# On the fence...



## Skye (Jan 23, 2010)

I have been devouring all of the threads in this forum, and have fallen in love with this breed. I have 2 young children, and I am looking to add a Havanese to our family. It will probably not be until next year, as we may be moving sometime within the next few months, and my boy will just be 2 this summer.

My husband wants a puppy, and I do too. I posted before about puppies and children, I don't know if I am ready for this when my kids are so young. I may feel differently once we are settled in our new house, and my kids are a little bit older. (My daughter will be 5 this summer.) I am wondering if a young dog, instead of a puppy might be a better choice for us at this time. So, I am on the fence, puppy/adult...rescue/breeder...

My daughter has allergies, so I need an allergy/kid friendly dog.

I would love to find a young Havanese that is housebroken and great with children. (Haha...in my dreams, right?!) And, I am sure I will have MHS. So, maybe I could do the puppy thing in a few years when the kids are a little older? I did have 2 German Shepherds from the same litter that I raised from puppies. They were great together. 

If any of you can share rescue stories, or stories about similar situations I would love it. I was reading some of the older rescue threads on here last night.

Thanks!


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Puppies are so cute, but they are a lot of work and it sounds like you have your hands full. I got Riley when he was 10 months old. His previous owner bought him as a show dog, but he did not work out. 

It has been a great experience. He was already housebroken and slept through the night. He was well trained. He took to everyone in the family right away. By far the best dog I have ever had.

I considered a rescue dog, but in most cases, you don't know the background of the parents so you are more likely to end up with a dog with health issues. Also many older rescue dogs come from puppy mills and may have some behavioral issues. I think people who adopt rescue dogs are angels, but I just wasn't sure I was up to it. Getting a little older dog from a good breeder, was the best choice for me.

It only took me a couple months to find Riley once I started looking for an older dog. Some of our forum members who are breeders occasionally have dogs available. 

Good luck in your search!


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## hav2 (Feb 26, 2010)

I sort of have a similar situation. I have a five year old daughter and a 2 year old daughter. We got our first Havanese 1 year ago. So, my children were 4 and 1. It was a lot of work altogether, but my kids and our Izzy are bonded for life. I wouldn't change a thing about getting her when I did. We are about to get our second hav in 2 weeks. Izzy was not a rescue, we got her as a young pup. So she has been around young children her entire existence. She greets them in the morning, plays with them all day, and helps me put them to bed at night.


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## Skye (Jan 23, 2010)

hav2 said:


> I sort of have a similar situation. I have a five year old daughter and a 2 year old daughter.  We got our first Havanese 1 year ago. So, my children were 4 and 1. It was a lot of work altogether, but my kids and our Izzy are bonded for life. I wouldn't change a thing about getting her when I did. We are about to get our second hav in 2 weeks. Izzy was not a rescue, we got her as a young pup. So she has been around young children her entire existence. She greets them in the morning, plays with them all day, and helps me put them to bed at night.


Thank you for the encouraging story! I love it!


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## Skye (Jan 23, 2010)

dbeech said:


> Puppies are so cute, but they are a lot of work and it sounds like you have your hands full. I got Riley when he was 10 months old. His previous owner bought him as a show dog, but he did not work out.
> 
> It has been a great experience. He was already housebroken and slept through the night. He was well trained. He took to everyone in the family right away. By far the best dog I have ever had.
> 
> ...


I was sure I replied to this, but, it doesn't seem to have shown up!

I think this would be an ideal situation for us. Since we may be moving sometime in the next few months, I'll start looking when we get settled. I can't wait...we will all be so excited to have a Hav!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I think it is great you are concerned and doing the research and deeply thinking about it.

A few years ago I did my first rescue pick up of a Havanese who was turned into rescue with a home with small children that it didn't work out. The dog wasn't getting enough attention and they admitted they just didn't have time. He was friendly and playful and everything a good Havanese should be when I met him. While I was there, he was jumping all over the toddler knocking her down, grabbing the kid's toys on the floor running through the house. But my shocker was when I picked the little guy up, he was matted to the skin every where. His family warned me that he hadn't been groomed recently but I had to contain my jaw drop.

I am not trying to say this is always how it comes out but I just wanted to share a story I was witness to so you or anyone else thinking of adding a Havanese that it can be overwhelming at times especially with little ones. As Havs still do the same RLH if they have something that belongs to them and I think it is even faster when it doesn't!


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## Skye (Jan 23, 2010)

ama0722 said:


> I think it is great you are concerned and doing the research and deeply thinking about it.
> 
> A few years ago I did my first rescue pick up of a Havanese who was turned into rescue with a home with small children that it didn't work out. The dog wasn't getting enough attention and they admitted they just didn't have time. He was friendly and playful and everything a good Havanese should be when I met him. While I was there, he was jumping all over the toddler knocking her down, grabbing the kid's toys on the floor running through the house. But my shocker was when I picked the little guy up, he was matted to the skin every where. His family warned me that he hadn't been groomed recently but I had to contain my jaw drop.
> 
> I am not trying to say this is always how it comes out but I just wanted to share a story I was witness to so you or anyone else thinking of adding a Havanese that it can be overwhelming at times especially with little ones. As Havs still do the same RLH if they have something that belongs to them and I think it is even faster when it doesn't!


Yes, as much as I want a Havanese, I am realistic enough to know that now is not the time for us. I see that many rescues won't even adopt a puppy to a family with toddlers, and I can understand that. I will just continue reading here every day, and learning. I don't plan on getting a puppy or dog until I am confident that I can handle all that it requires. Thank you for sharing this story!


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Please dont be discouraged about the possibility of a rescue!! In my few years with Havanese Rescue I have fostered 5 Havanese pups and I would say that 3 of them would have been absolutely fine with young children. Through HRI the dog is "matched" to your family, along with what the dog needs. ie: fenced yard, someone home or not during the day, kids, other dogs, etc. You could always put in an application to Havanese Rescue and tell them what you are looking for, and if a foster comes around in your area that matches with you - you could get very lucky!!! 
Many of our rescues are owner turn ins --so we have an idea as to where they came from. 
I commend you for researching this all so carefully and taking into consideration your childrens age and activity levels - it sure is a smart thing to do!!
Laurie


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

i would say think about waiting just one more year...

my kids are now six and ten, i got posh when my youngest was three and she is very dog savvy as she had always been around bigger dogs but i knew that a little pup would be unbelievably hard for her to resist picking up, and we have a rule that kids do not pick up posh. they are allowed to hold her on their laps on the floor, where she can climb into them or on the bed or couch. i guess kind of like a human baby, you wouldn't trust a two or three or even five year old to pick them up off the floor and carry them around. 

having two kids myself, i'm sure you are way busy, especially with the move and you are going to want to have the time to enjoy the new dog and the new relationship formed between the children and the dog. you don't want this creature to become a burden from the get go. 

good luck.


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## Lunastar (Feb 9, 2009)

I too am with HRI. I have a little foster now, completely house trained(wish my girls were so dependable) who just adores children. Don't rule out rescue. HRI is great about matching the family to the dog. We find families for dogs, not dogs for families. HRI wants every forever home to be a success. Housetraining a dog with two little ones would be alot of work. I would say if you are wanting to add a dog or any pet to your family, start teaching your children to respect animals now. That will help smooth things along when you actually have the pet in the house.


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