Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 9:41PM 
Something about that mad dash outside that makes it so wonderful of a game. Dogs really do like games and if you can be creative, they will appreciate it and you will have fun.
I usually like to catch this type of movement on camera. have you tried catching that moment in time with your Havanese? Give it a try today!!
Did you know your dog can learn to play hide and seek?
Monday, April 13, 2009 at 10:23PM 
Terra seems to be a mighty special dog. She spreads her play with all Havanese. Shoshi and Terra used to be the best of pals and these days its usually Treasure and Terra but on this day, at this moment - Shoshi was that connection and Terra enjoyed it.
She is a mighty special dog.
Ever have your dog bark at a noise or object and don't understand why? Usually it's their alert as they do not know what it is or what it is capable of. It's a fear reaction or 'I am not sure' reaction.
You can use slow conditioning to get them over it.
Treasure had a show recently - her first and got several points for showing well. She's got lots of pretty ribbons - which she would love to chew. Well, when she was getting her photo taken, the photographer made a strange noise to get her attention and she stiffened her body and barked at him. He laughed so hard that she relaxed.
The point is she was mighty comfie at the show but a strange noise in a new place can conjure up a hesitant reaction. That doesn't mean you should avoid such areas but rather expose them in slow doses.
Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 7:09AM 
Ever wonder how to wash your Havanese? Ever have one scratch? You may be using a low quality shampoo/conditioner that robs the skin of it's moisture and causes your Havanese to scratch. It may be something more or all it is.
When washing your Havanese, take the shampoo and conditioner into both hands and pull it gently through with your hands from the roots to the end instead of rubbing it into the skin. (rubbing increases mats)
Be sure to rinse it completely out with the only exception if your dog's hair is not in good condition, pull a light amount of conditioner through only the ends and rinse halfway out.
Use a leave in spray on conditioner when combing/brushing and drying. I brush completely, let them run around like a maniac as it actually does takes excess water off - then brush one more time when done to remove any tangles and dry 3/4 of the way with just using my fingers ad then with spray on conditioner and a brush I finish the rest of the way.
My next present is a table dryer (Oster) so I can be drying both sides at once. With my crew - a necessity but yours - one will most likely do.
Happy egg hunting for those that celebrate and enjoy that its almost spring like weather - I think - brr here still.
Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 6:23AM 
It's always crazy times at Talemaker Havanese where the play can be or feel like non stop at times and to us, that's rather nice.
Here you can see - well barely that Abigail and Sassy are playing up a storm.
Yvonne's crew is at the house till Sunday night so it's Havanese madness time.
Will the humans and dogs survive? heh
Friday, April 10, 2009 at 6:21AM 
Fiona and Treasure are just hanging out licking their lips thinking Daddy will give them a treat. It's a communication skill that they all use to say - hey - I want a treat. It's a riot as Risa will do it all day but she's on that evil word - D-I-E-T thing.
The crew is having a grand time enjoying each other this fine Passover/Easter weekend. The snow seems to be gone. The plants are starting to pop up. Let's hope it stays this way. It's still JACKET weather - well not for the Havanese but for the human kind. Still, it's great for walks finally and running around in a pack in the backyard. Life is good.
On this holiday weekend, watch out for that paper on the eggs and the chocolates. It's poison for your Havanese. Keep them up and out of the way and enjoy the holiday - will ya!
Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 6:42PM 
Okay - not madness but great fun. On this fine holiday weekend we have a full crew of visitors and residents alike and they are having a grand time doing the Havanese huddle.
What's that? It's a meeting of the minds or maybe it's a strategy meeting of who can be in the lead when they run around the backyard in full speed. Oh my - and they did - having a grand time.
If that wasn't enough, then they went on walks and now are back playing up a storm. Does it ever end? Not until they are completely tired but oh do they sleep at night.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 4:51PM 
We are in for a long weekend with a ton of fun and Yvonne and Alex are coming down to help. What amazing friends we have!
Last night we had Kat and Treasure in handling class and tonight we have just Treasure as she has a show coming up and this class is so far away but it is worth it. It's a large class with a ton of dogs but it is called conditioning and socialization.
You don't have to be a show dog to kick it up a notch and get your little one exposed to various sounds, sights etc. The more you expose in a positive way, the more your dog ends up being balanced. Even the most shy dog can make improvements by being diligent. It may not 'feel' that way at first but take it from us who had taken a dog that was really unbalanced and got her enjoying and playing - well we know it can happen. It's work - we know but sooooooooooo worth it and it can be incorporated into daily life and think of the new doggie friends and human friends you'll make.
Think about it!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 4:38PM 
Oh the sweet smell of spring - NOT! I know Shoshi would prefer it to be but another light dusting is in the air and that white stuff is all around.
Daddy is snoozing this fine afternoon on the couch with all the Havanese. It's just another lazy spring afternoon after a lot of work.
What's a dawg supposed to do?
Okay - handling class - fun with our visitor Milo and eating. Look at it all as an opportunity to train. Get a walk in too and practice stays on corners. That may save your dog's life one day.
Our visitor is snoring and so is the human male type - oh my!
Monday, April 6, 2009 at 10:20AM 
Oh best friends in the snow - nothing like it.
Don't ever ask me if two is better than one unless you want to hear grand stories of play and laughter and fun. In my opinion, there is nothing like 2 Havanese or more especially if they become the best of pals. It's a relationship like none other.
Today we woke up to snow and despite me washing them yesterday, they were a sopping wet ball of hair after going outside but I was smiling and laughing and clicking away.
Treasure, as the youngest one tries to keep up with the crew and takes corners at such speed that she manages to catch them at times but it means cutting corners fast as she has yet to get that adult speed yet.
One would think she was falling in this photo but in reality she is close to the ground for a reason as it enables her to gain speed. How they know this, I am not sure but they all perfect the run and it's really grand to watch.
They gain enough speed that they appear to be flying in the air and they are. Oh, to capture those moments - well these are what tales are really about around this place.
Tomorrow Milo will join the fun and we are hoping for snow not rain. How about you?
Get your camera out - head outside and click, click, and click. You will be glad you did.
Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 8:25PM 
Oh woah is me - Mommy thought it was not fun that I got dirty 2 minutes after a bath but I am a BOY and I can't help myself and my partner in crime is Wasabi and she did the same thing.
I hear tell we are going to have Alex and Yvonne visiting next weekend and I am going to have Lola around and I really like that gal.
Now how lucky is it to be surrounded by all gals?
You tell me!
Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 4:10PM 
It's been windy here since last night and it gives me interesting windy moments to capture. Whitney just turned 14 this month and that's old for a retriever. It's senior for a Havanese. Every day that we have with Whitney is something to celebrate.
I love the goldens but I am often asked will I buy another when it is her time. The answer is no. We still will have Terra to do our big dog socialization which we find is very important but what about Terra and having a larger dog to hang out with? We think about it. We don't know what the future holds but it's not something we are faced with yet and that's a good thing. A piece of us gets notched away when we lose any of our beloved canines.
But before I lose you with any of this depressive stuff, I will tell you a large, old dog issue and why you should be thankful that yours are Havanese.
As you know I tend to groom my dogs quite a bit. I find that if I do, they knot less even through that blowing coat stage but goldens you wash less. Last week I washed Terra and the other day I washed Whitney. Well, Whitney doesn't stand up when she needs to and she's heavy so it's a chore we are starting to think we can't do any longer as its a lift into the tub with a shower door and out of one and a carry upstairs and downstairs. We are now looking at taking her into a do-it-yourself places as we find that she couldn't stand up long enough for a groomer to do her in their shop. I don't believe we will ever have this issue with a Havanese. No matter how old they get, they are easier to maneuver. It's at moments like this that we wonder - do we stay small?
We did another Total recall class with a bunch of Havanese. We may be signing up for the next one so if you are interested - let us know.
Socialization is so important. Your Havanese often finds their grounding at home as it's an environment they know. Be sure at least once a week to take them out to somewhere new - a park, visit to a Pet Store - Home Depot - a garden center and best one yet - an obedience class. You will love the end result if your practice. Then you are on the road to having your dog become dog friendly, people friendly and balanced.
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 4:57PM 
Treasure had an outing today at a really cool local Woman's boutique called 'Eye on Fashion' here in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
What's so special about this store is not just the to die for clothes but that they have a resident Havanese called Jazzy.
Nathan dropped in with Treasure and Dima and Tanya played retrieve with her and a hacky sack.
He even left her there for a small time while he ran errands as a test to see how she would do and the owners of the boutique (friends of ours) were gracious enough to watch her. I hear that she didn't even look back but played and played.
It was great to see that the little one could find the comfort of this special boutique and look so deliriously happy. It has to be due to Treasure becoming balanced and special people such as Dima and Tanya that own it and wink, of course that handsome guy Jazzy. For those of you that follow along here, Jazzy and Quito are littermates.
Well, we are off to a Total Recall Workshop with Fiona this evening. She's been out of obedience for quite some time. Hopefully we will have more stories tomorrow after fun is had. We already know that there will be at least three other Havanese in the class. How much fun is that?!
Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 5:03PM 
Yesterday Darlah and I got into the car with Treasure and took a drive out to Jackson’s Point. It was nice to drive by a beach and imagine the winter was finally over, but the ice that still covered a part of the surface quickly dispelled such fantasy and we continued on to Handling Class. On the way we drove past some guys working on the roof of an A frame style house. I glanced over as I was driving and almost hit the brakes. Walking at a steep angle right beside them was a Pit Bull. Darlah couldn’t get her camera out in time and I wasn’t stopping.
Handling Classes are typically hosted by Kennel Clubs and the person teaching the class is inevitably a very experienced Conformation Show Ring person, or even a Judge. Owners who attend the class believe they have a dog good enough to compete in the show ring, and most times they are correct.
Last night was challenging for Treasure and me for two reasons, or rather because of two dogs, a Border Terrier and a Miniature Schnauzer. Both were expertly handled but both had issues.
I think the Schnauzer had never before worn a leash, so every time his Handler tried to get him to walk in a direction he didn’t want to go, he let out with a shriek. The entire class froze as we looked to see who was killing whom. But in fact it was simply the dog being unused to the leash and not understanding what was happening. Regardless, throughout the class he continued to let loose with this bloodcurdling scream that had us all flinching. Eventually, even the other dogs correctly identified that there really wasn’t a murder going on and started to ignore him. His owner worked patiently to correct and teach him. It happens. But it certainly affected the atmosphere in the room.
And then there was the Border Terrier. In his case I believe that while he was used to his sister at home, he hadn’t had much exposure to other dogs yet. I must add that both of these dogs were pups, 4-6 months old. The Terrier, being a Terrier, decided that he was going to challenge the room to a fight to the death. That was his way of dealing with the stress of the unknown and all these strange canines. Again, the owner was very competent and was dealing with him as best she could, but that didn’t stop him from growling loudly and viciously at any dog that he perceived as a threat, which was anything on four legs that moved in a 100 foot radius.
Which brings us to Treasure. As we walked, the Border Terrier was right behind us. The first time it growled low and mean, Treasure stopped dead, turned and growled back just as low and mean and basically said “bring it on!” I corrected her immediately. This happened maybe a dozen more times and each time I got her to focus on me, and never mind any other dog there. In this way I was able to turn a potentially damaging class into an opportunity to educate, and to support the fact that I am in charge and when Treasure is with me, things like screaming dogs or growling dogs are not her concern because I will deal with it.
The truth is, if the owners hadn’t been so aware and on top of their dogs it wouldn’t have worked. Either they would have had to leave the class or I would have walked out because I didn’t want Treasure to have a negative experience. I already know she’s full of herself. But she also had to learn that I had this in hand and all was fine so never mind the noise and commotion. As that was exactly what happened I’ll consider last night a good learning experience, and good preparation for the show ring.
Nathan
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 2:16PM 
Handling can be a complicated thing. It's important that you make it fun for both you and your Havanese or they will just go through the motions and so will you. You also won't last if you are an owner/handler in that state of mind.
Sure there are tricks to get them being all they can be but how you are matters. Never go in a ring angry or upset. Leave all the negative emotions aside and just be silly but with focus and it will show.
As you improve, your dogs will improve and yes some of it is technique but some of it is you just plain relaxing and your dog knows before you when you are tense, upset or any of those negative things that irritate you.
Instead, while in handling class or at a show, focus on your dog - and just enjoy the relationship. Enter the ring to win but if you can't have fun with your Havanese, well your Havanese will never be all they can be.
Forget your woes - no matter what they are and just enjoy getting your Havanese connecting and you, your Havanese and judge is all that matters for that moment in time.
If you don't win, snuggle your Havanese and be happy that with each dance you get better and better and tomorrow is a new day.
As you can see, Treasure is in tuned with her Daddy and that's what it takes and more.
Off to handling class tonight. Treasure and all those big doggies.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 8:19PM 
Jean was kind enough to bring Quito and Kooba over for a visit and it was such a great treat to see them.
Here's Quito hanging out with Kat.
Jean is doing an amazing job on the hair and with these little ones. Gad - they look so deliriously happy.
It was great to see both of them meandering around the backyard saying their hellos and wow did they look great.
Check out this face on Kooba. You have to smile when you see that face.
Kooba was a rescue that we were fostering for a bit that Jean adopted and we do believe she found the jackpot for life. But it's not only Jean and her hubby but that Quito who gets Kooba smiling like you can see in this photo.
It does our heart good to see the Havanese happy and this story was a special one.
Thanks Jean for visiting!
Monday, March 30, 2009 at 4:41PM 
Well, I am off to go to that thing called handling class.
I have a busy week this week but so does Fiona. Fiona is going to handling class too tomorrow and she will be going to Total Recall class. How cool is that? We heard there are a lot of Havanese in that class too. I did the Total Recall last time so it's not my turn but I loved it. I am hoping that Fiona does too.
The crazy humans around here do not feed me on class night. Can you believe that? They say its due to how many treats I get but I could eat my dinner and the treats but they think not. ROFL
PS: We heard Jean, Kooba and Quito is coming to visit tomorrow and that's going to be way fun. We can't wait!
Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 7:28PM 
Coco has been visiting with her pack mate Zack and as you can see she was blowing in the wind. They are going home today and no more Coco on top of Nathan's head and no more Zack being silly as all get out. We will miss them.
The crew was really winding down from the fun at Yvonne's. We also got to see Penny's duo. It was all fun.
Coco is Fiona's sister. Can you tell? hehehehe isn't it great to see so many colours in the Havanese?
Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 9:49PM 
Well, those humans took me to see Lola and all those gals and I was soooooooooooo excited and all they wanted to do is tell me off and run their fool heads off with me.
We had quite the crew - 13 Havanese, 1 mini schnauzer and a golden (golden is ours) all having a grand time out in the sun running and running and running their fool heads off.
They all had baths - they all got dirty except Fiona - go figure and she did play. What was that about?
Well, we will fill you in on more tomorrow. That human mom had a guest to wash tonight, one to wash tomorrow as they go home and it's zzzzzzzzzzzzzz time and yep we all sleep on the bed except the retrievers.
Don't start - we are out of room if they came on too but they have real cushy beds on the floor next to us. I (Kat) sometimes join them - well most nights I visit the bed - the floor, the bed etc cause a dawg has to do what a dawg has to do but I suspect tonight I won't move an inch and neither will those humans.
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 7:57PM 
Well that's it - they gave me a bath and although I stand there and do everything that human lady who calls herself mom wants - well I prefer the dirt.
That human used a sample shampoo/conditioner that she had and oh my gad she thinks I am now so delicious to snuggle with. I guess I did come out dreamy soft but if she hugs me one more time - well I will bark!
We have Zack and Coco here till Sunday night and we are off to Yvonne's tomorrow to visit.
The human wants to chill out and watch TV but if she does, she will surely fall asleep. That's okay! If she does we will surely jump on her and make sure she stays up late. heh
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 4:41PM 
Mommy had me oiled up and looking quite grungy but she washed me and I didn't complain till she tried to use the blower. I prefer the Oster dryer much more so.
I am trying to stay clean as we are going to Yvonne's this weekend to play and muck it up and get dirty after we get there. Then mommy can come home and do it all again - yikes!
Mommy washed one of my pack mates - Terra a retriever and boy did she blow hair around. Aren't you glad we don't do that?
Well, Zack and Coco are coming for the weekend tomorrow. Let the fun begin! What are you doing this weekend?