# Things i should know before buying a Havanese.



## Sarahdee

I am still in the process of researching Havanese. I was wondering if you could tell me the things you all wished you knew before you bought one or the things that surprised you about them. I just want to be sure I'm picking the right breed for my family. Some questions that I have are:
What does everone mean by calling them Velcro dogs? Does that mean they just like having their owner around or will I be tripping over my dog all day?
Will I ever be able to leave the dog and give her free rein of the house or will I always need to put her in one room, a crate or and x-pen?
How long is too long to leave her in the crate while she is being crate trained? Do you always leave them in the crate with water? 
I am a stay at home mom and am home most of the time except to run errands and visit friends. I realize I will be really tied down for a while when I first get my puppy and I am more then okay with that.

This is a lot for one thread but I really want to know as much as I can and to be as prepared as I can before I decide if this breed is right for my family. The internet has so many contradicting answers.

Thanks so much for your time!


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## lfung5

Welcome.
Here are some things that people don't think about:

These dogs are called velcro dogs because they want to be with you all the time. They are specifically bred to be with people. If one works long hours, they should consider a dog walker. I don't leave my guys alone for more than 4-5 hrs at a stretch. They have a dog walker who comes for an hour on the days I work more than 5 hrs. 

They need grooming! I keep my guys in a puppy cut, which makes it easier. So you have to consider the expense. If you don't keep them in a puppy cut, they require a lot of combing etc.

They changed my life. I always have to arrange for them before I commit to vacation or a night out.

They can get separation anxiety.

When they are pups, they are a handful. Housebreaking is a tough road......

All that being said, I wouldn't trade them for anything. If you are a stay at home mom, I think this breed would be good for you. Try to find a breeder who will match the pup to your family and your needs. All pups temperaments are different. Some are explorers, some calmer, some hyper, some alpha etc. I always asked for the most laid back pups.
Also, please read the thread about what to look for in a breeder. You have to be careful. There are a lot of bad breeders, puppy mills out there. You might be buying a Hav, but if not bred well, might not act like a Hav.

I always preferred an x pen over a crate. It's been a long time since my guys were confined, so another member can help you out there. I always took my guys out every 45 min as pups. At night I would get up in the middle of the night to take them out. I also put a bell on their collars, so I could hear when they were moving about.

I have 3 havanese and they have full run of the house. Once they were housebroken, they were free to go anywhere

Oh and I wish I got my pups more addicted to toys when they were pups. Dave Gabby has a great article on that. 

If I think of anything else, I will be back! Good luck

Thought of something else. People don't consider the expense should your dog get sick or need surgery. I've spent thousands in surgeries, so you should consider pet insurance from day1.


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## Tuss

My puppy is 10 months old. I work outside the home and she is fine at home. She is usually not alone for more than 4 hours a day and gets lots of exercise and attention when I do get home. She's in her crate with water and is fine. On the weekends when i'm home she's out of the crate most of the day (except when i go to the store etc). I let her have limited free rein of the house for short periods now with no issues (but i have to make sure the house is puppy-proofed so she doesn't destroy anything).

They are velcro dogs because they are always underfoot. Usually not in an obstructive way. Today I did laundry. She followed me to the basement and sat quietly while i put the wash in the machine. Then when I went up stairs with the laundry she followed me there. Then followed me room to room as I put stuff away. When I did my ironing upstairs she sat on the floor in the corner watching. Sometimes I go looking for her and find her right behind me!

Other things I wish I had known:

Not much! They are basically the perfect little dog. Rugged, loves their people, fairly low maintenance, quiet, good with kids, etc. Coat takes some work if you want it to stay long, but you can clip them short and it's fairly low maintenance.Not a good watchdog. Takes longer than average to get housebroken, those are about the only negatives I can think of!


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## Dory

"Sometimes I go looking for her and find her right behind me!'

So true!


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## Beau's mom

I wish that I had known about this forum -- and how to pick a breeder. I didn't do much right! I truly lucked out with Beau! He is everything I wanted in a dog, he's healthy, he's happy and spreads it around continuously, he's a best friend, and he puts a smile in my soul!!!! Still, it would have been nice to to "do it right."


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## RitaandRiley

They're like potato chips. Almost impossible to have just one!


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## TilliesMom

Hello and welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Havanese!!

I was a stay at home mom when we were in the research/planning/puppy stage of our hav. I researched for a year and just kept coming back to the Havanese breed, over and over again. Finally I started calling around and found an amazing breeder and champion of the Havanese, Katie Say at MopTop Havanese who was more than willing to let us come visit her pups so we could 'meet the breed' and see if this was the breed for us. We meet 4 different breeds that weekend. (all 3-4 hrs away from us) and unanimously agreed that the Havanese WAS the breed for us! They truly are everything you read about and so much more.

As for the velcro part, they just want to be with you. next to you, in the same room, near you... Tillie has this awesome way of shadowing me where I don't even realize she is there!! In fact I have paniced more than once because I didn't know where she was only to have my kids bust out laughing pointing at my feet. and there was Tillie. Looking at me like I was crazy. 
Anywhooooo, my kids were 5 and 8 yrs old when we got Tillie so I was very ready for another "baby" in the house! I was very succesful in house training Tillie within a fews weeks by training her to ring the bell to go out. AND being a stay at home mom I was WITH her most of the time. Although after the first few days I started leaving her in the x-pen while I went to get the mail or ran across the street for a few minutes... after a week or so I started leaving her (always with a yummy filled Kong) while I dropped off and picked up the kids, then slowly built up to leaving her while I did grocery shopping, etc. At this point (2 1/2 yrs old) I can leave her for up to 6 hrs a day if I HAVE to, but typically I don't. I work now, but only 3 hrs per day (at my kids school!) and Tillie runs to her crate for her Kong (still) and seems to really enjoy her daily nap. lol
how old are your kids?? I highly recommend this breed (from an ethical breeder), Tillie ADORES kids and the fact that she has her OWN kids is pretty awesome! I frequently take her when I pick the kids up and she literally gets mobbed by kids and she just wiggles and licks and loves the kids so very much.


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## Sarahdee

I love all of these stories! You guys are making me fall even more in love with this breed.  I really appreciate all of your advice. I don't mind at all to have a dog being with me all day. I have four boys they are 11, 9, 2 1/2 and 6 months. I won't be getting a puppy for a bit because I want to be able to devote myself to house training and teaching the dog when I get one. Plus i'm potty training my 2 1/2 year old right now.  
I really want my dog to do his business only outside. Can you do that using an x-pen? I kind of got the feeling through my research that you should crate train them then.


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## sprorchid

Things I wish I'd known before I got my 1/2 hav:

1) That I'd want a full hav (other half is shih tzu)

2) tough to potty train, not because they aren't smart, but because they are smart and have a mind of their own. My little guy doesn't like going out in the rain or when it's cold, like butt cold. even if the door to the backyard is wide open, he'll just stand there, at the open door and look at me, like 'for real?" 

3) they are madly entertaining. he makes me laugh everyday.

4) super smart and super food motivated aka, easy to train.

5) How much I'd fall in love with him. my first little dog, and he has changed my life.


So, I'm gonna tell ya a little story. I have 3 dogs, two anatolians, one 1/2 hav. I work at a public elementary school. One of my parents, she's not a dog person, but her two daughters, and DH (darling husband), had been begging her for one. she vowed never.

Then, a local breeder, had cancer, and needed to find homes for 3 hav pups, about 7 months old. she got one. JJ. He's changed her life, and she is so so so in love with him. I saw her husband 3 months after they got him, and he said he lost his wife to a havanese, ha! Now she tells me she'll never get another breed.

take caution, it's true, they are like lays potato chips...


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## Suzi

I have had a lot of trouble house training one of my two Havanese. I guess I failed at being consistent. I was at home the majority of the time but even after wiled enthusiasm and treats and offering the out side any time of day we still have accidents. I have never liked kenneling them so maybe that's the problem. Tammie here on the forum got her Tillie trained so fast I was jealous. I spend at least 4 hours a week grooming I find their coats to be a lot harder than other breeds. 
The Havanese are the most wonderful dog I have ever had. I love them like they are my kids. If you have the time they are extremely smart and can be taught so many different tricks. I think a stay at home mom is perfect for a Havanese. I hope you decide to get one or two!


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## lfung5

Sarahdee said:


> I love all of these stories! You guys are making me fall even more in love with this breed.  I really appreciate all of your advice. I don't mind at all to have a dog being with me all day. I have four boys they are 11, 9, 2 1/2 and 6 months. I won't be getting a puppy for a bit because I want to be able to devote myself to house training and teaching the dog when I get one. Plus i'm potty training my 2 1/2 year old right now.
> I really want my dog to do his business only outside. Can you do that using an x-pen? I kind of got the feeling through my research that you should crate train them then.


People use an x pen to give their dogs a little more room. My guys only go outside now. They have a dog door and will go outside no matter what the weather condition. When they were pups, I kept them in an xpen with a pee pad. Since I took them out every 45 min - 60 when I was home, they rarely used the pee pad. When I was gone for a few hours, it gave me peace knowing they had somewhere to go in case of an emergency. They would sleep in a larger crate at night. I put their bed in front and pee pad in back.

My brother and sister got hav's of their own after meeting mine. They were not dog people at all. In fact neither of them had dogs before. They are both crazy about their Havs and have toyed with the idea of getting another


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## lise

I think you are right to wait til your life calms down a bit although Havs are great with kids. Ted is my first Hav as I had Scotties before him. I am training Ted to be a therapy dog (which most Scotties would not appreciate) They are a lot of work when they are a puppy and I too have not had a shower or gone to the bathroom alone since I got Ted! I have 2 grandsons who Ted is crazy over. Just remember that beacuse they are little guys they are at the level of the kids when they are wearing diapers or potty training!ound:


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## Sarahdee

lise said:


> I think you are right to wait til your life calms down a bit although Havs are great with kids. Ted is my first Hav as I had Scotties before him. I am training Ted to be a therapy dog (which most Scotties would not appreciate) They are a lot of work when they are a puppy and I too have not had a shower or gone to the bathroom alone since I got Ted! I have 2 grandsons who Ted is crazy over. Just remember that beacuse they are little guys they are at the level of the kids when they are wearing diapers or potty training!ound:


I totally agree! I am not going to get a Havanese until I would be ready for another "child". We were talking about it last night and have decided we are going to wait until spring 2014 . It's a long wait but i'm very excited about it. We need time to save up money for the initial cost and future cost. In the meantime I will be researching everything so I can be as prepared as I ever could be. You guys have all been very helpful and I appreciate it very much!


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## goiter6

One thing that should be known before getting a Hav is non-shedding is code for needs grooming. Be ready to do that or be ready to pay someone to do it. 

Chewy doesn't shed at all - I can rub her on black felt and you won't see a hair, but she costs more in year for hair cuts than I do.


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## Buzzys Mom

My little guy sis 6 months old- he is fine in either the crate or the ex-pen. If we are gone for up to 2 hours, we do the ex-pen. If we are gone longer than that, he goes into the crate (and he is fine with that). 
I definitely call him sometimes just to find out he is by my feet. My other Hav doesn't do that, so that's new to me. Also, the bathroom thing is true. 
Grooming- learn how to do it. I keep my guys in a puppy cut and they go to the groomer 1-2x a year (I cut them every 2 months in between). I bathe them every 2 weeks (the kids like helping with that). They usually aren't barkers (except mine *sigh*). 
Also- we are all her to help you every step of the way... whether you choose to start with a puppy or go with a rescue, you are in the right place. Start looking for a breeder now so that you can get on the list for the time you want- you never know, they may have one later on than expected (or earlier than expected) since they match temprement to families.


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## Sparkle

That will give you plenty of time to pick the perfect breeder for you. Great planning! Too many people think that when they're ready for a puppy that there will be one available. Usually not if it's a good breeder.

Others are right, they are a lot of work in the beginning, especially with the ages of your children. So you're definitely doing the right thing by waiting. As for ease of training - I think that totally depends on you. Any 1 puppy could be given to 3 different people & they would all have different results. The experienced person is going to have better training results. The person that asks questions & takes advise will also succeed, but may take a little longer. The person that thinks the puppy should know how to act will create a little brat that no one wants to be around. No matter what the breed!


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## JazzFest13

A friend's mom got a havanese, and the first time I pet her...I couldn't believe how soft she was! Oh, and so very sweet. 

It took me another year before I nailed down a good breeder and got my Desilu. Desilu is everything that a havanese should be. Great temperment. Inquisitive, feisty, playful, sweet, quiet. Loves everyone she meets. The tail doesn't stop. I admire how outgoing she is!


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## 2Hav

Hello,

Thought I would chime in with house training, grooming, leaving him alone, and barking.

1) When Benji came home at 10 weeks, he was already using the pad if it was in view.

We took him outside (in the snow) at regular intervals, and praised him to high heaven and gave him a treat whenever he did his business out there. We also praised him when he used the pad inside, but did not give a treat.

We also tied a long cord to a bell, that he can tug on to let us know he wants to go out. We started by ringing the bell each time we took him out. Then had him play with the rope and whenever he made the bell ring, we opened the door and took him out, so he caught on. But we continue to make a big happy deal of it when he goes outside - and it has paid off big time. 

We do leave a pad by the back door, and that does get used sometimes when we are away for several hours. It is nice to know he has that option, though it is seldom used.

2) I brush him almost every day, and he needs a bath every two weeks, though sometimes he has to wait three. He comes home from walks when it is wet out, a muddy mess, and needs rinsing off and brushing. My husband does the nails weekly.

3) It was heart breaking leaving him alone at first - we started with 1/2 hour, and slowly worked our way up - with his crate in an ex-pen and a pad and a stuffed kong. Luckily, we both work from home, so he is not on his own often. Now that he is a year old, it is not traumatic to leave him, though he would much rather come along, and is very happy when we return. He follows me around most of the day - and has his favorite places to curl up while keeping tabs on me.

4) He barks 2-6 times when the doorbell rings, or if he hears someone coming - something I was hoping would not happen, and all the training advice I have tried, has not stopped this -YET. 

5) He is highly affectionate with everyone. Even those he barked at a minute before.

Ashti - Benji's


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## HalleBerry

Halle will be a year old the end of this month... wow has time flown since she came home! She is still growing her adult coat; she is bathed twice a week, combed at least daily if not more often. She is always happy - she never meets a stranger - and she is wonderfully intelligent. I had no idea how much I would adore her - I worried about the coat, my husband wasn't thrilled at the little dog thing, and I also have great danes so we just didn't know how she would fit in. This dog, this breed - absolutely amazing.


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## lfung5

This dog, this breed - absolutely amazing

Great statement! I agree 100%. They are the perfect breed. I was not a dog person before I got one. And the Havanese was my first dog ever. They are human like!


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## MicheleS

I wish I had known how wonderful this breed was many years ago!! Our Cappy will be 2 in March. We consistently crate trained him, meaning he was in his crate when we couldn't watch him until he was reliable and he slept in his crate at night. At about 9 months we were able to leave him home alone for several hours at a time. He's never touched a thing in the house when we're not home (except if you leave paper laying around ). He almost never barks. I've been able to teach him about 25 tricks and he passed his therapy dog test at a little over a year old. He is my 5 year old niece's best buddy and loves everyone - people and dogs! He is the best dog I've ever owned and if my husband would agree, I'd have at least another one!! Hope that helps.


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## lise

You are lucky he is not a barker. Ted is quite vocal when he wants to be!


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## RitaandRiley

Riley is not a barker per se either but he does bark when it's appropriate and his bark is bigger and deeper than you would expect. He barks like a big dog!


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## Sarahdee

lise said:


> You are lucky he is not a barker. Ted is quite vocal when he wants to be!


Can you train them not to bark or is that easier said then done? I have discovered the website dog star daily. WOW!!!! Is all that I have to say. That is a lot of information and training that you need to do in the first few MONTHS!!! Is it even possible?


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## Momo means Peach

Everything said above is generally true. I would never get another kind of dog - I am hooked.

However, my two have completely different personalities. The older is more reserved, more protective of me (guard dog), generally quiet except for the protective part and very independent. She's so quiet you don't usually know she's around. She also loves sitting on her perch outside and surveying the yard. Except when it rains, then I have to be prepared for accidents because she does not like getting wet.

The younger is gregarious in that he's never met a stranger, very vocal (he has some very interesting barks and growls and other noises), and stays close when I'm on the move. He demands your only attention by pushing aside the older one and flopping on his back or jumping up and down. You always know he's there because of his exuberance and his mouth. :biggrin1:


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## narci

If you need a paper shredder to shred you old bills and sensitive papers, get a hav.


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## Thumper

But*t baths, Nobody told me about butt baths, and they require a lot of grooming, invest in quality brushes and combs, they are picky with food for the most part, and they are a bit OCD and creatures of habit, they like their routine and stick to it, so be careful not to let a bad habit get slipped into their routine,

Love my monkey, though! 

Kara


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## El Bueno Habanero

Let me first say that it's a great thing you're taking your time to investigate different dog breeds before committing to one:clap2:. Wish more ppl would do it this way. But, also keep in mind that you're on a Havanese forum, so we all are possibly a 'little' biased lol. As you can read most ppl say they would never get another breed, and this is true with me too. Hooked on a havanese here :biggrin1:.



lfung5 said:


> They are the perfect breed. I was not a dog person before I got one. And the Havanese was my first dog ever. They are human like!


And I would add to that they're cat like also . My DH is definitely a cat person but he loves Havaneses , and I'm myself not a 'true' dog person either. I know that a 'true' dog would get on my nerves lol, so havs fit me perfectly. Although there're days I would love the two of mine to behave more like a dogs :biggrin1:, e.g. eat good like most Labradors do lol.

My two havs are very different in personality. My 5y old boy is quiet, gets anxious around children (and if they corner him, so he feels trapped, he will snap at them), crazy about going on walks, for him it's just never long enough, not a lap dog ....the other, almost a year old girl tends to be barky, being lazy she is happy with short walks, likes children (even thought there're no children in our household) and prefers to be on my lap all the time. I also know other havs who are not so crazy about children, and since you do have children, I think it's very important to choose your dog/puppy wisely. 
I hope I will not get myself banned for saying this LOL, but to be totally honest with you havs wouldn't be my first choice if I had children. I find them to be very sensitive /needy dogs, that thrive on attention which fits me great. I feel like I couldn't give them enough of that if I had children (talking about me personally only, not saying ppl with children don't give their dogs enough attention. I have friends who are perfectly capable of combining all the work it takes).

I find havs to be very trainable and easy going dogs. Sensitive to the tone of your voice, and fast learners. In my experience you don't have to be Cesar Milan to have a nice behaving hav lol. I like their looks, and they have the most beautiful, soulful eyes in the whole doggy world . I also like the fact that they don't shed and don't have that distinct doggy smell. They're great little dogs, and if you go for a hav I know (s)he will still your heart immediately.


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## Blue_Persuasion

I haven't read all the responses yet, but my advice is this:

Get prepared for laughing more than you ever have, pure joy, and falling deeply, deeply in love. I've had quite a few dogs in my life, and my 1-year-old is beyond anything I ever expected. I cannot express the depth of love I have for him and he brings to our family.

Mine is part mountain goat (he LOVES climbing along the back of my couch and perching there to look out the window or "walking around my head" from chest to shoulders) and part bunny rabbit (if you saw him run and play, the way he bounds, you'd understand), and he's very smart (before he turned one on October 29, he could already identify at least four toys by name, was bell trained at 12 weeks in a matter of 36 hours, and learned sit, stay, and DINNER very quickly).

If you can handle that, then...


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## sprorchid

forgot about butt baths. who knew!


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## Sarahdee

Thumper said:


> But*t baths, Nobody told me about butt baths, and they require a lot of grooming, invest in quality brushes and combs, they are picky with food for the most part, and they are a bit OCD and creatures of habit, they like their routine and stick to it, so be careful not to let a bad habit get slipped into their routine,
> 
> Love my monkey, though!
> 
> Kara


What do you mean by butt baths?


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## Momo means Peach

Poop tends to stick to their butts because of their longer hair. Yeah, butt baths...gotta love them. &#128521;

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Sarahdee

Momo means Peach said:


> Poop tends to stick to their butts because of their longer hair. Yeah, butt baths...gotta love them. &#128521;
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


Nice!! That's something to look forward to!


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## Thumper

Sarahdee said:


> What do you mean by butt baths?


LOL..ound: They sometimes tend to poop and get the poop on themselves, their but*ts (asterisk because I can't remember if that word is censored like other cuss words) and poop on the back hind of their legs or tail hair, etc.

I wasn't aware that that would be a chore that came along with owning a havanese, but it is a SMALL price to pay for the love and enjoyment they bring you.

You can cut down on them by trimming the hair back there and by keeping their stools nice and solid, but with Gucci, she will get runny poop if she is anxious or scared, or if I leave her alone for more than an hour, I know I will be dealing with diarrhea when I get home, she's like a dog with IBS / irritable bowel syndrome.

I know you probably did not want to talk about poo when you started this thread, but I was answering your question as best I could, the stuff that only owners could tell you that isn't in the doggie or puppy handbook 

When we replaced our kitchen sink, I got one of those faucets that you can pull out and spray and that is great for those beloved butt baths.lol

Also, I think you have to WANT a companion dog, a dog that will follow you around the house and watch you 24/7. If I get up in the middle of the night to go get a drink or to the bathroom, she will get up and follow me, like it is her job to watch me and she's always within ear/sight shot of me.. Every now and then we get a few new owners who are irritated with the level of attention that havanese require, so maybe that is something to be sure that you want that in a pet, for those of us that do love the love, it is great...but I think some people get dogs and want to deal with them just when They feel like dealing with them, and that is not how havanese operate, they want to be involved with the family-pack/ main caretaker, 24/7

Kara


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## Sarahdee

Thumper said:


> LOL..ound: They sometimes tend to poop and get the poop on themselves, their but*ts (asterisk because I can't remember if that word is censored like other cuss words) and poop on the back hind of their legs or tail hair, etc.
> 
> I wasn't aware that that would be a chore that came along with owning a havanese, but it is a SMALL price to pay for the love and enjoyment they bring you.
> 
> You can cut down on them by trimming the hair back there and by keeping their stools nice and solid, but with Gucci, she will get runny poop if she is anxious or scared, or if I leave her alone for more than an hour, I know I will be dealing with diarrhea when I get home, she's like a dog with IBS / irritable bowel syndrome.
> 
> I know you probably did not want to talk about poo when you started this thread, but I was answering your question as best I could, the stuff that only owners could tell you that isn't in the doggie or puppy handbook
> 
> When we replaced our kitchen sink, I got one of those faucets that you can pull out and spray and that is great for those beloved butt baths.lol
> 
> Also, I think you have to WANT a companion dog, a dog that will follow you around the house and watch you 24/7. If I get up in the middle of the night to go get a drink or to the bathroom, she will get up and follow me, like it is her job to watch me and she's always within ear/sight shot of me.. Every now and then we get a few new owners who are irritated with the level of attention that havanese require, so maybe that is something to be sure that you want that in a pet, for those of us that do love the love, it is great...but I think some people get dogs and want to deal with them just when They feel like dealing with them, and that is not how havanese operate, they want to be involved with the family-pack/ main caretaker, 24/7
> 
> Kara


Those are the things I want to know so I can make a educated decision. I want to hear the good, the bad and the gross. Having potty trained three boys, I've done a lot of butt baths in my life. As gross as this sounds, poop doesn't scare me.


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## TilliesMom

ha ha ha "poop doesn't scare me" .... AWESOME! spoken like a true MOM! 

I have to say I have only done a handful of butt baths in our 2 yrs... thank goodness! 
throw up on the other hand is a bit more frequent for us. uke:


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## krandall

Sarahdee said:


> Nice!! That's something to look forward to!


It depends somewhat on hair quality and conformation. Kodi hasn't had more than a handful of butt baths in his life, and they were all during a tummy bug he got.


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## marlowe'sgirl

Only a few butt baths here; maybe 4-5x total and my guy is almost 3. It's not that frequent for me.

Along the they're your shadow comment:
I had a friend who has a small dog (good buddy of Marlowe's) watch Marlowe for 2 days. Marlowe knows and loves her and her dog. She was really concerned that he wouldn't eat/inhale his food, that his stool was loose, and that he followed her everywhere ("if you die young, it's going to be because you trip over your dog"). I had a devil of a time convincing her it was all normal for him. He's an emotional eater and pooper; if I'm not around or if there was a long car ride or something upset his routine, he'll skip a meal or two and might have loose stool. He goes back to normal and doesn't seem worse for wear. For someone who has a dog that will anxiously barf if his dinner is more than 10 mins late and loose stool = infectious disease, Marlowe's habits were incomprehensible to her. And the shadowing, she was quite a bit disconcerted by it and didn't really get that it was normal for the breed. 

So while I love my dog and think he's nothing but perfect, her perspective showed me an 'outsider's' take on the Hav personality. Mine's sensitive and raising my voice is/was completely counterproductive as a puppy. No separation anxiety, but I think that's headed off by having a cat friend when we're gone. And grooming, it's time consuming and I don't keep up with it enough. Daily brushing, baths 7-10 days are ideal;minor grooming on your own (for me it's keeping his feet tidy, abdomen & sanitary area shaved down) will cut down on professional grooming costs.


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## Thumper

krandall said:


> It depends somewhat on hair quality and conformation. Kodi hasn't had more than a handful of butt baths in his life, and they were all during a tummy bug he got.


That's a bit passive, aggressive...I really don't think that Gucci has 'bad genes', she has a nice line and was scored very highly when I had her evaluated by the person who evaluates for the Silk Dogs a few years back at one of the Yearly shows they had, the first one, actually...she met the qualifications for us to join if we had chosen to..

All I know is when she gets upset in her head, her gut gets upset, too..happens to some of us humans, I don't think its bad hair or genes, maybe not cutting the hair down enough down there..

Also, I guess since I live near a beach, we do have more wind and if the wind is blowing, the fur from her long tail hair just blows in the way and that can get even solid stools to stick a wee bit when the wind blows...

Kara


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## krandall

Thumper said:


> That's a bit passive, aggressive...I really don't think that Gucci has 'bad genes', she has a nice line and was scored very highly when I had her evaluated by the person who evaluates for the Silk Dogs a few years back at one of the Yearly shows they had, the first one, actually...she met the qualifications for us to join if we had chosen to..
> 
> All I know is when she gets upset in her head, her gut gets upset, too..happens to some of us humans, I don't think its bad hair or genes, maybe not cutting the hair down enough down there..
> 
> Also, I guess since I live near a beach, we do have more wind and if the wind is blowing, the fur from her long tail hair just blows in the way and that can get even solid stools to stick a wee bit when the wind blows...
> 
> Kara


Sorry, Kara, I CERTAINLY wasn't suggesting that ANY dog here had "bad genes", and my comment most definitely wasn't pointed at Gucci or any other single dog. And even among Silks, (or silky coated Havanese) there is a great variation in hair... maybe I should have said "texture" rather than "quality". I wasn't talking about quality as in better or worse, rather that every one and everyTHING has different "qualities" that make them what they are. Many people who show their Havs want very dense undercoats. These are likely to catch poop more easily, just because they are so thick, and their owners CERTAINLY wouldn't consider them "lesser quality". (neither, it appears, do the judges!)

Likewise, I wasn't suggesting that BAD conformation leads to the need for more butt baths (though it could, of course) only that DIFFERENT conformation (and they are ALL different) can add to the problem.

I was only trying to point out that while SOME Havanese seem to need frequent butt baths, there are many, even those kept in long coat, who don't.

You've pointed out that Gucci has more trouble if she gets anxious, as have a couple of other people. That, obviously is another factor.

I just don't want the OP to think that ALL Havanese (even those in long coat) need regular butt baths, because, like temperament, conformation, hair TEXTURE, etc., it is very variable.

My post was definitely NOT meant to be aggressive, passive or otherwise, and I'm sorry you took it that way.


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## Blue_Persuasion

Mine's never needed a butt bath yet, but it's only a matter of when, not if. lol


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## HalleBerry

Halle will be a year old the end of this month - she did need a butt bath once, but so far that's it. However, she is still in her puppy coat and things may well change once she grows her adult coat. Thankfully her poops are usually hard and fall out of the hair - but they do stick a little bit (it's amazing to see her stop & poop, and then they just fall out of the hair as she walks afterwards).


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## lfung5

I never even thought about what would cause a dogs poop to stick to his butt...LOL! I just assumed it was the hair being too long or poop too soft. All I can say is, another reason my guys are in a puppycut!! 

Once in awhile I will see a little dinkle berry, but I'm not sure it's because of silky hair or not etc. Because my guys have very little hair back there. Also, Bella has a cottony thin coat, Scuds is silky silky not thin or not thick coat and Freddie's silky coat thicker coat than the others. They all get dinkle berries from time to time. Not one more than the other.


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## Thumper

Thanks for clarifying, I sort of read that like 'it happens because your dog has bad genes and hair'...lol , I get defensive and oversensitive, I'm sorry for snapping at you. My apologies!

I think living in a windy area probably doesn't help too much, while it is more frequent with runny or loose stools, i've still had a few I've had to do with regular ones.

Turkey day is coming up and even the TINIEST bite of turkey gives her a blow out, every year I say I am not going to give her a taste and every year, I cave in and mix a wee bit in with her chicken...

I just know that with 7 kids, i've seen a whole lot worse than a smidgen smear of poop, I guess being a mom desensitizes us a bit to things deemed 'gross'. I am grateful she doesn't try to eat her own poo, that would skeeve me out a bit since she's always trying to kiss me or get close to me..lol

I do think Havanese are the smartest breed out there! and the cutest!


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## lise

Although Ted has only had a couple butt baths, I have used a comb to get a couple "hangers on". Ted can't handle eggs. We used to give our Scotty a little bit of egg on the weekends but Ted gets the runs when we have given them to him. Too much protein I guess


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## Blue_Persuasion

Thumper said:


> I do think Havanese are the smartest breed out there! and the cutest!


Um, DUH! 

Bob, at a year old, already knows four or five toys by name. If you tell him to get Wylie (an old stuffed Wyle E. Coyote that was my daughter's years ago), or squeaky worm, or his ball, or BBD (big black dog, a Hav-sized stuffed dog some friends got me a year ago for Christmas after I lost my beloved Amber), he knows what those are. I think he also knows "flat bunny," a small stuffed bunny that has since gone "flat" due to his de-stuffing it. :suspicious:

Then to learn how to potty outside with the bell in a weekend, 36 whole hours, at 12 weeks -- yeah, they're smart. <puffs out chest>


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## sprorchid

human digestive enzymes (any good health food store will have them, I like digest gold), will help your pup better digest the turkey. Ollie gets bad gas with beef. even a bite. so I give him a capsule with the beef. no gas. 

it's the same concept as lactaid, but broad spectrum digestive enzymes. My big anatolian gal, Kara, she has a very senstive stomach, I think she internalizes her anxiousness. you just look at her cross eyed and she gets the runs. digestive enzymes have helped her a lot. also, Kara is my Giardia girl (had it twice), and before I got her tested, ofcourse I thought she just had the regular runs, and the digestive enzymes gave her firm poop. When I saw there was no improvement with the runs, I took a sample to the vet.

anyway, it's helped my dogs notably, and a few human friends too.


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## tokipoke

TilliesMom said:


> As for the velcro part, they just want to be with you. next to you, in the same room, near you... Tillie has this awesome way of shadowing me where I don't even realize she is there!! In fact I have paniced more than once because I didn't know where she was only to have my kids bust out laughing pointing at my feet. and there was Tillie. Looking at me like I was crazy.


SO true!!! I panic and exclaim "Where's Louis?!?!?" and my husband points to my feet and Louis is looking up at me so adoringingly. Or sometimes I "lose" him in the house and frantically yell for him and I can't find him cause he's right at my feet. I feel so silly sometimes.

My poodle is also a velcro dog (my cats are velcro too), so when I come out of the bathroom, I have two dogs waiting at the door and sometimes a cat. I have stepped on Louis a couple of times.

If I could do it again, I would have researched more in how mine was raised. I got him as an adult and figured he'd be good, but he does have some quirks. He is doing so much better now so I think he just needed the right home. The one thing I did know was that he was not potty trained, but I was prepared for it (although sometimes I did want to rip my hair out). I didn't realize how much I would enjoy the Run Like Hell antics.

When people are considering bigger non-shedding dogs like doodles, my husband always raves about poodles (we have a standard poodle), and if they are considering a small-medium dog, we suggest the Havanese. Typically people end up falling in love when they see pics of Louis and meeting him in person. It's fun when you meet a fellow Havanese owner cause there's lots to talk about!


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## marlowe'sgirl

Oh! Hazard of having a shadow dog - I just stepped on my poor pup's paw as I was taking cookies out of the oven! He didn't realize I was going to move forward then backing up. Poor guy Luckily he wasn't upset or injured and I gave him cheese to make me feel less guilty.


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## AmyL

Had to put a bell on my Hav because he was always underfoot. At least I have some idea where he is now! Of course, I should always assume he's at my feet.......


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## Thumper

sprorchid said:


> human digestive enzymes (any good health food store will have them, I like digest gold), will help your pup better digest the turkey. Ollie gets bad gas with beef. even a bite. so I give him a capsule with the beef. no gas.
> 
> it's the same concept as lactaid, but broad spectrum digestive enzymes. My big anatolian gal, Kara, she has a very senstive stomach, I think she internalizes her anxiousness. you just look at her cross eyed and she gets the runs. digestive enzymes have helped her a lot. also, Kara is my Giardia girl (had it twice), and before I got her tested, ofcourse I thought she just had the regular runs, and the digestive enzymes gave her firm poop. When I saw there was no improvement with the runs, I took a sample to the vet.
> 
> anyway, it's helped my dogs notably, and a few humand friends too.


What is weird is that I am the same way, I completely internalize my emotions, I get nauseous when I'm nervous, emotions can give me headaches and lupus flares, there is a big connection with mind and body with me and Gucci is the same way, I wish I had the ability to compartmentalize! lol I wish it were a choice or learned behavior that could be changed, but it is what it is I guess. I hope I didn't teach her nervous tummy tumbles...haha



> Oh! Hazard of having a shadow dog - I just stepped on my poor pup's paw as I was taking cookies out of the oven! He didn't realize I was going to move forward then backing up. Poor guy Luckily he wasn't upset or injured and I gave him cheese to make me feel less guilty.


One of my really good friends who got a havanese, her husband actually tripped and fell in the kitchen and hurt his leg BADLY, they almost had to amputate it (one of the vets had advised them to, but they chose surgery) and his leg (the back one) is a few inches shorter and he had to have intensive surgery and couldn't walk/run play for several months afterwards and that was very hard for them to go through. This happened a few months after they got him, just a little puppy..and he was underfoot in the kitchen waiting for a goodie to fall 

you have to be so much more mindful with velcro dogs, even spilling coffee..

Kara


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## Blue_Persuasion

I'm very fortunate in that my velcro Maltese is VERY aware of people's feet. Always has been as far back as I remember. The only thing that can trip him up is people who, for whatever reason, step backwards because he knows it's not the normal order of things. When you're that little, it's always smart (when they get old enough to reason) to learn how to stay out of tall people's way.


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## sprorchid

I've changed my behavior. when I'm wondering where my little guy is, I stand still and look 360 degrees around me first. always he is within a 1/2 step of me.


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## Miss Paige

My two are not under foot so much in the kitchen-that's cause The Princess is Too Busy laying on the couch-watching the street for anything that moves so she can sound the alarm. Rom is outside a lot-watching from his guard post at the fence-then he runs in to join Paige on the couch. I have to agree-I have not taken a shower alone in 6 years-they seem to think that the bathroom will capture me if they don't push the door open & lay near. Butt baths are a norm here-Paige is in long coat and sometimes she has loose stool-depending on her diet-and at times there a dingleberries that she sits on while I am trying to get them off-Tula on the other hand is always under foot-I get up she gets up-I go to the kitchen-bathroom-you name it and she is my shadow. But I would never go back to not having a Havie.


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## HavaneseSoon

I probably already posted, but I was going through the posts again and this came to my mind. 

1. Be prepared to pay some money for your Hav and not even think twice about it!

2. Your Hav will CHANGE your way of life! Because now, your Hav is your life!

3. You will spend more on your Hav than you do yourself!


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## El Bueno Habanero

HavaneseSoon said:


> 3. You will spend more on your Hav than you do yourself!


So true! ound:


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## lfung5

My guys used to wear bells too! They've learned to watch people feet. They usually get out of the way now.....

Last night I was doing dishes and dropped a large knife on the floor. It was like slow motion as I'm watching the knife fall and seeing Scudder glued to my side! Thank God it missed him!

I also spend more money on my dogs than myself So guilty there!


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## spiffylike

Just wanted to add my two cents here and say I really wish I'd read the red flags to look for in a breeder and what questions to ask posts before I'd made a commitment. Knowing what I know now, I might have made a different decision, but I certainly wouldn't trade Freddie for anything! I just imagine things might have gone a little differently with a different breeder.


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## sprorchid

Good point, good breeders interview you thoroughly, almost like a background check CIA style. If they don't ask you questions, about your house, your family, family habits... other dogs and pets in the household, and if the breeder doesn't do a temperament test on the puppies, go else where.


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