# Hello -- I'm new here!



## Fernando (Oct 10, 2011)

My name is Fernando

I don't have a Havanese just yet, I'm getting a pup for free through a friend who does not want to breed anymore and is getting rid of the last one.

I am one of the Administrators for http://www.tortoiseinfo.org it's a tortoise/turtle forum.

I own tortoises and a chameleon, so this dog will be my FIRST EVER dog of my own.

Can you direct me to links that have the best information re: Diet, grooming, behavior, training... etc ?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to learning from ya'll and more about my future pup.

-Fernando :biggrin1:


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Hello Fernando! 

Welcome to the forum! We have got to have pictures, you know the rules! How old is your pup?


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

Welcome! This is a great place to learn all about the Havanese and you will certainly have any information you need! (Dave has a computer the size of most of our homes!) What are you going to name him/her?
Theresa


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## Fernando (Oct 10, 2011)

Me and the Wife don't have a name just yet. I've got a couple in mind...but right now we're just trying to get more info on this dog and find out if we are the best fit for it. 

Are Havanese generally 'yappy' dogs? Are they dogs that get bored very easily? The reason I ask, is because me and my wife work 8-5pm Monday-Friday. I have a decent sized yard where it can play during the day. 

Also, how CURIOUS are they? I have tortoises 8-9 inches, 3 of them to be exact, that live in the side yard as well. I've heard stories of Chihuahuas biting tortoises (mostly babies though) 

Are they easily trainable? I'd love it to be an alert dog, since we have predators (opossums and cats( that come across our brick wall and threaten my tortoises. 

Since we will be home most evenings and on weekends, we will be walking it almost every day or every other day so I'm sure exercise won't be a problem. 

Is there a favorite 'Job' it likes to do? 



Sorry for all the questions, I just want to know what I'm getting myself into.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome, Can you hear the drums Fernando ? LOL
Before You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar http://www.siriuspup.com/pdfs/before_puppy_sirius.pdf

After You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/AFTER You Get Your Puppy.pdf

yeah you can't just leave him alone in the back yard for eight hours. You need some sort of alternative. Not to mention the bylaw officer waiting for you when you get home.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

uhhhhhh.... it's "job" would be LOVING you 
these are companion dogs and want more than anything else to be WITH thier people... I'm sure he would not be a danger to your turtles, but he may be IN danger with the possums! These guys are little 9-12 lbs is an average.
They are generally NOT yappy, but can be if they are bored or lonley.
He may not be very happy out in yard alone for 8 hrs a day... often times people get more than 1 hav so they can keep each other company.
these are not just 'dogs' they are our babies, I often feel like, "I didn't get a Havanese, I got a LIFESTYLE" they long to be part of your family, with you as much as possible and things can be very tricky if they aren't with you a good part of the day.
Oh and yes, they are VERY trainable, very much want to PLEASE thier human... although I don't know if they can be trained to be a gaurd dog...
just my thoughts!
Welcome to the forum and hope you get the chance to learn all you can about your new baby!


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

haha...yes, their "job" is definately loving you! They are VERY lovable and will follow you EVERYWHERE you go! Maybe mine is different than others, but he would NOT LIKE to be outside in the yard by himself during the day while you and your wife are at work. Little ones usually feel safer in a smaller, closed in area (like a crate) while in the house alone. But everyone is different. They LOVE people, especially kids and are very, very playful, so be prepared to spend a portion of your evening walking, running, playing with tug-toys and "wrestling" with him! He will want to eat when you're eating and sleep when you're sleeping. He will cuddle next to you and wait at the door for you if you go outside. 
My Oliver IS yappy- he barks ALOT but really it's because he wasn't trained very well in the beginning. We have been working with him and he has gotten much better in the past few months. But he loves to sit on the top of the couch, look outside and bark at the neighborhood.
We have frogs and fish tanks all over our house and he doen't even give them any attention. I don't know if he's ever really even looked at the frogs so I don't think you have to worry about the turtles.
We also have a big fat guinea pig and in the beginning they didn't totally like eachother, but now they sniff and walk around eachother and sometimes one will even lay close to the other (of course the second we try to take a picture, Oliver runs away!) 
Like I said, he's my first and only dog, so I don't know how all other havs are, but just know they need lots of attention and care, but will LOVE you like none other.


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Fernando:

How old will your puppy be when you bring him/her home? That information will help us in giving you advice.


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## inlovewithhav (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't know about not being a guard dog Tammy, Kipper will give me warning before Sadie will and he puts himself in front of me to "protect" me from whatever sound has gotten his attention. My hav is not yappy BUT I think it is more an environmental factor since my sisters is. Her hav is around a lot of yappy dogs so he is probably picking up bad habits and at my house barking is not allowed unless there us a need for it (i praise for barking when giving warnings and correct with an ah ah no bark for needless barking-have trained both dogs this way and one is a hound). Havs are very trainable but take close to 6 months to a year to potty train, I would personally not recommend leaving it outside unsupervised as they can be attacked by birds and other predators, kipper didn't go out by himself until he was about 9 mths old and close to 9 lns and even then it was only long enough for me to grab something and go back and check on him. There will be those that will tell you that working that long away from your hav is not ideal BUT there are plenty on here whom do. I used to and have to say that training is going much better now that he is only alone 4 hours as opposed to 6-9 that he was when we first got him. Read through the threads on here and see what issues people are having, that should help you decide if the breed is right for you. Also think about your commitment to grooming, they require brushing almost daily or to be kept in puppy cut (short coat) to prevent matting. This is just the tip of the ice berg, keep reading and I am sure you will be able to decide..... Fair word of warning decide that the breed/dog is right for you before you go meet it, they have a tendency to make you forget everything once you get their adorable little faces in front of you. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Welcome!

Havanese are companion dogs, first and foremost, and don't do well if left alone for hours at a time. I wouldn't ever leave mine alone outside for more than 10-15 minutes. They aren't outdoor dogs like that. If people work long hours during the day they plan to be able to come home in the middle of the day, and many hire dog walkers or take them to doggy daycare centers.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

To be very honest with you, you might want to rethink taking this pup. These dogs are bred to be with people. If left alone everyday for that length of time, these dogs are known to develop severe separation anxiety. They will bark all day long and be very sad and anxious. If you both work those hours, it's really not fair to get a breed that is specifically bred to be with people. That is their main purpose. If you've never owned a dog and have to deal with separation anxiety, it is a tough task. I work a lot, but I have a dog sitter. My dogs are never left for more than 5 hrs at a time. They have full run of my house with a doggy door and fenced in yard. Please consider all these factor before taking this pup. I assure you, if you leave the dog alone for that many hours on end, you will have a very unhappy pup. I also don't think it's a good idea to leave the dog outside all day...


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

I do agree with Linda. Havanese love the outdoors but they are "indoor dogs". I would never leave mine out when I was gone since it is just not safe for them. They could be hurt or stolen. You are doing the right thing by researching this breed before getting one.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree too. Kodi LOVES being out doors, but he wants to be out WITH ME. If he's on the opposite side of the door from me (whichever way that is!ound he wants to be on MY side.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Just based upon what you've shared so far, I'd say this dog is definitely not for you. Most breeders won't even consider placing their dogs with someone who will keep it outdoors all day. It could be in danger and it certainly would be miserable.


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

I don't think Havaneses are yappy dogs unless you "trained" them to be (positive reinforcement at the wrong time - like petting them when they are barking...). Whenever Roshi barked at me, I just turn my back on him. He gets the idea I don't like it. As for a guard dog, I think it's a natural/instinctive thing for dogs to bark at sounds they are not familiar with. Roshi had a little barking moment with the dishwasher when I ran it for the first time a few weeks ago. LOL. 

If you have researched the havanese breed, you have probably came across the term "velcro dog". Unless it has a treat filled Kong, the dog will be by your side wherever you go. You can also take advantage of this trait. Good for the "come" command - at least I thought so. However, "velcro" doesn't mean possessive. Roshi loves me and will follow me everywhere, but he's also content to play alone with his toys and with other people when I'm not around. 

Roshi loves training because I think he sees it more as treat time. LOL. So yes, havaneses are trainable. Roshi has some cute tricks up his "paws" that always brings a smile to his audience. However, the potty training dept is a little tricky and it's still a working progress for my little one.

People here will give you flack if you plan to leave your little pup alone for 8+ hours (as you have probably read). LOL. They did with me when I first got Roshi, but I'm glad they did. After that, Roshi became full time doggy day care pup. 

Seriously, the first most important thing for a puppy is SOCIALIZATION. The more people AND dog interactions it gets, the better your puppy becomes. You may think you have the evenings and weekends to socialize him, but there is also training and puppy sleeps early - (Roshi is a dead dog by 9 pm). Time does seem slow with a puppy but it also goes by quickly. There simply isn't enough time!!!

Long story short, I wouldn't suggest to leave your potential new pup for 8+ hours alone. It's really not that great for its development... especially in the behavior dept. Better to have good behaviour development than to correct bad ones later. Even if daily day care is not an option, you should consider doggy daycare for a few times a week. 

Good luck with your puppy. Hopefully you can make a right choice for your puppy and your family!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

No, they aren't yappy. As far as a guard dog, my husband has trained Gucci to bark like a bafoon when someone comes to the house or she hears/senses someone approaching, so she IS a guard dog in that sense.

I have a feeling you may have a problem with this havanese, especially since it is coming from a breeder where the dog is used to being around other people and dogs (?) an adjustment from that to being alone 8 hours a day may cause a bit of depression. They very much like to be around humans and 'pack' and aren't the best at being by themselves, they are prone to separation anxiety. However, I would really find out more about his/her personality and temperament from the breeder, hopefully they just aren't telling you what you want to hear (I've seen that happen before on rare occasion, most breeders are trustworthy and want their dogs in a good fit, but some, not so much)

Anyhow, :welcome: to the forum! I love tortoises and would love to see pictures of your pet-family all together  

Kara


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

My husband and I are away from the house -- usually no more than six hours. Baxter does not like it, and I agree with others that it is not "ideal." But that's one reason we have two puppies -- they are great companions. I looked to this forum for advice on how to make their day as pleasant as possible -- we have an ex-pen set up, with beds, water, and treat-filled Kongs. The puppies are happy to go there every morning (though they are much more happy to come out in the afternoon). 

The Hav is especially attached to his people, and that's something to know about this breed. You can probably make it work, but it will take some thinking and committment. I would not do outdoors all day. I'm not sure that works for any dog, but I can't imagine it would work for a Hav.

Good luck!


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

Gosh Fernando-I am so sorry if we all sound so negative. Really, this forum is helpful. I haven't read any new posts from you, so I hope it isn't because we have scared you away! We just love our havs and want only the best for them! 

Have you and your wife made your decision yet? If you do decide to get him, post pictures and let us know!


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Oh, I'm sorry! I meant to sound positive! My point was -- we're making it work!


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

I know Donna, me too! I wasn't commenting on you or anyone in particular! I just hope we didn't scare Fernando away!  

We make it work, too. Oliver is in a crate for anywhere from 4-6hrs a day, depending on our work and school schedule. I agree it's not "ideal" but honestly, I think he sleeps most of it, he's safe in his crate, and he's super excited to love on us when we get home!
I'm sure Baxter is just fine


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Yes, I hope we didn't scare you away! I just don't want to sugar coat it. I am going to tell you the truth about these dogs so you know what to expect. So many people buy this breed without doing any reading or research and they end up disappointed in the dog. You can make it work though. It just takes time, dedication and a trustworthy dog walker


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

tcollins said:


> I know Donna, me too! I wasn't commenting on you or anyone in particular! I just hope we didn't scare Fernando away!
> 
> We make it work, too. Oliver is in a crate for anywhere from 4-6hrs a day, depending on our work and school schedule. I agree it's not "ideal" but honestly, I think he sleeps most of it, he's safe in his crate, and he's super excited to love on us when we get home!
> I'm sure Baxter is just fine


wow Oliver is an angel. I can not imagine having Ache in a crate from 4-6 hours a day...


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

Ya know, he's just used to it. He's in there monday-thursday for 4-6 hrs, only about 2 on friday and not much at all on saturday and sunday. But what's funny is sometimes on saturday or sunday morning he'll be gone from our side and we'll wonder "Where is Oliver?" and sure enough, he's in his crate sleeping. It's like his body is conditioned to take a nap at 9:00am We let him have run of the house while we're at church on sunday and we'll come home and he jumps out of his crate to greet us, so really I think it's true that they feel safe in their crate- when they're used to it. The older he gets, the longer I will leave him out while we're gone- I hope within the next year or so I won't crate him at all...but I won't be surprised if he still goes in it when we leave!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

tcollins said:


> Ya know, he's just used to it. He's in there monday-thursday for 4-6 hrs, only about 2 on friday and not much at all on saturday and sunday. But what's funny is sometimes on saturday or sunday morning he'll be gone from our side and we'll wonder "Where is Oliver?" and sure enough, he's in his crate sleeping. It's like his body is conditioned to take a nap at 9:00am We let him have run of the house while we're at church on sunday and we'll come home and he jumps out of his crate to greet us, so really I think it's true that they feel safe in their crate- when they're used to it. The older he gets, the longer I will leave him out while we're gone- I hope within the next year or so I won't crate him at all...but I won't be surprised if he still goes in it when we leave!


 No problem there tcollins ,whatever your t stands for LOL. I'll tell you what my T stands for , if you tell me what your t stands for. LOL


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

tcollins said:


> Ya know, he's just used to it. He's in there monday-thursday for 4-6 hrs, only about 2 on friday and not much at all on saturday and sunday. But what's funny is sometimes on saturday or sunday morning he'll be gone from our side and we'll wonder "Where is Oliver?" and sure enough, he's in his crate sleeping. It's like his body is conditioned to take a nap at 9:00am We let him have run of the house while we're at church on sunday and we'll come home and he jumps out of his crate to greet us, so really I think it's true that they feel safe in their crate- when they're used to it. The older he gets, the longer I will leave him out while we're gone- I hope within the next year or so I won't crate him at all...but I won't be surprised if he still goes in it when we leave!


I was going to point out that, just like Oliver's being used to the crate, not all havs get SA from being left alone, even for up to 8 hours or more. During the summer, when my daughter was at her dad's, Cey was home alone for over 8 hours 3 times a week (I took him to doggie day care the other two days). BUT, we worked up to it; there was absolutely no way I would have left him alone for even over 5 hours when I first got him. Nope, we started out by leaving him 2 days a week for only about 5 hours, and each time with a very special treat that he only got when left alone, and pretty soon, he almost began to look forward to being alone (though, we still didn't overdo it!). We eventually worked up to 5 hours 3 times a week, then slightly longer and longer times for those 3 times a week. Cey now does fine on his days alone (I even set up a webcam to watch him! He mostly just sleeps all day, or looks out of the window lol) during the week (he still goes to doggie day care once or twice a week, depending on our schedules - basically, he is only left home a maximum of 3 times a week, and almost never 2 days in a row) - the only time he gets upset at being left is when it's the weekend and we fail to take him with us! I swear he knows which days are Saturday and Sunday, and he gets upset if a) we don't sleep in with him, and/or b) we leave him home alone (which we only do if we are going to be busy all day, or during the summer, when it was too hot out to leave him in the car). Clever dog 

Anyway, for first getting a hav, I agree with everybody else here - the dog should be inside, and it's much better if somebody can come home for lunch and ALSO if you can hire a sitter or take him to doggie daycare most days, at least to begin with. Also, it depends a lot on the temperament of the dog; some will eventually be OK with being left alone, but some might never be (Ceylon is, for the most part, the most mellow, laziest dog ever LOL!). I just want to point out that it's not entirely impossible to get some Havaneses to be OK alone sometimes (but even now, Cey is alone at most, 3 days a week, and almost never 2 days in a row).

Just my two cents


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

heatherk said:


> I was going to point out that, just like Oliver's being used to the crate, not all havs get SA from being left alone, even for up to 8 hours or more. During the summer, when my daughter was at her dad's, Cey was home alone for over 8 hours 3 times a week (I took him to doggie day care the other two days). BUT, we worked up to it; there was absolutely no way I would have left him alone for even over 5 hours when I first got him. Nope, we started out by leaving him 2 days a week for only about 5 hours, and each time with a very special treat that he only got when left alone, and pretty soon, he almost began to look forward to being alone (though, we still didn't overdo it!). We eventually worked up to 5 hours 3 times a week, then slightly longer and longer times for those 3 times a week. Cey now does fine on his days alone (I even set up a webcam to watch him! He mostly just sleeps all day, or looks out of the window lol) during the week (he still goes to doggie day care once or twice a week, depending on our schedules - basically, he is only left home a maximum of 3 times a week, and almost never 2 days in a row) - the only time he gets upset at being left is when it's the weekend and we fail to take him with us! I swear he knows which days are Saturday and Sunday, and he gets upset if a) we don't sleep in with him, and/or b) we leave him home alone (which we only do if we are going to be busy all day, or during the summer, when it was too hot out to leave him in the car). Clever dog
> 
> Anyway, for first getting a hav, I agree with everybody else here - the dog should be inside, and it's much better if somebody can come home for lunch and ALSO if you can hire a sitter or take him to doggie daycare most days, at least to begin with. Also, it depends a lot on the temperament of the dog; some will eventually be OK with being left alone, but some might never be (Ceylon is, for the most part, the most mellow, laziest dog ever LOL!). I just want to point out that it's not entirely impossible to get some Havaneses to be OK alone sometimes (but even now, Cey is alone at most, 3 days a week, and almost never 2 days in a row).
> 
> Just my two cents


Also, I think most daycare places offer package deals. Expensive up front, but usually pretty inexpensive for the equivalent daily rate. The full-day daycare rate for Cey's daycare place is $32, but I signed up with a new-customer incentive of $350 for 30 days. I am not even through those 30 days yet, since he goes at the most 8 days a month, but just recently, they offered an extra-special promotion of 60 days for $675. That's just barely over $11 for up to 12 hours of daycare (7am-7pm, though we usually only use from about 8am until 4pm or so)! Yes, coming up with the $675 up front was a pain, but now we are set well into 2012  Yay!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

heatherk said:


> I was going to point out that, just like Oliver's being used to the crate, not all havs get SA from being left alone, even for up to 8 hours or more. During the summer, when my daughter was at her dad's, Cey was home alone for over 8 hours 3 times a week (I took him to doggie day care the other two days). BUT, we worked up to it; there was absolutely no way I would have left him alone for even over 5 hours when I first got him. Nope, we started out by leaving him 2 days a week for only about 5 hours, and each time with a very special treat that he only got when left alone, and pretty soon, he almost began to look forward to being alone (though, we still didn't overdo it!). We eventually worked up to 5 hours 3 times a week, then slightly longer and longer times for those 3 times a week. Cey now does fine on his days alone (I even set up a webcam to watch him! He mostly just sleeps all day, or looks out of the window lol) during the week (he still goes to doggie day care once or twice a week, depending on our schedules - basically, he is only left home a maximum of 3 times a week, and almost never 2 days in a row) - the only time he gets upset at being left is when it's the weekend and we fail to take him with us! I swear he knows which days are Saturday and Sunday, and he gets upset if a) we don't sleep in with him, and/or b) we leave him home alone (which we only do if we are going to be busy all day, or during the summer, when it was too hot out to leave him in the car). Clever dog
> 
> Anyway, for first getting a hav, I agree with everybody else here - the dog should be inside, and it's much better if somebody can come home for lunch and ALSO if you can hire a sitter or take him to doggie daycare most days, at least to begin with. Also, it depends a lot on the temperament of the dog; some will eventually be OK with being left alone, but some might never be (Ceylon is, for the most part, the most mellow, laziest dog ever LOL!). I just want to point out that it's not entirely impossible to get some Havaneses to be OK alone sometimes (but even now, Cey is alone at most, 3 days a week, and almost never 2 days in a row).
> 
> Just my two cents


You did it just right. You built up his confidence. I did the same thing with my guys. And it is true, some are more velcro than other. My Scudder gets the most anxious when I leave. I always give them a kong before I go to work. Now I think they look forward to me leaving!


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

lfung5 said:


> You did it just right. You built up his confidence. I did the same thing with my guys. And it is true, some are more velcro than other. My Scudder gets the most anxious when I leave. I always give them a kong before I go to work. Now I think they look forward to me leaving!


Thanks Linda! Yea, leaving our furbabies alone is always hard. I would much rather spend all day with mine! But I knew that I couldn't, so, I worked up to leaving him alone for so long for so many days a week. And, he loves loves loves loves LOVES doggie day care! (And, it's funny - when I pick him up from doggie daycare, he is even more enthusiastic about wiggling around, wagging, and trying to lick me 200 times a second than he ever is when I leave him alone hahaha!)

I'm just grateful that he is OK being left alone on the days that I do have to leave him. I can't afford day care 5 days a week, but it would break my heart if he couldn't handle being left alone...


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Yeah. I do think every dog can be trained to be left for around 4-6 hours at a time. All my guys had a bit of separation anxiety, but I worked with each of them. It took time, but eventually they learned it was ok for me to leave. 
I also try to break things up for my guys. If I have a lot of long work days in a row, they will get full days with my dog walker every other day and 1 hr visits on the other days. Of course, they get at least 1 long long walk a day they really do live for their walks!


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## Fernando (Oct 10, 2011)

StarrLhasa said:


> Fernando:
> 
> How old will your puppy be when you bring him/her home? That information will help us in giving you advice.


Sorry about not responding sooner, guys. I've been busy with work and running my forum. Anyway...I found out it is a boy and 3 months old.

Apparently from what everyone is saying, it's best not to leave it along for 8+ hours and outside.

So I've been thinking...I work about 8-10 minutes from home. I have always ate lunch at home, so I'm there for about 45 minutes. If it stayed indoors, in the bathroom, will that help?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Well, it's GREAT that you can come home and spend time with him at lunch time... that will help a lot! Obviously you will have to confine him until he is reliably potty trained, but maybe after that you could give him more space. The bathroom is awfully small as a long-term solution... many people confine their dogs to the kitchen. While he is still learning to potty reliably, you will need an even SMALLER space, with an easy to clean floor, but you still want him to be a part of the family, not locked away in the bathroom. A good solution is an "ex-pen", which is a folding metal pen that can be configured in various ways. 

One nice thing about little dogs is that it is pretty easy to train them to use an indoor potty of one sort or another. Some people use pee pads, but many Havanese chew paper, so if you get one of those (my Kodi is one) an unprotected pee pad is just a tear-apart toy. The other problem with pee pads is that many dogs have trouble differentiating between a pee pad and a scatter rug... leading to accidents. There are special grates that can hold a pee pad, and make it easier for the puppy to learn the difference between the potty and a rug. One of these is called the "Ugo Dog". There are also several potty systems with fake grass, like the Potty Patch. Puppies usually learn to use these VERY quickly. Kodi uses a litter box, but I think this method is more successful if the puppies are started with it by the breeder at a very young age.

In any case, if your pup is going to be home alone a lot, you AND he would probably be a lot happier with an indoor potty option. Most dogs quickly learn to use the outdoors too, when it is available... in fact, most prefer it. But having an indoor option makes it easier for everyone!


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## tcollins (May 1, 2011)

Hi Fernando! I was afraid we totally freaked you out!!!!

I think it would be nice if you could come home for a little while at lunch, especially in the beginning. Is day care an option? Maybe as others said-once or twice a week at least? Just a thought! Especially on those days that not only are you gone all day, but in the evening as well. Good luck!

Heather-what a great deal! I never thought to ask if my doggy day care offers anything like that. I just pay the $36 each day we need it (usually weekends when we have shows or games). Thanks for the idea!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Fernando. I',m just not sure you realize how much work is involved here. Thinking back on this , I think you really should reconsider taking this dog. A dog is quite a bit more involved than having turtles. You will be getting a dog that needs a lot of attention. If this wasn't put in your head by your friend , can you honestly say you were thinking of getting a dog in the near future.? I could be wrong but I don't think you know what's involved. This dog is at a critical junction ,and if it hasn't been socialized well by three months, it will be even more difficult for you to do this , as it's primary socialization period is nearing an end. You have some serious questions to ask yourself. I would talk with a counsellor at your nearest SPCA and see what's involved here. Be honest with them and most of all yourself.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I think keeping him inside would be MUCH better. you run the risk of him missing you guys so much he digs out from under the fence and runs away, i've seen a few havs escape some regular fencing, so inside would be much better, and being able to stop for lunch and let him out would also really help.

I take my Hav to work with me when I work outside of the home (at my husband's office) she just sleeps at my feet and is really good, this is where the 'not yappy' part comes in quite handy 

Not trying to run anyone off, but just being honest off the bat about some potential issues, I think its better to go into something fully informed of the good and bad possibilities, life as we know it, is not always rainbows and puppies and unicorns and lollipops....ound: wouldn't that be nice, though!! 

Kara


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I don't think the bathroom is a good idea either..... you really need to consider housebreaking. If you kept it in the yard all day, it will never learn to housebreak. I'm thinking you are considering the bathroom, because of accidents? You might consider reading a few havanese books before taking this pup. The pup deserves a good home where he will get A LOT of love, attention, walks etc. It doesn't seem like you have the time. To be honest, I cringe when people who work full time get dogs. I just think it's not fair to the dog, unless you have the money to hire a dog walker or daycare. Please think about the puppy and what is good for him and what makes sense for your lifestyle...maybe a cat? They are much more independent


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## Fernando (Oct 10, 2011)

I just got off the phone with our friends that have the pup right now and they say that the dog is pretty much potty trained already. They said it goes on the potty pads it has and spends it's time in the home with them. 

It's a very calm and quiet dog, unless they take him outside and he knows that they are home, he'll start barking. We're going to see it tonight and if we like it, we'll take him home and give it a try. Our friends say that if it doesn't work out we can give him back.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Fernando said:


> I just got off the phone with our friends that have the pup right now and they say that the dog is pretty much potty trained already. They said it goes on the potty pads it has and spends it's time in the home with them.
> 
> It's a very calm and quiet dog, unless they take him outside and he knows that they are home, he'll start barking. We're going to see it tonight and if we like it, we'll take him home and give it a try. Our friends say that if it doesn't work out we can give him back.


Sorry, but this is very sad to me. You don't try on puppies the way you try on a hat.

And NO puppy is fully house trained at 3 months. He will need close supervision and lots of positive reinforcement for MONTHS yet before he is truly reliable in all situations.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I'll keep my mouth shut....I've said enough.....Oh my lord.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I hate to read this, too. Raising and training a puppy is a hard, hard job, and VERY time-consuming. By the time you figure out what it takes and decide you didn't have a clue, the pup will have lost the main opportunity to learn to be a well adjusted, happy family member.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Good luck and I hope you can make it work for your family as well as for the pup... these are very, soft, sensitive dogs and this developmental period is crucial.
Please keep us up to date and ask us any questions you may have... it truly is like bringing a baby home and I hope that you are really ready for that.


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

Please, if you take this puppy home, stay on this forum and get some good advice.And whatever you do, don't leave this baby outside alone, ever.

These dogs need to be with their people. You can't put them in a backyard.

If it doesn't work out for you, please consider giving him to Havanese rescue where he will be assured of getting a great home. www.havanesrescue.com
If you, or the people who have him, can't keep him, just look on the website where you will find contact information.
Good luck!


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## Fernando (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks for the help guys, we're excited to bring our new pup home soon! I'll let you know how it all works out!


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