# COVID puppy boomers come brag here!



## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

Jojo is growing so fast and has learned so much; I thought it would be fun for those of us with new pups to compare notes about all the wonderful and maybe not so wonderful things our little fluff balls are doing! So here are Jojo’s stats! 

Age: 17 weeks tomorrow

Weight: 4lbs 3 oz

Color Change: Very little if any. So she’s still a very dark brown cutie! So excited to see how this progresses!

What she can do: Sit, Lay down, Shake, shake with the “Other Paw,” Sit Pretty, Roll Over, Get on the bed (hers), Stay on the bed (hers), Put her “Hands up” (Party in the USA style)!

Potty Training: No accidents for 16 days and counting. Yesterday she started giving a little bark and going to or taking me to the door! I thought it was a fluke at first but she did it three times!

She’s working on: Coming when she’s called. She likes to think about it! Walking on her leash. We’ve moved from the circle drive to around the block. She’s a bit lazy and would rather be carried. Not biting or nipping! Stop demand barking to play. I don’t like to be told what to do by a 4 lb puppy. In other words learning she doesn’t rule world! Ha ha! 

Her favorite games: Tug and Fetch, and Catch Me if You Can. I love the first hate the second!

Formal Training: None yet. COVID is still making this a bit hard but I’ve been researching and have found a trainer to come to our house, but scheduling is a challenge.

So that’s Jojo! Tell us about your puppy!! Desi! Izzy! I can’t remember all the sweeties names! Doggy mentors with older dogs you can play too!!!


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Sounds like JoJo is doing great!


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## Faithb (Aug 18, 2020)

What a great idea. Wow, I am really impressed that JoJo is so advanced! How did you teach her all these things so quickly? Desi knows sit, down and come at this stage but isn’t always reliable. He will be 18 weeks tomorrow and has been accident free for about two weeks. He had his first haircut today and I am sad that his dark chocolate coloring is gone. I am sharing the before and after photos.

Update: He weighs 5.6 pounds


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

Thanks Molly! I forgot she can Speak and “Talk Soft” and Leave It not obedience skills but as more of tricks, We are working on leave it in obedience like when she picks up things outside she’s not supposed to! I think she’s doing great! But we definitely need a little help to teach me how to turn all these great little tricks onto true obedience skills while distracted etc!


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

Faith Desi is gorgeous!!! I love his tail! Jojo’s coat is not nearly as long!!!! Seriously.., it’s been so easy to teach Jojo tricks, and she loves it! The only hard part has been me coming up with new things to reach her! Also she’s not doing any of these things as true obedience if she was distracted or anything like that where I really needed her to perform I don’t think she could!


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

Cute little mischief makers! I always called the "catch me if you can" game "keep away". It's a puppy's most favorite game (and they all love it!) and the owner's most hated!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

KristaS said:


> The only hard part has been me coming up with new things to reach her! Also she's not doing any of these things as true obedience if she was distracted or anything like that where I really needed her to perform I don't think she could!


Ricky performs his tricks better if there is an audience of strangers! He LOVES to show off, of course he is 7 y.o.

Here is a "can't miss" trick that never fails to please. FIST BUMP. Ricky is a veteran air traveler for years. I let him walk off the plane on his own (on a leash). The flight crew and one pilot always bids us farewell at the exist. At that point I lean down and say to Ricky, "If you think the flight crew did a good job, give me a fist bump." Ricky always gives me a vigorous fist bump (Ricky is a 'lefty'). The fight crew just goes nuts. If you set this trick up right, you can use it in many different situations. People love it!

I have also taught him the Cuban dance, 'Mambo'. I sing a little Mambo tune and dance and Ricky dances and twirls on his hind legs. That trick is also a winner.

People love the Havanese breed. Despite all their mischief, they are a delight to live with - very entertaining.

Ricky's Popi


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

Willow does the fist bump. Really easy to teach! However, now whenever I give her a treat, she insists on a fist bump first!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KristaS said:


> Jojo is growing so fast and has learned so much; I thought it would be fun for those of us with new pups to compare notes about all the wonderful and maybe not so wonderful things our little fluff balls are doing! So here are Jojo's stats!
> 
> Age: 17 weeks tomorrow
> 
> ...


Sounds like she is learning all kinds of great things already! Remember that she is learning ALL the time and that every interaction with her is "training", whether you mean it to be or not... just because she DOES learn something from it!

For this reason, it's pretty important NOT to reinforce "Catch me if you can"!  Don't EVER chase her. Be sure that she CAN'T get away from you if you approach her. That means that you keep her in a small enough space that she CANNOT get away from you, or you keep her on a leash or long line... even letting her drag it in the house so you can step on it to keep her from getting away.

Another one like this that is important NOT to let them get into their heads is that they have a "choice" in terms of coming when they are called. That means that while they are still learning (which means, for a really, REALLY long time!!!) we should NEVER use our recall word unless we are 95% sure they are going to respond correctly. So, if you see them delightedly running toward us when we come in the room, THIS is the time to say "Fido, Come!!!" in a happy voice, heaping praise and cookies on them when they arrive. You also never, EVER call them to you when you are going to do something they don't like, such as grooming them or ending outdoor fun. Instead, go to THEM and pick them up.

After 18,564 repetitions, (give or take 3,424  ) done in ALL SORTS of places with all SORTS of distractions, using a long line or a controlled environment to prevent mistakes, you will find that they are becoming more and more reliable about their recalls!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LOL! I had to UNTEACH fist bumps, high-fives and other paw touch to hand stuff with Kodi, because then we had a TERRIBLE time getting him to do "stand for Exam" in obedience. (which requires that ALL FOUR FEET stay STILL and on the ground!!!) He INSISTED that the judge MUST want to shake hands out of courtesy first! LOL! It took a LOT of UN-training on that one! LOL!


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## Wulfin (May 3, 2019)

Take a look at the trick dog stuff! Even if you don’t want to get a title (but you can!), they have lists of tricks to give you ideas


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

I love these fun ideas and advice! Karen you are truly a gem! I wish I could see Ricky fist bump and Mambo dance! We play that Havana oo na na song all time and sing it to Jojo! Now I want to teach her to dance to it!! IWolfin, I’m definitely going to look up the tricks site! Popi you are right people love Havanese dogs! Actually just today I was walking around the block with Jojo and a guy stopped to comment on her (that happens all the time)! He wanted to BUY her right there!!! No way!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Ricky performs his tricks better if there is an audience of strangers! He LOVES to show off, of course he is 7 y.o.
> 
> Here is a "can't miss" trick that never fails to please. FIST BUMP. Ricky is a veteran air traveler for years. I let him walk off the plane on his own (on a leash). The flight crew and one pilot always bids us farewell at the exist. At that point I lean down and say to Ricky, "If you think the flight crew did a good job, give me a fist bump." Ricky always gives me a vigorous fist bump (Ricky is a 'lefty'). The fight crew just goes nuts. If you set this trick up right, you can use it in many different situations. People love it!
> 
> ...


Maybe one day you will share of video of some of Ricky's tricks?

I love the use of "fist bump!" Ricky is like an ambassador for the Havanese breed


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## Vartina Ancrum (Oct 10, 2019)

Izzie started her virtual training yesterday. She is learning to sit. We are working on a find it game. We attempted to learn to lay down but that didn't work too well. She was 16 weeks old yesterday. She weighs 6.4 pounds. She sleeps through the night and we don't have to make outside trips. Izzie uses her litterbox and goes outdoors. We have the morning outside potty down but working on the other times. Oh yeah, she loves the Homegoods Store and riding in the shopping cart.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

KristaS said:


> Jojo is growing so fast and has learned so much; I thought it would be fun for those of us with new pups to compare notes about all the wonderful and maybe not so wonderful things our little fluff balls are doing! So here are Jojo's stats!
> 
> Age: 17 weeks tomorrow
> 
> ...


Mine isn't a puppy, but I love this idea! I really love reading other people's experiences like this.

Age: 3 years

Weight: 14lbs (I think?? I'm spacing on this right now)

Color change: way more than I realized! Looking through his coat the other day, it looks there are white sections beneath the dark on his back which are brand new! I want to take pictures of his whole coat more often so I can compare months down the line when the changes will be more obvious.

What he can do: sit, stay, shake, spin, jump, and a few others DD made up at the skate park

Working on: manners when someone is at the door. This will probably be lifelong as our neighborhood is kind of out of the way and other than deliveries people don't stop by often. We usually go to them. Outside of a pandemic

Favorite games: getting breakfast! running in the hall, playing fetch, luring us to play in lots of creative ways. He is a HUGE show off, he LOVES it so much when everyone is watching him.

Formal training: some to address separation anxiety as a puppy and some casual sessions around 2 years. I would love to do a nose work class with him but the closest one is 45 minutes away in the evenings and that wouldn't work for our family.

I had no idea how much adding a Havanese to our family would change how I see so many things, not just about dogs. I can't believe the first time I read about Havanese was when we were getting ready to move to this house, only 4 or 5 years ago. I'd never heard of a Havanese before!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Maybe one day you will share of video of some of Ricky's tricks?
> 
> I love the use of "fist bump!" Ricky is like an ambassador for the Havanese breed


The thing is 'fist bump' is easy to teach and small children can easily duplicate the trick. Kids love it. Ricky is cued not by the words but by the fist in front of him. Very small children who can barely talk (so the words come out gibberish) can make the trick work just by making a fist which is easy for them to do. I usually carry some dry treats in my pocket and let the kids reward him when he performs. I've had 6 or 8 kids around us in the terminal, waiting for a plane, playing with him. Children feel empowered around him because they can easily make him perform and he is so gentle with them. One time I had the a whole group of kids dancing around with him while he did the Mambo. They tend to be more apprehensive around him when giving him treats because they are afraid he will bite their hand. But Ricky never bites down on their hand, he will use his tongue to lick the treat out of their hand. I've had parents come up to me and thank us for entertaining their kids, - they were at their wit's end trying to come them occupied.

I have never seen a Havanese yet who was not a good ambassador for dogs in general, despite what their individual talents might be. Keep teaching those tricks! I'll have to make a video someday, once I start feeling better from my surgery.

Ricky's Popi


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

Eva I think you are so sweet! Popi imagining all those littles at the airport playing with Ricky is the sweetest thing!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Wulfin said:


> Take a look at the trick dog stuff! Even if you don't want to get a title (but you can!), they have lists of tricks to give you ideas


Not on ly can you get a title, but because of Covid, you can video tape your tricks and send them them in and get your title on line!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KristaS said:


> I love these fun ideas and advice! Karen you are truly a gem! I wish I could see Ricky fist bump and Mambo dance! We play that Havana oo na na song all time and sing it to Jojo! Now I want to teach her to dance to it!! IWolfin, I'm definitely going to look up the tricks site! Popi you are right people love Havanese dogs! Actually just today I was walking around the block with Jojo and a guy stopped to comment on her (that happens all the time)! He wanted to BUY her right there!!! No way!


Oh my goodness! That's like offering to buy your kid!!!:surprise:


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

That’s exactly what I thought, Karen!


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## Mama Mills (Jul 5, 2020)

Another one like this that is important NOT to let them get into their heads is that they have a "choice" in terms of coming when they are called. That means that while they are still learning (which means, for a really, REALLY long time!!!) we should NEVER use our recall word unless we are 95% sure they are going to respond correctly. So, if you see them delightedly running toward us when we come in the room, THIS is the time to say "Fido, Come!!!" in a happy voice, heaping praise and cookies on them when they arrive. You also never, EVER call them to you when you are going to do something they don't like, such as grooming them or ending outdoor fun. Instead, go to THEM and pick them up.


This advice is GOLDEN!! Thank you for the reminder 🙂

Loving this thread!! The babies are adorable 😍


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

COVID puppy boomers, I love your sense of humor KristaS😆 It’s a great idea and the pictures are so cute! I’m going to try Ricky’s fist bump during class time tomorrow.


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

I think you have a cute sense of humor too, JaJa! Thank you!


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

krandall said:


> LOL! I had to UNTEACH fist bumps, high-fives and other paw touch to hand stuff with Kodi, because then we had a TERRIBLE time getting him to do "stand for Exam" in obedience. (which requires that ALL FOUR FEET stay STILL and on the ground!!!) He INSISTED that the judge MUST want to shake hands out of courtesy first! LOL! It took a LOT of UN-training on that one! LOL!


Oh that is too funny! We had a dog once (2 dogs ago) that we taught to "speak". Boy, that was a mistake. She spoke whenever she wanted a treat.


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## KristaS (Sep 26, 2020)

I regretted “Speak” as well Jackie! That’s why I’ve had to teach her to “talk soft!” But that’s supper cute because she’s done this little grumbly growl since we got her and now that’s “Talk Soft” on command!


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