not use tinsel or angel hair on your tree. Angel hair, made of glass fiber, and tinsel, made of metal, can cause internal damage if your dog swallows any.

There are so many other safety tips I could cover but use your common sense. Our Havanese are precious beings that deserve that extra attention to safety that you should give. They also deserve quality time.

We, at Talemaker Havanese hope you have a safe an amazing Christmas and Happy New Year.

Our celebrations will be entirely dawg related with family, friends and visitors alike but it's as usual in this house where the dawgs count!

We have had a full day with Bailey playing heavily with Cesar, Abigail, Fiona and Treasure and Cesar playing with everyone. Tomorrow we have many dawgie guests just for the day. Kit Kat is coming while Nathan and her owner goes to the vet, Yvonne and crew will be coming while she goes to the doctor. Full house indeed but then they will be gone by mid afternoon.

Watch for photos tomorrow after our busy day is done. I am truly adoring watching and playing with the dawgs. It's a slice of heaven - I tell you!

Boarding Alert!!

If a big snow hits like New England and you need to drop off your dog early, just let us know. Of course we charge accordingly but we wanted to put it out as an option in case getting here becomes a hardship. If you are local, we can do a pickup for a charge.

No, this is not about money. It's about offering you a way to not have to worry about one more thing.

They say a big one is coming Xmas eve but you know how the weather folks are...you just never know.

While our visitors families are away for Xmas and/or the New Year, we at Talemaker are hoping for a ton of snow to do all sorts of fun videos with our visitors and our pack. Yep, we want snow not for your inconvenience so it can come after you are basking in the rays somewhere warm or skiing on a snow hill but just so we can have some delicious snow fun with the crew.

More later today about our crew. ... Stay warm and enjoy the winter holidays!

Mingle, Mingle, Mingle

"I know that my havanese needs to have doggie friends, but he is so small that I don't feel safe when we are at the dog park. There are huge dogs there that could hurt or kill him, and when the big dogs start to play, they are so rough that they might injure him even if they didn’t mean to.

We have all heard this mantra before and we do need to be aware what other dogs are saying or going to do without creating more anxiety in our dawgs than what already exists. It is important that dogs socialize. They need to get comfortable with other dogs especially safe ones.

You have to be careful not to flood a dog with too much. It's why we practice one on one and keep adding and even then a truly skittish dog will take some time to come around. We are aware of that and are proactive always helping things along to make sure a boarder or someone that comes for the day has a 'good' experience.

It takes time for a dog that is not used to having others to play with to find their play but we have an excellent pack and they are used to visitors.

Socializing is key to getting your dawg to be well rounded.

You can do it with boarding or daycare or obedience classes etc. Any SAFE environment where your well being of your dawg is important. Even a visit with your dawg to Pawsway can be a good experience.

We have bred dogs to be perpetual puppies. When in the company of other dogs, their natural inclination is to act like puppies, with playful games of chase or wrestling with that rough and tumble frenzy similar to what we see in human children of preschool age. This can produce bonds of friendship between dogs and can become a positive and friendly attitude toward all other canines.

However, in some cases, such forms of rough play can produce antagonistic relationships and attitudes. This is not uncommon when dogs have been allowed to run in an off-leash park area or have been placed in a doggie daycare where they interact with dogs of mixed sizes and temperaments in a generally unsupervised way. Under such circumstances, dogs may actually develop a general hostility or fear toward all unfamiliar dogs rather than acquiring canine friends.

You *can* create issues not intended. Be sure supervision is a part of the equation.

We go out with our dogs even when it is bitter cold. We use the time to play games, pick up poo, take photos and watch the dogs interacting. This way we can see what relationships are forming. It's important for us.

Socialization IS important but do it right.

Today we have Bailey and Cesar visiting. Nathan has done a marathon of walking today. Usually I do it with him but I had dawgs that are leaving and that means baths and brushing and we had our sons came in so we did a turkey.

Max and Missy just went home today and they will be missed. The pack is truly enjoying each other - visitors alike. We played retrieve and the dawgs had bones to gnaw on today. I swear they all looked like they were in pure bliss. It was nice!

What did you do with your dawgs today?

Wow Such Fun Indeed!

Who do we have here today...well Saki and Missy.

We also have Bailey who came yesterday and Max who came today and Cesar who has been here for awhile.

The crew is really meshing and playing well.

Bailey was hesitant her first night but she slept next to me in her bed with her head nudging mine. It was so sweet. She also hung out on my lap and got the lay of the land but today - well she is playing up a storm. With whom? Max, Cesar, Fiona (she really likes Fiona), Abigail and Kat.

Cesar has become way comfie and eats in his shiny bowl daily. He is a regular play monster and has decided if you are not playing - well I will get you to.

Max is playing with Cesar and Bailey tonight or maybe refereeing. Missy is also getting into the fun. The night has just begun!

The crew has been on walks - outside and inside a million and a half times and yes we go out with them. How do you think we get these pictures and besides who would want to miss the moments - not I.

If you want to see a glimpse of today, check out these photos.

New Visitor & 2 Delayed until Tomorrow

Bailey came to visit and although it was a repeat visit, she was a tad hesitant - tail down for about 15 minutes then her tail went up.

She started cozying up to the others and finding her comfort.

The pack reacted warmly to Bailey. She's going to have a blast this holiday!

Daisy just got cleaned up to go home. Her Mom comes at 3:30.

We will miss the little round snuggle monster. She may be back soon while her floors are getting done and we look forward to it!

Cesar was one of the first to say hello to Bailey. It was nice to see a visitor welcoming a visitor. Cesar really has his comfort going on.

Last night we had another crate - a wired one and Cesar decided that and his own was just his and he went back and forth figuring out which was more comfie. He decided he liked the wire one - at least last night he did. We will see what tonight brings.

Today the dogs are enjoying outside a tad more. Yesterday it was too cold. Where's the snow? We still have a fair amount but we need a blanket of new.

I want 12 inches so we can all lay out there - dawgs alike and do dog/snow angels. ROFL

Plus Treasure and Cesar can play - find that duck in the snow that they so fondly do.

I have the video camera charging - just waiting for that snow.

For all those vacationing in warmer climates - I am jealous but hey - we got the snow!

Slow Conditioning

Cesar's human parents told us that Cesar had an issue with shiny bowls. He simply didn't like them and wouldn't eat from them. Each dog tends to have quirks about different things but you can get them by it by slow conditioning.

Our golden saw a raccoon in our pool house up in the rafters one year and for eons had a moment of - looking up and worrying if it was going to come back. She's past it now but that was due to persistence.

I tend to believe we - all humans and dawgs have our own fears and we tend to be proactive about getting our dawgs past them. No one should be a prisoner of their own fears.

Cesar has no issues with anything else - a rather brave and happy soul but all dogs have something. That you haven't seen it only means you haven't been exposed to it yet. It can be as simple as that silly moving Christmas figurine that you see on your walks or the paper flying through the air or the garage door etc. But instead of avoiding, you should do slow conditioning. You do not saturate but you play a slow game of exposure till it's just part of their lives and that fear goes away.

We only fear what we do not know.

As you can see, Cesar is eating from a shiny bowl on day 5. He absolutely reacted that first day so out came a ceramic bowl and no issue. We didn't force the issue but just exposed. Each day Nathan surrounded him with the bowls and fed each dog closer and closer to him till today when he put his own shiny bowl down, Cesar ate without a single concern.

It is NORMAL for canines and humans to have fears. It's the use of slow conditioning that gets us by them.

Cesar and Daisy are wonderful dawgs. Although Daisy thinks she must play at the witching hour and pounces on my chest to play and lick my face, she's learning - it's not 6am yet.

Cesar uses a crate at night per a request from his owners and willingly goes into it to sleep. Daisy sleeps on the bed as that is what she does at home. All of our dawgs except the Golden's sleep on the bed including the visitors except when requested otherwise.

It was great to have a sea of dawgs keeping us warm. Even though we have the house much warmer than some of our friends with their open window - tsk tsk, it was way cold last night despite the furnace kicking in so the body hugs was nice!

Last night we had Missy and Holly's parents come to visit. Missy has boarded with us before and she is one of the most agile dawgs next to Gidget, Louis and Wasabi that we ever did see.

She hasn't been here for quite sometime so we did the one on one with her and her pack mate sister Holly. We do not believe in starting a visit with the dawgs being overwhelmed but feel a slow conditioning - 1 at a time introduction is a must even with dawgs that have come here before and aren't the partying types.

There are few that are the life of the party and relishes the crowd from the onset like Teddy.

Oh, they all get to be as the visit goes on but each has their own comfort zone and timetable. I don't like being immersed in a sea of strangers at a party though Nathan would have no issue with it. Each of us are different and that's a good thing.

We also gain our comfort levels being exposed to other people's (dawgs) strengths.

It doesn't make us better or worse - just unique. Think if we were all the same how B-O-R-I-N-G that would be.

Here's a photo of Holly who seems to be quite okay with the activity at Talemaker. She's in for a treat when she comes visit us. She's a tiny thing so we will be using our sweaters on her - watching her carefully to make sure it's not too cold for her and doing the same with the older set.

This morning it was too cold for the older crew to be out beyond 5 minutes at a time so we go out with them many times throughout the day and hopefully it will be warm enough today around noon to get a walk in. There are those rare moments where it is simply too cold to do just that and safety is more of a concern so we instead play games in the house - all sorts of silly games and the dawgs get tuckered out despite the lack of a chunk of outside play at a time.

People tell us all the time that their dawgs go home and almost sleep for 2 days. Why? They have such a jam packed vacation with us filled with fun that they need to regroup from the holiday. I am sure you humans know what that means. Unless your holiday takes you to a beach where you do nothing but lay around - if you are sight seeing etc. and doing biking, trekking etc - you come home - and then say - ah - it's good to be home - even though that holiday was AMAZING, I need to relax and enjoy home. Your canines do the same thing.

So, just because your dawgs are having the time of their life, they are so thrilled to see you and need that down time till the next time.

Stay warm folks - it's very cold out today. Pay attention to your dawgs feet - their bodies and bring them in when they are cold even if it's after 5 minutes.

How To Have Fun in the Snow

Snow was melting and now it's flying again. Some Havanese love the snow - a few have to get accustomed to it. It really has more to do with how you tackle it. Most find it an intoxicating and delightful - invigorating.

Kat (our boy in this photo) is one of these dogs that loves the snow, the rain the pool - just bring it on. Shoshi loves the snow but rain - sniff sniff - got to coax her out the door and we do.

She's getting better as she has no choice.

So, how do you have fun in the snow with your little one? You have to find your inner child if you are an adult or get your kids/grand kids to enjoy and you click away and take photos.

This is some of the ideas we have:

1. Make snow balls and throw them. It's a riot when they jump up to catch them and they just fall apart. They seem to enjoy it so it's not a strange sense if humour thing I have going but rather something you can enjoy together. They can also smash their prize in their mouth till you create another.

2. Create snow angels. You of course get on the ground and they will think it's an invitation to play.

3. Create snow paths to run in.

4. If you have a bench, dig out the area under the bench to allow hiding spots. This can be done with many things. They adore hiding, jumping out and playing.

5. Create a snowman big and small so your dawgs are exposed to them and when they see them in the neighbourhood - it's no big thing. Try to get them to help you and be creative!

Can you think of anything else? Then fill us in. We personally run through our paths and have a grand time with ours playing retrieve and much more.

We just got back from walking the dogs and our visitors are a delight to walk but getting mucked up from the sand out there that the city puts on teh walkways. Both Daisy and Cesar really enjoy the daily walks and we manage to mix it up having them walk with a different dog each time. That too you can do in the snow - after the sidewalks are shovelled?

PS: Even our visitors now are coming to stand in line for their grooming. I groom them daily to make sure they don't have any knots but you can't tell always as my sessions are always in the morning and by the time the day rolls by - well they have mucked it up big time and that's quite okay too. That's what dawgs having fun are supposed to do.

More tomorrow.

Crazy Dawg Livin'

We have had exciting times at Talemaker Havanese. Cesar and Daisy are visiting. Daisy will be going home late this week. Her mom is dealing with the mega flu. We hope she is starting to feel better. Friday Bailey, Max and Missy come and on Saturday Saki comes for a morning visit.

Exciting times for sure!!

Cesar is becoming a play monster especially with Daisy and Treasure in the mix. Both are playing wonderfully - eating well - walking well and enjoying many games of - who can get the duck first.

The weather is cool but comfie enough that we have flakes and can still enjoy the outside.

The pool cover has become semi-slushy so grooming is a more than daily thing.

Our day starts with play outside at 6 to 630am then breakfast, then outside play and then retrieve and then grooming where they all stand in line waiting for their turn - honest they do. Why? I am gentle - they get extra hugs and snuggles and a treat at the end.

We had one of our puppy owners over the other day and she was surprised that they were standing in line waiting their turn. That sort of stuff comes with making the experience fun and that treat at the end.

Take a peek at the photos of our crew - visitors and our own. I should have taken the one last night of Nathan draped with dawgs from one end of him to the other while we watched TV or draped all over me and him in bed but who would take a photo of THAT?

Cesar's First Morning

Cesar arrived last night at 7:30Pm and with our dawgs we do a one on one to get the new visitor to feel comfortable. Sometimes they feel comfortable from the onset and other times it takes a bit of time - a connection in the pack to make it all work. We do our part to make it happen.

Last night was a get acquainted and check the house, humans out and gain one's comfort level. We watched TV and he laid on Nathan's lap and he slept in a crate in our room (requested by owners) surrounded by Golden's that sleep on the floor and us humans and Havanese on the bed.

Well, today, he is playing retrieve and dragging Treasure all over the floor holding on to the toy and playing up a storm. Check out some of the photos from this morning.

We are working on his shiny bowl - I don't like quirk so you will see a ceramic and shiny bowl. Slow conditioning and he's eating up a storm. No worries.

Mia is coming this afternoon - a Fiona pup so we should have even more fun.

Check out the photos below. I will add to them as the day goes on and time allows, posting a "New Photos" in the title when I do.

Nathan's School of Thought

For five weeks, Terra, the younger of our two Golden Retriever’s, has been recovering from cruciate surgery.

For five weeks she has been in rehab. That means we have been diligently massaging her foot, leg, knee, thigh and hip, doing repetitive motion exercises to her knee, initially doing ice packs to reduce the swelling and then hot packs prior to exercise.

Once a week she goes to a rehab center over an hour drive from here for underwater treadmill therapy which is excellent for building muscle tone and helping her knee to strengthen and repair itself. Back at home she walks a few times a day around the block, goes up hill and down on gradual inclines, practices standing and sitting to work the muscles, and goes up and down the stairs outside.

Two days ago we finally allowed her to go up and down the stairs inside from the first to the second floor again.

For the past five weeks I’ve been carrying her up and down that flight so I’m glad we’ve reached this point. In approximately three weeks she goes back in for surgery on the right knee providing that the left knee has healed properly, hence the diligence. How much effort we put into her rehab will affect the quality of the rest of her life especially now that we’ve learned she has grade 4 hip dysplasia.

Terra will be seven years old next month. It is this kind of avoidable genetic health issue that really upsets me as it should upset anyone.

In truth, Terra’s sire and dam, in my opinion, should never have been used for breeding but it may have been a fluke and flukes unfortunately happen. Why in a sea of kidney issues on both sides of my family am I the only one without an issue?

Thankfully we do not have this issue with any of our Havanese and hopefully never will. It is certain that we’d never leave a dog in our breeding program that could produce a pup that would blow both knees and have such bad hips.

In comparison, our male Havanese, Kat, has hips tested and rated “excellent” by OFA, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Kat’s littermate, Kemi, also has hips rated excellent. So this is not something that we worry about in our lines of Havanese but clearly this is something that the Breeder from whom we got the Golden should take into consideration.

When you are interested in owning a new puppy and you call around to various Breeders, something we do recommend, you will find different prices. Please understand the age old axiom, you get what you pay for. If something seems too cheap, it probably is. Ask what health testing has been done to the sire and damn and any other members of the same breeding line. Don’t be shy. This is important. The few dollars you think you are saving today can come back and smack you in the head down the road.

I’m off to show Kat in Orangeville. As always Darlah has done a wonderful job bathing and grooming him. Now I need to do my end and show him or allow him to show himself. If you are in the area come to Orangeville this afternoon and watch Kat strut his stuff.

Nathan

PS: Be careful out there. It's icy rain in these parts. Your Havanese can also damage their legs by slipping and sliding. It's not only genetics that can play a part.

Time With Friends/Family

Good friends - dawgs, family - what more do you want...well okay there is more but today we got lost in this and it was a great adventure.

We tend to get lost in the dawgs all the time.

PS: We have a puppy coming tomorrow for boarding. Are we excited or what! Of course KitKat will go home and she wil be missed but puppy fun is still in our lives. How lucky we are!

Treasure just had an amazing amount of time today and one would swear she was posing in all sorts of model stances.

She makes it fun to capture the moments.

KitKat also was exposed to Yvonne's crew for the first time and we got to enjoy her 6 week puppy who is still available to that truly special home. This pup is delicious. She's bold and fun. She reminds me of our litters of late and she has such hair - thick and curly.

Check out the slide show below if you want to see her play with KitKat.

Now we are wondering how we ever gave up any of them. :-)

It's a Brrrrrrrrr Day Out

We have Kit Kat visiting us for the weekend. If interested, follow her visit on Havanese Life. Plus we have some winter tips to think about.

Do you have a bell on your door?

If you do, there are days like this that they ring it 40 million times?

Why?

They want to be out but its simply too cold to be out for any long period of time. So, they come in and then want to go back out. It's their solution to being too cold. hehehe

Although we had several inches of snow, it rained and then got cold again creating a significant amount of ice. It's downright treacherous out there.

Watch yourself - walking and driving. Your Havanese need you!

We have been having a blast in the house today playing retrieve. Maybe you should stay warm and try a game too!

Nathan Uses the Camera

I don't take all of the photos. Nathan dabbles too. More and more he is trying out his own fantastic artistic flair just like you can with your own camera. Check out his photos below of what he took today.

It's rather cold outside and you should be taking that extra hair out of their paws. It took me till 8pm last night to get the dawgs all combed out perfectly.

Tomorrow Nathan is at a show. I am staying home and I get a visit from KitKat for the weekend. We are off to visit Yvonne on Saturday. She's crazy as she said bring them all but I am not sure about that. We shall see. This week Chanukah begins and we want to make sure all those that celebrate enjoy the moments.

Nathan took all the dawgs for a walk and it's truly icy. Consider being extra careful or playing inside games for the most part. You should play outside daily but there are days...

I need to get Kat washed up and Treasure washed up. Treasure is starting to mat - which is a clear sign she needs a washing. Kat needs to get ready tonight for the show tomorrow as he leaves real early.

Take your camera out and take photos of your Havanese. Do send them to us. We may be able to use them in next year's calendar. Plus - we love seeing what you are up to as it gives us ideas what to do with ours. Together we can be more.