# Hardest Part?



## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

In your opinion what do you feel is the hardest part in raising a Havanese puppy?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Steve Cappelson said:


> In your opinion what do you feel is the hardest part in raising a Havanese puppy?


The hardest part of raising ANY puppy... putting in the (significant) time and effort needed during the first year so that you have a solid citizen member of your family for the next 15!


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

In that case, having nothing but free retirement time and commitment, I've got the worst of it licked 😊


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

krandall said:


> The hardest part of raising ANY puppy... putting in the (significant) time and effort needed during the first year so that you have a solid citizen member of your family for the next 15!


I agree. Constant attention, time and effort for the first year but they will repay you with love a thousand times over.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

The hardest part for me was trying to figure out the best thing to feed my dog. I wanted to feed them the most high quality food I could, but there are so many choices and conflicting information that this turned out to be quite difficult.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

walking away calmly while he was having a separation anxiety tantrum


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## Wulfin (May 3, 2019)

I’m currently entering the adolescence phase and it’s really trying our patience. He’s chewing everything and anything he can get his mouth on. So our Perfect Puppy is now the equivalent of my brother when he was a teenager. I keep expecting to wake up and he’ll be sporting doggy tattoos, dyed hair, and some piercings.


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Wulfin said:


> I'm currently entering the adolescence phase and it's really trying our patience. He's chewing everything and anything he can get his mouth on. So our Perfect Puppy is now the equivalent of my brother when he was a teenager. I keep expecting to wake up and he'll be sporting doggy tattoos, dyed hair, and some piercings.


That sounds like no fun at all! I can hardly wait for my turn :frusty:
But I've been through it before so I feel your pain!


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## Wulfin (May 3, 2019)

I think it just feels so much harder because he was so amazing as a baby puppy. We had a wheatie before him that was a psycho puppy (we didn't know anything about enforced naps and I think that would have saved us), so we never noticed any difference between puppyhood and adolescence.

But, we just have a bunch of months and we'll have an excellent adult (hpefully).. right in time for a new puppy


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I think the hardest part is being consistent in your training of the dog and being dedicated to the time it takes. I was going to say the potty training was the hardest then I got to thinking that it's really the total training of the dog and helping the dog learn to be a good canine companion.


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

How much do you think going through a puppy kindergarten promotes that kind of commitment and consistency?
We're enrolled in a series of puppy classes at a local Petco starting Dec.5th. We're shooting for the Dean's list 😁


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I think puppy kindergarten is a good starting place, but it is BARELY scratching the surface. And especially at a Petco type training place, you need to be VERY careful that your small breed puppy is not overwhelmed by lrger breed puppies. Sometimes you can be lucky, and happen into a good mix of puppies, but many people with Havanese in this type of puppy K have found that they are the only person there with a small breed puppy in a tiny enclosure with 4 or 5 large, well-meaning but wild “doodle” puppies that just send the tiny breed puppy bowling. Be ready to advocate (strongly if necessary) for your puppy. Remember that Petco “trainers” are usually young and not very experienced either.

Even the BEST puppy K is about 6-8 hours of “training”, during a period when you need to be exposing your puppy to SO much. Not overwhelming them, but exposing them in a gentle fun way to as many sights and sounds and places and people and things as ypu possibly can. Puppy K can only get you barely started on puppy raising!


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Thanks for the heads up on the larger dogs! Yeah, I was a little leery of Petco too but saw good reviews for this location’s classes and our veterinarian even recommended it.
No one and I mean no one is going to impose on us or Nanu! It goes against my New Yorker grain to let that happen.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

After those exhausting puppy months of potty training and teaching good manners that has big payoffs later, comes learning how to deal the Havanese hair.


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Yep the hair is what I expected to be the biggest issue! Boston Terriers were a breeze. I just don't know how different it will be from my Shih Zu grooming days?


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Steve Cappelson said:


> Yep the hair is what I expected to be the biggest issue! Boston Terriers were a breeze. I just don't know how different it will be from my Shih Zu grooming days?


I keep Mia in a short puppy cut and I find this very easy to maintain. I brush her daily with the Chris Christensen brass fusion brush and she never gets mats. I keep her legs short as well because she likes to dig! I am not interested in long flowing tresses...My focus is keeping Mia and myself as stress free as possible. I also think she looks cuter with short hair. I think all that hair hanging about the face makes it hard to see the beauty of the Havanese. But that is just my opinion.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I think puppy or obedience classes are a great thing to keep the human to be consistent and disciplined. Even if you know how to train a dog, I think classes would be beneficial. At least they would be for me. They would make me more inclined to work with the dog between classes and be more focused. Maybe it would just be my competitive nature to "show off" how well I did in between the classes to teach my dog! The classes are more for training the owner than the dog I think!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Steve Cappelson said:


> Yep the hair is what I expected to be the biggest issue! Boston Terriers were a breeze. I just don't know how different it will be from my Shih Zu grooming days?


How much grooming is pretty much up to you. Pixel is in a shortish puppy cut, and a quick clean-up of her eyes, and a brush up so she's fluffy before her obedience class once a week is all she ever needs! If you want him to be in a full show coat? Yeah, that's work. The amount depends on the dog. Panda has been a relative breeze. Kodi has a much heavier coat, but STILL quite moderate has Havanese go, and silky and not curly. In full coat he required daily combing and weekly baths until he was two, then about every 2-3 day comb-outs and every 10 days or so between baths for the 10 years he was in full coat.

At 10 and a half, he is enjoying a "partial retirement" (at least from grooming!) long, fluffy, puppy cut, and gets combed out fully once a week and quick brushed before classes inbetween.

Panda is still showing in conformation, but has a very easy coat. A full comb out a couple of times a week, plus her weekly bath to keep her nice and white is all she needs.


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

I intend to keep Nanu in a puppy cut too! Honestly, I like the look of it more anyway.
Got to say thank you! You folks are so informative and sharing. I really appreciate it so much! So with all of your Intel we are so looking forward to getting him! The big adventure begins Saturday!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Regarding matting, I learned this trick on this forum. Willow was my first dog that needed regular grooming so it was a total learning experience for me. I learned that cornstarch is almost a miracle worker for stubborn matts (at least for me). Just liberally sprinkle cornstarch on the matt and kind of massage it in. Let it sit for just a minute or so and then gently pick at the matt with the tip of your comb. The matt will most often just slide right out. Works like a charm for me.


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Thank you Jackie!
The tricks of the trade...so valuable!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> Regarding matting, I learned this trick on this forum. Willow was my first dog that needed regular grooming so it was a total learning experience for me. I learned that cornstarch is almost a miracle worker for stubborn matts (at least for me). Just liberally sprinkle cornstarch on the matt and kind of massage it in. Let it sit for just a minute or so and then gently pick at the matt with the tip of your comb. The matt will most often just slide right out. Works like a charm for me.


This works best with shorter coats and when it's not TOO dry out. The more static-y it is, the harder it is for this to work. Especially if the hair is long.


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## nwhavmom (Feb 2, 2019)

My pup Teddy is now 11 months old. For me, I was so used to taking care of a senior dog that being with puppy energy has been a whole new adjustment. Teddy is very active and I take him for three 40+ min walks a day, which certainly helps to keep him from getting "beyond the zoomies" state of craziness. On occasion, I have to put him in his special area to calm down. We have at least a couple of sessions of dedicated playing and some short training sessions each day. I am relieved that we have worked through car sickness, eating his poop and marking in the house- whew! Relatively speaking, potty training was easy. So, I suppose it is just the puppy energy that has been the most exhausting. Havs are smart and curious, so if Teddy is not left in his gated area or redirected, he will find a way to cause a little mischief.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

One thing I have to mention is that although at 11 months, Teddy is old enough for some formal walking, you want to be VERY careful how much formal, structured walking you do with younger puppies. Until their joints have fully matured, this puts unnecessary wear and tear on their joints. And the problem is, the puppy has no sense of this! They can seem absolutely totally fine, totally happy to go along with whatever walking program the owners suggest. they just want to have fun, and going on a walk with mom and dad is FUN!!!

It is far better to allow the puppy to blow off steam with free play in an enclosed area, where they start, stop change gait, speed and direction naturally, with no repetitive stress to developing joints. I agree it can be stressful managing the "zoomies" with an adolescent puppy, but you want to be careful that the trade-off is not a dog with premature arthritis at the other end of their life.


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## nwhavmom (Feb 2, 2019)

Thanks for the heads up about arthritis because that is important as I am well aware. Also good for other readers to know  ( I also have ramps for the most used couches and our bed I suppose I should have clarified that those long walks are really long "sniff and strolls." In fact, Teddy has been a reluctant walker which is a separate post. I follow the advice of Jane Killion's "Puppy Culture" : https://www.puppyculture.com/new-exercise-chart.html

Jane also has a great online course if you are getting a puppy - even if you are a seasoned dog parent.

Sometimes it is difficult to describe every aspect of a behavior in a "quick reply." I am an empty nester and work at home, so my pup takes the front and center place in my life. Personally, I believe that Havanese are high maintenance- intelligence to keep them directed, coat, energy level, and desire to be social. So describing our "walks" had the intent to describe some of the time I need to get my pup out and about each day to sniff and stroll in my neighborhood park while meeting other dogs etc. We also do other training specifically for loose leash walking which Teddy has been great with.


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## nwhavmom (Feb 2, 2019)

Forgot to mention that we also have an enclosed area in which we do free play, but Teddy definitely prefers the "sniff and stroll" at the park where he meets lots of other dogs friends and people.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

nwhavmom said:


> Thanks for the heads up about arthritis because that is important as I am well aware. Also good for other readers to know  ( I also have ramps for the most used couches and our bed I suppose I should have clarified that those long walks are really long "sniff and strolls." In fact, Teddy has been a reluctant walker which is a separate post. I follow the advice of Jane Killion's "Puppy Culture" : https://www.puppyculture.com/new-exercise-chart.html
> 
> Jane also has a great online course if you are getting a puppy - even if you are a seasoned dog parent.
> 
> Sometimes it is difficult to describe every aspect of a behavior in a "quick reply." I am an empty nester and work at home, so my pup takes the front and center place in my life. Personally, I believe that Havanese are high maintenance- intelligence to keep them directed, coat, energy level, and desire to be social. So describing our "walks" had the intent to describe some of the time I need to get my pup out and about each day to sniff and stroll in my neighborhood park while meeting other dogs etc. We also do other training specifically for loose leash walking which Teddy has been great with.


Wow you are doing great to train the dog on using ramps at an early age to help protect the joints. Wish I had done this. As far as walking damaging joints, I would think that a sniff and stroll is different than a hard walk. Also, I would think walking on soft surfaces like grass is different than concrete. I am not an expert though so the experts could weigh in. We still do a lot of sniff and strolls around our yard, however we do have a big yard. Dogs love sniffing and I think it is important to allow them to do this.


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## nwhavmom (Feb 2, 2019)

I had ramps up for my previous Hav when he was elderly, so that is what got me started. ( I also had to to learn the hard way with my first dear Hav- you do the best you can and we are always learning more. None of us can be perfect- it is our intent and love which matters  After learning more in the interval between furbabies (particularly in Jane Killion's class and other venues), I kept the ramps for my second hav and added a few more. I treated my current pup for going up and down on only the ramps when he was only a few months old and now he only takes the ramp route


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

nwhavmom said:


> Thanks for the heads up about arthritis because that is important as I am well aware. Also good for other readers to know  ( I also have ramps for the most used couches and our bed I suppose I should have clarified that those long walks are really long "sniff and strolls." In fact, Teddy has been a reluctant walker which is a separate post. I follow the advice of Jane Killion's "Puppy Culture" : https://www.puppyculture.com/new-exercise-chart.html
> 
> Jane also has a great online course if you are getting a puppy - even if you are a seasoned dog parent.
> 
> Sometimes it is difficult to describe every aspect of a behavior in a "quick reply." I am an empty nester and work at home, so my pup takes the front and center place in my life. Personally, I believe that Havanese are high maintenance- intelligence to keep them directed, coat, energy level, and desire to be social. So describing our "walks" had the intent to describe some of the time I need to get my pup out and about each day to sniff and stroll in my neighborhood park while meeting other dogs etc. We also do other training specifically for loose leash walking which Teddy has been great with.


That is fantastic, and at his age, he's getting to the age where he COULD do more anyway. I just didn't want the new oupoy people thinking that 40 minute "walk" walks were a good idea! "Sniff walks" (for those who don't know, that's where you let the dog set the pace and agenda pretty much) are fine, even for much younger puppies! And Jane Killion's stuff is GRRREAT!


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Without a fenced yard we will have to plan other ways to tap excess puppy energy. One option we have is to go out behind our unit in the condo's common area and supervise tethered zooming. It is a very private greenway and no other dogs ever go back there. We won't walk him in the neighborhood until his vaccinations are complete. What do other folks without a fenced backyard do early on?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Steve Cappelson said:


> Without a fenced yard we will have to plan other ways to tap excess puppy energy. One option we have is to go out behind our unit in the condo's common area and supervise tethered zooming. It is a very private greenway and no other dogs ever go back there. We won't walk him in the neighborhood until his vaccinations are complete. What do other folks without a fenced backyard do early on?


A long line, and letting him wander as you follow, supervise and guide (and let him zoom if he wants) is fine. What you want to avoid is long straight line walks, especially on pavement. The problem is, the puppy will SEEM to like it (they DO like it!) so will keep right up with his humans, and over do it, whether it is good for his joints or not. casual roaming and exploring with supervision on a long line is just fine!

We didn't have a fenced yard until Kodi was 5! It worked out fine! (and Kodi has the most reliable recall among our dogs, because it was absolutely IMPERATIVE that we MAKE it reliable!  )


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## Steve Cappelson (Nov 6, 2019)

Thanks!


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