# Merry Christmas



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

From the Starborn pack


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We need a bigger hearth


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

and just because, yesterday


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Beautiful! Merry Christmas, Tom!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Tom King said:


> We need a bigger hearth


Are those stocking stuffers? I need to get more stockings!


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Beautiful! I just love a great sunrise or sunset. They seem to be common here at our new house. Or it could just be that it is so open I can see them better! And beautiful dog pictures…well nothing beats that.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Merry Christmas! Love a wood stove and it's even better with some fluffy Havanese! I think we are finally going to have some rain this year! This was a break between rainstorms last week.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We used to have a wood stove, but our house is so well insulated, and our weather so changeable, that it was a full time job opening, and closing windows. That one is gas. It's easy to adjust. This morning was 24 degrees, so it was turned up.


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

Oh what a pack of beautiful pooches! Merry Christmas back to everyone! Beautiful photos.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Here is a sunrise picture taken before time change. Now I am too lazy to get up that early.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Watching Pam fix Christmas morning Breakfast.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Tom King said:


> Watching Pam fix Christmas morning Breakfast.


I'd be watching too, tongue hanging out ! 👀

Merry Christmas Tom, Pam, and Starborns.


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

Tom, how often do you comb out your dogs? I just love seeing people's dogs in their natural, uncombed state. Makes me feel normal! 👍😉 You have the most beautiful dogs.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Not more than once a month, at the most. Too many to do more than that. I know that none of the dogs in these photographs have been touched since before Thanksgiving, but don't remember how long before.

We have selected away from the Curly genes as long as we have been able to, which is a number of generations, now. So, the coats are pretty easy to care for.

Thanks!


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

Tom King said:


> Not more than once a month, at the most. Too many to do more than that. I know that none of the dogs in these photographs have been touched since before Thanksgiving, but don't remember how long before.
> 
> We have selected away from the Curly genes as long as we have been able to, which is a number of generations, now. So, the coats are pretty easy to care for.
> 
> Thanks!


I don't think I could let Willow go that long. I don't think her coat is really curly but the hair is so fine. I think she would mat although I haven't tried letting her go for very long. I have a pretty good photo of what Willow's coat looks like. In your opinion does she have a curly coat?


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

That is a spectacular photo of Willow!!! You can see the subtle coloring in her coat, just stunning! She has a wavy coat much like Ricky's but Ricky's coat is not nearly as naturally long as Willow's.


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

DogFather said:


> That is a spectacular photo of Willow!!! You can see the subtle coloring in her coat, just stunning! She has a wavy coat much like Ricky's but Ricky's coat is not nearly as naturally long as Willow's.


DogFather - Willow wants me to thank you for such nice compliments! She's so hard to get a photo of as she doesn't stand still long enough for me to get the camera focused and ready to click. And the most of the inside photos come out with glowing, red eyes. I really like her in the long coat.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

The Curly gene has an effect on coat thickness. I think they have to have two copies to be curly, but having one copy can make the coat really thick. I would bet that Willow has one copy of the curly gene. The coat can look great, and does well in the show ring, but we were looking for something else, including low maintenence.

As soon as they came out with the DNA test for Curly, it only took a couple of generations for us to get it out of our line. I don't remember what year that was, but thinking 2005, or '06. If one parent has a copy of the curly gene, it should work out that 50 percent of that dog's offspring will also carry one copy, if the other parent doesn't have one.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> The Curly gene has an effect on coat thickness. I think they have to have two copies to be curly, but having one copy can make the coat really thick. I would bet that Willow has one copy of the curly gene. The coat can look great, and does well in the show ring, but we were looking for something else, including low maintenence.
> 
> As soon as they came out with the DNA test for Curly, it only took a couple of generations for us to get it out of our line. I don't remember what year that was, but thinking 2005, or '06. If one parent has a copy of the curly gene, it should work out that 50 percent of that dog's offspring will also carry one copy, if the other parent doesn't have one.


I remember you had one really pretty peach colored young girl (maybe a Blanchie daughter? I think you called her Fifth?) when I got Kodi. I thought she was SOOO stunning, and she was also incredibly sweet. Pam told me (kind of sadly, I thought) that she was placing her because she had a copy of the curly gene. I didn't understand what ANY of it meant at the time, but I sure appreciate it now!!! It is something I ALSO value tremendously. 

And although you folks didn't breed Panda, I will forever remember what the judge said to me about her easy-care coat as we were standing in line for her championship photo after 5 point major... "I didn't pick her because of her coat, I picked her because of her structure and her movement!". That made me proud, because I thought, "This was a judge the Kings would like!"  

_IF_ I continue breeding, coat will continue to be a really important consideration for me (along with health, structure and temperament). I know that most pet people end up cutting them down, but I wish they'd give the long coat a chance. I kept Kodi in full coat until he was 10 (and I got sick) and Panda's coat is SO easy. I think Ducky's is shaping up to be as easy as Panda's, but fuller, which is nice. I think that a PROPER Havanese coat SHOULD be one that PET people CAN maintain if they choose to!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Yes, we named her Fifth because she was the first member of our fifth generation. Kodi's Mom had one copy of curly too, but I doubt Kodi got it. His sire, Posh, had two copies of the Drop Coat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> Yes, we named her Fifth because she was the first member of our fifth generation. Kodi's Mom had one copy of curly too, but I doubt Kodi got it. His sire, Posh, had two copies of the Drop Coat.


Kodi had a GORGEOUS coat. It killed me to cut him down. But at the time I had no choice. Now we've both adjusted, and HE is just FINE with not being groomed as often! LOL! This was on a totally UN groomed romp in the woods day, and he STILL looked gorgeous!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> Kodi had a GORGEOUS coat. It killed me to cut him down. But at the time I had no choice. Now we've both adjusted, and HE is just FINE with not being groomed as often! LOL! This was on a totally UN groomed romp in the woods day, and he STILL looked gorgeous!



A beautiful photo of Kodi just the way I remember meeting him. He has a wonderful personality to match his good looks.


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## Itsy-Bitsy (Dec 29, 2021)

Tom King said:


> From the Starborn pack
> 
> View attachment 176478


So sweet!


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

Kodi always looks handsome whether his coat is long or short!!


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