Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 2:29PM 
Fiona is destined to be a ball of snowballs. She adores the snow as you can see.
She plows through the whites stuff with wild abandonment. It's as if she is at a new amusement park and the outside are her rides.
Miss Abs & Wasabi woo comes home tomorrow and I can't wait to see them.
Much to do before then but in between that snow fun gives me giggles. It's nice. Hope you are enjoying the snow too!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 9:28AM 
Here Fiona is giving kisses to Risa. In a pack, the crew usually all give kisses to the alpha of the pack. So far, Risa seems to retain this position.
It's a position that takes a lot of work.
Each pack member has its own job and that can change. Add another and things get shifted all around at times.
I find it a fascinating thing to watch. The way the Havanese come together and become a tight knit pack as they seem to do here is fascinating.
When one is gone, it upsets the pack and it changes once again.
You can learn a great deal from your Havanese by watching them closely. By getting to know them on this intimate level, you can help them be all they can be.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 12:16PM 
Shoshi is loving having the Fiona give her so much attention. When Abs is around, it gets piece mealed out.
With everyone being sick here, it means the human is grooming less and just lovin' more but she will pay with more work. It's easier to do a brush out a day and skip here and there than to do one once a week but that's my philosophy. You tend to get rid it it easier as you can get it at the start, not when it's a solid mat. But Shoshi - who used to be the nightmare of nightmares when she was blowing her coat - now in a shorter coat growing out is not. Beyond her feet and sometimes her neck when the pups play with her, she remains mat free. Is it the cut, the daily brushing or what! I will tell you no brushing for 2 days and I brushed her out today and nothing but when I say brush out, I can put a comb in their hair in all directions. That type of a brush/comb out should last for days. Without using a comb on all layers, you are most apt to miss a knor or two. Not the end of the world but something to be aware of.
Three dogs down - a few more to go and then the couch and Havanese drape thing is going to occur.
Monday, October 27, 2008 at 6:02PM 
I bet you that you are getting bloody sick of hearing that the humans are sick but boy 3 weeks and counting for the female human. She can't even muster a walk. Things were getting better and then back to being way sick. We think the dogs are growing weary of this.
What's interesting is the dogs smell my breath often. Not sure what they are smelling but they are.
Here's the Shoshi with Fiona playing. They are a mess - the human is a mess and we will survive. Hoping to get well NOW!
More tomorrow!
Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 3:09PM 
Fiona had a bath today before next week to try some new products out on her coat. When you get them ready for a show, they often become a test case more so than a pet dog but what happens is you explore so many products that you find what works for you.
Here Fiona is so clean and then it starts to rain - go figure. Well, at least she had her walk in and she smells and feels scrumptious.
The old humans are way sick though so crawling into bed to try to get well.
We will post more later or tomorrow.
Booooooo - what is your canine wearing for Halloween?
Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 8:10PM 
We Miss Abs so much...she's still at Yvonne's having a grand time and what is that about?
Ah fair weather dogs - wherever you are is the best place to be.
We are all sick....trying to get well for the specialty.
Soon...
When your dog goes elsewhere and adapts easily - well that's a 'good' thing. It means your dog is balanced.
Friday, October 24, 2008 at 7:48PM 
Fiona looks like Wild Child - yeah that is what we should have called her. There's another Havanese under here too - Shoshi and they are playing crazy. It's nice to see.
We are still missing the Wasabi and the Abs. There's still way sick humans but life moves forward - dogs play and we enjoy them.
Couldn't get better than that - could it?
Are your dawgs dressing up for Halloween?
More tomorrow.>>
Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 8:08AM 
Well, the snow is disaPPEARING but that Fiona misses it. Me, I am not sure. I got washed yesterday despite mommy being sick so she must have felt I was really bad. That's okay - she snuggled with me extra cause she thinks I smell good. I think I smell just fine the other way.
Daddy is still out of town so it's just the mommy out in the back in her jammies - what a sad sight that is. She thinks she has it going on with that big baby blue bathrobe with hearts on it but shhh don't tell her - she doesn't.
Wasabi is going to mingle with the cool Coolio again today to see if they can get another hook up so we can make sure pups will come. Will she - will she not? They usually refuse when the time is past - and usually is the operative word. Today will come with its own story. We shall see.
More later - hoping for warmer times.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 7:24PM 
Yeah it snowed today and can you believe most of it stayed in our yard 3/4 of the day but now it's mostly ice.
It's way crazy and they are predicting more snow on Halloween weekend - just in time for the Havanese specialty.
My pack mate sister and I are going to dress up for Halloween and try to win a prize. The secret is in on what we will be - can you guess?
Well, that daddy human is still out of town with our pack mate Wasabi and she was having a tryst with that Coolio guy from Rockhurst (see his picture right here) and they had a tie that lasted 30 minutes. I guess he was making sure we or is that Wasabi and Coolio had pups. They will try it again a couple of times over the next couple of days to make sure we have puppies again in the Talemaker house. If it happens it means they will come during Christmas week. Is that exciting or what?
The human mom is still sick but getting better. We are hoping by weeks end she feels - well - human again.
We are all missing the human dad, the Wasabi woo and Miss Abs. We can't wait till they all return.
More tomorrow...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 7:13PM 
Can you believe it - white stuff coming down and sticking enough that Fiona did the shimmy through it and was in love with the stuff. Risa just hung out and let the stuff stick to her hair.
Oh, it should be gone by tomorrow but still, isn't it way too early for it to be here? No summer - early winter - yeouch! The year that wasn't - I tell ya!
Well, the human female around here still has that thing called pneumonia but she's getting better. Not there yet but they say these things take time.
We were lucky to have a visit from Audrey and Gidget. We will be cuddling with Gidget while Audery goes away and we can't wait. Unfortunately we didn't get a photo of Gidget that we could use as she was trying to play with Kat and bouncing around so fast that everything Nathan took was a blur.
We also had a visit from Jean, her friend Nancy, Quito and Kooba and that was ever so nice. We hear they went up to 'Eye on Fashion' to visit and hope they had a grand time. Nancy is just as nice as Jean is. Just wish I wasn't so much in a fog when they came.
Nathan is still out of town till end of week as he is breeding the Wasabi to the handsome Coolio. Our Abigail is in heat at Yvonne's house and yep there goes that training for brace but Nathan will muck through it - and what will be will be.
Me, I am crawling on to the couch tonight and watching Dexter. What are you watching this fine cold day?
Monday, October 20, 2008 at 7:28PM Well, it's been a pretty much - mom work, groom and do nothing else day so we can get well. It's hell having pneumonia - I tell ya. The dogs just don't get the fact that you can't do everything you usually do.
The crew is missing the Wasabi and the Abs and the human Dad. To top it off, the computer is not cooperating so not such a fun day but if you are dealing with anything similar - know tomorrow is another Havanese day. Hug them - love them and enjoy. They are the greatest infusion of joy.
No photo today - not up to taking any today - but we hope you understand.
Boy that human daddy is going to love cleaning up teh backyard - NOT.
Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 11:28AM 
Fiona is acting way sucky - unlike her and she is playing with Terra in a strange way - wriggling her body all over the floor and pouncing on her. She doesn't usually play with Terra but Abigail is gone so she tries.
It's okay as I still am sick and Nathan is away so we will hang out and watch TV and chill.
Fiona just finished eating and she had a saturated beard on one side. Now you tell me - how does that happen that only one side gets like that? Does she eat sideways? ROFL
Have you bought your Havanese grooming book? It's a must to get, IMHO. We have it to bring to the specialty so come out to it and buy it and if you can't, drop in here after Nathan is back and buy it from here. It is chock full of tips.
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 9:43AM Catch Rockhurst pups in action. Hope this fills your puppy fix. Look at those pups. hehehehe
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 9:35AM 
What a suck Fiona is turning out to be. She truly misses her Abigail. I never saw her hang out and do nothing so much in her life. Oh, she has played with Terra and Shoshi but not the same.
It's interesting how everything changes when one or two leaves.
Am hoping she pulls out of this. Plus - I think she is missing her Daddy - Abigail too as she follows Alex around everywhere and howls her howl if she perceives herself left alone.
More later>>
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 6:45PM 
Here's a recent photo of Kooba and Quito. They seem to be hanging out quite well these days and it makes my heart swell.
As you know, Kooba was the Havanese rescue that we took in and fostered for the HFC and Quito's owner expressed interest in her and a connection was made.
They look great together, don't you think?
They just came back from Rice Lake and are hanging out together. We heard they had great fun!
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 10:39AM 
Having a male that is intact with a house full of females makes you acutely aware of the stress they go through when the females are taken away.
As you can see here, Kat looks downright sad and stayed up half the night looking for the girls that left. Although he saw them leave, I gather he had wish-filled thinking that they made their way back. It's rather pathetic as he whines for them but after 24 hours - it usually goes away. This whole scenario is known as 'doing an Elvis' - meaning leaving the building - checking out. There are still some people that believe they see Elvis. One wonders if Kat would be seeing his gals - his in his mind - in his dreams - if he lets himself sleep. I think if I had my druthers - I would have all females and no males. Oh males are sensitive souls - I adore them but if they are intact and you have intact females - well you go through all this stuff wondering how fair it all is to the boys emotional state.
That first 24 hours - you may as not clean them as they spend their time sniffing and sticking their face everywhere trying to get their scent. They don't sleep - they don't eat.
I did manage to get a new bar for my grooming table and its heavy duty. I will try it out when I feel better and along with that shipment came a Madan brush and Vellus brush and I will let you know how that goes. I get this stuff from Doug at K9Grooming Supplies. He will be at Trillium so if you need anything from him, send him mail. He will bring it to the show. He has great grooming tips and I mean everything he has told me has panned out and he doesn't sell me something I don't need and gets things he doesn't sell for me. He's a great guy to support - seriously.
So, today I will try both brushes and let you know how it goes. Brushes are important to me as I need to keep the coats in good shape for shows especially when you have a playful dog like Abs who mucks it up with everyone and therefore gets her coat chewed.
More later and after a bit of work - may take a lunch break of snuggling with Havanese on the couch.
Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 6:43PM 
Well, this was Wasabi and Abigail just before Alex came to pick them up. Anyone who has had females in heat with an intact male - well it's not a pretty site unless you are mating him so Kat went from clean to looking like - well we won't explain but that means he went from looking good to looking scary - teeth chattering and a howling mess. Boys - what can we do with them...
So, Yvonne and Alex was nice enough to take in Wasabi till she can be mated and they also took in the Abs who also went into heat. I looked at Fiona and went - oh oh she 'may' be going in too but Kat's not bothering her so all is good.
So, did you come here to learn about the birds and the bees and how a little boy in a hairy body called Kat loses his mind? I think not.
The human Nathan is out of town. The human Darlah is WAY sick and crawling into bed and for the first time in a long time could only muster up a page (her real job other than dogs). She always works through every illness but not today.
Let's hope the dogs let me sleep. This way I can dream about what the %$^& we are going to do with Kat with all these girls in heat and a Havanese specialty coming at the end of the month. Can you shoot me and get it over with now? ROFL
More tomorrow when I feel better - hoping!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 10:53PM 
Oh gad - it's that time again. Wasabi is in heat and if everything times out, she will be mated with Rockhurst's Coolio. He's a way handsome boy so if a connection occurs. we expect beautiful winter puppies.
Wasabi says - didn't we do this a tad over a year ago?
What's worse is Miss Abs may be coming into heat too but she's too young so we will be locking up the boy - somehow - someway. :-)
More as we know.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 8:03AM 
One often asks, how do you get so many dogs eating all together and not have a zoo. Well, it didn't start out that way. They all tried to eat each others but we would stand and control the environment even if it meant putting our feet around a bowl while one ate - especially a straggler and they eventually got the idea to respect each others space. We do not allow any food aggression or they lose access to their food pronto! It's not just something that happens but instead something you have to create.
We do have the low growl saying 'it's mine - leave' but it's a correction - a communication that I am not ready to walk away. When they are - they saunter off and I swear smile saying - now all of you that have been standing here can figure out who gets my crumbs. It's a game that Fiona plays heartily as she is always the last and Abigail is always the first in waiting for anything Fiona decides to leave. We feed accordingly so Abigail gets what she needs and Fiona gets what she needs. They can have the exact same food but they want what the other one has.
So tell me - is it the game or do they really believe the other has better food or? You can learn a great deal watching a pack of dogs eat. It's almost like a social ritual like we have when the family sits down at the table. One can be uncle x that eats so loudly that you cringe and another one dainty and eating a little at a time - another that is a taster that slowly decides if there is anything good but is really too busy watching the rest etc.
If you have more than one dog, and you have a family gathering - see who your dogs compare with. It could be fun but not sure you want to tell the human non dog lover that your precious Havanese snorts like them. heh
I know - I am bad but it must be this flu junk that hasn't left me yet. I tend to have a quirky way of looking at life and the dawgs when that occurs...or hmm maybe that's just an excuse.
Monday, October 13, 2008 at 9:27PM 
Havanese LOVE being in high places. Here the Fiona is sitting on the recliner behind the human dad. Even though the recliner is not solidly in place as it goes back, her balance is such that it doesn't seem to bother her in the least.
You can see her yawning here - getting ready to snooze out.
Some Havanese really have solid balance and that's why they do great in agility and many other types of sports.
More later>>