Nothing is Easy

As breeders, you can't keep them all but you fall deeply and madly in love with your dawgs. There comes a time where you have to retire your breeding dogs and add a younger set. It's a very hard and difficult process and if it is easy then it isn't us.

When we have to place our adult dogs, we are careful where they go to. We need to have a connection and we want to continue to see them. It has to be a pretty spectacular house for us to consider or they aren't going anywhere.

But when dawgs get up into the 5 to 7 year range, they would really benefit from being one of 2 or the only one. Psychologically we know this but our hearts are heavy.

There are certain dogs that we know would prefer to be the focus vs. one of a group.

So when this comes up, we do so hesitantly, with a heavy heart. It's not easy. But I love my dawgs enough to make it about them, not us. It's never about us.

Someone recently asked me and I felt it would be best to explain it here. It is NOT an easy process. believe me!

Even moms enjoy playing and it is important to have normalcy in their lives and fun. It's easier to strike balance for them when the pups are older.

When they are younger, moms do not want to leave their pups so I still take them out, weigh the pups and give them a full body massage where they stick out their tongue in appreciation. They do tell you when they like something and each day I try to make sure they have that expression at least once and shoot for many more.

When they are happy, I am happy.

Lazing

Ever notice that when the weather is not too hot, not raining and not too cool, the dawgs just want to be out 24/7?

Can you blame them?

Lately, due to all the play, our dawgs have been literally exhausted and looking to go to bed starting at 9pm. We go to bed at 10pm. The kids living here, well I don't think they ever go to bed.

This is a house of much activity. I think we may go crazy if it was ever totally quiet for days. 

Before Heavy Rain

The Spice helped with socializing the pups out on the deck. She's a true character. It's hard to remember that she is a puppy too just fully grown.

She is the first in the morning to pounce on my body to remind me that it is time to get up and if I tell her to go back to sleep, she will give me an extra 20 minutes. But she doesn't have patience when it comes to Mommy i am HUNGRY!

I had big plans to take the pups outside, wash dawgs and all that but nothing today is going as planned.

Still, we will have to kitchen it and I will eventually get the 2 moms washed. 1 down, 1 to go. Then I have to groom the rest.

Steven and My's Home

We had the pleasure of visiting Steven and My's home, their 3 and Eugenia's 2. What a full house that was and it was fun.

The food was great, the human company was great and the dawgs - well the dawgs are the dawgs, aren't they?

It was great for Truffie and Mac who found they really liked each other and yes the rest already knew.

Check out photos from the visit and check out the video out though my camera died halfway through or was that 1/4 of the way through but now with a charge it is as good as new.

The video is not the best but shows you that fun nature the Havanese is well known for.

Steven's photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/slantyyz/sets/72157627215075189/

Update on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 7:10PM by Darlah

Here is a video of the visit.

Balance is Important

It's very important that moms get snuggles, play time and silliness. Just because you are a mom doesn't mean you can't let loose, climb into a fish and have a crazy old time.

Reality is, you should. Life needs to be fun even when you have responsibilities.

I make sure moms know they can play and enjoy and even crawl up next to me in a recliner and watch TV like we usually do.

I can't imagine if a mom was made to not have balance but simply all responsibility what kind of mom would she be?

It's so important for them to love motherhood and the entire experience or they shouldn't be bred, imho.

Moms here get full body massages each day along with their grooming, extra food with yum gourmet food above and beyond the other adults. They can go through a full roasted chicken along with their kibble in a day when feeding so many. What they want, they get and the moms know it and relish this experience.

I do believe a happy and healthy mom makes for pups that are happy as well.

I have to say, this crew is delightfully happy.

End of the Weekend

Spice today got best puppy in breed over a number of puppies and best of opposites. I think the gal finally got this outdoor show stuff. Yesterday she thought well let's play.

I will be glad to not have to wash her tomorrow. Steven and My will have their pool up and I hope Spice stays out of it but I will laugh if she doesn't.

The Truff had his bath today. The rest got groomed and well.... is it bedtime? Nah.... off to take a swim and then take pups out for some fun play.

I placed up an old photo of the Spice snoozing and I bet you that is what she will be doing tonight. Can you blame her?

Oh My

Nothing today. Spice was at an outdoor show and she saw it as an invitation to play. She does well in inside shows but put her in grass, and put lots of dogs around her and it equals fun.

Nathan wasn't worried about it. He laughed. As he said, she deserved to lose today as she just had the fun in her and with her championship under her belt, I don't mind her having fun.

She is a puppy, after all. But what a drive to watch her play. hahahaha

She Does it Again

Spice took breed again today and got her championship. Wow, so fast for this gal. She still has 2 shows this weekend to do as Nathan promised a ride to someone otherwise I swear he would be taking a siesta and so would Spice but instead maybe they will pool it tonight and deal with 2 more shows till Specialty time then she will just hang out and play unless Nathan wants to keep her having fun in the ring.

Does she like showing? It appears so. Does she like so many baths? NOT a chance.

Do you realize you can dry out the hair washing so much so I use a very specific human conditioner that restores the hair moisturizer, blow dry on low (takes twice as long) and then after Sunday no matter how dirty she gets, she will have a break for a week or 2. Knowing her, it will be minutes that she is dirty.

We are so very proud of our Spice and look forward to hanging out at Steven and My's house so she can play with their 3. That she will LOVE!

Spice Did Rather Well

Today Spice got Best Puppy in group, won breed over specials and just plain had fun.

For such a young thing, she truly did well.

Tomorrow I get to wash her again at 6am.

I think I am going to need a holiday but Nathan lost his eye drops (not good) and was still happy with his Spicy gal.

It's nice to have his hard work pay off.

Good one, Nathan, Spice and huge thanks to Judge Mike MacBeth for seeing the potential in our gal, Talemakers Spicy Chipotole.

Not Eating

Poor Treasure has morning sickness so we know she is pregnant. She is a food hound and NOTHING and I mean NOTHING stops her from eating except morning sickness.

She is also keenly interested in the pups and is carrying a dolly around. This is not her norm.

We are on puppy watch starting the 29th of August - oh boy...

Sparky in a what!

Now I want you to know that this outfit trumps Sophie's no eyes and wide mouth though I LOVED that photo.

I saw this and went oh my!

I mean red looks really good on him but those things coming out of his head....

Sparky is a great dawg. He indulges mom but I can imagine what he was saying when he posed for this.

I promise, I won't show this to his canine mom. :-)

Sophie on Holidays

Sophie and her mom is hanging out in PEI escaping that horrid heat in the states. We won't tell her we had it too but she just missed it.

It sounds like she is having a grand time socializing and survived the road trip.

I just love this expression and had to share.

Me think Treasure is indeed pregnant. Hormones and all but we will be doing an ultrasound late but in early to mid August.

Spice & Pups

The Spice is really wonderful and gentle with the pups except when she gets wet and gets in crazy dawg mode.

But otherwise, she is amazing and the pusp really, really like her.

This conditioning is good for the pups but it is also good for Spice. She learns how to deal with little ones and that's a good thing. But really she seems to be a natural at it.

I can't wait till they are flying and running and trying to keep up with her.

Steven's & My's Picnic Pictures

Check them out and he has more coming...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slantyyz/sets/72157627140962147/

and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slantyyz/sets/72157627270371570/

Update on Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 11:51AM by Darlah

Just a really quick video of the picnic. I think neither of us used the video camera all that much.

Picnic Time

We had a great time at the picnic. Thanks to Yvonne and Alex for having this get together in their yard. Thanks to Lucille and Ron for keeping everything going smoothly from food to water for dogs to an amazing amount of stuff. Yeah we helped out too but it was their place. Thanks to all those that came with their dawgs, that brought food, smiling faces despite the heat. It was an amazing time and oh those dog licks and I got many!

I am working on the picnic photos now. The link will be posted here. Look later tonight. I didn't have a wide angle lens so I didn't get a full group shot but I heard Steven did. I look forward to seeing it!

Update on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 10:14PM by Darlah

As promised, here is a link to the photos we took. Not all are great quality but I included them all without editing (just resizing) so I could get them up real fast.

No Pool Time

We had planned to have Truff, Kat and Spice swim but plans aren't turning out. There has been no pool time today. We had a lot of distractions plus I am the one that gets ready for these events so by morning I have to brush the dogs going, make sure I didn't forget anything cause hey I am super human and then when we return brush the dogs I didn't take.

I had this entire plan today that just didn't work and here I have 2 dogs to wash still, a blog I am trying to finish and a car to be packed and....and...and

So, tomorrow my plan is to brush the dogs, leave at 9am and Nathan can clean the puppy pen. I will let you know at the havanese picnic if it really pans out.

Today I have to make sure all the grandkids clothes are washed and packed as daughter is picking them up in the morning after we leave (son's here) and who knows what I will forget.

Nathan has made his famous wings to take tomorrow. Will I remember those?

Breath deep. It will all fall into place...yeah right!

Off to wash Spice then Kat. Truff is getting a break as I am TOO darn lazy and he smells scrumptious anyways!

If I forget Truff's duck tomorrow, he will have words with me...I just know it.

Hope to see all of you there! Yes, we go early to set up so you can breathe easy and take your time. heh

Fiona Went Swimming

Here Fiona is sticking her tongue out at Daddy.

She's a bloody riot as he was taking her in the pool and she was daring him to come get her.

We also had Risa and Shoshi in the pool.

Then I did bath times.

We are getting ready for the picnic.

Then we took another photo of Fiona after her bath. How do you think she turned out?

What a world a of difference a simple bath can make.

Fiona was overdue but so are the rest.

Can I go to sleep?

After the heat, the baths, the blogs, cleaning, puppies and swimming and much more, well that bed is looking mighty fine to me.

Heated Humour

Risa likes to get out real early and go out after the sun goes down when it is this hot and tomorrow is supposed to be a scorcher.

The human mom is rather tired. She's on benydral due to hives and it makes her sleepy. She hasn't figured out what she is reacting to but it's not pretty from head to toe.

Me, I am enjoying this schedule of cool play inside and short stints outside. I know this heat won't last.

I am just glad the humans got the air on otherwise - well we would have to go shopping. hahahahaha

That's my story and I am sticking to it!

Spice Needs a Bath

The thing is Spice needs a bath BEFORE the picnic but it is Tuesday and she needs one NOW. What to do?

I may wash her anyway but we shall see. I am trying to not do it twice. :-) It is only 3 days till wash day if I wash her the night before. Can I wait...

We have had a couple of visitors come over and Spice is turning into the gal the boys all want. I went oh oh she is coming into her first heat but not so.

It has to be that charming personality that she has and oh boy she does.

Did you know that this particular Wasabi's litter is her full brothers and sisters? I think they have her personality.