Dawg Happiness

What's the best game for a Havanese to play with another Havanese? The chase game, of course.

Kat is rarely caught but looks like he best watch out as Abigail is either cutting him off or catching him in sheer speed. She does practice this game a great deal and Kat only has moments of pure fun where he does.

He's rather happy at the moment as he has Quito, Kooba and Gidget here and he really likes what they bring to the mix. Kooba tends to be relentless forcing him to run and play hard and he loves it.

Male dawgs that are intact in a pack usually invest too much time in other things to just let loose but when someone engages him in play, it's like chicken soup for the Havanese soul. I put it up there with his diving in the pool - well almost. Nothing seems to compare to that for him.

Plus today we had a visitor over and their daughter was running around and getting them going. It was sooooooooo nice to see. So the dawgs are in fun mode and to be honest - it's contagious. I hope you catch the bug.

It All Comes Together

Shoshi is a pet dog. She came to our home strictly as a pet. When we first got her the breeder pushed us to get her extra early saying she would fly in with her sister and you don't want her flying alone.

We wanted to come to the breeder's house to get her but always a reason why we couldn't.

These are all warning signs as you should be able to visit your breeder if you live close by or even if you want to fly in.

Breeder's have lives too and have doctor's appointments, dinners out and all the things that us humans do so we are not here waiting for people to visit and when we have litters, we have to be extra careful as those visiting breeder after breeder can bring things on their feet, hands, clothes etc.and you can lose puppies that way so we balance our puppies needs with those interested.

If you are just wanting to get a puppy fix and not serious about acquiring one, you should think about the health of the pups and be extra careful. Leave your shoes at the door, wash your hands and if the breeder won't let you hold that puppy as its too young, then listen. It's not about you but the health of the puppy. As they get older, then everything gets easier.

So far Shoshi has been really healthy. We have been lucky. But she came to us very shy, afraid of the world and not socializing with people. If she had been homed without other dogs, she may have remained so. But she was lucky that she came to the crazy Talemker Havanese home.

She gets exposed to many people and dawgs. This has been positive and as she gets older, the more secure she gets. You can find her now sitting on stranger's laps and enjoying people.

She is one of the reasons we know that anything is possible given time, exposure and conditioning with love thrown in. Due to coming home too early, she was under developed in reading other dawgs, how to introduce play and how to simply meet and greet. But not everyone has a home like us with many people and dawgs coming in and out.

Here we have Quito and Kooba who is visiting us. When we first started boarding, we worried about conflicts and we learned how to introduce and how to read dogs and how to handle situations Every dawg that has come in no matter how nervous feels relaxed when matched with another that welcomes them in. Abigail is the very best for this job. She's like the person at the party and everyone is standing separate around the room and she gets them all interacting in a positive way. It's marvelous to watch.

Who are the best pals these days? Abigail and Shoshi. It does my heart good!

Look for Gidget and Saki and Chewy coming soon. My camera will be busy for sure.

Creative Expression

Kat was in a bit of a funk today. Do dawgs have moods - YEP.

They have likes and dislikes. Each have their very own unique personality and that's what makes them truly a delight.

They also pick up on YOUR mood. So, if you are in a total funk, your dawg may try to get you out of it or he will be your best friend and sulk and pout right along side of you.

Havanese are very intuitive. They are smart and tend to read your emotions like a book.

If you are in obedience training or conformation and you are upset at the wife/hubby/friend, the boss - whomever - don't fool yourself but that new trick you want to teach them - well unless your mood lightens up will be a tad more difficult to teach than if you just try and find your happy place.

So, no matter what is wrong with your world - all is right when a Havanese is in it. You just have to make it so for that Havanese and you!

Today's Mucking It Up

When female dawgs get together and there are puppies involved, there is always some good natured one upmanship like we experience at times with this crew. In play and in all things, they are still trying to vy for top female.

It's sometime off before they rise to that occasion but they do play and they do have a true fondness for each other.

This was just some of the pictures that Nathan took today.

Almost Two

Abigail, the dawg inside the bed will be 2 on Wednesday. Abigail is an apricot sable who is the heart dog of this crew. She takes a nervous dog and gets them to feel accepted. She has a heart as big as ever and is quite special, in my book.

Abigail is going in for her final tests before she has another heat this week. She's due to come into heat at month's end and will be bred to Kat. We are very excited about the possibilities of these pups.

It's a busy week. We have visiting dawgs coming this week and we are SOOOOO excited. It's nice to have the lull of just our crew and then we start missing what visitors bring to the mix and suddenly we are enjoying the craziness of dawgs. More walks - more play - more bedtime snuggles.

Hope that all of you survived the holiday. Go easy on the turkey with your dawgs. They may get upset tummies. Each dawg is different. Practice moderation.

Now back to grooming and outside play before mother nature and rain spoils all the fun.

Cold and Havanese

It's bitter cold and the Havanese love it! I am not sure I do. For them, it is invigorating. It's fun to watch. It's like poetry in motion!

Dress real warm - get outside and get them to practice movement. If you join in - think of the fun you will have. You may even laugh at yourself trying to keep up.

I think tomorrow, I will cuddle up on the couch after a jaunt outside and enjoy hot chocolate and Havanese and blankets. What about you?

Fondness of Each Other

Can dawgs feel fondness - even love for each other? Absolutely!

Do they have similar feelings for you? Yep!

What's great about your Havanese?

1. They never tire of your company

2. They are usually sensitive to your feelings.

3. They don't talk back - well almost never. heh

4. They take up a small space on the bed and keep you warm on a winter's night.

5. They bring laughter to your life.

There's more but start listing them and I bet you that you will be AMAZED at how many things you get down on your list.

The Havanese are amazing but some do have their quirks. Wet grassy feet - no - I don't think so. But playing and hiking and walking and agility and the list goes on - absolutely.

Here as it warms up from all this rain...well there's NOTHING like those Havs.

Next week we have a few visitors including Wasabi's pups. We can't wait and we will certainly be taking photos and videos of that!!

Well, back to basting the turkey. The dogs are smacking their lips. Yep, we are doing Thanksgiving tonight. Then off to a show tomorrow.

Weather & Havanese

Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate but Mommy makes me go out anyways. She doesn't realize that SOME of us have it in our heads that we are allergic to having wet feet.

I keep trying to tell her that Shoshi just can't handle it but still, she puts her in the middle of the grass and makes her do her business.

One wonders if she knows she gets wet too. tee hee

I am not sure if any of you read our other areas but I placed up a new file on Socializing Your Havanese in our tips area. It's important to get your Havanese out there with people, things and other dawgs in a safe way. Read about it.

Well, tomorrow Mommy is going to make turkey - YUM. I am licking my lips wit the thought of that. Mommy makes juicy turkey and it's ALL mine. Mommy says - yeah right my food hound little angel, Treasure. Shh...we will let her dream...now won't we.

Have a great holiday weekend - all!

Another Windy Day

I am not sure what is going on but the wind blows through the hair and gives you all sorts of challenges in trying to get a dog perfect but I rather believe the imperfect is perfect actually.

There's something about the messy hair - the stride and the elements that gives me the real memory and I like that.

The day was filled with grooming but you can't tell that. They had walks - nails clipped - puppy fun outside - weights taken of puppies - play sessions - hugs - love and where did the day go?

Well, I will tell you, this crew can't wait till a turkey gets cooked. We are doing ours Saturday - yum!

Today's Havanese Fun

This is a typical day with Nathan letting loose and having fun with the Havs. Me...I am filming or taking photos.

But today...Nathan managed to take his own pictures too.

Here's a photo of Risa jumping on Katsura. It's moments like these that are heart swells.

Check out the video below to see what else we do during the day and then check out Talemaker Puppy Life to see a first for the puppies.

TV Watching

The crew lays on Daddy and we get caught up on TV. It's gloomy outside so why not.

The Dad just walked everyone 2 at a time and now those old legs are saying - are you kidding? But he does it all the time. It's just at times he has some help.

So, what did the dawgs watch? Three Rivers - thumbs up or is that paws up so far. Then Cougar Town came on - and we clicked that off after 10 minutes. Now we are off watching Vampire Diaries - and the verdict is out.

Okay - the dawgs aren't really watching - we are. They are either snoozing or giving the dad a bath. Isn't that the way it is at your house when you are trying to watch TV?

Me, I am typing away and taking breaks getting puppy snuggles.

The dad has handling class tonight. I usually go but not while we have pups. I should clean up the guy (Kat) before he goes but it's a losing battle. Wasabi and him seem to muck it up in a big way.

The Wasabi woo just was brushed and bathed yesterday - brushed today and look at her? Give her dirt - wet - mud and oh the fun begins. Good thing the dirt usually falls off of her. heh

Well - back to TV...snuggling and having a tuned in or is that out day?

Serious Play

There are times when the inexperienced will think that the play is too rough but I know the dawgs well enough to know the difference.

You should too. Even puppies play growl and rough house. Treasure was relentless in trying to capture Kat. He's faster than her but she cuts him off whenever she can.

It's the mischievous part of her that just can't help herself. It's all in fun.

All is great fun till I see her tearing his ear hair out. It won't look good in the conformation ring to have a chunk missing.

Do you think I can explain it was all in fun?

Play biting is very natural and they will learn as puppies how much they can clamp down on a pack mate. We also teach them that playing in this fashion with humans is not desirable. They do learn especially if their forever homes do the follow through.

Today was a wash Kat and Treasure day. How did I know Treasure needed a bath? Well every time anyone played wit her, she had HUGE knots. It tells me the coat is dirty and if I brush it all out before (a must or you will have a knotty mess on your hands) and get the hair clean, she won't knot like she was doing this morning.

Each dawg is different. It depends on the elements - rain, dirt etc.

Many people ask me what type of a brush I use. I use a Madan brush as its soft but gets through the hair. I don't get them free. I buy them like everyone else. No kickbacks - I wish. I just really know they do a great job on a Havanese coat.

The rain stayed away today. Dogs played hard. Nathan is making chicken for Fiona - Mommy of the pups and we just may snuggle with the crew and watch TV. Results will be in tonight for the TV show Battle of the Blades. Will Domi go or? Do the dawgs care?

Rain and Baths and Feeding

Marlee was playing up a storm with Abigail and so was Jazmyn. It's too bad they had to go home today.

It must have been the on again, off again rain. It somehow invigorates them.

Add to the fact that Marlee and Jazmyn just had baths and oh that wonderful smell. It gets the crew going. It also gets their feet dirty - oh oh. :-)

Then Risa thought she would get into the thick of it and redirect the play.

No, Abigail, stop playing.

She didn't listen to Risa and poor Risa is getting that more and more as the younger crew get older. It was all for nothing though as no one was getting hurt. They were just playing up a storm. The dawgs have to have fun. Momma Risa to all has to just join in the fun and so she did.

When you can't beat them - join them!

I also promised a friend who owns Missy a video of Treasure going nuts at feeding time. I think I will do another in the morning as she just didn't do her usual - I can't handle not having the food now but I will put take one up and try to remember to do another one tomorrow. Even Risa got in the fun tonight but our sound didn't work. Got to try another mini cd. Something is corrupt on this one..

See the video, below.

Indoor Games Havanese Style

When it is raining, you can't expect the dawgs to just lay around and do nothing so we play games with them.

They know the routine - even the visitors.

Today though, Abigail knew it was raining so off she went to get the tug toy to bring it to me.

I threw it and she was the first to get it despite Treasure trying really hard to beat her to it.

Oh, and she really tried. Treasure doesn't like losing.

Our visitor Marlee tried to get it but she found another tug toy and brought it to me to tug with her - none of this retrieve stuff - Treasure will just think she can get MY toy. heh

Oh..the Havanese are ever so smart.

Jazmyn - I swear she rolled her eyes at such silliness.

We also had puppy people over and the dawgs got to hang out with them. It was a good day despite the rain. It is what it is!

Rainy, Dirty Fun

Well, mom was going to wash us - well the Shoshi already had her bath but Kat needs one and its wet - dirty and not all of us Havanese like that rain.

Those that just acquired them and find their dawgs go - no way am I going to go out in THAT, well pick them up, put them in the middle of that wet grass and say - 'get busy'. They won't like it but it works and the more you do it, the more they will go - okay - let's do it and get it over with.

Kat tends to like the rain but Shoshi hates it lifting her paws as if to say ooooh it's WET - get me OUT of here. But she gets put out and she doesn't run right to the house anymore. It helped early on that if she went I gave her a treat. Ah..we have our ways...and what are yours?

Disclosures Havanese Style

Well, human Mommy went outside this morning as human Daddy USUALLY and USUALLY is the key stays in bed a tad longer than human Mommy. You figure out what the USUALLY word means.

If you haven't noticed, it's become quite chilly. So, outside with the crew I go in a bathrobe. Well - it beats a fall coat - much longer but please. Hey, I am soooooo stylin' it aint funny. Yeah - I am howling with laughter.

It wouldn't be half as bad but 3 dogs came downstairs and off I went to make sure they do their business. I come back in and 2 more are waiting so back out I go. Oh - that's not all of them? Nope. By the time I am down with the next batch more has showed up. Now I am fighting some kind of a something so by the time I was done, I was chilled to the bone.

I then cleaned up the kitchen. Our son who watches the pups at night tends to leave a few things. Anyone who has kids 'gets' this. He says he doesn't want to wake the dogs and I do get that as our bedroom is over the kitchen.

I then climb into the puppy pen after cleaning up, take out the stuff in the whelping box after moving the puppies outside of the box and proceed to clean up. This will be easier next week when they go up and downstairs. I start yet another wash. When one has puppies there are many washes and people are often saying - when can I get my clothes in. It's like waiting at the laundromat. heh

Nathan comes down, gets the food ready for the dogs. He starts handing it out and ooops one of the bowls fell all over the floor. Treasure goes in for the Hoover vacuum treatment.

Our day has just begun. I still have to wash Shoshi and Risa. I was too under the weather yesterday though that never has stopped me before - maybe it's called 'under the weather' procrastination. Sounds better than LAZY!

How has YOUR day started?

What a Brrrrr Day

We woke up to really cold weather. We need to empty the water pots - get them inside and do all those winterizing things.

So much to do - so little time, I am afraid.

But the dawgs LOVE the cooler weather.

Treasure is dragging a stick around and most of the dogs feel invigorated.

Me - I am not feeling all that well and it's bloody chilly. Got dawgs coming for a visit this weekend so I got to get well. This duo is such an amazing pair. Can't wait to see then again!

Fiona was finding comfort outside letting the wind blow through her hair. She is finding moments to enjoy dawg life and we are encouraging it when the pups are sleeping.

It is important to make sure they have a healthy mind and body as taking care of pups is much work.

Fiona seems to truly enjoy the role elevating her to a true purpose. It's rather nice!

We all need to find that purpose and when you see a dawg do so, it just does your heart good - or at least it does mine.

May get into a blanket - take a nap - work a bit - groom some more and get better.

Wild Play

Mommy just cleaned Kat as he was going to handling class and the crew was out playing hard and he looks - well NOT clean. ROFL

It is raining off and on. It's useless to wash them when weather is wet outside but we do try.

The best part of what is happening lately is Shoshi is playing with Abigail non stop and that's new. Be still my heart.

We got to see Gidget today and she looked way cute with her new shampoo and set. Did we get photos - NO... We spent way too much time snuggling with her but that's okay too.

Hope you are managing to stay dry today.

PS: Show Sheen sprayed on feet and underside allows dirt to easily come off feet but if Show Sheen is sprayed on the floor - yeouch you will slip.

Wasabi Uses Her Smarts

Wasabi is in LOVE with the puppies. She wants to be in with them in the worst way. I think she misses the pups. But Fiona's not crazy about the idea.

We hang things over the side to give her privacy - Fiona and her pups. It's the pads/carpets we use in the pen.

There's a recliner that we watch TV in and sometimes groom in on one side of the pen, as you can see in the photo.

Well, Wasabi jumped up on the recliner, then up to the back and onto the top of the crate sitting in the x-pen and all the while staring at the pups. Fiona was staring at her as if to say - no. It's normal for mom to protect the little ones. But Wasabi was proud of herself. She figured out how to get up close and personal.

The Havanese are ALWAYS thinking.

Well, it is raining. The dawgs are a mess and although I planned to wash dawgs today - I looked at the rain and said not till it stops. They would just get dirty again and it makes no sense.

The visitors have gone home. The house is quiet. The mud gets tracked in. It's damp but it feels like cuddle in blanket time. What about you?

Rain or Shine - Still Running

Nathan still manages to run his heart out with the dogs and they ADORE it!

The mom needs to do the same but health wise - body and emotional for both human and canine - can you think of a better way to bond?

It's his thing just like swimming with Kat is and it's nice to capture it in photo.

Wasabi went into a funk after Saki left.

She can't get near Fiona's pups when Fiona is around though we have had her up close and personal when Fiona is not in the room.

She really is excited about Fiona's pups and after Saki left - she just hung out and looked as if Saki was still in the back yard. She looked and looked then sighed and went to sleep. We will have to have more of her pups come to visit as she does enjoy watching them.

She is due to go into another heat in a month or 2 and we will be breeding her again as she seems to be complete with the pups. It's nice. We may have Abigail and Wasabi pups at around the same time and then we will take a break.

Who knows - maybe we will have a mild winter and a great summer next year and we will do something like Rally and human mom will find her niche other than grooming and blogging and photography and.... hahahahaha

Jebi loves the smell of Fiona to the point it drives her CRAZY. It must remind him of his canine mom.

Turkey time is coming soon and remember you can FREEZE some of the cooked turkey and add it to the food or use it as treats. Our crew love it.

Our family is 5 ways to Sunday spread out so we will be doing Turkey time without the crew but yum turkey and stuffing sandwiches - gravy and puppies running around. Wow....and yes the pups ill be upwardly mobile then. HAHA