# Meet Little Gilbert... plus a question about bathroom behavior.



## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Gilbert came home May 24! He is 10 weeks old and just so wonderful in every way. He LOVES my 3.5 and 1 year old daughters and plays with them so well. Our girls are used to our small Japanese Chin so they are very good with this new little guy. We also have a black lab and an old beagle... but Gilbert is MY dog. He replaces my precious Ophie (a yorkie-pom, who looked JUST like a teeny little black Havanese!) who passed away three years ago and I still dearly miss, but I think Gilbert will be the perfect new buddy i've waited three years to find. Our other dogs are all 5.5+ years old and none are too excited to have a puppy in the house, lol... in fact, Gilbert's nickname for the moment is Beagle Repellent because the beagle moves any time Gilbert gets near.  

Gilbert is my first Havanese and I am totally in love. I was originally drawn to the Havanese breed simply because they looked exactly like a larger version of Ophie (we wanted something around 10-12 lbs since we have the youngins) but the more I read about the breed the more I knew it was really a perfect match beyond just the breeds charming good looks. Lol.

Gilbert has been so great! Potty training has been coming along alright, he's so short I've had a hard time knowing when he's pottying and praising him at the appropriate time so that is a bit frustrating and I think may be slowing us down a little. But my bigger concern is I have noticed one strange behavior... he tries to eat his mess after he's gone number two. Very gross. I know that is common in Shih Tzus, is it in Havanese? We have him on Blue Buffalo holistic dog food and I try to get him to eat some of his puppy vitamin so I don't think this behavior is because of a nutrional deficiency. 

I lost this message once already when I tried posting with his pictire so I will post his picture separately this time.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Welcome to you and Gilbert!

Kodi was never a poop eater, but i've talked to a lot of people with puppies of many breeds who are poop eaters. I'm not sure it's a breed specific thing. 

I don't know for sure that it made a difference, but I was always afraid that Kodi would pick up the habit. So until. He was WELL over a year old, we ALWAYS took him out to potty on leash, and picked up his poop immediately, so he never had any opportunity to get at it.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome, he's darling. Coprophagia isn't breed specific, to the Havanese. But yeah it can be worrisome.


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

I think I got it!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Great picture,


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Awww...what a sweet face! Congrats on the new puppy.


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Thanks ya'll!

Hmm... so not typical of Havanese. :/ I have never let him eat it because I pick it up immediately, but the fact he wants to do so is bothersome. Hoepfully he'll outgrow it... i'll ask my vet next week when I take him.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

MerryMaeFlower said:


> Thanks ya'll!
> 
> Hmm... so not typical of Havanese. :/ I have never let him eat it because I pick it up immediately, but the fact he wants to do so is bothersome. Hoepfully he'll outgrow it... i'll ask my vet next week when I take him.


 Yeah there's various remedies for this but management I think is key. A lot of pups grow out of it sort of speak.


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## angiern2004 (Apr 24, 2011)

There's a thread here somewhere about teaching the command 'leave it'. Dave, I think, has a video of the lady teaching her dog. Teaching that command has proven invaluable! You may want to dig up that thread, or maybe Dave can link that video here, it may be a great tool for times like that. Then, after your pup learns the command, anytime the pup starts reaching its nose toward it, you can give the command and treat for leaving it. 

It's the one command that has a MILLION uses.


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## angiern2004 (Apr 24, 2011)

Ooops, meant to say welcome and your little pup is cute! We would love LOTS more pics!


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Angie, thanks for that reccomendation! Our other dogs know the 'leave it' command... I don't know why I didn't think of doing that sooner. I think the gross factor overcame common sense. Lol. 

I have more pictures of my cutie, but most of the time his face is too dark to see! I always seem to end up with black dogs, lol... at least this one has some white so that he doesn't completely dissapear in every picture. Ophie was solid black, Colby my Japanese Chin is solid black, Newton is a black lab... we have all these family pictures with black blobs in them that are actually our little collection of all black dogs. LOL.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Welcome to the group. Your little boy is just adorable and will bring a lot of joy and more than a few laughs into your world. The poop eating has come up here a number of times before. Thankfully the troops I have now don't do it, but I did have a dog in the past who did.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

He is a real doll and it usually takes awhile for the others to get use to a new family member. I have never had a poop eater but I have never given them the chance. Welcome, we love pictures!!!


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Gilbert looks wonderful. So nice of him to stay still long enough for that wonderful picture!


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

How cute he is, what a sweet name!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

Welcome....what a sweetie you have there!! Looking forward to seeing more pictures!


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Jack is out of the closet. He is a poop eater. When he did this as a puppy and I came running to the forum, many other poop eaters confessed. Jack eats any poop. His, our other dog's, bunny, you name it. 

Pumpkin is the miracle fixer-upper. I give Jack and Nessie (other doggie) a small spoonful once a day. Supposedly, it makes poop nasty tasting. (How can poop taste worst? Dogs are weird.)

Gilbert is adorable.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Welcome, Mae and Gilbert! That is such a cute photo! 

And I confess - I have a poop eater here too. Augie. He is an addict. Like Pam's Jack, he is not picky - his, Finn's, other dog's, duck, you name it. He knows leave it, but if the chance presents itself and I don't see quickly enough, it is his. A few times, I have even caught him at Finn's back end - waiting for it - warm out of the oven. I did almost lose my lunch over that one! Finn has done it on occasion, I think when he is hungry, but nothing like Augie. Yes, it is yucky!


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Okay, I can't help it. 

Do you have a "Sullivan"? My brain keeps going 'Gilbert... and Sullivan'. If not, you are going to need another Hav. It is like Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Frick and Frack. Yes, I am pathetic. ound:


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

morriscsps said:


> Okay, I can't help it.
> 
> Do you have a "Sullivan"? My brain keeps going 'Gilbert... and Sullivan'. If not, you are going to need another Hav. It is like Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Frick and Frack. Yes, I am pathetic. ound:


Haha, no I don't have a Sullivan. But that's a perfect name for my next dog! LOL


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

I'm glad to know my Gilbert isn't the only poop eater! LOL I have never heard of the pumpkin thing. I will DEFINITELY try that! 

I found out something very interesting today when I talked to the breeder...

When I went to purchase a puppy the breeder also had Havashu puppies (Havanese Shih Tzu hybrid) and apparently that's what I bought! LOL I didn't realize they were all together. The breeder wasn't trying to pull one over on me, I just misunderstood. When I called today the breeder was very helpful and even offered to take the pup back if it wasn't what I had intended to buy. But I LOVE this little guy so its too late now. LOL He looks just like a Havanese so I didn't realize I had picked out a Havashu. Anyway, this might explain some of his Shih Tzu like behaviour... LOL Go figure! 

Hmmm... does this mean I have to leave the Havanese forum?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

OF COURSE you are still welcome here, and Gilbert isn't the only Havanese mix here either!

That said, itdoes explain his looks. He's definitely cute, but he also definitely doesn't look like a purebred Havanese puppy. He has rounder eyes and more of a "stop" between his muzzle and the rest of his face. One way or the other, he's still adorable!


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

krandall said:


> OF COURSE you are still welcome here, and Gilbert isn't the only Havanese mix here either!
> 
> That said, itdoes explain his looks. He's definitely cute, but he also definitely doesn't look like a purebred Havanese puppy. He has rounder eyes and more of a "stop" between his muzzle and the rest of his face. One way or the other, he's still adorable!


I wonder if there are any other Havashus. I guess I'll have to post a new thread asking!

He does indeed have a shih tzu look to him doesn't he? To me all the puppies looked the same when I got him, but looking at pictures online I can see some of the differences. My untrained eye didn't pick those up at first.


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## waybrook (Sep 13, 2009)

Welcome to the forum, Gilbert is so cute!

Panda was a poop eater also...will still eat cat poop if the opportunity presents itself. I guess she outgrew the desire to eat her own (or she decided the Louisiana Hot Sauce I covered it with was too nasty to mess with!) Either way, she still smells it immediately following elimination, but once she's satisfied it hers  she leaves it alone... Who knows what they're thinking???


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

Mine never did so can't help you with that one...but he sure is sweet!


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

waybrook said:


> Welcome to the forum, Gilbert is so cute!
> 
> Panda was a poop eater also...will still eat cat poop if the opportunity presents itself. I guess she outgrew the desire to eat her own (or she decided the Louisiana Hot Sauce I covered it with was too nasty to mess with!) Either way, she still smells it immediately following elimination, but once she's satisfied it hers  she leaves it alone... Who knows what they're thinking???


I'm hoping Gilbert out grows this too. I've found that our other dogs will eat cat poop given the opportunity. I've heard that's pretty normal though since cat poop is apparently really high in protein. Still... ICK!!! LOL


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Jplatthy said:


> Mine never did so can't help you with that one...but he sure is sweet!


The picture of your three pups together is beyond adorable! They make me think of a little group of carollers.


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## Eddie (Feb 11, 2012)

Welcome to you and Gilbert, he is a doll


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## Tigers Mommy (Nov 7, 2008)

I have 2 Havs. Tiger, the older one has done this since we got him. We have tried everything suggested and nothing worked. We just have to follow him around until he goes and clean up after him. Its become sort of a game tho...how long can he hold out til we turn our backs...LOL. Bit of a stinker! Or who can get there 1st. He runs much faster than us. When we got Beau a little over a year ago, I think his is more learned than instinct. Its more of "OOOOO What Does Tiger Have That I Dont", or "I Can Get It Before You Do Tiger"...competition. Anyway, our vet said to try to just prevent it, but he wasnt that concerned tho...Its just gross and puppy kisses are limited.


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Tigers Mommy said:


> ...and puppy kisses are limited.


LOL  Yesh...


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## Tigers Mommy (Nov 7, 2008)

When I joined this forum, this was my first question. I got a lot of advise, I tried a lot of different things that were suggested, but without success. It was just nice to know that Tiger wasnt the only one out there. I never had a dog that did this before, and it was reasuring to know I wasnt alone.:brushteeth:


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

My two did it as puppies,and occasionally they still do.Gilbert is a gorgeous mix,looking forward to watching him grow,and see how his coat turns out.


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## BennyBoy (Apr 25, 2012)

Congrats - he is adorable! His coloring is very similar to my Benny's! Enjoy him!


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## MerryMaeFlower (May 26, 2012)

Oh wow, Benny's coloration is very similar! And what a cutie he is!! He looks like such a thoughtful little dog. Like you can see the wheels just a turning. 

Goodness Tigers Mommy, Beau is incredible looking. He is ridiculously cute.

Clare, I LOVE your pups haircut in your profile picture! Such a teddy bear!


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