# Introducing our new family member…..



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

At long last, we know who we will be bringing home in September 3rd…. Charlie will have a new little SISTER!

She has not yet been named, but we are leaning toward “Jolene” or JoJo for short. I haven’t heard back from the breeder on whether she knows her current name, which sounds nothing like that. Any thoughts on how big a deal it is if she already knows her name for it to be changed? Or should we change it to something more similar? She’s 8 weeks old.


















We met the pups about a week ago, and did a ‘puppy party’ where they were introduced to a few new people and new challenges (mini agility gear). It was the most fun afternoon, and ALL of the pups did amazing— a total of 14 from two litters. We were totally smitten and it’s been hard to wait to find out who would be ours, but are so thrilled about this little girl and can’t wait to bring her home!

So my biggest question, as someone with a multi-colored dog whose coat doesn’t show dirt…. How do you keep the white parts white?!? Is there a special shampoo or any special tips you have?

I’m also wondering if anyone has recommendations for harnesses… I expect that she’ll be about 4-4.5 lbs when we bring her home. I used a puppia when charlie was little but didn’t love it, and now have the blue 9 for him and love it, but it’s way too big. Any suggestions?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Awww! She's ADORABLE!!!

Congratulations! Don;'t worry about changing her name! Almost ALL puppies get a name change from their litter name. Breeders are careful not to use litter names too much, and start using the new families' names as soon as they know them so that they can familiarize the puppies with them! The only puppy in my litter that kept his litter name was Ducky!  

Mesh vest harnesses usually make sense for tiny baby puppies because they tend to be the only thing that fits. There ARE step-in styles rather than the over-the-head Puppia style ones, though. Check with your breeder, she may have plans. I know my breeders have sent my puppies home with one that fit properly, and I did the same with my puppies. They grow quickly at that stage, and I wanted to be sure they had something that fit properly from day one.

Blue-9 or Pet-Safe 3-in-One are GREAT harnesses, but I don't think EITHER will fit a dog much under 10 lbs, so you have to wait until your puppy is closer to adult size.


----------



## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

CONGRATULATIONS! We have a JoJo in our family, my daughter's 9 y.o. Black Tri standard Australian Shepherd. She was named after Trader Joe's Christmas cookies which are black and white. Actually your JoJo and our JoJo have quite similar coloring. I guarantee that your JoJo is a beauty now and also when she matures.


----------



## Al99 (May 1, 2021)

Congrats, Lisa!!!! Wow, she is a cutie pie! I bet everyone (including Charlie) will be smitten with Jojo! 

First harness - The XXS in this mesh step-in harness fit well at 9 weeks (around 3-4 lbs). We're still using the same one/size at 5 months old (around 8 lbs.) 
As for white coat, only the feet and legs really show dirt. A daily wipe down with a wet baby wash cloth or occasional foot wash helps! Although the white is a little bit more maintenance, it's easy to check for fleas!
Can't wait to see pics of Jojo with Charlie!


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Congratulations Lisa! JoJo is absolutely adorable! 🥰


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Oh wow what a little doll!! You must be so excited. As far as the white, the only thing that gets a little dirty looking on Mia is her feet and an occasional foot bath seems to work. I sometimes dip her feet in a bowl of plain water. We don’t do the full bath thing too often.


----------



## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Congratulations! Molly was called Juliet in her litter. As soon as I decided on her name the breeder started calling her that. I love her “parti pattern”!


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

I think one of the ways to keep the feet as white as possible is to minimize foot licking. Saliva can create some stains. Mia has this problem around her mouth because her tongue is always hanging out and she does lay with it on her leg sometimes so it causes some stains their also. However, this is unique to her. By keeping vaccines to a minimum, feeding healthy food, keeping paw pads trimmed up and doing foot baths during allergy season this can help minimize licking. During super humid times of year, I dry Mia’s paws with a paper towel when she comes in.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

Thank you all!! Yes, we are very excited!! We decided that she will be Jolene (JoJo, Joey, and probably a million other nicknames for short lol….) We were hoping to continue our musical theme— Charlie is named after Jazz musician Charlie Parker, and his AKC name is ‘Janizona Okie from Muskogee’ after the Merle Haggard song. His breeder was initially planning to keep him so registered him, and he was called Okie, but we figured we couldn’t bring a puppy to SF named after a song that hates on the ‘hippies in San Francisco’! We had a number of musical names we were considering, but Jolene won out because it seems to suit her, and Rob is from Tennessee originally, so the nod to Dolly fits!


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

Al99 said:


> Congrats, Lisa!!!! Wow, she is a cutie pie! I bet everyone (including Charlie) will be smitten with Jojo!
> 
> First harness - The XXS in this mesh step-in harness fit well at 9 weeks (around 3-4 lbs). We're still using the same one/size at 5 months old (around 8 lbs.)
> As for white coat, only the feet and legs really show dirt. A daily wipe down with a wet baby wash cloth or occasional foot wash helps! Although the white is a little bit more maintenance, it's easy to check for fleas!
> Can't wait to see pics of Jojo with Charlie!


Great tips! Thank you! And great point about fleas… they were so hard to see on baby charlie!


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

mudpuppymama said:


> I think one of the ways to keep the feet as white as possible is to minimize foot licking. Saliva can create some stains. Mia has this problem around her mouth because her tongue is always hanging out and she does lay with it on her leg sometimes so it causes some stains their also. However, this is unique to her. By keeping vaccines to a minimum, feeding healthy food, keeping paw pads trimmed up and doing foot baths during allergy season this can help minimize licking. During super humid times of year, I dry Mia’s paws with a paper towel when she comes in.


Such a good point. Charlie is a foot licker (mostly self soothing for anxiety now, but was doing it constantly years ago before we switched him to a fish-based diet) so we will definitely have to be sure we keep an eye out for any sensitivities! We are going to start her on Fromm Puppy Gold, which the breeder has been feeding, and sounds like others on the forum have had good experiences with. We are also moving to an integrative vet practice because I’ve been getting frustrated with our current vet pushing every vax known to mankind. This one recommends and encourages a more limited protocol, with additions only as necessary based on the dog’s specific needs.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

mudpuppymama said:


> Oh wow what a little doll!! You must be so excited. As far as the white, the only thing that gets a little dirty looking on Mia is her feet and an occasional foot bath seems to work. I sometimes dip her feet in a bowl of plain water. We don’t do the full bath thing too often.


Great that a bowl of water generally works for basic dirt removal! I thought we might have to use something like this but water sounds much simpler😊 DEXAS POPWARE FOR PETS Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Cleaner, Large, Blue - Chewy.com


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Awww! She's ADORABLE!!!

Congratulations! Don;'t worry about changing her name! Almost ALL puppies get a name change from their litter name. Breeders are careful not to use litter names too much, and start using the new families' names as soon as they know them so that they can familiarize the puppies with them! The only puppy in my litter that kept his litter name was Ducky! 

Mesh vest harnesses usually make sense for tiny baby puppies because they tend to be the only thing that fits. There ARE step-in styles rather than the over-the-head Puppia style ones, though. Check with your breeder, she may have plans. I know my breeders have sent my puppies home with one that fit properly, and I did the same with my puppies. They grow quickly at that stage, and I wanted to be sure they had something that fit properly from day one.

Blue-9 or Pet-Safe 3-in-One are GREAT harnesses, but I don't think EITHER will fit a dog much under 10 lbs, so you have to wait until your puppy is closer to adult size.


Lisa Walker said:


> Thank you all!! Yes, we are very excited!! We decided that she will be Jolene (JoJo, Joey, and probably a million other nicknames for short lol….) We were hoping to continue our musical theme— Charlie is named after Jazz musician Charlie Parker, and his AKC name is ‘Janizona Okie from Muskogee’ after the Merle Haggard song. His breeder was initially planning to keep him so registered him, and he was called Okie, but we figured we couldn’t bring a puppy to SF named after a song that hates on the ‘hippies in San Francisco’! We had a number of musical names we were considering, but Jolene won out because it seems to suit her, and Rob is from Tennessee originally, so the nod to Dolly fits!


Oh Charlie is a Janizona dog! She was a much loved member here! We're sorry she isn't around anymore! 💗 I believe she isn't breeding anymore?

As to dogs with white. <sigh> What can I say? I seem to collect them! LOL! I definitely let my dogs, even the ones in flull show coats, and even the ones who show in conformation, "be dogs"! I DO tend to bathe them relatively frequently, especially if they are in full,coats. The ones being shown go no longer than 10 days between baths. The ones in puppy cuts SOMETIMES go as long as 3 weeks if Im being lazy and they haven't gotten into anything gross.

My go-to shampoo is Chris Christensen Proline Fair Advantage, which is an all-in-one shampoo and conditioner with a VERY mild fragrance. It leaves ALL the dogs, no matter what color glossy, clean and soft, without the need for more conditioning in most cases. If a dog is getting REALLY yellowish around the edges (that is different from red staining... there is really no easy way to get that out... you need to solve the problem and let that GROW out!) one of the MILD bluing shampoos will work well. I usually use CC's White on White, again, because it is not heavily fragranced. Biogroom also has a good whitening shampoo, but it has a stronger perfume that bothers my nose. If you use a whitening shampoo, it is best to follow it up with a conditioner, as they DO tend to dry the coat a bit. I use CC's Spectrum 10. White on White and Spectrum 10 can take Kodi from this:










To this :


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Lisa Walker said:


> Great that a bowl of water generally works for basic dirt removal! I thought we might have to use something like this but water sounds much simpler😊 DEXAS POPWARE FOR PETS Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Cleaner, Large, Blue - Chewy.com


Water works to keep the paws clean and free of allergens, however it will not remove stains if that is a concern. I fill a bowl and hold the paw in there for a little while. They tend to pick up stuff in their paws like tiny seeds this time of year. Dogs sweat through their paw pads too vs. through the skin. I think water is good because it cleanses the paws without removing all beneficial bacteria that dogs have and it does not dry them out. If anyone starts licking their paws they get their paws dunked and that usually stops it. The current time of year is the most problematic where I live so this is when more paw washes occur. I dry the paws with a paper towel to get as much of the water out as possible. I also try to keep paw pads trimmed up to avoid moisture problems.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> Water works to keep the paws clean and free of allergens, however it will not remove stains if that is a concern. I fill a bowl and hold the paw in there for a little while. They tend to pick up stuff in their paws like tiny seeds this time of year. Dogs sweat through their paw pads too vs. through the skin. I think water is good because it cleanses the paws without removing all beneficial bacteria that dogs have and it does not dry them out. If anyone starts licking their paws they get their paws dunked and that usually stops it. The current time of year is the most problematic where I live so this is when more paw washes occur. I dry the paws with a paper towel to get as much of the water out as possible. I also try to keep paw pads trimmed up to avoid moisture problems.


It depends on whether you keep your dog's hair relatively short or not. This might work with relatively short hair, it is NOT going to work well with a dog with a full coat. Then you need a sprayer in the sink. And probably some conditioner, if not shampoo, if you've got plant material stuck in there.


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> It depends on whether you keep your dog's hair relatively short or not. This might work with relatively short hair, it is NOT going to work well with a dog with a full coat. Then you need a sprayer in the sink. And probably some conditioner, if not shampoo, if you've got plant material stuck in there.


I was referring to general dirt and grime. If you have burs or seeds or something like that is actually caught in the fur or in between the paw pads, you need more “help”. However, mine get fairly dirty feet just walking around and when I soak their feet it seems to come off. They both like digging so most of it is just dirt. However, they are picking up some cleome seeds now. They aren’t stuck in there and come off easily with soaking. However, conditioner would be needed for something actually caught up in the fur. Mia’s hair is fairly long now but I am trying to trim her so that her feet are fairly short and leg hair hangs down and covers them up. Not really poodle feet but fairly short. I am assuming this will make the feet easier to take care of and that they will dry faster. Hoping so anyway.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> Awww! She's ADORABLE!!!
> 
> Congratulations! Don;'t worry about changing her name! Almost ALL puppies get a name change from their litter name. Breeders are careful not to use litter names too much, and start using the new families' names as soon as they know them so that they can familiarize the puppies with them! The only puppy in my litter that kept his litter name was Ducky!
> 
> ...


What a transformation!!! I just tried the Proline for the first time on Charlie last week and really liked it. I’m also very scent sensitive snd can’t stand heavily perfumed shampoos, so maybe I’ll try the other products too.

For dealing with the redish tint, i know that teething can cause it, and licking feet… anything else that can be a root cause that I need to be aware of! 😊


----------



## Ditto's Mom (Apr 29, 2007)

Congratulations! Jojo sure is a beauty.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> I was referring to general dirt and grime. If you have burs or seeds or something like that is actually caught in the fur or in between the paw pads, you need more “help”. However, mine get fairly dirty feet just walking around and when I soak their feet it seems to come off. They both like digging so most of it is just dirt. However, they are picking up some cleome seeds now. They aren’t stuck in there and come off easily with soaking. However, conditioner would be needed for something actually caught up in the fur. Mia’s hair is fairly long now but I am trying to trim her so that her feet are fairly short and leg hair hangs down and covers them up. Not really poodle feet but fairly short. I am assuming this will make the feet easier to take care of and that they will dry faster. Hoping so anyway.


Yeah, for a Havanese in show coat, the foot hair is only trimmed between the pads, and the hair that would actually DRAG on the ground. It is cut exactly at the level of the table when they are standing on the table. So they really ARE “Swiffers”…


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> Oh Charlie is a Janizona dog! She was a much loved member here! We're sorry she isn't around anymore! 💗 I believe she isn't breeding anymore?


Yes--he's from Janizona! His mom is Ninifee Blue Temptation and dad is Ch. Janizona Winning Colors...He looks a lot like his dad. We connect with Janet and other Janizona dogs somewhat on Facebook; she is doing well but stopped breeding several years ago, and doesn't have Havanese anymore--she now has a mini goldendoodle!


----------



## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

Welcome, Beautiful pup!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lisa Walker said:


> What a transformation!!! I just tried the Proline for the first time on Charlie last week and really liked it. I’m also very scent sensitive snd can’t stand heavily perfumed shampoos, so maybe I’ll try the other products too.
> 
> For dealing with the redish tint, i know that teething can cause it, and licking feet… anything else that can be a root cause that I need to be aware of! 😊


For some, it seems to be something in tap water,for others it can be yeast…


Lisa Walker said:


> Yes--he's from Janizona! His mom is Ninifee Blue Temptation and dad is Ch. Janizona Winning Colors...He looks a lot like his dad. We connect with Janet and other Janizona dogs somewhat on Facebook; she is doing well but stopped breeding several years ago, and doesn't have Havanese anymore--she now has a mini goldendoodle!


I remember when she got the Doodle. I think she said she thought it was a dog that she felt could be left home alone more, and fit her life better at that point. If you "run into" her again (virtually or otherwise) say "hi" for me and the rest of the "old folks" on the forum!

Panda and Ducky have Pillow Talk and Blue Temptation lines behind them. (of course what red dogs in the US don't!?!? LOL!)


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lisa Walker said:


> What a transformation!!! I just tried the Proline for the first time on Charlie last week and really liked it. I’m also very scent sensitive snd can’t stand heavily perfumed shampoos, so maybe I’ll try the other products too.
> 
> For dealing with the redish tint, i know that teething can cause it, and licking feet… anything else that can be a root cause that I need to be aware of! 😊


For some, it seems to be something in tap water,for others it can be yeast for SURE in some cases it is caused by allergies… I don’t think it always has the same cause… that’s part of what makes it so frustrating…


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> For some, it seems to be something in tap water,for others it can be yeast…
> 
> 
> I remember when she got the Doodle. I think she said she thought it was a dog that she felt could be left home alone more, and fit her life better at that point. If you "run into" her again (virtually or otherwise) say "hi" for me and the rest of the "old folks" on the forum!
> ...


It is funny how much cross over there is… I guess you get that with a breed that is still on the ‘newer’ side. Probably doesn’t happen as much with labs! I need to take a look at Jolene’s pedigree because I’m pretty sure there’s some Blue Temptation in there, so maybe she and Charlie are very distant relatives!


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

Ok so I have two more questions for you lovely people:

We’ll use a sleepypod air for the flight home and for the car, but I’d like something open that I can easily take her around in for socialization. I was thinking a sling, but I’d like something that I can also set down on a chair for example if we go sit at a restaurant outside, and most of the slings I’ve seen seem like they wouldn’t work for that. Does anyone have a ‘purse’ style bag they like for this purpose?

Bigger question is on timing of bringing the little girl home… she will be 10 weeks on Sunday, August 29. My original plan was to get the pup on Saturday the 28th (which the breeder said was ok, so I could have the weekend with the pup, and then take off Monday, before having to deal with work stuff on Tuesday), but the second litter is three days younger, and since I wasn’t sure which puppy I’d be getting, we decided it would be best to push the flight to Friday the 3. (One COVID bonus- changing flights doesn’t cost anything!) But now I’m wondering if the previous weekend would actually be better, to bring her home a day shy of 10 weeks versus 10 weeks and 5 days. Two main reasons: the breeder is doing an amazing job with socialization and all the puppy culture stuff BUT she has 14 puppies, so it’s not like she could possibly be getting tons of 1-1 attention, and I know that the period from 10-12 weeks is really critical for development. So is it better to have her home with me sooner? The second is that we will start puppy school on the 11th, but she’s only allowed to come with me to the first class if she’s been home 10 days. So if I bring her home the 3rd, her first class won’t be until two weeks later. On the other hand, is it harder for the puppy that is the first (or among the first) to leave their litter? The one other factor is that I think travel might be a little less hectic the earlier weekend on a Saturday, compared the the Friday of Labor Day weekend, probably means less traffic and overall smoother travel. 

Curious to get your thoughts— you all are the best!!


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Lisa Walker said:


> Ok so I have two more questions for you lovely people:
> 
> We’ll use a sleepypod air for the flight home and for the car, but I’d like something open that I can easily take her around in for socialization. I was thinking a sling, but I’d like something that I can also set down on a chair for example if we go sit at a restaurant outside, and most of the slings I’ve seen seem like they wouldn’t work for that. Does anyone have a ‘purse’ style bag they like for this purpose?
> 
> ...


No helpful input on the timing - but on the carrier - I do have a sling for Perry (and I do love it for carrying him in places where he shouldn't be walking - or now where he's not supposed to be walking much - even at 11 pounds) and you're right, it won't be very useful for setting him down... even when I put it down in a shopping cart, as soon as he moves he's basically out of it. I don't have a purse-type though so nothing to recommend.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lisa Walker said:


> Ok so I have two more questions for you lovely people:
> 
> We’ll use a sleepypod air for the flight home and for the car, but I’d like something open that I can easily take her around in for socialization. I was thinking a sling, but I’d like something that I can also set down on a chair for example if we go sit at a restaurant outside, and most of the slings I’ve seen seem like they wouldn’t work for that. Does anyone have a ‘purse’ style bag they like for this purpose?
> 
> ...


OK… a LOT to unpack here! LOL! First, relax! It will work out, either way! ❤. If you bring her home earlier, will you be hone during that time, to spend time with her? Or will you be at work? If you need to be at work, I’d suggest letting her have the extra days with her litter, mama, and a breeder who is doing an excellent job with socialization. (That is key)

Second, it makes NO difference whether she is the first or a later puppy to leave the group. It might make a TEENY bit of difference if she would be the very LAST to leave, and I can tell you from experience, that the “only” left behind is sad for a few days. But they all adjust! It’s like kids at summer camp for the first couple of days. They needs a little extra nurturing, until they realize what fun they are having!

The puppy K situation isn’t ideal… I’d be inclined to cheat a bit and bring her the second week. But if you have to wait another week… not the end of the world. Just YOU make sure she gets out and about… a LOT! Ducky didn’t do a “formal” puppy K class at all, because the “training” part of such a class was a waste for me, and actually counter to my goals for him. So instead, I just created the same types of experiences for him, and more often. (See my raising Ducky thread) it’s a bit more work this way, but you are not a first time dog owner or puppy raiser. You know what a puppy needs. You can fill in for that first week or two!

As far as flying is concerned, puppies fly fine! It sounds like the earlier dates would be easier for YOU, though, in terms of crowds. Do what you are more comfortable with!

Finally, for containment equipment until she is better vaccinated, I use three different things with Ducky, depending on the situation, (also found in the “Raising Ducky” thread. If I need him enclosed in a carrying case that can be placed in or on something, I put him in his Sherpa bag, which I THINK is similar to the Sleepypod Air. It is rectangular, with a shoulder strap, and zips up.

when I JUST want to “hide” him when I beed to carry him with me into somewhere I’m not sure will accept a dog, I use this. It was cheap, pretty, it’s light weight and folds up small, so it can just live in the car:









Amazon.com : MOSISO Dog Cat Sling Carrier, Pet Dog Carrier Camellia Tote Bag Hands Free Adjustable Padded Strap Breathable Polyester Soft Carrying Travel Shoulder Bag with Front Pocket for Small Dog Cat, Black : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : MOSISO Dog Cat Sling Carrier, Pet Dog Carrier Camellia Tote Bag Hands Free Adjustable Padded Strap Breathable Polyester Soft Carrying Travel Shoulder Bag with Front Pocket for Small Dog Cat, Black : Pet Supplies



smile.amazon.com





Finally, for school, ALL my puppies have used a hard sided collapsible nylabone crate. These are not made anymore, but you can still buy them on Ebay, and I HIGHLY recommend them. They are easier than carrying around a full sized crate, but unlike the typical collapsible soft sided crate that we all use for adult dogs for trials and training situations, tge puppy CANNOT chew his way out of this!:









Nylabone collapsible folding dog cat pet crate cage carrier 16"W x 21"Lx15.5"T | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nylabone collapsible folding dog cat pet crate cage carrier 16"W x 21"Lx15.5"T at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

krandall said:


> OK… a LOT to unpack here! LOL! First, relax! It will work out, either way! ❤. If you bring her home earlier, will you be hone during that time, to spend time with her? Or will you be at work? If you need to be at work, I’d suggest letting her have the extra days with her litter, mama, and a breeder who is doing an excellent job with socialization. (That is key)
> 
> Second, it makes NO difference whether she is the first or a later puppy to leave the group. It might make a TEENY bit of difference if she would be the very LAST to leave, and I can tell you from experience, that the “only” left behind is sad for a few days. But they all adjust! It’s like kids at summer camp for the first couple of days. They needs a little extra nurturing, until they realize what fun they are having!
> 
> ...


Karen - That sling/ bag looks more structured than the one I have... do the sides stay up when you just set it down? Can you pull the net top shut to keep him down/ hidden when you carry him in places? It says up to 12 pounds - from your experience, do you think a 10-11 pounder would fit ok in it (and would you still be able to close it over him)?

The one I have is very loose - great when you're out walking around and need to just scoop him up quickly and pop him inside to run into a place (where it's ok that they know you have a dog, but you don't want him walking around), but not great for something to set him in on the floor/ a chair and keep it up around him OR to "close" to "hide" him when he's not supposed to be somewhere.



Amazon.com




When I have to take him in places where he's not supposed to be, I generally just put him in his sherpa bag and throw it over my shoulder  but that's not good for carrying him around so he can socialize but keep him contained. Happened yesterday when we went to the grocery store - I had to go in and couldn't leave him in the car (too hot) so I put him in his bag, put the bag in the cart, and no one had a clue. There are advantages to a black dog behind black mesh


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> OK… a LOT to unpack here! LOL! First, relax! It will work out, either way! ❤. If you bring her home earlier, will you be hone during that time, to spend time with her? Or will you be at work? If you need to be at work, I’d suggest letting her have the extra days with her litter, mama, and a breeder who is doing an excellent job with socialization. (That is key)
> 
> Second, it makes NO difference whether she is the first or a later puppy to leave the group. It might make a TEENY bit of difference if she would be the very LAST to leave, and I can tell you from experience, that the “only” left behind is sad for a few days. But they all adjust! It’s like kids at summer camp for the first couple of days. They needs a little extra nurturing, until they realize what fun they are having!


This is super helpful, thank you 😊 I am definitely a bit of a worrier, but trying to get it all out now so I can relax and enjoy her when she’s home!! I work from home (as does my husband), so she won’t be actually alone, but We will have to work play and training around calls. It’s not a huge difference there though— if I get her earlier, we’d have Sunday/Monday at home before I work, and if I get her the following Friday we’d have Sat-Mon because of the long weekend. On work days, we are planning to do socialization outings out into the world in the early evenings for the most part… still is light here until around 7:30.

I think the big thing really is the travel… for both of us. I’m not so worried about the flight, as it’s short and easy (and I did a longer one when charlie was a baby, and he did great) but I do know that getting from SF airport to my house on a Friday evening before a holiday weekend can be a LOT of traffic which isn’t the most pleasant experience for anyone! The breeder has been taking them for car rides, but definitely nothing that long and I would guess not in heavy traffic 😊

I’ll get in touch with the breeder to see what she thinks, but super helpful to get your perspective!


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> Finally, for containment equipment until she is better vaccinated, I use three different things with Ducky, depending on the situation, (also found in the “Raising Ducky” thread. If I need him enclosed in a carrying case that can be placed in or on something, I put him in his Sherpa bag, which I THINK is similar to the Sleepypod Air. It is rectangular, with a shoulder strap, and zips up.
> 
> when I JUST want to “hide” him when I beed to carry him with me into somewhere I’m not sure will accept a dog, I use this. It was cheap, pretty, it’s light weight and folds up small, so it can just live in the car:





Melissa Brill said:


> The one I have is very loose - great when you're out walking around and need to just scoop him up quickly and pop him inside to run into a place (where it's ok that they know you have a dog, but you don't want him walking around), but not great for something to set him in on the floor/ a chair and keep it up around him OR to "close" to "hide" him when he's not supposed to be somewhere.


Yeah, I’m having the same thought… ideally I’d like something that would contain her somewhat before she’s fully vaccinated even when put down, but also is open…. Kind of a hybrid between the Sherpa (sleepypod is very similar, but a little heavier because of the car safety) and a sling, so she can be safely put down and still observe the world and safely interact. Not sure if what’s you’re describing could do that @krandall or if it really only works when you’re wearing it!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> Karen - That sling/ bag looks more structured than the one I have... do the sides stay up when you just set it down? Can you pull the net top shut to keep him down/ hidden when you carry him in places? It says up to 12 pounds - from your experience, do you think a 10-11 pounder would fit ok in it (and would you still be able to close it over him)?
> 
> The one I have is very loose - great when you're out walking around and need to just scoop him up quickly and pop him inside to run into a place (where it's ok that they know you have a dog, but you don't want him walking around), but not great for something to set him in on the floor/ a chair and keep it up around him OR to "close" to "hide" him when he's not supposed to be somewhere.


It does completely zip closed, and the top part is black mesh, so the dog can see out, but is not TOO noticeable. (you can see Ducky because he's light. You probably couldn't see Perry in it at all) It does not stand up on its own, but because the dog is in it, the dog kind of holds the sides up? I wouldn't leave him in it under a table, I don't think, just because I'd worry about his comfort. I am quite sure Pixel (almost 10 lbs) would fit in it easily. Panda 12 1/2) would be a tight fit. She's HATE it!!!

The bottom does have a bit of stiffness to it, so they are "sitting" on something "flat-ish"



Melissa Brill said:


> When I have to take him in places where he's not supposed to be, I generally just put him in his sherpa bag and throw it over my shoulder  but that's not good for carrying him around so he can socialize but keep him contained. Happened yesterday when we went to the grocery store - I had to go in and couldn't leave him in the car (too hot) so I put him in his bag, put the bag in the cart, and no one had a clue. There are advantages to a black dog behind black mesh


I wish my Sherpa was black for that reason! Mine is the grey color, and it is VERY easy to see the dog through the mesh, non matter WHAT color the dog is!


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

krandall said:


> It does completely zip closed, and the top part is black mesh, so the dog can see out, but is not TOO noticeable. (you can see Ducky because he's light. You probably couldn't see Perry in it at all) It does not stand up on its own, but because the dog is in it, the dog kind of holds the sides up? I wouldn't leave him in it under a table, I don't think, just because I'd worry about his comfort. I am quite sure Pixel (almost 10 lbs) would fit in it easily. Panda 12 1/2) would be a tight fit. She's HATE it!!!
> 
> The bottom does have a bit of stiffness to it, so they are "sitting" on something "flat-ish"
> 
> ...


yeah - the next thing I'm looking at getting is a backpack - but I can't find one where the mesh isn't the full side/ front AND black (so that it adds to the stealth) including black mesh. I like the look of this one - but it doesn't come in black and the mesh is grey!








Amazon.com : Hanjo Pets Cat Backpack Expandable - Pet Carrier Backpack - Mesh Expandable Cat Carrier Backpacks , Cat Carrying Holder Backpack for Traveling, Escape Proof, Breathable,Green : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : Hanjo Pets Cat Backpack Expandable - Pet Carrier Backpack - Mesh Expandable Cat Carrier Backpacks , Cat Carrying Holder Backpack for Traveling, Escape Proof, Breathable,Green : Pet Supplies



smile.amazon.com





Many of them look like this - which would definitely NOT be stealth








Amazon.com : NC KIEYYRYT Pet Carrier Backpack,Dog Backpack for Samll Dogs Cats,Cat Expandable,Designed Travel, Hiking, Walking Outdoor Use, (EG01) : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : NC KIEYYRYT Pet Carrier Backpack,Dog Backpack for Samll Dogs Cats,Cat Expandable,Designed Travel, Hiking, Walking Outdoor Use, (EG01) : Pet Supplies



smile.amazon.com





Both his sherpa and his airplane travel bag are black/ black mesh - no one ever knows he's with me


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> For some, it seems to be something in tap water,for others it can be yeast for SURE in some cases it is caused by allergies… I don’t think it always has the same cause… that’s part of what makes it so frustrating…


I know it can be caused by different things and that’s why it can take a while to resolve, because it really has to grow out to see if the approach is working. But I didn’t know that allergies is one of them! It gives me another reason to consider exploring what Sundance’s allergies actually are, even though his diet seems to be working for him. His tear stains are reddish but so is his face and his stains look better or worse depending on how the coloring of his face happens to be changing at the moment. Last winter it was looking more white and the stains looked bad so I switched to something new to try. Now his face is looking red again and I can’t tell if it’s working! As I’m writing this I looked at him and remembered again how much his coat changes and how long it takes me to notice. He’s much darker than he was six months ago.








I think when the photo is compressed to post it loses the color because he looks much brighter red to me in person right now and in the picture on my phone vs. the same photo I’m uploading.


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> Yeah, for a Havanese in show coat, the foot hair is only trimmed between the pads, and the hair that would actually DRAG on the ground. It is cut exactly at the level of the table when they are standing on the table. So they really ARE “Swiffers”…


I am trying to trim Mia’s feet so they are not as “swiffy”…one of the advantages of not having a show dog.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

krandall said:


> OK… a LOT to unpack here! LOL! First, relax! It will work out, either way! ❤. If you bring her home earlier, will you be hone during that time, to spend time with her? Or will you be at work? If you need to be at work, I’d suggest letting her have the extra days with her litter, mama, and a breeder who is doing an excellent job with socialization. (That is key)
> 
> Second, it makes NO difference whether she is the first or a later puppy to leave the group. It might make a TEENY bit of difference if she would be the very LAST to leave, and I can tell you from experience, that the “only” left behind is sad for a few days. But they all adjust! It’s like kids at summer camp for the first couple of days. They needs a little extra nurturing, until they realize what fun they are having!
> 
> ...





mudpuppymama said:


> I am trying to trim Mia’s feet so they are not as “swiffy”…one of the advantages of not having a show dog.


LOL! Very true. My kitchen floor can attest!


----------



## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

Congratulations! Jolene/JoJo is a cutie pie! I’m admittedly a bit biased though since she reminds me so much of Mando. 🥰


----------



## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Mando's Mommy said:


> Congratulations! Jolene/JoJo is a cutie pie! I’m admittedly a bit biased though since she reminds me so much of Mando. 🥰


I have to admit I am a bit biased towards black and white dogs also. I wonder why.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> OK… a LOT to unpack here! LOL! First, relax! It will work out, either way! ❤. If you bring her home earlier, will you be hone during that time, to spend time with her? Or will you be at work? If you need to be at work, I’d suggest letting her have the extra days with her litter, mama, and a breeder who is doing an excellent job with socialization. (That is key)
> 
> Second, it makes NO difference whether she is the first or a later puppy to leave the group. It might make a TEENY bit of difference if she would be the very LAST to leave, and I can tell you from experience, that the “only” left behind is sad for a few days. But they all adjust! It’s like kids at summer camp for the first couple of days. They needs a little extra nurturing, until they realize what fun they are having!
> 
> ...


I spoke to the breeder, and she was fine with me getting her earlier, and I’m able to take Monday/Tuesday off work, and then both of us are working from home the rest of the week (and for the foreseeable future). So I’m flying up Saturday to bring our girl home!! Got the X-pen set up today and Charlie seems rather confused. Little does he know what he’s in for! I’ve been watching the puppy culture videos and appreciate that recommendation—I’m only a couple in, but the stuff around structuring the day is soooo helpful, so excited to watch the rest. Definitely recommend to anyone getting a puppy soon!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LWalks said:


> I spoke to the breeder, and she was fine with me getting her earlier, and I’m able to take Monday/Tuesday off work, and then both of us are working from home the rest of the week (and for the foreseeable future). So I’m flying up Saturday to bring our girl home!! Got the X-pen set up today and Charlie seems rather confused. Little does he know what he’s in for! I’ve been watching the puppy culture videos and appreciate that recommendation—I’m only a couple in, but the stuff around structuring the day is soooo helpful, so excited to watch the rest. Definitely recommend to anyone getting a puppy soon!


Awesome! Isn’t the PC video great? Even thoughI had raised my whole litter using the PC method, I STILL watched, and appreciated, tge “With Open Arms” video. What a gift she has given puppy owners by making this available to people for free! Between her, Denise Fenzi’s free puppy raising program, and Susan Garrett’s ongoing podcast, the dog training community has come together to make such tremendous, high quality educational materials available to puppy owners as a result of Covid… and no one seems to have any interest in taking any of it back! ❤


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

First, and most importantly, an updated picture! Here’s JoJo at 9 weeks… just a few more days until we bring her home!! Her X-pen is set up so Charlie has a few days to get used to it. He definitely seems a little confused by all the gearhas no idea that heabout to not be an only pup anymore!!










We’ve been going back and forth a bit on the intro of the new siblings. I’m flying up by myself, getting her from the breeder (around a half hour from the airport) and then it’s about an hour and a half flight to SF. We’re planning for Rob to come pick us up, and to bring Charlie (in his car crate), because he’ll be a bit calmer than if I just walk into the house (we’ve worked a lot on this, but he’s still pretty hyped when we get home after any real length of time away, and I’ll be gone around 8 hrs). We’re trying to decide whether it’s better to introduce them at the airport (find a quiet spot and be a total weirdo and quickly Lysol wipe the area), do a brief intro to allow sniffs, and then take them home in their respective carriers… The other alternative is to not introduce them until we’re at home, though they of course would be able to smell each other in the car. I wonder if that might cause anxiety. And i suppose the final option is that I could take an Uber, and try to make sure charlie is really tired out by the time I get home! I’m not terribly worried about him being territorial— he’s had lots of dogs at our house and doesn’t really care much— but maybe hell sense something is different. Even if he is indifferent, at 18 lbs, he will probably be the biggest dog shes interacted with (and her breeder thinks she’ll be a little over 3lbs, so very little in comparison!) so I want to set them up for a positive interaction. Any thoughts?


----------



## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

She is beautiful!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I would NOT do the introduction at the airport. There are just SO many reasons not to. The puppy will have had too much going on, it's not safe for the puppy, it's not safe for YOU right now! Just pop her still in her carrier, into the car, say "Hi" to Charlie in his crate and head home. Yes, he will smell her. No problem.

My typical introduction with puppies is to put the puppy inside her pen, and let the big dogs visit though the pen until it's clear to me that everyone is going to be civil. This has yet to be a problem, but you never want to have a problem on the first introduction! When the adult dog(s) seem pretty calm about the situation, I take the puppy out, and put her down on the floor and let them interact, but I supervise closely. So far, I've not had a problem between Havanese and young puppies. Either mine or other people's. I'm not saying it can't happen, so be watchful. But havanese are pretty social dogs, and puppies have "puppy license", and know how to use it. 

I make sure that ALL interactions with the older dog are supervised for at least the first few weeks, but that's not a problem, because you're watching the puppy like a hawk during that time because you are potty training anyway!

The BIGGEST thing is to ALWAYS make sure that the older dog has ways to escape the rambunctious puppy and her needle-sharp teeth. With Pixel, our first puppy after Kodi, he was TOO gentle with her, and would really let her hurt him... just sitting there whining for me to save him! It got to the point that when he could no longer escape her by jumping up on a couch (when she could get up there too) and she was no longer so confined because she was reliably potty trained, I started gating her in my office with me. He could choose to either join us, of leave the office if she got to be too much for him! With the puppies since then, he has learned to gently growl them off when they are too rough for him!  

Now he is willing to let them snuggle with him in his "special bed"!💗


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

krandall said:


> I would NOT do the introduction at the airport. There are just SO many reasons not to. The puppy will have had too much going on, it's not safe for the puppy, it's not safe for YOU right now! Just pop her still in her carrier, into the car, say "Hi" to Charlie in his crate and head home. Yes, he will smell her. No problem.
> 
> My typical introduction with puppies is to put the puppy inside her pen, and let the big dogs visit though the pen until it's clear to me that everyone is going to be civil. This has yet to be a problem, but you never want to have a problem on the first introduction! When the adult dog(s) seem pretty calm about the situation, I take the puppy out, and put her down on the floor and let them interact, but I supervise closely. So far, I've not had a problem between Havanese and young puppies. Either mine or other people's. I'm not saying it can't happen, so be watchful. But havanese are pretty social dogs, and puppies have "puppy license", and know how to use it.
> 
> ...


Great advice— thank you! I’m not too worried about Charlie suffering in silence. He generally likes puppies but does NOT hesitate to let them know if they’ve gone too far with a growl. We actually used him to help train a friend’s puppy who was torturing her older (and smaller dog), because there dog would just take anything without complaining, but was clearly unhappy. A few hang outs with Charlie and she started to learn that leaping on someone’s head when they’re sleeping isn’t the best way to initiate play 🤣 She’s now Charlie’s bestie!

I love that picture… it’s hard to tell where Kodi ends and Pixel begins!!


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

Jolene is 20 weeks today, so I figured it was time for an update!

She gets sweeter every day… he favorite place on the couch is perched on the pillow behind my head, and she’s very affectionate. She loves to play a tug-fetch combo, and would chew on bully sticks all day if I’d let her. She and Charlie have finally turned a corner. She still annoys him some of the time, like when she jumps on his head while he’s taking his morning nap, but they’ve actually started playing, and she couldn’t be happier about it!

After what felt like a slow start, She’s also finally starting to become more focused with training. It seemed like she had a 5 second attention span for ages, but she’s turned a corner. She has the most enthusiastic little recall, and today did it several times at the beach with lots of distractions (dragging a leash of course-definitely don’t trust her yet!) She’s also developed a funny habit of jumping in the opposite direction when we practice ‘leave it.’ We’ve been practicing her sits and downs in public places a lot (she’s awesome on sit, but seems to think it’s more fun to go down if she leaps up first, so we’re working on it!) Loose leash walking has been tough because she is SO into everything when we’re out and about, but we’ve made some headway by practicing in hardware stores. Today she did very well with it at target, and was very focused on me, even in the elevator! She is definitely far from perfect, and lots to work on— she has quite the bratty streak, and we are working on demand barking and absences because she seems to have a serious case of FOMO whenever Charlie isn’t with her.

According to my kitchen scale, she’s currently just shy of 5.5 lbs. She’s definitely grown a LOT but she’s still tiny and so skinny under all that fluff. I just ordered a trial of NomNom to see if she will eat that more happily than her fancy farmina kibble, which she seems to enjoy at first, but rarely eats a whole serving of. She gets her rabies vaccine in a few weeks, so will also check w the vet of course on whether she feels underweight. She feels SO different than Charlie that it’s hard to tell— so fine boned!

She got a bath this evening, and her very first topknot! She has eyes!! Thank you @Heather's for the assortment of hair accessories— this is actually one of the soft scrunchies, which I thought would fall out immediately, but it’s still (sort of) in there a half hour later. I think it’s ideal for her bc she seems to have forgotten about it! So we’ll try to work up to keeping it in longer.










A few other recent pics of our little girl!


----------



## BoosDad (Mar 8, 2020)

Jolene is so cute! Love her sweater.


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

She is so tiny! Dying at how adorable she is in the sweater - I did a double take because she looked like a toy!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Aww, she’s adorable!


----------



## Ditto's Mom (Apr 29, 2007)

Adorable Jolene! I think purple is her color.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> She is so tiny! Dying at how adorable she is in the sweater - I did a double take because she looked like a toy!


Lol, yes, the first day I took her out in that, I couldn’t make it 5 feet without someone squealing at her… especially with the fluffy puppy bum poking out!


----------

