Big Dogs and Little Dogs

One would think in this photo that Terra, our golden was going to eat Treasure up but this is not true. For those that know the dogs or know body language - you would realize that nothing but faces and Treasure getting the better of Terra goes on here.

Treasure is a puppy and is relentless with her play. She is seen many times hanging off Terra's hair and Terra gives her that grr but its not a grr that says leave me alone but a grrr in play.

Shoshi does something similar but hers almost sounds like a mixture of a purr and a growl together.

Next to Abigail, Terra seems to be Treasure's best pal. Perhaps that is due to the reality that she was born in a house (Rockhurst) that has a golden as well.

Can a dog distinguish between breeds? Yes! Due to our Golden's, our dogs gravitate to other Golden's. It's interesting to see their comfort level with a strange dog if its a golden. With others, they take the time, read the body language and meet and greet. All of this happens in a minute or two but it is a process they go through. They tend to skip this process with a golden.

Take the time to open up your dog's world to larger but safe and friendly dogs. It will help them to become more balanced.

Conformation: Is it Easy?

When you go to a conformation show, from the outside in it looks easy. But is it? Thinking about teaching your dog to walk next to you. Does it do it from the moment you acquire your pup or do you have to train it to heel? What if you had to teach it to stack a certain way or keep that tail up or find how to get a bounce in your dog's step when it would rather be playing.

Then throw in the mix that your dog is unfamiliar with strange noises, lots of dogs, a guy or gal (judge) going all over their body and getting up close and personal. How would YOU like someone doing THAT to you?

Can you imagine being a dog and looking at what a conformation show is from their perspective? I often thought about it. Have you?

If you get into that mindset at your next show - fill me in on what YOU think the dogs are thinking.

Relationships & More

In a pack, relationships can often change. I have tried to figure out what the catalyst for changed attention but haven't totally figured it out yet but I still find it mighty interesting.

Fiona and Treasure used to be best buds and now lately it's all about the Abs. If you pay attention, you see a dance of manipulation in vying for someones attention. I swear I am in grade school again or the bug in the wall watching it all unfold.

Today, Kat tried to take Shoshi's bone and years ago she would have walked away but not today. She told him off and he listened. Nothing violent - just a growl and a body move to protect and he walked away. That's 'good' communications. If I had corrected Shoshi, she would have been the dog that always had everything taken away and me trying to protect her. I do not let it escalate but communications should be allowed otherwise the dog doesn't feel as if it has any control over his environment and that can make for a very unsure dog. You have to know when to step in and when not to. There is a difference. No one attacks anyone around here but they can communicate.

Well, we are taking 3 dogs to handling class tonight - Fiona, Abigail, and Treasure. Abigail and Fiona will be where the attention is but we may take Treasure around a time or two to get her used to a ring. She'll be in the ring in April and that's sooner than we think.

More tomorrow.

Slow Conditioning & Oops of the Mouth

I was sitting back in the recliner actually reading a book, covered with my usual carpet of dogs, when Darlah said something that made me sit up and pay attention.

Shoshi, Abigail, Kat and Fiona bolted off the chair, almost as fast as they'd leapt onto it and me, as I sought to get up. We had been discussing taking two of the dogs, Treasure and Fiona, to the local Pet Smart for a bit of socialization.

Treasure graduated 6 weeks of Obedience training last Thursday but it remains very important to get her out and about. Fiona has a show coming up this weekend and we continue to take every opportunity to get her exposed to noise and commotion. They are both complete pistols within the comfort and security of their own home, pack and family but not as comfortable in a strange environment, with different sounds and echoes and such.

Anyway, I'd asked Darlah when we might be ready to go and she replied "when my hair grows". Now you and I both know that she meant to say "when my hair dries" but what she said is what I have to put up with all these years. It was Valentine's Day yesterday. Darlah, of course, is my Valentine forever. There will be no other especially if I have to wait to go to the store until her hair grows.
Nathan

Confidence in Havanese

Are confident dogs just that or do you have to cultivate it? It's the latter. Although some have more confidence as a base - even the most balanced dog from the onset in the litter can be spooked by strange noises, people, things, events etc. Don't assume that always confident dog will remain that way unless you expose them.

How do you get your dog to be all it can be? Training!

By investing the time in training, you build your dog's self esteem by giving him a challenge that he can achieve over and over again and we all know if we can do things right eventually - well it feels good. It also works his mind and creates a bond like none other. But be sure you only practice POSITIVE training.

Bonus is a training class will give you slow conditioning to exposure of other types of dogs.

I am a firm believer to find an instructor that can control their class with presence and always knows how to handle a situation. For us, we want our dogs exposed to larger dogs as that is what we have in life. I do not want them to be skittish around them so a mixed class is great for this. We go all the way out to Blackstock as we really love the instructor at Daytripper. For us - who teaches and the way they teach matters.

At the top you will see Treasure in her obedience class strutting with the ease of confidence. She also has that stance when out in the backyard as you can see in this photo here.

She tends to have a good base but a garage door opening made her jump to say what was that on a walk. It was sudden and she didn't know what it was but I bet you next time it will be oh - its that.

We are afraid of what we do not know and that's true with the dogs. Slow conditioning is the answer to any fears that have set in and any fears that appear suddenly. They do have fear periods but we mustn't coddle but help them to understand and not validate their fears but instead show them by our body language and with a good base of training that they can play recovery and not hold on to their initial reaction. When they do play recovery and realize it's nothing to fear, they have started the process of being all they can be - with your help - of course.

So, puppies - adults - all can benefit. Do your dog and yourself a favour - have fun and enjoy a class or two. It's the best money you will ever spend if you invest the time in between.

Happy Valentine's Day from the Talemaker crew. May you spend it with loved ones and Treasure the ones that are there for you - always - your 4 legged crew.

Well - we are off to the vets for Treasure and Risa. Enjoy the moment and think of fun ways to get your dog to be all they can be. It's the most rewarding thing you will ever do.

Show Conditioning: Havanese

All wet and no place to go? Well Fiona has a show next weekend for 4 days, Abigail too and Treasures going to hang out to get show conditioned. It's always a good thing to expose them to different environments.

I don't know about you but its been mighty mucky out there and it's called - clean, clean and then clean again.

Well we are off to the vet tomorrow to get a calcified growth dug out of Risa and to get a Rabies shot and kennel cough for Treasure so she can start showing. We want her protected from the possibilities.

So off I go - brusha, brusha brush and then wash Risa and play with the dogs. It's a long weekend and I am sooooo excited to have a day off. How about you?

Blowing Coat: Havanese

Havanese usually blow their coat once. Some are gradual - some are all at once like our Abigail. What is blowing a coat and how can you tell?

If the coat is coming out in any degree more than the usual and you are seeing those small knots halfway up the shaft or closer - well there is a good chance it is happening.

Abigail with each brushing, her coat kept coming till she is now down to a single coat and now the undercoat is starting to come in. That's what creates those lovely knots.

Just use a hair conditioner and gently pull the knot apart, brush and comb. Take one knot at a time and don't pay attention to the whole. This only happens once in their life and you can get around it if your dog doesn't show by cutting them in a puppy cut and letting them grow out later or you may decide you really like that puppy cut.

Shoshi is in a puppy cut and needs a brush once a week - Risa too. The rest of ours are in full coats. Now brushing once a week can be done while you are watching TV and can be made to be enjoyable for both of you.

We have pups in their new homes that are cut shorter than the traditional puppy cut and really do not need to be brushed all that often. It's all what you want/need and what YOU like.

But if you are keeping them long and dealing with the blowing coat stage - this too will pass.

Be sure to buy the book From Nose to Tail that is filled with EXCELLENT info on how to take care of a Havanese. It's really worth the read.

Too Wet Outside For THIS Havanese

Can a gal ever have too many toys? I don't think so!

What you didn't see is Treasure taking a nose dive into this toy box and coming out from under and Fiona barking at her as if a monster was coming up for air. Where's the camera when those things happen and you know what I mean. I swear - the shots that should have been caught.

Well this Saturday, we have Risa going into the vets to get a growth frozen and dug out. It's nothing to worry about. She's getting a tad older in age and this was one of those things like a pimple that grows and breaks off but doesn't entirely but gets caught in the brush.

Treasure has her last class this week and maybe her first handling class a week Monday. We shall see. Oh and don't be lazy like me. Brush the little ones after they come in from the rain so they don't get knots. hehe. I am about to do that with Fiona.

Ice and Havanese

With this in between weather we often forget that we can slip on ice but so can your little ones.

Be careful when it is extra slippery or you may be dealing with a bruised body yourself and a high vet bill from a dog that slips the wrong way. That's not to say you shouldn't allow your dogs to play outside but be careful when it is EXTRA slippery.

This is Treasure standing on our pool cover - yep all iced over but melting.

Watch Westminster tonight and/or check out the winners. It will surely be a grand Havanese celebration! Then come see us at Markham and say hello. We adore talking to our visitors that read our ramblings.

Socializing the Talemaker Havanese

Our son Joseph was in from the navy and came by for a quick hello. It's his anniversary so he came into town to see his wife. We get that but it was great that he got to come by - say hello to the dogs and socialize them.

He's not here all that often so it's as if a stranger is coming to the dogs. The dogs warm up to him fast.

Joseph is a HUGE dog fan and his wife is getting there. She wants small like our Havanese - he wants large. Where did we go wrong?

But still he was rather smitten with the Treasure as you can see. He was also teaching her shakedown and she was placating him.

It's important to get your dogs to see all sorts of people. When taking them out, carry extra treats and have others feed your little one. Look for opportunities to expose your dogs to all sorts of sounds. people and other dogs/cats etc.

It's like dieting/exercise. You have to wrap your head around it and do it or nothing changes.

Well - off to handling tonight with Yvonne and crew. Should be fun!

Woodstock Show

Okay - this isn't a DOG photo. Can you believe I forgot the camera at home? This is what Nathan looks like after a long day in the car with just me. He looks much happier WITH dogs. ROFL

Just teasing but he does rather like the dogs lovin' him up and who doesn't?

The dog show was congested - lots of dogs - Paula won group 2 for the 2nd day in a row - bravo with Joker. The Peke won group one. I can't wrap my head around Pekes as they look like dust mops to me but it did have gorgeous hair. I guess it would stay that way as its not entirely overly mobile.

There were missing in action Havanese and a new one from Cuba. Wish I could go back today but it's called socialize my dogs day and training. What are you doing?

Are you watching Westminister on TV Monday and Tuesday. The Havanese will be on Tuesday. Two of the dogs from Rockhurst will be there - same place we got the Treasure and Abigail. Do watch. I have my PVR set to record. Let us know what you think.

Visiting and Socializing Dog Show Style

Ever wonder what it is like to go to go to a dog show WITHOUT dogs? Well check back later and I will fill you in.

We are off to the Woodstock, Ontario show. I will fill you in as if you were there.

For now - Wasabi is waiting till her next heat - coming soon and we will breed her many days so we make sure she has a crew come spring. Just think - we will have water puppies as they will all get their chance in the pool and videos to show - fun!

Be sure to watch Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday. It starts on Monday with those OTHER dogs. Rockhurst who Treasure and Abigail are from will have 2 dogs in the show. Exciting times!

Havanese in Obedience Class

We attended Obedience training last night in this little town in the middle of nowhere called Blackstock, about an hour from our home.

Treasure was a bit worn out yesterday from non-stop playing with Abigail that starts from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed. However, Fiona is also an equal opportunity gal and will take a time out from playing with Abigail to play with Fiona, Shoshi, Terra or anyone else with a heartbeat. And they all seem to prefer to be outside where the temperatures yesterday were ridiculous.

Anyway, the Instructor came to me and said that one of the other participants in the class mentioned that her friend was going to be showing a Havanese at Westminster. So I went right over to her and asked if that friend was Kim and that dog Gina. It was. She had seen Kim and Gina (Rockhurst’s Oh La La) at the Vet’s getting their shots the other day. Small world. I proudly explained that Gina and Treasure both come from the wonderful Rockhurst Havanese.

Of course the entire class loves Treasure. Last night one of the things we practiced was the recall. I put Treasure in a stay at one end of the room. The rest of the dogs are lined up along the sides all the way down the room. There is a standard collie, two border collies, and a golden retriever. They all want to play with Treasure. So I placed her in a stand stay and walked to the other side of the room. Then I called Treasure ...... COME accompanied by the standard hand signal and that little munchkin came barreling towards me like she got shot out of a cannon.

In spite of all Darlah’s best and continuing efforts to steal her away from me I am managing to establish a bond. The rest of the class were in awe of her cuteness and of course she is the smartest dog in the room and no, I have no bias whatsoever.

Then we practiced behaviour shaping. In this case we wanted the dogs to understand when we wanted them to go to their bed. We brought in the donut bed from the car. Naturally as soon as I placed it on the ground Treasure trotted over and crawled into it. The rest of the class spent 5 minutes trying to get their dogs onto a mat or whatever on their own volition. They would reward when they figured out to go to their mat. Treasure just watched me for treats from the bed.

She heels. Tail is always up, in motion. When one of the large dogs get in her face the tail might droop for a few seconds and then it is right back up again. She is learning good coping skills.

Next week is our last Obedience class. Then she needs to start Handling classes. She is getting more comfortable on the table but is not yet entirely comfortable and will be worse in a strange place with strange people. I have to work on that. And that is your reading for the morning.

Excuse the darkness of the photos - Darlah just hasn't figured out how to create the proper light in this type of room that doesn't lend brightness in any setting. She thinks she needs a flash that she can bounce of the ceiling. This camera addiction is costly. Where's that lottery ticket?

We are off to Woodstock tomorrow to watch lots of Havanese. Will have camera - will travel and we are not showing but one wonders why we aren't. Oh well - Markham is next.

Recliner Love Fest Havanese Style

Hey - the camera is back. Today we picked up the camera and took Fiona into Home Depot. Yes you CAN take your dog into Home Depot. How cool is that? Well we do it to condition them to the noise and boy was it noisy today. The tail went down slightly then back up and down slightly - never quite making it to half mast but you realized the noise was not a familiar one so this slow conditioning is a GOOD thing. So are visits to Petsmart.

Well tonight Treasure goes to her obedience class - only tonight and next week to go. It's far for us but well worth it. Tonight we are going to learn - 'go to your bed' and we have to take our bed to class. This is great for those big dogs that hog the couch but we don't have that problem. Nathan sits down and watches TV and they don't do that couch thing but instead join him on the recliner quite literally but Nathan is a good egg and as you can see - he laughs about it. What's even more of a riot is that's not all the dogs. Do you think our dogs will benefit from a 'go to your bed' training session? You tell me.

Was hoping to do another level class but no next level so maybe it is time to get her into handling class especially if she is making her debut in April. Still - if Teddy had a class - I would go.

Camera's in Shop: Poor Havanese or Me?

Well, the digital camera is in the shop to get fixed. It can take up to 6 weeks. Can you hear that primal scream. I may have to borrow a camera for Markham especially for the Best of the Best. I wanted to take photos at Woodstock this weekend but can I - nah. Do you know how many Havanese photos I take a day? Nah - you don't want to know.

But let's say that our dogs now freeze at times as if to say - okay take a photo now. One has to laugh. I will have to go back to using Nathan's Nikon Coolpix and just coping.

Well, Abigail got a present today from Beth of pink long johns. I can't wait to get them on and click a photo but who has a camera. Okay - as soon as Nathan comes home - I will point and click and post a photo of the darling in these pinkie things for you to see. This is to help protect her coat.

Abigail is blowing her coat BIG TIME. But good news - is if I didn't have to deal with the shows - it means her adult coat is coming in and then we will be done with it. Blowing ones coat usually just happens once.

Oh and did I tell you Treasure created a slide off the deck so she doesn't want to walk down the stairs. Oh my gad is it funny.

Havanese Sharing B-Day Moments

The crew at Talemaker wants to send a Havanese fun day to Dima Kondratuk (Jazzy's dad) as it's his birthday. May it be a great day!

How do you test your dog's intelligence? One of the ways is to see how it problem solves. For instance, today I threw a toy for the crew to get. Treasure got to it first. So, I threw another so someone else could get it. Faster than the others could get to it, Treasure had two toys in her mouth and was running.

She problem solves very fast. Some would say that was a tad crafty but she did figure out how to get to it first and how to have both at the same time. One has to love such a competitive soul.

Havanese: The Teething Stage

As a Breeder typically our puppies are already in their new homes, loving their new families, long before serious teething stage.

It has been some time since the last little devil actually lived here.

For example, I remember when Fiona ate most of the way through half the wiring in my office. No worries, Treasure took care of the rest of it.

Make no mistake, we love her to pieces BUT I think there should have been a clause in our sales contract holding Beth responsible for all damages incurred during and throughout the teething stage. What am I saying? Never mind. It is on us.

What caused me to take pen in hand today, you ask? The usual thing, spotting some kind of foreign object in Treasure’s mouth. Acting swiftly I caught her and removed it. Hmm, I thought, this looks like a piece of screening. A quick glance at the screen door, unused all winter, confirmed that Treasure has managed to create jagged edges and ripped out sections of a foot of it.

Plants on the floor, no problem, she eats them. Shoes left at the back door, fair game. The wicker basket at the back door filled with dog clothes, a tasty snack.

Stooping over to pick something up off the floor in our bedroom I noticed little specks of something, pieces of wood it turns out. A closer examination made me realize that the little wooden knob, the one matching all the other wooden knobs on my wife’s dresser, was seriously chewed on and partially gone.

I could spend days tracking down a replacement knob for a solid wood dresser we bought 20 years ago. They must exist somewhere. But I’m sure, in time, Treasure will ensure they all match again.

I commented to Darlah about Treasure’s latest antic and she reminded me of our late German Shepherd, Lacie, who once ate a few feet of baseboard. Treasure overheard Darlah’s comment and went right to it. Matching baseboard and then painting it to the correct stain shouldn’t be as hard as finding those knobs.

As many of you know that follow Darlah’s blog, she has been known to sit and watch TV in the evening with a dog in her lap brushing them while she watches. Treasure takes that as an opportunity, of course, to quickly grab, sneak away and eat any brush or comb left unattended for longer than a split second and she doesn’t care whatsoever how much it costs!

Believe it or not the teeth do eventually grow in and they stop eating everything in sight. I’m sure all of you have a similar story. Please share them with us.

Nathan

Socializing Your Havanese

Has your Havanese started to shake, yawn and/or growl when it was in a situation it is not used to? Perhaps it was meeting a strange dog or going to a new place or getting into a car. These are only a few ways that tell you that your dog hasn't figured out how to cope with a given situation.

Do not jump to the conclusion that there is anything wrong with your Havanese.

Coping skills either come easily or most likely through slow conditioning. That well behaved dog doesn't happen magically. From the moment a pup is mobile, the canine mom is showing her little ones how the world works.

How can you turn this around? Do you even have to worry about it?

Anything that is not corrected can escalate. But slow conditioning, positive training and showing your Havanese how to gain its coping skills will help with a number of situations in the future.

Now one would think with all the dogs we have and those that visit, socialization is unnecessary. That is not true. So we do obedience classes, train and take trips even when not buying anything to Petsmart - to Global - wherever and in the spring we will be hiking in hopes that we will meet others.

Socialization can make all the difference in the world. get out - say hello to people and bring your little one.

Oh and you single guys - Havanese are amazing 'chick magnets' hahahaha

Dancing Havanese

This duo does one heck of a dance even after one of them had her shots today.

Our vet said that our Treasure was exquisite, in his opinion. It was a nice thing to hear. The vet was impressed with her attitude, structure etc. But it was said that she is getting a bit wide in that tummy of hers. heh Oh - she does love to eat.

Off we went to Yvonne's to chill out - say hello to the gang and they fed us a fab lunch and we went home in almost white out conditions. It was a tad hairy at times.

Zack and Coco goes home today. We will have 2 less dogs. They will be missed by us and the entire gang!

We thank Yvonne, Lucille and the Chicadoro doggie clan for such fun. Come down and visit us sometime - will ya?

Tomorrow we start the hunt for special treats for training and socializing by taking Fiona, Abigail, Kat and Treasure in different combinations to various stores and doggie hangouts. We will let you know how that goes.

Daddy Pitches In Grooming

Well Zack and Coco are going with us to Yvonne's and to the vets tomorrow so they got their sprucing up today. They get picked up tomorrow night so I was doing a marathon wash up so daddy pitched in.

Let's see, I washed Zack, Coco, Abigail and Treasure. I brushed Shoshi, Kat and Daddy did Risa and Wasabi. Now I want to go to bed. I am not sure how groomers do it. I HATE grooming but I like the clean dog. Will Zack and Coco need sprucing up when we get back? YEP! But better than the 3.5 hours it took me today to do the duo.

When I get them ready to go home, I line comb them to make sure no knots exist but as we know a little play could change that depending on the dog and how old they are. Wasabi I could brush once a week and she would be more than fine.

Well tomorrow Katsuro gets to stay home with the kids as Yvonne's crew is in heat. I have to get everything ready and daddy has to drive. Who has it easier? ha

Oh and how did Treasure do in class yesterday? AMAZING - stay off lead - come off lead with distractions - leave the treats alone - just give her the instructors treats and she'll do anything. Got to buy some and keep them for only class. Even with missing a class she was on her game. She also has the fastest recovery when something concerns her - which is a good thing.

Going to be interesting to see her in the ring. If she prances like she does in class with a flash of paw - well - wow! I will say one thing - she hates a bath. hahahahaha

More tomorrow!