# Welcome Griffin and Amanda!!



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I thought we should have a nice welcome for our youtube celebrities when Amanda does sign on. This way Amanda, you know where to post all those pictures and stories we are so eager to hear. 

WELCOME to the FORUM!!!!!


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

:whoo::whoo: Cant wait to hear from you Amanda & Griffin!!:whoo::whoo:


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

:whoo: :welcome: Amanda and famous Griffin! Can't wait to see more of you two :cheer2:


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

:welcome: Amanda and Griffin!


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Welcome Amanda and Griffin.


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

Welcome to Amanda and Griffin, the wonder dog.
Amanda, we are all dying to know how you taught him to sing and talk.lol


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Oh how exciting! I can't wait to hear more about it.


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## Tritia (Nov 17, 2007)

WELCOME!!!


*let's hope she doesn't run..thinkin' we're all stalkers" ound:


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## Jan D (Mar 13, 2007)

My daughter said we have to work a little harder in the training dept after seeing talented Griffin


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

You guys are all so sweet.

Amanda is still waiting for her membership to be activated, hopefully it will be soon.

I did send her the link to this thread so she can read everyones welcome.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Hmpf. Still no Amanda and Griffin in sight, I'm so excited...can't wait for our new members!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Welcome to the forum!

I have tried recruiting others from youtube as well but they emailed me first!

Amanda


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

With Melissa preparing to leave for Africa tomorrow, she's probably not even logging on. Maybe someone should PM Dawna. Isn't she Melissa's backup forum adminstrator?


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Welcome, Amanda and Griffin !


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Thank you Susan, I did PM Melissa & Dawna knowing Melissa was leaving so hopefully soon. It also gave me a chance to wish Melissa a fun, safe trip.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

:welcome: Amanda and Griffin! Can't wait to see more pictures and clips of Griffin.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

:welcome: Amanda and Griffin!  We are so thrilled you've joined us!

Kara and Gucci


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## Doggie Nut (Oct 20, 2006)

Are Amanda & Griffin really here? Oh my! What a cutie pie! I loved the video! I must work on Valentino's training!


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

:welcome: Amanda and Griffin!!!


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi Everyone, 

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm new to the whole dog thing--I was always a cat person, but my daughter was obsessed with getting a dog. A friend in my writer's group got a havanese and I fell in love with him and decided that if we were going to get a dog we'd get a havanese. Luckily I sold a book to Simon and Schuster and used part of my advance money on Griffin. (My husband was SHOCKED when I told him how much they cost! Actually, I was a little shocked, too, but they're worth it!)

We got Griffin from Jubo-lee havanese in New Hampshire last July and I am completely head-over-heels in love with him, and totally get the whole dog thing now. I'd love to get another one--but my husband thinks one is enough. :< 

My friend's dog rings a bell to go out, so we decided to try that too. We'd put his paw on the bell everytime we'd go out and say "ring the outside bell". By the end of July he was ringing the bell. It was sort of a mixed blessing--he loves to hunt beetles in the grass at night, so all summer he'd ring the bell every ten minutes so he could go out bug hunting. I was very happy when the first frost came and there were no more bugs to hunt! It was kind of funny though, because he'd play with them like a cat plays with a mouse.

We loved the noises he made when he yawned, so we called it "singing" and immitated the sound and gave him treats when he'd do it, and encouraged him to vocalize. One day my daughter wondered if we could teach him to say hello, within five minutes of trying he did it! I emailed the breeder and she said Griffin's dad, Keeper, is very vocal, too! He's a very smart boy, but darned if he won't lie down and roll over for us anymore--or come when he's called--unless he wants to, or knows there's a treat waiting for him. 

Griff's a big sweetheart 95% of the time--there is that stubborn streak, and loves to flop on the couch with us--right now he's sitting on the couch with his head resting on my shoulder. We took him out a lot when he was a puppy and he's welcome at out library and local bookstore, and when we go to the grocery store and he's by the door with one of my kids a bunch of the checkout clerks abandon their registers and go out to see him!

Well, I'm rambling on a bit long, but I'm looking forward to chatting with all of you.

Amanda and Griffin.

PS--even though I'm a writer I'm an awful speller!


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Well we are happy to have you with us Amanda - we love love love pictures!!!


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Yea Amanda finally is able to join us. Welcome Amanda & Griffin, yes we are going to need more pictures of your little cutie.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Amanda, 

Your Griffin sounds like a hoot! I'd love to hear him talk  Gucci is very vocal too, but I haven't been able to make out any words. lol

What kind of books do you write? How cool!

I'm an awful speller too, thank God for spell check. lol

Kara


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

:welcome: Amanda and Griffin to the forum.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Good to finally meet you Amanda.
We most definitely need lots more pictures!!!! :biggrin1:


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Welcome Amanda!!! Griffin sounds like a real Havanese character. We can't wait for more stories with pictures of course-- I write for a living too but can't spell... I bet there are a lot of us-- I blame it on creativity!!!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Amanda,

I'm so happy to hear that your Griff has a stubborn streak too. My Milo, when called from his play time outside will sit down, think it over and more often than not, decide he's not finished and has no interest in coming in.

Welcome to the group and we'd love to see pictures.


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## Ans (Jan 4, 2008)

I also welcome you to the forum!
Greetings from the Netherlands.


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Amanda~~so great to read your post. Sorry if we seem like a group of dog-crazy stalkers re you and your dog, but it's because what you have taught him to do is simply amazing! And, he is adorable. Appreciate the description of how you did it. If he continues to perform like that, you may have to get him an agent (I'm only half-joking!)

It's wonderful that you are a published writer~~there are lots of literate/book-loving people on this Forum. Do you write fiction or non-fiction?

We, too, were cat people, and had never owned a dog in forty years of marriage~~and now we, too, "get" the dog thing, and wonder how we ever lived without this delightful Havanese creature, Biscuit.

All the best and , again, welcome !


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Welcome Amanda and Griffin. Can't wait to see pics of the little guy.

Havs will make dog people out of anyone. No one can resist them.


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2008)

Amanda!

I LOVE the video of Griffin..he is just toooo adorable!!! Can't wait till you post most photos :biggrin1:


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

pjewel said:


> Amanda,
> 
> I'm so happy to hear that your Griff has a stubborn streak too. My Milo, when called from his play time outside will sit down, think it over and more often than not, decide he's not finished and has no interest in coming in.
> 
> Welcome to the group and we'd love to see pictures.


He definately likes to test my patience at times! If he sees us getting shoes and coats we have quite a hard time getting him in his pen--we could dump a box of treats in there and he wouldn't go near it. We have to chase him down. He doesn't understand why he can't ride in the car all of the time!

He used to grab my daughter's pony toys, and we'd yell "no ponies". Now we say that when ever he grabs something he shouldn't. Nine out of ten times he'll drop it, unless it's something really good in which case he'll hide under the couch and make me crawl on the floor after him. Last week he pulled a dead squirrel out of the bushes on our walk. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was nuts yelling "NO PONIES" at the top of my lungs trying to convince him to drop it. I've pulled some gross things out of his mouth, but I draw the line at bloated animal carcasses--yuck!


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Amy R. said:


> Amanda~~so great to read your post.
> 
> It's wonderful that you are a published writer~~there are lots of literate/book-loving people on this Forum. Do you write fiction or non-fiction?


I have a fiction book for teens ages 14 and up, Uninvited, that came out in October, and another for ages 12 and up coming out in September. I'm really looking forward to the second one, Revealers, coming out because the first one is definately PG-13--or as my husband says PG-19-- and it will be nice to have one that doesn't have all the um-content issues the first one does.:jaw:

My agent is shopping around a picture book I wrote about puppies right now. The picture book market is tough, though, but I've got my fingers crossed, and I've just started a new young adult novel.


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

:welcome: to Amanda and the amazing Griffin. We are a bunch of crazy Havanese stalkers but we are harmless. This is one of the best forums. Everyone is even nice when they disagree. :kiss: Plus no one constantly complains about spelling or stupid stuff like that............ One great group. :hug:

Your you tube video was amazing. Griffin is just one amazing cutie.

Glad you are here.:biggrin1:


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Missy said:


> Welcome Amanda!!! Griffin sounds like a real Havanese character. We can't wait for more stories with pictures of course-- I write for a living too but can't spell... I bet there are a lot of us-- I blame it on creativity!!!


What kind of things do you write?


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

amandamarrone said:


> I have a fiction book for teens ages 14 and up, Uninvited, that came out in October, and another for ages 12 and up coming out in September. I'm really looking forward to the second one coming out because the first one is definately PG-13--or as my husband says PG-19-- and it will be nice to have one that doesn't have all the um-content issues the first one does.:jaw:
> 
> My agent is shopping around a picture book I wrote about puppies right now. The picture book market is tough, though, but I've got my fingers crossed, and I've just started a new young adult novel.


Wow a writer how exciting. I am working on a book now. It was one of my resolutions. It is more like therapy for me so if it never gets published so be it. Maybe I will ask you for tips if I ever finish it.

:welcome: again. Wow you two are really celebrities.


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Rita said:


> Wow a writer how exciting. I am working on a book now. It was one of my resolutions. It is more like therapy for me so if it never gets published so be it. Maybe I will ask you for tips if I ever finish it.
> 
> :welcome: again. Wow you two are really celebrities.


You can email me if you have any writer questions!


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

amandamarrone said:


> You can email me if you have any writer questions!


AWWWWWWWWWWWW. You are so sweat. You will fit right in. Just don't write a book about crazy Havanese Forum stalkers. LOL

I will have to look up your book for my son. He is a reader...... Also, my sister in law is a librarian so she is always looking for new material. I will check it out!!!!!!!!


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Read the description and reviews on Amazon--(including the one from the very mean person who trashed it--I felt better after I read her other mean reviews)and you can see if you feel it's appropriate for you son. The British version has an adult content sticker on it! I didn't think it warrented that--lol--but I think it's fine for older teens. It did get a good School Library review and was nominated as an American Library Association Quick Pick for reluctant readers. It didn't make the final cut, though.


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Welcome to the forum!!


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

amandamarrone said:


> Read the description and reviews on Amazon--(including the one from the very mean person who trashed it--I felt better after I read her other mean reviews)and you can see if you feel it's appropriate for you son. The British version has an adult content sticker on it! I didn't think it warrented that--lol--but I think it's fine for older teens. It did get a good School Library review and was nominated as an American Library Association Quick Pick for reluctant readers. It didn't make the final cut, though.


Wow. That is still impressive even though you didn't make the final cut. I will read the reviews. That stinks. That is the hardest part about being creative (author, artist), some people just rip you apart. I think when you realize everyone isn't going to like your work you can move forward. Some people don't like anything. Poo on them.


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Rita said:


> Wow. That is still impressive even though you didn't make the final cut. I will read the reviews. That stinks. That is the hardest part about being creative (author, artist), some people just rip you apart. I think when you realize everyone isn't going to like your work you can move forward. Some people don't like anything. Poo on them.


When I got my first bad review I went to look at a bunch of books I loved and saw the bad reviews amongst the good--it made me fell better knowing even books I love were attracting mean people, too.


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

Amanda. I checked out Amazon and the other reviews were good. I thought it was a little spooky because my oldest son's name is Jordan. LOL. I will have to PM you about what my book is about and then this will even seem spookier.

I will have to bring up your book in the car pool ride to school Tuesday. It seems like a bunch of them like this type of book. I take a van full of them to school and it is my best therapy. I love listening to them and getting all the scoops. :ear:The best is that most of the time they think I am not listening.

My son is 14 so I am not sure where I stand on the book but I am a believer that if you don't let them do things they only do it behind your back. We have a pretty open relationship so if the book mentions sex no big deal. Guess what people - wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kids are having it younger and younger and if it is not addressed then you might regret it.

He got the Golden Compass book and the others in the series for his birthday as a gift. Then everyone at school was telling him that he shouldn't read it because the last book is about killing God. We are religious but I am open minded. I told him to read it and come to his own conclusion. He knows what he believes in and nothing is going to change it. I also told him about people burning books and explained that is not my thing. LOL 

Uninvited sounds like an interesting book. Best of luck with it. :biggrin1:

:welcome: again. Hope to see more pics of the amazing Griffin.


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

Amanda, My son wanted to know if Revealers is the second book in the series? He thought it sounded cool. Well, if you come from a book signing in PA you better bring the amazing Griffin. LOL


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Rita said:


> Amanda, My son wanted to know if Revealers is the second book in the series? He thought it sounded cool. Well, if you come from a book signing in PA you better bring the amazing Griffin. LOL


It's stand-alone book. When my husband read it, he thought it seemed like a girl book at first--but halfway through he thought it would hook boys, too. Revealers, my second book will most likely have a sequel.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Amanda,

This whole writing thing is very exciting. Although I used to write for a living (marketing and advertising), I did start a book but never completed it. I was devastated to put it away, but there was a lot going on in my life at that time. I can't tell you how many times I've thought of pulling it back out and maybe finishing it this time. I'm going to look for your book.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Amanda, it is great to see you here finally. Welcome to the forum! It was so much fun to see Griffin! Congratulations on being a published author. Wish you good luck and success with your future writing endeavors!


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Welcome Amanda and Griff! I need to read your book. I love children's fiction. As you can see from my dog Gryff, I'm an uber Harry Potter fan.

Off to You Tube to see Griff talk...

Ivy


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Amanda, welcome to our forum!! I am glad someone got in touch with you and that you decided to come check us out. I so enjoyed seeing Griffin in that clip. He is adorable!! I loved hearing the kids giggling in the background when Griffin started to 'sing'. lol

I'm Marj, 43, SAHM (3 teens - almost 18, 16 and 13). We have Ricky (all black) and Sammy (b&w) and two cats, Gigi and Shadow. It's a busy home.  

I will be checking out your last book for my daughter, who is an avid reader (she's 13, going on 20!). 

Enjoy your time with us and I hope to get to know more about you and your beautiful Hav, Griffin.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

All right Amanda, as the 50th poster in this thread - I feel it is my responsibility to say the honeymoon is over!! LOL- Time to post some pictures of the adorable Griffin.


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## MaddiesMom (Apr 1, 2007)

:welcome: to the Forum Griffin and Amanda! Sorry I'm late in the welcome, but haven't checked in lately. Griffin is so cute and so smart! Yep, we desperately need pics of him!


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

ivyagogo said:


> Welcome Amanda and Griff! I need to read your book. I love children's fiction. As you can see from my dog Gryff, I'm an uber Harry Potter fan.
> 
> Off to You Tube to see Griff talk...
> 
> Ivy


We LOVE harry potter, too! Our Griff did'nt get his name from HP, though we like to say "better be griffendor" when he walks in the room. My brother has a brussels griffon, and while we were waiting for our Griff to be old enough to take home, my daughter looked at their dog's photo and thought Griffon would be a good name.


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Missy said:


> All right Amanda, as the 50th poster in this thread - I feel it is my responsibility to say the honeymoon is over!! LOL- Time to post some pictures of the adorable Griffin.


LOL-I'll post some tomorrow! Actually it is tomorrow--I'm up way past my bedtime--so later!!


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Griffin is amazing in that clip. I'm totally jealous. I took McKenna to her first obedience class on Monday and suffice it to say, we have a LOT of work to do to master the simple "down" command. Silly girl thinks that if her front end goes down, her back end has to pop up.


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Ack--sorry to go so MIA so soon. My writing schedule goes from zero to a hundred at the drop of a hat. Buy here's my first board question--I saw my friend's havs last night. I know havs have a couple of fur changes from puppyhood to adult, but her dogs were much silkier--willl Griffin lose his fluff?


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Amanda, I think I need pics for comparison :biggrin1: But the best way to estimate his adult hair is by looking at his parents/grandparents hair, every Havanese is different.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Amanda, some Havs have silky hair and other have cottony. It's also possible to get a mixture (Kubrick is silky in some parts and cottony in others), and it can also happen that a dog will start out silky and become cottony or vice versa... but none of this is set in stone. There are Havs that are born with a specific type of coat and keep it through life.

However, I would say there's no way of knowing. Kubrick's siblings are both EXTREMELY cottony and he's a lot more silky than they are. His mom is more silky as well. Basically, with a Hav, a coat can become pretty much anything.


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

I guess it's wait and see with havs! He used to apricot ears, but now they're white--but he is getting a line of apricot growing along his spine. About how old are they when the final results are in?


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Are the _final_ results ever in on these guys??? ound:

Amanda~ Here's a look at some "Before and After" pix
http://www.mts.net/~mckay55/colours12.html

Notice a few were still changing at 3, 5, and 7 yrs. old!

That entire site is so informative. Here's a link to the home page.

http://www.mts.net/~mckay55/index.html


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## amandamarrone (Jan 17, 2008)

Leslie said:


> Are the _final_ results ever in on these guys??? ound:
> 
> Amanda~ Here's a look at some "Before and After" pix
> http://www.mts.net/~mckay55/colours12.html
> ...


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

Yes Amanda. You will just have to wait and see.

Maybe it is their winter coat too that was heavier. Houston's winter coat came in very thick. I hoping the Spring will bring back his smoother hair. :biggrin1:


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