# Good breeder in Texas



## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

Hello everyone! This is my first post, but I have been lurking for a while now. We live in TX, but we are willing to travel. Does anyone know of a good breeder in Texas? Our dog passed away a couple of years ago. We were devastated when she passed away. I have been doing a lot of research on Havs and believe this is the breed we want for a variety of reasons. We work out of the house. I am home most of the time. Anyway, any help to start off our search would be greatly appreciated. I just want a companion dog and also seriously thinking about training it to be a therapy dog.

Thanks for any help you can give me!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome Karen.


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## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

Thank you, davetgabby!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Welcome! This is a wonderful breed. Sounds like a good fit too. You can try the Havanese Club of America. I know they have a breeder referral list. Also check out the thread on what to look for in a good breeder. Good luck!


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

Welcome, Karen. Can't help you with breeders in your area but wanted to mention that I've had Havanese since 1996 and ran my business from my home (now retired) and my guys were great companions, always with me in the office. If only they could have helped out with office duties! Good luck in your quest.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Hi Karen, I'm Karen too!

I'd like to urge you not to limit your search to only breeders in a small geographic area. Sometimes the right puppy is worth traveling for. The extra cost of flying to pick up your puppy really isn't that great, if you amortize it over the life expectancy of your dog!

I live in Mass, and got my puppy in NC... and haven't regretted it for a moment!


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## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

Thanks everyone! I have been looking over the breeder's websites found on the Havanese Club of America. I really don't mind traveling for a puppy or a young adult, so that we get the right one for us. I was just wanting to start out closer and then expand out, if necessary. This is really a great forum and very active. I have enjoyed pouring over the threads here!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarenKD said:


> Thanks everyone! I have been looking over the breeder's websites found on the Havanese Club of America. I really don't mind traveling for a puppy or a young adult, so that we get the right one for us. I was just wanting to start out closer and then expand out, if necessary. This is really a great forum and very active. I have enjoyed pouring over the threads here!


Glad to have you here. There's just one rule... When you get your puppy, you HAVE to post PICTURES!!!:laugh:


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## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

Karen.... that will NOT be a problem! I'm a picture nut anyway! :biggrin1:


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## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

:wave: Wow! Lots of Karens! Thanks for the welcome!


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I live in Seattle and got Emmie in Louisville, and it was the best decision I made. I almost got a puppy from some local (West Coast) breeders but upon further research I discovered they were not on the up-and-up and were most likely back yard breeders (BYB). The biggest red flag was that they wouldn't let me come visit the puppies ahead of time or pick up one in person. Good luck Karen!


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## harley (Aug 1, 2012)

Hi-just want to pass on my experience.I wanted, I still want, a small lap dog 10-12lbs. After research I decided on a Havanese. I found Harley via Puppyfind.com. What went wrong for me is Harley now weighs 21lbs. The breeder has basically given me the cold shoulder.I have lower back problems and he is difficult for me to lift. I picked what I thought would be a chocolate brown color. 6 months later Harley is beige. The breeder said "sometimes this happens". 
I highly recommend meeting the breeder. Seeing the parents.Consider this to be a business transaction-because it is


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## KarenKD (Feb 22, 2013)

Thank you to everyone for the advice! I am in contact now with a proven reputable breeder that has been recommended by the Havanese Club of America and also by a couple of really great people here that sent me private messages. We'll just see what happens from here!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

harley said:


> Hi-just want to pass on my experience.I wanted, I still want, a small lap dog 10-12lbs. After research I decided on a Havanese. I found Harley via Puppyfind.com. What went wrong for me is Harley now weighs 21lbs. The breeder has basically given me the cold shoulder.I have lower back problems and he is difficult for me to lift. I picked what I thought would be a chocolate brown color. 6 months later Harley is beige. The breeder said "sometimes this happens".
> I highly recommend meeting the breeder. Seeing the parents.Consider this to be a business transaction-because it is


This is a good lesson to learn, I'm just sorry you learned it after purchasing your boy. Good breeders do NOT advertise on Puppyfind.com

There can certainly be size variation, but 21 lbs, if he's not over weight is REALLY large for a purebred Hav. (not unheard of, but on the extreme end of the size range) Kodi is 16.5 lbs, and his parents are 11 and 12 lbs respectively. They have been bred several times, and Kodi is the ONLY one who was that big. (it doesn't bother me in the least, but I just wanted to show you that there can be a lot of variation) OTOH, my breeder warned me that Kodiw as going to be a bigger guy.

As far as the color is concerned, the chocolates that actually hold their dark color are few and far between, that has nothing to do with poor breeding. While the breeder maybe should have communicated with you more clearly, adult Havanese colors are notoriously hard to predict in puppies. One of the only "sure" predictions you can make about coat color is that it will PROBABLY change!

So I agree with you completely, people should MAKE SURE they meet the breeder, the parents (at least the dam... sometimes the sire is off-site) and the pups, and see how they are raised. They should ask LOTS of questions and insist on seeing the health testing on the parents, and BAER testing (for unilateral hearing loss) on the pups. I, personally, would not buy a puppy without seeing soaps of the parents and pup in question also.

BUT... the breeder can't always totally predict the size of the puppy as an adult dog, and color in Havanese is always a guess. DON'T buy a puppy based on color... buy it based on health, the way it was raised, its personality and how it will fit into your family.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarenKD said:


> Thank you to everyone for the advice! I am in contact now with a proven reputable breeder that has been recommended by the Havanese Club of America and also by a couple of really great people here that sent me private messages. We'll just see what happens from here!


Good news! Personal recommendations from forum people who have had a good experience with a breeder means a lot. I don't know if I'd totally trust recommendations from people that breeder gave me... of course they aren't going to send you to someone whose unhappy about them! But someone on the forum is usually a pretty safe bet, especially if there are several. Just DON'T let recommendations take higher precedence than insisting on proper testing, meeting the dogs yourself, etc.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Love the idea that you decided to go with a older dog-I got my beloved Miss Paige when her owners decided to rehome her-retired Champion-she is the joy of my life-she came to own my house & my heart when she was 3 years old. Can't wait to see pictures of you wonderful boy.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Krandal-I have to agree with you, but having done rescue & getting the older dogs (my home is a foster home for 11 year olds & older)-time does help them over come the lost of a their first family. My first senior was Beloved Frannie-she came into HRI at 11 having lived her whole life with a family-she adapted to my home in a couple of weeks-but she got lots of TLC to get to that point. I picked Tula up two years ago at 11-she was comfortable the minute she came into my home. 
Karen-new havie-just give your new boy time he will adapt to his new home. He may revert back to potty problems but understand that is because he is in a new/strange place. Good Luck & pictures soon.
Even though Paige was 3 when I got her there was no problem with her adapting to a new home.


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## Ditto's Mom (Apr 29, 2007)

Congrats Karen! Look forward to seeing pictures of your new furkid.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarenKD said:


> Oh, please don't be upset with the owner. She has a very good reason for her decision. Now I'm worried that I shouldn't have said anything. I don't want to jeopardize anything. Maybe I should delete my post. I was just very excited and wanted to tell everyone thank you.
> 
> Karen


I would hope she has a very good reason. I just know the kind of relationship that develops between a performance dog and his/her trainer/handler. It just breaks my heart. If the breeder has no choice, it breaks my heart for her as much as for him. I can't even imagine having to part with Kodi. It would tear my heart out.

The good thing for you AND him is that, as a performance dog, he is most likely very well socialized with both people and other dogs, as well as well trained.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Miss Paige said:


> Krandal-I have to agree with you, but having done rescue & getting the older dogs (my home is a foster home for 11 year olds & older)-time does help them over come the lost of a their first family. My first senior was Beloved Frannie-she came into HRI at 11 having lived her whole life with a family-she adapted to my home in a couple of weeks-but she got lots of TLC to get to that point. I picked Tula up two years ago at 11-she was comfortable the minute she came into my home.
> Karen-new havie-just give your new boy time he will adapt to his new home. He may revert back to potty problems but understand that is because he is in a new/strange place. Good Luck & pictures soon.
> Even though Paige was 3 when I got her there was no problem with her adapting to a new home.


Hi Pat, I'm sure you're right that the dog will adapt... Kodi has no problems at all when he goes to stay with my groomer, who boards him when I go away. He plays happily with her dogs, and doesn't seem to miss me until I came back, and then it's like, "OMG!!! Where have you BEEN?!?!? You've missed SO much FUN!!!":laugh:

I just find it shocking that a person who has invested this much time into a dog, (it takes YEARS to train a UD dog) would then sell the dog. But Karen says the breeder has a good reason, and I know she will provide a wonderful home, and be getting a really exceptional dog.


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