First Coast Pet

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The Havanese is a Bichon Group breed, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a good-humoured small dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They love to have attention and will do many things to attract it. This love for notice does not make them an ideal choice for a working couple. They love following owners around the house, however they are not possessive of their “ people”, so are superb with other animals and dogs. They often like to eat with someone in the room, so stay there when they are eating, otherwise they may take their food with them and eat it as they walk, which can be messy. They are a “real dog”, playing games such as football with gusto. Not the greatest walkers in the world, often liking breaks with games or just watching the world go by. Professional dog trainers such as London Dog Training love them, as they are so responsive to positive reinforcement.

For dog care they are straightforward. One advantage of the Havanese is that they do not shed much. You may see on lists that they do not shed, this misleading as all hair follicles will have a cycle of growing and dying, shedding it hair, but this is variable and not often, so there is no strong cycle of hair shedding. The coat catches the hair and dander internally, so many people think it is non-allergenic, but they all release dander that can aggravate allergies. If you have an allergy sufferer in the house, have one to stay for a few days to check.

The Havanese has a slight wavy double coat, which is soft and light, with a heavier undercoat.

The Havanese should be groomed daily, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If you are not showing the dog, you can have the coat trimmed. Whilst they have fur, it is a coat to keep the hot sun off the body, not warmth inside, so in some areas you may need to buy sweaters for them.

It is advisable to dry them after a bath with towels, rather than a hair drier, which can make their skin too dry and prone to infections. It is a breed that for showing needs to keep a natural look, but for everyday looks and practicality may benefit from bows etc..

The original Harvanese were white, but now they occur in all types of coat colours and patterns.
Whilst the Havanese is a toy dog, it is solid and sturdy. They have a weight range of four to six Kgs ( normally 12 lbs). Its height measured at the withers is roughly two hundred and fifty mm( 9-11 inches). The back raises from the withers to the rump which is unusual in dogs.

The Havanese move with an agile springy gait. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but careful when near waterparticularly if there are birds for them to run after.

They have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are disposed to ear infections, so regularly inspect their ears and clean them. From time to time they may require their inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail arches over the back and is also well covered. The Havanese have a great sense of smell and are trained in some countries for search. They are easily trainable so are often used in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

The Havanese routinely live fourteen to sixteen years. Like many other pure breeds they suffer from a few genetically-linked disorders. The most common being liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia (dots and streak on the retina). It is advisable only to buy Havanese from parent dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese may develop brown tear stains, this is more obvious on the lighter coloured dogs.

The dog originated from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Cuba by original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a new breed, rapidly growing in the 1970s from only 10 dogs in the United States. Though they were common prior to the Cuban Revolution, they, like many trappings of aristocracy were culled. Rapid growth in popularity now makes it difficult to find a puppy.

A great family dog that is well worth considering.

The Maltese is a small toy group dog breed with silky white hair that is lively and cuddly and intelligent, so makes a great pet for city living. Though if living in an apartment, you should give them regular walks or use professional dog walkers such as London dog walking  The hair can grow long, so those with busy lives often give them a puppy cut, otherwise the single coat of shiny hair is heavy and can drape down to the floor and be unmanageable.
They have dark round shaped large eyes. Whilst the Maltese is petite, standing between eight and ten inches tall, it is solid and weighs between three and 7 pounds ( one and a half to 3 kilograms). The dog care of a Maltese is relatively straightforward. They are fairly long lived, up to about 15 years.
 
The Maltese is often protective to its owners, which means they have a reputation for barking a lot. The Maltese’s high activity level can also lead to them snapping. Dog socialisation at an early age is important to removing this problem. They are gutsy and will go up to dogs far bigger than themselves, being secure they mix well with other dogs.
They suffers from a few health issues, that includes skin, eye and teeth problems. As well as the risk of sun burn on the top of the nose and some respiratory problems.
A routine of brushing is required with the Maltese, otherwise you will get matting. In addition to brushing twice a day, one should also clean them after every meal, to minimise hair staining. Tear staining is also common which is due to the size of the tear ducts and how much the dog’s eyes water.  Tear stain can be removed or minimised by use of a metal fine-toothed comb that is dipped in lukewarm water and pulled through the hair below the eyes. This ideally should be done every two days.
The Maltese have thick hair, they do not shed very much and like the akin Havanese and Bichon Frisé   can be considered practically hypoallergenic, with many people not showing allergic reaction. A lot of will keep the hair out of the eyes by the use of a ponytail to ease cleaning the eyes. The ears also need regular cleaning.
Whilst the name suggests the dog comes from Malta, its origins are not clear, though generally felt to come from Italy / Greece. It is also known as a Maltese Terrier or the Maltese Lion Dog ( a reflection on its character), though its official kennel name is “Maltese”.

Its origin may have been either from the Swiss Spitz dog or the Asian Tibetan Terrier. Its earliest record of the Maltese dates back to when it was found on a Greek amphora around 500 B. C. and was frequently mentioned in writings of Greek / Roman times.

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Poor bladder control is the number one cause for puppies being taken to dog shelter charities. It is often difficult and often professional dog walkers such as London Dog Walking are often asked to help, so a key part of puppy care. Experts believe the best way to toilet train is to use a crate. Often a breeder will {use a cagehave used one}, and will often sell on the cage, as the puppy is used to it. The crate method is based on the premise that puppies do not like to soil their beds and in a crate would be forced to sleep in the mess. Whilst in these confines the puppy will try to control their bladder. Young pups from 9 weeks or so should last about 8 hours. During toilet training, put the puppy inside the cage whenever he cannot be watched, whilst you are say cleaning. Just before to placing pup into the cage or taking him out of the cage, take him outside so he can go to the toilet. There should never be any food or water in the crate, just a blanket and maybe a chew toy to occupy his time. As time goes by and the puppy performs better, you can leave him for longer periods out of the crate.
The crate needs to have the right dimensions, enough floor area for him to lie down. But not so large he could urinate in a corner. The cage is useful for the dogs whole life, so to avoid replacing cages as he grows, purchase one big enough for his full grown size, with a partition that you can move when needed.
The two alternatives to cage potty training a puppy are constant supervision, not many people have the time for this. To do this, you need to be with the puppy all the time, so you can be ready when you see his pre-potty pattern, such as sniffing the carpet. Then taking him straight out to his potty area, then bring him straight back, remembering to give him praise and verbal clues such as “good dog”. The pup needs to recognize why he was taken outside was for the potty, nothing else, do not baffle him.

The third alternative to toilet training is put down papers or pre-treated pads, encouraging them to use these areas, for practical reasons positioned in the bathroom or utility room. The pads have chemicals to attract the puppy. When you catch with their pre- potty pattern, pick them up calmly and carry them to the pad. Praise them if they do the business. The main disadvantage with this method, is you have to transition them to doing this outside, by moving the papers closer to the door.
Potty timing, normally, pups need to go out, soon after waking and 30 or 40 mins after feeding.
Occasionally puppies will spontaneously urinate when scared or excited, sometimes known as submissive urination. Do not discipline them for this. If the puppy is liable to this, go for a walk, before any excitement, like family coming. Or if visiting, take them for a walk, just prior to, or when you arrive. The puppy will normally grow out it after about 6 months.
To reinforce the toilet training, as in dog training, you need to use verbal clues. Great ones are simple and distinctive. Everybody in the family or in contact with the dog, such as your dog walkers and the pet sitter need to use the same words. One or a maximum of two words.
Outside: For going outside, to go to the toilet. Use a different word such as “play” if its for more of an enjoyable activity, though he may go to the toilet when he is there.
Potty: Go to the toilet.
Good Dog: For praise – any.
No: When the puppy is doing something wrong, such as going in the wrong area, or inside.
There are probably two rules to follow:
1. Always praise success.
2. Never punish him, if you do not see him in the act of doing something wrong. The puppy will have no idea why you are scolding him.

If you catch the puppy in the act of urinating inside, carry him to the place, will often stop him, as well as reinforcing what he should be doing.

The Havanese is a Bichon Group breed, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a playful little dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They like to have peoples notice and will do tricks to catch peoples attention. This love for attention means they are not the choice for a working couple. They will often follow owners around the home, but are rarely overly possessive of their “ people”, so are great with other animals and dogs. This seeking for attention often shows when eating, as they like someone present, so if you leave the room, they will often follow, eating as they go, which can be messy. They are a “ true dog”, playing games such as football with gusto. Not the greatest walkers in the world, often liking breaks with games or just watching the world go by. Professional Dog Walkers such as London Dog Walking, if doing grouped walks will pair them with similar dogs, rather than big energetic dogs.

For dog care they are straightforward. One advantage of the Havanese is that they do not shed much. You may see on lists that they do not shed, this misleading as all hair follicles will have a cycle of growing and dying, shedding it hair, but this is variable and not often, so there is no strong cycle of hair shedding. The coat catches the hair and dander internally, so many people think it is non-allergenic, but they all release dander that can aggravate allergies. If you have an allergy sufferer in the house, have one to stay for a few days to check.

The Havanese have a slight wavy double coat, which is light and soft, with a heavier undercoat.

The Havanese must be groomed daily, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If you are not showing the dog, you can have the fur trimmed. Whilst they have a good coat, they do suffer in extreme cold, so in some areas you may need to buy sweaters for them.

When you bath them, dry with a towel and allow them to dry off naturally inside, as they are susceptible to skin problems if dried with a hair drier. It is a breed that the kennel clubs, prefer and dictate a natural look, avoiding the bows and preferring the hair over the eyes, that protected their eyes from the Cuban sun.

The original Harvanese were white, but now they occur in all types of coat colours and patterns.
The Havanese has  a stocky build compared to most toy dog breeds. The Havanese weight ranges from four to six Kgs (ten to fifteen lbs). Its height measured at the withers is 220-290mm(around ten). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.

They move with an agile springy gait. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but be prudent close to water  if there is something for them to chase.

The Havanese have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. They are inclined to ear infections, so routinely inspect their ears and clean them. From time to time they may require their inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail sweeps over the back and is also well covered. The Havanese have very sensitive noses and are trained often for search. The Havanese are easily trainable so are often used in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

The Havanese normally live fourteen to sixteen years. The Havanese being breed from a limited gene pool suffer from some genetic diseases. These include liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( blots on the retina). It is recommended only to acquire Havanese from parent dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese may develop brown tear stains, which is especially noticeable on those with white or light coats.

The dog was bred from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Cuba by original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a new breed, taking off in the seventies from only ten animals in the US. They were common in Cuba, prior to the revolution, but suffered afterwards. Rapid growth in popularity now makes it difficult to find a puppy.

A wonderful family dog that is well worth considering.

It is a worry when it comes to finding suitable care for your dog whilst you are away on holiday or even for a long weekend. It is so important to know that they are being well looked after for.

One thing to consider is would it be better for the dog to be with the company of other dogs or would it possibly be better to have someone who is prepared to house sit and look after the dog. There are quite a few people who offer this service. At least if the animal is at home there will be no upheaval from his usual routine and therefore he would feel safer without you.

If your dog has a medical problem, for instance arthritis or diabetes then it might be a good idea to contact your vet to see if they have anyone that they can be recommended. Ask your friends and family if they have anyone that they can recommend. A follow up call to find if they were satisfied with the care of their pets is always a good idea.

If using a boarding kennel always request a tour of the place before you make a commitment. Always check for overall cleanliness, friendliness of the staff and check out their knowledge of animals regarding their feeding and exercise etc.

Its advisable to ask to take a look inside the kennel that your dog would be allocated. Make sure that it is really clean and that means the actual bedding etc. Most kennels nowadays have special heavy duty washing machines to help cope with the continual turnaround of the animal bedding etc. These are similar to veterinary laundry equipment which again is designed specially for heavy duty washing requirements.

If however you opt for the first choice of having the pet carer come to your home then make sure you follow up on references and it would be a good idea to introduce them to your pet before you actually go away. Some important points to look for are good empathy with the animal and a willingness to adapt to their schedule.

Finally make sure that your pet’s vaccinations are up to date in good time of your holiday.