Attitude & a Lovie

Coco thinks these two are ever so silly at times. Just like Coco's mom says, no doesn't necessarily mean no. She just looks at me as if she thinks I meant it for everyone else and then I swear she smiles. I just love her to bits. She's way funny!

No mud digging today. I got some tips - well that was a lie - mud digging 1st thing and then no more today. If you think it bothers me, it doesn't. I am just trying to get them focused on other things and the floors are always washed on Friday so we are hoping they last the day. ROFL

Muddy Paws

What do you do when you have paw prints through the house from digging with pups? Get a towel out, spray the floor and walk with the towels to clean the floor?

Oh you mean how do you stop them from digging?

I suppose you can take them out on a lead always and correct when it happens and probably best if they are digging in an award winning garden. Other than my floor, I don't mind and oh yeah cleaning their feet comes into play but I have been stopping them from such adventures. They look at me as if to say - what???

Let's look at reasons why dogs dig.

Dogs dig for many reasons including:

• Inherent behavior for hiding food and nesting.
• Because they are bored.
• It feels physically good to them.
• To find moisture or a cooler area.
• They simply like to.

Well seeing the dawgs are NOT bored here, it has to be cause they just find it fun. Someone suggested doing this:

Bury a small balloon in the dog's hole and cover it with a layer of dirt. The unpleasant surprise when the dog pops the balloon will take away some of the dog's digging pleasure.

I haven't tried it yet as I do not have balloons to use but I may give it a shot. I have a feeling if I do, I should have a video camera out to watch and lay on the ground to try to capture the results under the tree cause that is where they love to dig in the rich soil.

Or I could just see it as an opportunity next time to take photos of paw prints throughout my house. hahahaha

Rainy Day Yet Again

What do you do when your Havanese won't go out in the rain to do its duty and finds inside better cause it is raining?

Well, watch for signs. Take your Havanese to the furthest place in your yard and plunk them down telling them what you expect. It may take a few times and it takes YOU going outside too but with consistency and persistence, it will pay off.

Your dawgs will be what you put into them plain and simple. Yes, some are more challenges than others. Some need to learn the fun of the rain where others relish it. It's all in how we present it and if we make it fun - a payoff - well that training process is easier.

Coco who loves digging in the dirt and getting black in wet soil thinks the rain is not for her. Just like humans, we are all different in likes and dislikes and with our help we can get them headed down the direction we want to with effort. Think of that effort word as not a dirty one but rather a challenge that you can meet and exceed and watch what happens given time.

Dirty Moments

Oh my Coco has taught the crew to dig under the Japanese maple and she is so delighted to do it when she is wet - black paws and all traipsing through the house placing footprints from here to there.

It is raining and she is delighted to head for the dirt.

Raylan thinks this is so much fun and so does Red. What am I to do?

I am sick but laughter comes to mind and I do laugh to myself and correct but dawgs will be dawgs or so they say.

Practice is the Key?

I have been practicing cutting hair on Abigail - on the right. She has naturally wavy hair that was ruined by her last pups. Good moms whose hair is long doesn't keep it in good condition as they bake under the lamps - well not literally but the pups must stay warm and dry hair gets brittle and the pups yank on mom's hair 6 ways to Sunday. So, I am one who believes in daily grooming. But still with pups the hair doesn't stay in great condition but it should be knot free.  

Oh, I try and they are knot free but it would be easier if I just kept them short but I believe the Havanese breed is in its beauty in a longer coat. That's just me. So, I try. But I do try to cut off the dry ends to start anew while trying to keep long. Cutting the ends promotes less breakage and therefore you will get more length. I am not a hairdresser. Nor am I a professional groomer. I am just like you but I probably have bathed and groomed more than you can imagine so I have learned a thing or two or three. I am OCD about the dawgs well being and that includes knots. I rather cringe when I see a knot upclose against the skin. ROFL Try pulling your hair and keeping it in that position and see how your skin feels.

How silly this all is when I can't even get to a hairdresser to cut my own. Well, I hate to say it but the dawgs count more than me by far. They would get my last meal. Does that make me a nutcase? Some days I wonder but honestly, I am passionate about the dawgs. They make me smile. They make me realize that there is more to life than ourselves.

All it takes is a lick, a kiss and my heart melts. So knots are out even when I am ill I still do it and I feel like ^%&* at the moment. Yeah, you are supposed to laugh. But I also realize that its okay to be not so OCD about it so short coats and/or a regular groomer on a regular basis is a 'good' thing and practicing cutting ends to do it yourself - well we shall see where that goes but Abigail didn't come out bad. She's not amazing but you only 'get' this grooming business by doing and learning as you go. I will get there. You will too, if you want to.

I feel confident that I can make a coat feel better or select the right shampoo/conditioner for a given coat and they do vary and I can get a coat looking better but that's 100's and 100's of baths before I felt confident to know what was best for a given coat. I also love the blow dry and brush as you dry method and some do not but if you want a smooth shiny coat - well you can't get smooth just letting it air dry. Does it matter? NO! It all depends on what YOU want. If it's a short coat and less grooming time - well go for it! If it's sitting watching a TV show and brushing your dog out, well do what works for YOU and your dog.

If your courageous and want to try cutting their hair - well do it. You can always get the clippers out to even them out or take them to a groomer to straighten out your handi-work but if you don't try, you will rely on others to do it for you and I say, if you have the cash, well having someone else do it is EASIER!!! But do it on a regular basis as any good groomer will shave a dog down vs. dematting a majorly matted dawg. Why? Well it hurts to pull knots out and what you end up with is a dog that hates grooming.

What happens if you go away and you come home to your sweetie having knots everywhere? Do you shave her down? Do you gently pull the knots out overtime? Do you slicker the coat? Oh my do not slicker a coat as damage knots like crazy.

I once had someone bring a severely matted dog to me as a last ditch effort to save the coat. I said I may be able to or I may not be able to but let's try this.... I oiled the coat and brushed it from the outside of the knots in slowly. It took a lot of time and I pulled knots apart. I also saturated the brush with oil. The coat was saturated with oil. That made the coat pull apart easier but it was no picnic still on the tight knots. This person washed her dog with knots in it - a big no no as it only makes the knots tighter.

Did I manage to get the dog dematted? Yep but it took me 6 hours - way too long for a dog. Did the dog hurt when taking the knots out? Every once in a while I got a tight one so it was uncomfortable but I managed to distract and not hurt the dog. But again 6 hours is too long. After all the knots were out, I had to use a clarifier 4 times to take the excess oil off the coat. Then I washed and deep conditioned the coat. But dematting makes me want to cry as it is tedious and I feel bad for the dog whether it is the pain of taking the knots out or the time it takes - is it fair for the dog? Plus if this is going to happen over and over again, isn't it better to just cut the dog down? It was a process for me to 'get' that but yes, I feel it is better to cut the dog down for the dog's sake and for the human's sake.

If you like long hair, you should brush once a day with a minor amount of days skipped and wash the coat every 2 weeks. A clean coat knots less. During the blowing coat stage, I wash once a week. Sounds excessive but it reduces the knots - believe me. Will it dry out the coat washing too much? YEP so it is best to use a high quality moisture enriching shampoo and conditioner and to use a good quality grooming spray every time you brush.

Does this sound overwhelming? It shouldn't. I find 5 minutes of brushing a day is better than an hour a week. Reality is you keep the coat better with a minimal amount of consistent care than trying to play recovery at weeks end.

Some coats are easy to take care of, others not. The ones that aren't or if you don't have time for it - well short is best. Don't feel guilty for not having time. If it's a chore than your dawg will feel it is so and playing a game of retrieve with limited time is more time productive than grooming and perceiving it as a chore.

Just my 2 cents. Let me know how you feel about this grooming business.

Shameless Plug

This is a shameless plug for the HFC calendar for 2011. The theme is puppies with all proceeds going to the Havanese Faniciers of Canada who promote our breed.

Nathan created the calendar (Nathan Ontario director, me on the Havanese Rescue Commitee) and you will see some of our pictures in it along with other members.

It's a must have in my honest opinion and we will be having a link up on the Havanese Fanciers site shortly allowing you to order your very own or two or three.

They will make excellent gifts just in time for the holidays.

Strategies

It's funny but if you watch closely enough, the havanese will figure out how best to get what they want. They may wait and watch and asess the situation but they are doing so.

Treasure always gets the ball except when red figures out how to distract her and get it himself. At times 2 of them will work together for a similar result.

Do they have relationships? Yep! Are they smart enough to figure how to win? Yep! But just liek people, some are more smarter than others but it only means each is good in their own thing.

Treasure you can have a conversation with and she figures out what you want. Is she picking out keywords? Does she remember where that toy is she left YESTERDAY? Yep!

Sometimes, even still, the havanese amaze me! Tell me what yours does to amaze you!

Brain Storming

 I am thinking about putting together a list of products and how I feel about them. I want comments though so we can all go - is this a viable solution or not.

I am sick of wasting $$ on things that just don't cut it.

So, after I am not sick, I am going to create an area that I hope you also participate in so we can stop wasting those precious bucks. What's in it for me? Nothing except a free flow of information helping me to not spend my hard earned $$ on ahem crap.

Why this photo? Well, that's Sassy's butt as if she is saying - that's all folks.

Now to crawl on to the couch or recliner with the dawgs. The doggie apron is coming off.

Washing Day

I think I am getting the crud. I took a nap with the dawgs. They enjoyed it - outside on the furniture.

Whitney seemed to not be able to control her urine output so bathing her was necessary.

I also bathed Abigail and Treasure and stopped. I want to crawl into bed and stay warm and get well. But I will blog it here, watch tv and snuggle with the dawgs.

May tomorrow be a well day.

Stormy Times

Well, if you live in the Toronto area, you felt one heck of a storm at what 3am last night? All our cushions were soaked so we were drying them all day. Silly us for now taking them in.

I started grooming and then finished and the 1st dawg I did looked a total mess. I laughed. Dawgs they make you find your sense of humour or you would go totally bonkers.

I played a game of Bejewled today. I don't have the time to invest like others but you play against your facebook friends and I play with a huge handicap as I have dawgs draped on me while I try to play on the ipad.

Today I laughed when I watched Coco and Raylan running like banshees and Coco's tongue hanging out. Then Coach diving for Raylan and Sassy trying to rescue Coach. Nothing like a full day of body exercise to get the mind right - or so they say. I need some of that dawg exercise. Think I could run as fast as the havanese? I don't think so!

Do you think you can? Ah...a challenge... are you up to it?

Last Day of Summer?

I just adore when it is warm like this. It's not too hot. It's not to cold - it's just right. Wasn't that a Godilocks and 3 Bears sort of statement?

I took my camera outside after grooming half the dawgs and put the cushions on the chairs and the dawgs just jumped up and cuddled up and i swear they said ahhhhhh this is the life!

I had my ipad out there so I played as well but all and all I just enjoyed till I had to come back in, feed the crew and get Nathan at the train station.

Nathan is off to handling class tonight with the pups that will be going to England and he may bring our son Tal. I will be interested to see how that goes.

I washed the pups together and if I hadn't I might have been extra decadent and hang outside forever. What a thought.

What did you do the last day of summer?

Blast From the Past

I saw this photo from a couple of years ago and noticed my camera and skills improved somewhat.  

It's nice to take photos so you can see if your memories are the same as reality and you get to capture special moments.

I have not been taking many photos of late but its a funk I am in. I have to get back to it.

I did clip all the ends on Abigail as I practice scissoring. Good thing she doesn't care but so far so good.

The weather is cooling down. Games of retrieve are indeed a good part of the day. When we walk the dogs we see the leaves already starting to fall. It's rather scary that the cold weather is coming.

Abigail has decided I am her person again as she snuggles each time I climb into the recliner to watch the new TV shows. The rest of the gang climb on top of me to sit with me or on the huge bench that straddles the recliner on purpose. It belongs in front of the couch but hey this is an accommodating dawg house. I did get caught up on a few new and old shows such as Rizzoli & Isles. That's a new one I rather enjoyed and will watch again. I also have a bunch on the PVR and will have to play catch-up while I groom and snuggle with the dawgs. Tonight brings a bunch of new shows such as Lone Star, The Event, Mike and Molly and Hawaii Five-O plus an oldie, House. They may be old to you if you are American but we are playing catch-up here. We also get things the Americans get later at times. Crazy - should just get them at the same time.

But many of you will have fun with your first winter season with your little one. Something about snow that invigorates them. You just wait... Or then again you can find a recliner, take photos from the window and send your spouse out into the cold and if you don't have a spouse or a significant other - your mom - your dad your...

Benefits of Being on High

Have you ever noticed that Havanese like high spots so they can look down and survey all?

It puts them in a place of control over their environment - a safe place to be and it is plain fun to be able to look from a strategic place at their surroundings.

For us, height is something that is built in due to our size but not for the Havanese. They have to sit on high like a cat to get the same birds eye view we do.

Can you imagine having to crank your neck to see what is going on always?

So when you are wondering why your little one is sitting on the back of the couch or a recliner or.... it's just plain easier to see all.

Coco enjoys getting a birds-eye view of all especially with Raylan and Red so she can pounce and have the edge in play.

The Havanese - well they are smart!

Mia Has a Love-in With Her Human Parents Today

Isn't it fun to have special moments in your life or watch others? I find when dogs connect with their humans it is rather special.

Dawgs don't care about bad haircuts or bad smells  they only care if their human is off kilter. It's amazing how intuned they can get with you.

But some are strong willed and ooops can even be demanding and sometimes we just indulge out of love and then can't understand why our cuties are demanding. What do we do if we find ourselves in such a crazy circle? With kids we used to call it 'tough love' and it's similar with the dawg crew. Rules and boundaries lend comfort and in reality ARE love!

So, if you are allowing something because they are just soooooooooooo cute and you can't help it, well step back and start over and say no. That cute thing can snowball and become a huge irritation. It can't be something you say - today it is cute - tomnorrow I have no patience for it. Consistency is important no matter how much life gets in the way. But life DOES get in the way and when it does, you start again and that's okay.

Nothing is perfect except in our own minds at times. :-)

For those that posted about Whitney, thank you for helping with this journey. It's one of the hardest ones we face and we all have to eventually. She's up early today, no seizures and enjoying the little ones.

Getting Old

This morning our old lady golden had a seizure. She has them every now and then but this one was more acute. Usually she doesn't even get up till afternoon but today she wanted to come down 1st thing. She must have known. Then she had 2 more. She's never had 3 in a morning.

While this was going on, Fiona who is in this photo snuggled, licked and tried to comfort her the last 2 times it occured. Red Adair tried to pull her tail as if to say, come play.

It's hard getting old.

What is hard is figuring out the time to say enough. It's not an easy process especially when she played tug just an hour ago with Red. It's the 1st time she has played tug in a long time. She plays with Terra wrestling but puppies are magic for her. I can't explain. They appear to muster something genuinely fun in her. She smiles and tunes in to them like it was her own trying to teach and play and enjoy. I guess once a mother always a mother.

Whitney never had pups while she was with us but we heard she had too many - something we could never do. From research we did she went from breeder to breeder and almost died her last 2 litters. Why someone tried to breed her again we will never know but they can't have been thinking of her. If I almost lost a dog due to breeding, they would not be bred again. Only healthy dogs should be bred but there are people that it is about them not the dog. How you can bring a dog into your life and not love them enough to want the best for them, I don't know. But it happens with puppy mills...people who think of them as ONLY dogs. (sigh) To us they are so much more - family members who each bring something special and rewarding to your life.

When we got her she was a rescue hardly in any condition to do much and afraid of the world. With patience we taught her that life can be fun when you rid yourself of your fears and embrace the fun. It looks like that lesson has remained even though her eyes are cloudy, her heart is still open and wide and receptive to the pups.

They say the time is right to say enough when they are no longer having 'fun' but do you tend to see it even if it is not there - is it about you and not them? It's important to honestly explore this issue but it's not easy. Two years ago when she stopped walking and Nathan took her in the pool daily and got her walking and playing - well I thought it was time then.

It's not fun getting old but it's also nice to know that from pup to older havanese, they do give her life more meaning and we hope we do too.

Not to be too much of a downer...just hard and so much responsibility - doing it for them not you. We all eventually have to face it if we have canines in our lives.

And as I type, the crew is all rallied around her sleeping around her while she sleeps. What are they trying to tell me? I look for answers.

Magic of Havanese

It's raining again. I just got the crew brushed and yep it is raining yet again. Oh, we need the rain. But does that add to the amount of grooming - heh.

Some havanese adore the rain. Others lift up their feet going oooh it's wet out there Mommy. But you can get them past this by slow conditioning. Yep that word(s) again. Just take them out and plunk them in the middle of the grass so they go. It means you have to go out in the rain too but I am a firm believer that you don't just open the door and let them out. I want to know if they are getting into something or they have bowel issues or... you get the idea.

So we take our dawgs out in rain, snow, sunshine or even windy storms. It just means more drying and brushing out.

Our crew has spent a great deal of time hanging out today. Just like humans, I think the rain brings on this lazy attitude - the desire to just be and that's okay at times. Something about a recliner and draping their bodies all over you that make me feel good and them. They usually vy for the spot they want. It's a riot. It's almost s if I have a new coat.

Dawgs - well they are wonderful! They warm your heart when it is aching and make you smile when you think you want to cry. It's as if they posses magic. It's rather nice!

Relationships are Complicated

What is going on? I have been madly looking for old puppy photos for the calendar that Nathan is doing and I keep coming up with fun memories. That's the thing about photos - they have these memories attached to them. Sometime you should go back over your old ones and see what you remember.

Today the rain is coming yet again. We did greenies and they adore then but Wasabi ate half her beard - argh! I guess it will grow again. Be mindful of that especially if you are showing a dog.

Coco's car conditioning is going off without a hitch. Mia's jumping where she shouldn't be is a continual learning experience. It's the challenges that they offer you that make us realize life is a set of challenges and solutions need to be found. Why? Because you love them and they are worth it!

I bought a poker lottery ticket just to see what it is about. I lost of course and it was too fast of a loss for me. I do not think I will be buying again. 3 people bought them before me and guess what - they lost too. hehehe Perhaps it is a sign?? I do buy lottery tix from time to time and dream about the ultimate dog designed house - a mad sickness, I tell you. But it is fun to dream every now and then. Without dreams, what do we have?

Mia loves her mom so and plays with her as if she has a bond like none other but she finds Red Adait fascinating too.

Relationships are complicated in dogs and they can be so in humans too. We need to cultivate them, treasure and make the most of them. One never knows what life has in store.

Lack of Updates

No updates today. Just know the dogs are well and loved and groomed. What is that %^&* about? Well we got called away for something important but we are back at it tomorrow!

Mia and Coco are grand loves! The rest - well Fiona refuses to stay brushed. Brusha brusha and then roll it on out. Sorry mom but this is way funny watching you try to keep me brushed. I think I will do it tomorrow too!

Shampoo/Conditioner Verdict

I tried the shampoo/conditioner from K9Competition. It's cheaper than Isle of Dogs or Pure Paws. It left the coat very soft and unmanageable - fly away. It's also not as silky as my coats usually feel when I do them with Isle or Pure Paws or even Laser Lites.

But the grooming spray is the easiest I have used to get mats out. It's all natural. I hate the smell but you can use Pure Paws Finishing spray to have that nice smell. If it was local, I would buy the spray but not the shampoo and conditioner. I have a variety of coats and I didn't have that wow factor in any of them though 2nd day was more manageable than 1st.

I believe in giving it my all to really test it and I am always looking for cheaper but this may be cheaper but it is not all that.

You may have different results but I can usually get a coat feeling nice. I still get it nice but not as nice. That's not good enough for ME but it may be for you.

Shoshi just had a bath and she has the most cottony coat. This stuff makes hers soft but dry. Not good.

When Shoshi has a bath she loves to run-like-hell and act all crazy. All the havanese tend to get so excited after a bath. This was Shoshi sliding - yes sliding in to catch the hacky sack. For an older gal, she sure has an adventurous soul.

Mia has found her mom play daily these days. I never saw so much play between two. Coco has found Abigail and Red Adair. I know I have said it before but the hacky sack is bringing so many grand moments of movement. The games they play with each other to get that little round thing is way funny.

I need to work on photos and upload them. I did do a Remember When gallery on Facebook. I am going through older photos of ours and other people's dawgs that visited us. I haven't made it through all them so if yours is not there - sorry friend - I will be sharing in the future here and there as I go down memory lane. It's only a sliver of what I have but I felt like sharing. One day I should do the best of the best.

Hacky Sack Rules!

Can a golden play with a Havanese? Yep! Size doesn't matter if the bigger dawg is gentle.

For some it comes natural. Other times not so. Sometimes it's a learned behaviour - being gentle.

It started out wet today. It ended up GORGEOUS.

Hacky sack ruled for everyone. You really have to try a game or two or three.