# New Havatese owner needs help!



## Ella (Oct 16, 2014)

I am having a multitude of problems and hope I can get some help from you great people.

I have a almost 4 month old Havatese named Ella. When we first got her we started using pads in conjunction with taking her outside. She started out peeing on the pads but refusing to poop on them. I think up until this point she has only pooped on them once or twice.

We have been able too get her to go outside 95% of the time with a lot of vigilance on our part but the last week or two she seems to have gotten a whole lot worse by peeing all over not on pads and pooping in dining room. I am not sure why she is doing this. We did just leave her with a friend for a couple days when we went camping (does not have all of shots yet so vet told us not to take her) so I am not sure if she is trying to act out or not.


Another issue we have been having is going for walks. It is very difficult to get her to go for a walk because she wants to constantly turn around. I have figured out though that if I pick her up and walk her down the road a ways then put her down she will follow me fine and not try to go opposite direction. any idea why and or how to fix this?


Lastly we have been having trouble with her play biting too much. We have been trying to replace our body parts with appropriate toys, we have tried the ouch method and pulling back hands. The one thing that seems to work is to put our mouth over hers and breathe out. After we do that she will lick us instead of biting us. How do we let her know its not time to play or play time is over?

Thank you all in advance!


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

It sounds like maybe you are giving her too much freedom in the house when she is not fully housetrained yet. When we first got Molly she spent most of her time in her crate or expen. Only after she had just pottied outside was she given some supervised freedom in certain rooms of the house for playtime, training, cuddling, etc. As she matured and could go longer between potty breaks her area of the house increased. Even then she was gated on tiled areas of the house at first. Freedom on the rug covered areas came last. You want to give them the best chance to succeed by not letting them have an accident in the house. If you want to keep the indoor pad option it should be in a controlled environment like an expen that also has their bed in it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ella said:


> I am having a multitude of problems and hope I can get some help from you great people.
> 
> I have a almost 4 month old Havatese named Ella. When we first got her we started using pads in conjunction with taking her outside. She started out peeing on the pads but refusing to poop on them. I think up until this point she has only pooped on them once or twice.
> 
> ...


As Molly's mom said&#8230; too much freedom too early. She is still very young. Confine her to an area where she can be successful, otherwise, you need EYES ON supervision EVERY SECOND.

She is not "acting out". At this age, EVERYTHING is about establishing routines. So when you go away, it disrupts that routine. Not a big deal&#8230; she'll get back on track. But it is not "acting out", it is normal, puppy behavior.

Many puppies (and dogs) do not like to use pads or an indoor potty spot for pooping. Kodi is 5 1/2, and will use his litter box to pee, but will hold his poop for HOURS waiting for a break in the rain so that he can go outside and do it. He doesn't sue the litter box to poop more than once or twice a year at this point, and then only in the MOST foul weather.

PLEASE don't put your puppy's muzzle in your mouth and blow!!! This is SO aversive! I know that nipping is an annoying habit, but the reality is that puppies grow out of this behavior whether you do anything or nothing. It is normal puppy behavior. If she doesn't stop when you do the "OUCH" routine, just pick her up gently, say NOTHING and place her gently in her ex-pen or crate. Make her wait until she settles down, then let her out again. It will take persistence and consistency, but this WILL get the message across, and in the mean time, will save your fingers toes and pant legs.


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## Ella (Oct 16, 2014)

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. 

Today she went into her ex pen where this is a pad and attacked it and moved it out of the way and then peed where the pad was. So I have bought one of the pad holders so that shouldnt be an issue anymore.

How bad are the "terrible two's" with Havanese and how long does it typically last?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ella said:


> Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
> 
> Today she went into her ex pen where this is a pad and attacked it and moved it out of the way and then peed where the pad was. So I have bought one of the pad holders so that shouldnt be an issue anymore.
> 
> How bad are the "terrible two's" with Havanese and how long does it typically last?


Adolescence is a pain in all species.  No two Havanese are exactly the same, but most are easier than many other breeds. That said, your girl is kind of young for adolescence. She is still just plain a little baby puppy.


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## Ella (Oct 16, 2014)

Oh I know she still has a couple of months before the terrible twos...... I am just trying to get a head of the game in knowing what to expect so I can be ready for it. 

One thing I am not looking forward too is getting her spayed. The other week we had her get the lyme disease vaccine and she was in so much pain from it. She couldn't even lay down without wimpering. We ended up giving her a little bit of benedryl and putting a heating blanket in her bed to help and by morning she almost 100%.

I am just not looking forward to seeing her in that kind of pain for longer periods of times especially because she loves too do her "I missed you dance" even if you just went up stairs for a few minutes.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Don't worry about the spay. Molly was ready for action by the next morning and the pain meds they give you really help. The hardest part for me was keeping her quiet for the 7-10 day period after the operation. When the time comes you may want to get a more comfortable cone than the hard plastic one and some baby onesies.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ella said:


> Oh I know she still has a couple of months before the terrible twos...... I am just trying to get a head of the game in knowing what to expect so I can be ready for it.
> 
> One thing I am not looking forward too is getting her spayed. The other week we had her get the lyme disease vaccine and she was in so much pain from it. She couldn't even lay down without wimpering. We ended up giving her a little bit of benedryl and putting a heating blanket in her bed to help and by morning she almost 100%.
> 
> I am just not looking forward to seeing her in that kind of pain for longer periods of times especially because she loves too do her "I missed you dance" even if you just went up stairs for a few minutes.


Kodi's adolescent/PITA stage lasted from about 9-16 months. It started like the flip of a switch, but waned slowly at the other end.

Lyme is a terrible vaccine&#8230; known to cause bad reactions and not very effective. I don't give it. The best way to prevent Lyme is just the same as people. Head-to-tail skin checks at least once a day.

Just because your girl had a bad reaction to Lyme doesn't mean she'll have a particularly bad time getting spayed, but I would think long and hard before giving her another Lyme vaccine!


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