AKC

Introducing Rudolph

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Puppies are eight weeks old and ready to go to their forever homes. I will feature one a day with a little photo essay so you can get an idea of their personalities. Here is Rudolph, a beautiful Black Irish Pied with a very laid back personality. He will snuggle with whoever is the closest, is curious and loves to investigate. You will also notice in a couple of these photos that Rudolph is developing a very nice topline and his bite is perfect! Like all his siblings, Rudy is trained to potty on paper and on the potty park that you see in some of these photos.

Maxi and the Dog Show

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I signed Maxi up for all four days of the AKC dog show in Novi, Michigan.  Might as well jump in with both feet. She is 9 months, 1 week now so she was in the puppy class–9 and under 12 months. Given that it is her 2nd show and my 4th I think we’re doing pretty good. Phoebe’s coat did not muster up to the silky ones you need to win so we gave up showing her early on.

Maxi took Winners Reserve both Thursday and Friday beating some proven point-getters so I was very proud of her (and me!).  Today not so good. There is a different judge each day and for some reason the judge today freaked Maxi out–and, truly, he was the friendliest! So, she came away with a second in the reserve category. C’est le vie.

As you may all be aware, dog shows in general are a real trip. I bet most readers have seen them on TV but you don’t get the ‘Full monty’ until you are immersed in one.  I’ll try to remember to get photos tomorrow. There are actually two worlds at dog shows. There are the died-in-the-doghair folks with the vans that range in size from 8 feet to 20. Dog shows are their life (note I did not say livelihood)–socially and recreationally. Some are breeders, some are not…but they mostly show because they love their dogs.

Then there are the professional handlers. Dog shows are their livelihood. Yes, they love dogs–wouldn’t be in it, I am sure, unless they did.

Both groups take these shows seriously. Like everything else, some take it more seriously than others. And, it goes without saying, shows can get very political. In my minimal experience I have already encountered it. Thank goodness I am at a point in my life where I take very little seriously. Life is simply getting too short.

Meanwhile I did my part in supporting the vendors–spent $60 on coat conditioner and finishing spray. Havanese with long coats need TONS of conditioning. At least once a week and now I am learning they should have it more often than that if you want a seriously silky coat. This is probably where I went wrong with Phoebe.

It has been an enjoyable three days and I am looking forward to tomorrow. Politics aside, I have met a  truly great bunch of people.

Gotta stop now and play with the puppies. Oh darn!

New Puppy Videos

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Here are the links to a couple videos I took recently. I am having so much fun with YouTube.

Puppies in the Cat House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEoXUI5vbqo


Playtime in the x-pen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6eOTtx2hoU

Maxi (9 months old) Playing with Meora in the Snow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ9eE9kGFoI

I don’t know which is more fun, taking the videos, watching the dogs, adding the music or sharing!

How Does THAT Happen?

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Well, trust me it does because dogs are like people and they like to ‘play around.’ So when the breeder who took Phoebe in last September called me to say a disaster had fallen upon their household I was prepared for something much worse than hearing we might have a Multiple-Sired litter. Mind you, if this breeder hadn’t called and ‘fessed’ up to the situation I would likely have never known. That is the kind of breeder I look for…honest, sincere and mentoring.

Yes, I was disappointed. But, what are you going to do. She had a perfectly logical explanation and trust me it did not happen because she was careless.

Moving forward we had DNA testing done on all the puppies, on Phoebe and on both potential sires, Specs and Andrew. But, because AKC takes up to ten weeks for this process and we wanted results much sooner we went with a different company. Kathy was about 90% certain the puppies were all Specs’ given he and Phoebe had had three breedings before Andrew stepped onto the scene. That way we could register them right away with AKC.

Bad news:
Two were Specs’ pups and four were Andrew’s.

Good news:
Andrew has a fantastic pedigree, healthy parentage and a delightful disposition.

We are now in the process of having the puppies re-tested with AKC as they will not accept DNA testing from companies other than their own. Then, we submit two applications to register the two litters that are really one litter.

Ten weeks after that the puppies will have their official AKC papers. WHEW!

Getting Started With Good Grooming Habits

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As soon as your Havanese puppy is three or four weeks old, start him off on the right foot–or left foot–by learning to accept your gentle massaging of his toes, his ears and his mouth. Lift his lips and look at his teeth. Lift his ears and look inside them. Stroke his hind quarters, his chest and his forehead with a small, soft brush, all the while giving him soothing talk and treats so he is accustomed to being handled.

You might also ask a friend to do the same so your puppy is used to strangers. All these motions will help your puppy be more relaxed at the veterinarians or on a show table with the judge.

It is a good idea to bathe your Havanese puppy weekly once he is six weeks old to get him used to the tub, the gently scrubbing and the rinsing. Hug him with the towel and give him lots of kisses so he associates this part of his day with lots of love.

Another important part of the grooming process is a pedicure. Good breeders will start clipping the puppy’s nails when it is a couple weeks old. Much easier on mom when the puppy is nursing and it also gets him used to the clippers. There are automatic, battery operated ones on the market too for owners who are skittish about clipping too close to the quick. Have a bar of soap handy. If you too clip too close, scrape a bit of soap on the nail to stop the bleeding.

Remember, if you enjoy this part of your puppy’s care he will too!