# What Am I Getting Myself Into?



## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Hi everyone! 

I have spent hours reading this forum and have found such valuable advice here. I am *thisclose* to purchasing a havanese puppy but I am looking for some advice from experienced owners before I take the plunge.  

I have spent hours reading about bringing home a puppy and housetraining and I have a good idea of how I would tackle it. But I was hoping someone would be willing to describe to me what their first few weeks/months of owning their puppy was like. Tiring? Wonderful? Stressful? All of the above?  I am a work-at-home mom with two kids. I'm home a lot, but in and out of the house as errands and my kids require. My husband travels a lot for work, so 99.99% of the responsibility of training the puppy will fall to me. 

I guess I want to make sure that I'm not biting off more than I can chew here. Any advice before I make the leap? 

Leigh


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome Leigh. It can be totally frustrating if you're not prepared. |If you are prepared it can be very rewarding.; Here's plenty of reading , glad you're making it a learning experience. Here's an article with lots of links. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/your-education-about-puppy-education You're defininitely in the drivers seat if you're home alot.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Leigh,
Hi and :welcome: to the forum 

Straight up, no BS..puppies are ALOT of work, they will require a decent amount of your attention and time and your schedule will change and revolve around the puppy. The end result, makes it all worthwhile in retrospect, but I'd be lying if I told you there weren't moments I was beside myself stressed out and exhausted from training a puppy.

I work from home, too..most of the time anyways and its pretty easy now but we are both into a routine and she's trained and turning 4 here soon. Its good you are contemplating the pros and cons, and while there are a fair amount of cons, the pros are unconditional love and a whole lot of smiles along the way.

My girl loves car rides, I would start those early and make them to fun places (the park, ice cream, etc) not just the vet...Banks and the library and the pharmacy are her favorite errands because they hand out cheap dog biscuits, which amazingly...this picky palate will eat, just because of where they came from no doubt 

Best~
Kara


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

It iis just like having a new baby in the house for the first weeks and you have to get up at night with it and protect it from the other children. My grandchildren were going to drop Rosie over the stairs but we caught them just in time. But in actuality, the main thing is the potty training and that takes a while and diligence on your part. Unlike the new baby, you can leave your puppy alone in the house and you don't have diapers and bottles to warm. They eat their food by themselves and it doesn't have to be warmed. But like crawling babies and those pulling up, they will put anything in their mouths that they can get to. So, you have to make sure that they don't get anything to chew up that you really want. Babies will just put your shoe in their mouths--puppies will chew it completely up. So if you are an experienced mother, you shouldn't have any trouble--it is just a matter of are you ready for another baby.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, it's totally another baby! I have an 8 yr old son and a 5 yr old daughter and we think of Tillie as the baby of the family!!
My best advice, besides what you are already doing ~ researching and learning ~ is to be very discerning about the PERSONALITY of your Hav... do some research on temperment to see which kind blends with your family best, and try to find a breeder that will find a Hav that matches what your family needs. While there are a lot of similar things within the breed, they still are all very different in thier own ways. I know that I personally couldn't have handled a strong willed, stubborn, high energy hav, but some people can! It just depends on what you are looking for in a 4 legged child!!


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## Mojo's Mom (Jun 6, 2009)

Mojo was a hellion. I had a two year old at home, and it was six months of insanity. The good part is, it is mainly just that six months. 

If you spend four to six weeks REALLY focused on the puppy, you will have him/her housetrained by 16 weeks, but if you can't do that you may be dealing with housetraining for a much longer time, which adds to frustration.

It's hard, but then you have a marvelous little dog in an 18th the time it takes to raise a child.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

paper towels... lots and lots of paper towels. 

I am a stay-home mom, too. The first couple of weeks are awful. every hour to 1.5 hours you have to take the little beast out. And you have to pay extremely close attention for potty signals. Jack never rang the stupid bells. He would start pacing.

Now 3.5 months after we got him, I feel okay to leave him for the length of dinner and a movie. 3-4 hours in his crate-no longer than that. In the early stages, I had to do errands in an hour's time.

It is worth it. furry snuggles!


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Thanks so much for the replies. Pretty much what I was thinking... this is going to be hard. LOL


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Ha - Listen to those who say it is like bringing home a baby! I raised three boys - okay, so I know it was quite awhile ago and my memory may have conveniently blocked out some of the unpleasant stuff , but I was pretty much caught by surprise at how much like bringing home a new human infant it felt like!! Smart you - for thoroughly doing your homework beforehand!  I will admit that there was an approximate three-hour period about two to three weeks after bringing Augie home, that I had a meltdown and wondered what the heck I had done to my life. Got it out of my system, and I wouldn't give this little guy back for ANY.THING.! We were invited to a wedding about a month after we brought him home that we absolutely had to go to. We hired a 'babysitter' for him!  Took some adjusting, but now it is like he has always been here (he was 2 in October). I still go around 'babyproofing' the house, picking up anything that I think he could possibly get hold of and eat and hurt himself. Potty training seems to be one of the big hurdles people face. Augie was trained to go in the house, first on newspaper and then to the UgoDog for the first 8 months of his life here. We did not attempt to train him outside until after that time. We confined him to a couple rooms of the house (kitchen and family room) with close monitoring. He would go potty outside on our walks (after his shots were complete), but for the day-to-day potty duties, it was in the house. If we get another puppy, I will train him/her the same way as I felt this method worked very well for us. I also feel puppy classes and obedience training is well worth the time, expense and effort. 

By the way, WELCOME to the forum!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, Linda, I remember (pre-puppy, of course) when my friends would say, "oh we are getting a dog before we have kids, to see if we can handle a baby..." I would think, are you crazy!?? they are NOTHING alike, no way can a puppy compare to a human baby ... BUT now that I have been through it and am almost on the other side, I can TOTALLY say that my friends were RIGHT! LOL heck, I even carried Tillie in a front pack carrier for the first month or 2, just like my kids. And my kids are 8 and 5 ... soooooo, I'm sure I haven't forgotten that much! LOL it truly IS like having another baby ... only a MUCH shorter time span! woot wooooooot!!


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Linda, I think you hit the nail on the head where my apprehension comes from... this is going to be a lifestyle change for sure! We have two cats. Training consisted of showing them where the litter box was - it took about 15 seconds and that was that. And we can leave them for hours and hours... a couple of days even with lots of food and water left out. Easiest pets ever. A dog... not so much. But the payoff is huge. I grew up with dogs and know what joy they bring to a household. 

I came very close to getting a puppy a little while back and I chickened out at the eleventh hour. But I haven't stopped thinking about it and regretted the decision as soon as I learned the puppy was adopted by someone else. Now here I am again waffling on what to do. Decisions, decisions!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

for me having Maddie and now zoey is not hard at all I love taking care of them It is a natural instinct for me to teach and take care of them . You will feel the same because you already have children .


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I think you're looking for someone to talk you out of getting a puppy. Could I be wrong? I'm not the one to do it because I can't imagine my life without my four legged family. The boys were a joy for the most part, aside from the potty issue, which was very hard with Milo. There were mitigating circumstances however.

I must admit, though, that I had "that moment" with each of them, only a few days into it, when I thought what the h--- did I do? It didn't last long in any of the cases, and I wouldn't give any of them up. I know, I know . . . all of you who are laughing about Ms. Tuesday. ound:


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

I already have my mom trying to talk me out of getting a puppy! LOL No... I think I'm just making sure I am prepared enough for the changes it will bring that I don't end up with a case of adopter's remorse, so to speak.


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## miko (May 28, 2008)

We fostered a few puppies for 2 weeks last month. During that time, we averaged 4 hours or less of sleep each night. Constant whimpering and crying. Constant bathroom cleanup. Constant play time. You will be stressed, frustrated, worried, happy, and fulfilled (not in any particular order). 

Worth it? Definitely. We are getting more foster puppies tomorrow.

Will your kids be helping you with the puppy? Will they be gentle and careful with the puppy?


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Leigh96 said:


> I came very close to getting a puppy a little while back and I chickened out at the eleventh hour. But I haven't stopped thinking about it and regretted the decision as soon as I learned the puppy was adopted by someone else. Now here I am again waffling on what to do. Decisions, decisions!


I am not trying to talk you out of getting a puppy either, but if you say you are 'again waffling', I am wondering if you are not quite ready for a puppy at this time. If it was me, I think I would want to be certain. If there is any doubt, I think I would wait.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, MY mom thought we were CRAZY to get a puppy, tried to talk us out of it too ... was TOTALLY 100% against the idea. We had had Tillie for about a month when my mom finally came up and met her and she LOVED her. In fact, when we were down for Christmas she said that they may even get a Havanese in a few years when my step dad retires! LOL She loves how quite, well behaved, joyful and loving Tillie is. 
(Tillie saves her "naughty behaviors" for home ~ like any good kid, right? LOL)


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

oh, and I agree, cats are the EASIEST pets ever. LOL we have 3.


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## becks (Oct 18, 2010)

I got a Havanese puppy in March last year, and I have sworn, NEVER EVER will I own another puppy. I will not go through it again. (I have had puppies before, but this is my first Havanese). I also raised my twin babies single handedly, and I swear they were easier than this puppy. Boz was /is very strong willed, high energy and stubborn.  

There were times when I could have truthfully given him away, but my husband just adored him because he has "soooooo much character"; (I think that was half is problem) but now that he is growing up and we have a better "understanding" we are getting on great and I love him dearly. Unfortunately those early months are the most difficult and draining yet they are the most important for the positive development of the dog, so again I say, think very carefully whether the time is right for you to take on another dependent. As I write this my Boz has his head in my lap and looking up at me with big adoring eyes. Aww :becky:


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Thank you for all of the honest replies. After sleeping on it and probably putting way more thought into it than I needed to, I've decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I think I'll be nervous and a bit unsure about it no matter when I decide to do it - just the way I am before I make big commitments like this! But I figure that I've scared myself enough that it can't be any worse than what I've already built up in my mind. LOL 

My kids don't have a lot of afterschool activities scheduled in the next few months and we're home a lot because of the cold weather, so now is as good a time as any! Our puppy will be ready to come home in about two weeks. I am so excited! He's the cutest thing ever. Now time to buy all the preparations...


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## miko (May 28, 2008)

Things to buy:

Bitter Apple Spray - spray it on furniture legs or anything you see the puppy chewing on

Quality Food - not from petsmart or petco

Metal or ceramic food/water bowls

Crate/bed

Puppy pads - our boys still use the ugodog system

Rope toys

Brush / comb


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Good luck and best wishes with your new "baby".


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Congratulations ! Do you have pictures or a web site for us to see the breeder and litter?


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Leigh, congratulations on your decision! I'm sure you will regret it more than once in the first few month......LOL......BUT, in the long run you will think it was the best decision ever! Do you have any pictures of the little one yet or has it been decided which one from the litter? We love lots of pictures!

BTW, my daughter got a Tibetan Terrier a couple of months ago and she was calling me several times a week thinking she had made the wrong decision. Two months later, Dixie is fitting in quite well! She has a 6 and 4 yr. old and works part-time.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

OK then - full steam ahead and good luck and best wishes to you! And you know that a few of us had those moments after bringing our new puppies home, of thinking 'what the heck have I done', but that *it doesn't last.*  I did not know about the forum before or when I brought Augie home, so I wasn't really prepared to experience that feeling, even though I wanted him very badly beforehand! You have school age children too so that should be helpful. My Augie absolutely loves kids.


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

You and I appear to be in similar situations. I also work from home and have two kids. While my husband doesn't travel he leaves very early and comes home very late. Most everything related to the kids, home and dog fall to me. It's exhausting.

No bull, the first month was incredibly stressfull. I really didn't know what I was doing and created some situations that didn't serve me and my family well, e.g. tried to get him to sleep downstairs while our bedrooms are upstairs, didn't follow through on pee pad training and tried to train him to go exclusively outside, expecting certain behavior a puppy - especially a Hav - is incapable of, etc... 

Waking in the middle of the night to take him out was the toughest part, I was in a funk the whole first month - not unlike post-partem depression. I always scoffed when people said having a puppy is like having a baby but it's really true. Luckily, puppies mature much faster than humans! My good friend told me I was way too focused on my dog and she's right. I'm still hyper-sensitive to his needs in a way that's probably not entirely healthy. 

The other big surprise was that our activities were significantly curbed in the first few months (and will continue to be for the next few months I think). For example, we can't take the family on day trips anymore that don't include the dog and we cannot leave him alone all day. Poor baby is used to company and may explode if not walked every few hours. I have to time errands and our family outings around his schedule. I know this will get better with time.

Bottom line, Eli has brought incredible joy into our lives. Just looking at him and watching him interact with us is great fun. DH and I are constantly struck by what an awesome dog we have.

Good luck in your search.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Well said Ellie!
COngratualtions on your desicion and we can't wait to get pictures and cheer you on as you go into a very exciting time!!!
btw, I also have 2 kids and am home during the day... Tillie keeps me from being lonely and lazy!  Havs ADORE kids, I'm sure your new pup will be so excited to have his very own kids!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I'm very excited for you. Yes, there will be those moments, but they are few and transient and the joys are pervasive and ongoing. Good luck to you and your new baby boy. Have you chosen a name? What color is he? Do you have any photos, or access to any? Not that I want to overwhelm you with questions, you understand. :wink:


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## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

As a soon to be owner myself these tips and experiences are all very helpful to me also! Realistically, how long (i.e. number of months) does it take til you can go out for 4 or more hours? I know it's not possible in the beginning, but do dinner and a movie become an option?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

miko said:


> Things to buy:
> 
> Bitter Apple Spray - spray it on furniture legs or anything you see the puppy chewing on
> 
> ...


Just wanted to say that Petco DOES carry some good quality food... Kodi was on Royal Canin as a puppy - from Petco, and now as an adult, is on Natural Balance Organic, also sold at Petco. I CAN buy both of these foods at the small independent shop, but the shop is farther away, and the food costs more there.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

A puppy is hard work, but so well worth it. DH and I are retired so the work was easier than if it was just one of us. Potty training was the most time consuming. When Tucker was awake we took him out every 30 - 45 min. His breeder trained him on a pee pad and he was great at using that in the house. After a few weeks he was used to going outside. By the time he was 4 mos. old he was completely trained to outside. But we kept the pee pad down for another 2 mos. just to make sure. I know if DH had not been home to help it would have taken much longer to train Tucker. Tucker's a chewer so that was another area we had to deal with. But with chew toys and Bitter Apple is was doable. I would like another Hav, but to be honest I don't know if I'd go the puppy route again. Mainly because I think we're getting to old for that. Puppies love to play a lot and they need to. I did get tired of being a constant playmate for Tucker. Your daughter will take care of that for you though. My best to y'all and enjoy your little one.


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Thank you all so much for the advice - I really appreciate it.  I have (temporarily) shifted from scared mode into excited mode. I took my daughter to the pet store today and bought some supplies, so that was exciting. This two week wait is going to be a long one for sure! 

I'll post pictures as soon as I can. I'm having computer issues right now and I'm working with a loaner, so my capabilities are limited for the time being. We do have a name picked out for the little guy... Finnegan (Finn for short).


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## toto3d (Nov 25, 2010)

Hi there!

I am currently in the dark tunnel known as "potty training hell" and have only heard rumors of a light at the end of it. Haven't seen it with my own eyes yet lol. I got Chester at about 14 weeks of age, and the past 2 weeks have been the most stressful 2 weeks in my entire life. I go to WORK to relax, otherwise it's constant attention, constant correction, and constant trying to keep your belongings from being chewed up. Evenings of shutting off the brain and watching Reality TV or football are gone. 

I've had multiple moments of regret and despair. The only thing keeping me going is his sweet face, my wife's encouragement, and the little moments where it seems like there's progress...like him doing #1 and #2 on the pee pad!

Note #1: I downloaded iCam on my iphone to watch him while I'm at work. It made me more stressed seeing him howl and whine. I forced myself not to watch it more than a few seconds every hour.

Note #2: He picked up obedience training really quick which impressed us. But now he doesn't care for the piece of apple or banana we use to train and occasionally ignores our "sit" commands. Frustrating.

Note #3: He's also desensitized by our "No! w/ clap" command. Also frustrating.

It's only day 12...it's only day 12....

Just wanted to confirm with you all...there's a light at the end of this tunnel, right?? Right?!

OK I'm done venting. Hopefully I lowered your expectations enough so that the only way to go is up 

Good luck!!


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

> Haven't seen it with my own eyes yet lol. I got Chester at about 14 weeks of age, and the past 2 weeks have been the most stressful 2 weeks in my entire life. I go to WORK to relax, otherwise it's constant attention, constant correction, and constant trying to keep your belongings from being chewed up. Evenings of shutting off the brain and watching Reality TV or football are gone.


Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! Nooooooooooooooo!!! Going to pretend that I didn't read that....  LOL

In all seriousness, I'm right behind you. And I'm absolutely certain that I will be posting something very similar in the not-too-distant future. At least there is sympathy and understanding here! I know for a fact that if I make the mistake of complaining or whining to my family, all I will receive is an earful of "I told you so's" and "Well, you knew this and did this voluntarily..."


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Ah, toto3d - your postound: is ever so much more helpful at keeping the multiple Havanese syndrome in check than photo after photo of puppy cuteness!! It will get better! At least you have maintained your sense of humor (or is it madness?? - Ha). We have all (most of us) gone through it and are still here to tell the tales!

And a month or two ago, who knew that getting a puppy to go potty on a pee pad would be so exciting?!!!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, well, I am going to give you the opposite view point... we also got Tillie at 14 weeks and she has been a dream. seriously. I mean she IS a puppy after all, but she is SO people pleasing, SOOOO smart, with regards to potty training, I was making myself INSANE for the first 2-3 weeks following her around our tiny house (she had access to kitchen and living room) watching for potty signs, etc, she caught on pretty quick and at about 17 wks I hooked up a cheap-o bell from the Dollar store by the front door and would tap it with my foot when we went out to 'go potty' .. within an hr she was doing this herself and QUICKLY discovered that when she rang the bell, the door "magically" opened. She hasn't had an accident since. Although sometimes I go insane with the bell ringing... BUT it's a small price to pay considereing we got new BEIGE carpet last year. LOL I know ALL about the family "I told you so's" also. Thankfully Tillie has TOTALLY proved everyone WRONG and won them over with her charm, obedience and lack of accidents in the house... as well as being the "quietest little dog" they have ever seen! Now, she is fantastic, BUT she IS a puppy. a DOG. she does SHRED any kind of paper IF she can get ahold of it. It IS like living with a toddler, albeit a VERY smart toddler!
From my perspective, yes, this IS a life change, we have to think about our havs as part of the family, not "just" a dog. But the joy, the life, the laughs that little Tillie brings into our family makes is so worthwhile for all us of. I can't even remember life before her (and we've only had her since September!LOL) gee, life must have been awfully boring before she joined our family!!
I am SO excited for you! I read that the breeder said your puppy was "shy"? That is the way Tillie's breeder described her as well, the best advice I can give you is to take him EVERYWHERE with you, in a front carrier, a sling or something similar, so he can experience all different kinds of people, places, sounds, etc... we did this with Tillie right away because I had read that the socialization "window" closes at 16 weeks... we didn't have much time! We took her everywhere, even to kids birthday parties... just brought her x-pen along and let her take everything in in a safe environment. So, get him out as much as you can, safely, carrying him so he isn't exposed to parvo, we did this as today at 6 months old, you would NEVER thing Tillie was EVER labeled as shy... she ADORES people, thinks they were put on this earth to love HER. LOL 
She may have also been labeled as "shy" because she wasn't as pushy/strong willed/alpha as her brothers and sisters so she kind of faded into the background. Once she was with us, she bloomed, as I'm sure your little guy will too!!
So excited for you!!!
sorry for my loooooong post! eace:


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

toto3d said:


> Hi there!
> 
> I am currently in the dark tunnel known as "potty training hell" and have only heard rumors of a light at the end of it. Haven't seen it with my own eyes yet lol. I got Chester at about 14 weeks of age, and the past 2 weeks have been the most stressful 2 weeks in my entire life. I go to WORK to relax, otherwise it's constant attention, constant correction, and constant trying to keep your belongings from being chewed up. Evenings of shutting off the brain and watching Reality TV or football are gone.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain and I know where you're coming from. I can only tell you to hang in. It will pass. Just think of him as a baby, which is what he is. If you had brought an ifant home from the hospital, would you have expected it to be "potty trained" in a matter of weeks? Would you have expected it to do everything right and to follow commands within weeks? What I'm trying to tell you here, is it's a function of time.

Let yourself off the hook. You don't have to be perfect at this and neither does he. If you relax a little more, it might get a wee bit easier. But, whatever the path, it will get better over time.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Pooch said:


> As a soon to be owner myself these tips and experiences are all very helpful to me also! Realistically, how long (i.e. number of months) does it take til you can go out for 4 or more hours? I know it's not possible in the beginning, but do dinner and a movie become an option?


:welcome: 

Yes, Dinner and movies will be an option, you'll just be worried about them when you are out  lol

Honestly, I didn't have any real issues with the whole puppy chewing things up, Gucci was never destructive and pretty content as long as she was right next to me or within sight of me. They are very clingy, probably more so than many other breeds, imo.. I can't even remember the last time I went to the bathroom alone....ound:

Kara


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

TilliesMom, I am prospectively jealous! LOL She sounds like a dream - and she is adorable to boot! 

I am definitely all about socializing the little guy. We already have multiple requests from my son's friends to come over and meet the dog. I also emailed with a very reputable behaviorist/trainer in my area this evening, and he recommended puppy kindergarten. I am scared to death of parvo, but he said that the puppy class he recommends should be fine as long as he has up to date vaccinations (they require it). But I still worry! Already the overprotective mom and he's not even here yet. LOL


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## toto3d (Nov 25, 2010)

The day prior to writing my last post I was pretty far down the "hope" scale. After writing the post, however, I'm proud to say that Chester had his first full day without an accident! Yes, I probably just jinxed myself but who cares?! I'm going to take this small victory and milk it for all it's worth because I will undoubtedly have more low days (and accidents) in the near future.

Anyhow, I hope the glimpse into my life wasn't too frightening or discouraging


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

YAY! GO Chester!! I'm sure he'll have more and more accident free days!!


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## Leigh96 (Dec 20, 2010)

Congratulations on Chester!!! I agree - milk that victory for all it's worth. But I think you have many more to come.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

toto3d said:


> Hi there!
> 
> I am currently in the dark tunnel known as "potty training hell" and have only heard rumors of a light at the end of it. Haven't seen it with my own eyes yet lol. I got Chester at about 14 weeks of age, and the past 2 weeks have been the most stressful 2 weeks in my entire life. I go to WORK to relax, otherwise it's constant attention, constant correction, and constant trying to keep your belongings from being chewed up. Evenings of shutting off the brain and watching Reality TV or football are gone.
> 
> ...


Well, little puppies are infants... just of the canine variety. They only LOOK cuter than human babies.<g> They have the same basic needs plus the problem that they become mobile and grow teeth at a MUCH younger age.

As far as your obedience training is concerned, fruit is a REALLY low-value treat for most dogs. Try upping the ante with tiny pieces of cheese or meat. You'll get his attention again. Also, make sure you rotate between training treats. ANYTHING you use all the time will get boring.

As far as the "clap and "NO"" routine... you've already learned the problem with that... after the first few times, it simply doesn't work. Instead, work on redirecting him when he gets in trouble. Instead of clap and no, say in a really high, excited voice, "Chester, Here!!!!" keep treats in your pocket at all times, and give him one as soon as he comes to you. (Do NOT use the word "Come" at this point, or you will ruin it for recall purposes later on) The goal is to redirect his attention TO you, and AWAY from whatever it was he wanted to do that you wanted to stop.


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## Jan D (Mar 13, 2007)

After a very short while of having Havee at home I said to myself..."what the *** have I gotten myself into?" The constant taking him out and watching for his signals were unending. I was determined to keep his accidents to a minimum. I swear I lost a few pounds along the way, jumping up to see what he was doing in the other room. He never stopped, and rarely napped believe it or not! It was well worth all the work though! Put your time in in the beginning to potty train him well. It will pay off as he gets older when you can be sure to trust that he won't mess in the house. I didn't have small children to tend to either though. Havee is almost 4 now and is so playful. He makes us laugh every single day. Be sure to take Finn to a class so he learns the proper way to behave on leash, etc. Good Luck!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

This is why this is THE best forum. Honesty. 

Welcome Leigh...your apprehension will actually help you prepare. I think Ellie said it the best. I was fine with our first dog (for which I took PUPternity leave) But when my 2nd pup came and was more of a hellion and harder to house train-- I fell into a deep post-PUP-dom depression. I wanted to send him back (really) but DH wouldn't let me and I am so glad he wouldn't. I can't imagine our lives without Jasper and Cash. 

What I can add is be prepared for 3-4 months of intense house training. 3-4 months of moderate training where you can see they are getting it. 2 months of YES! we did it. and then 1 month where they seem to forget everything you taught them. Not necessarily in that order. LOL but your little pup will not be 100% reliable til after a year. And then the real obedience training begins!!! We here obviously love our Havanese. But they do have a reputation for being harder to train. but they are trainable. It just takes time. 

The book that helped me the best (besides all the havanese books and the forum) was house-training for dummies. it's an easy read and easy to check back with when things arise. 

The other thing that really helped us stay on top of it was over the 1rst couple of days make a list with times of every time the puppy poops or pees. Believe it or not the little pee monsters are actually quite consistant...and having a list will give you an idea of how often they go and allow you to anticipate when to lead them to their pee pad or take them out side before they make a mistake. Do it at the beginning of every week, and over the weeks you will see how much longer they are holding it. 

Congrats to you and your family. you won't regret it. And I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet... WE REQUIRE PICTURES!!! do you know which puppy is yours yet?


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