Pets Are Wonderful

The Havanese is one of the Bichon type breeds, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese They are a good-humoured 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 love following owners around the house, but are rarely overly possessive of their “friends”, so are good 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 all their strength. Like many toy dogs, they do not require long walks, but they do love attention. Professional dog trainers such as London Dog Training love them, as they are so responsive to positive reinforcement.

For dog care they are straightforward. They do not shed much, so whilst not strictly non-allegenic, they may be suitable for a family with an allergic member.

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

The Havanese should be brushed daily, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If you are not showing the dog, you can trim the coat. 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 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 sturdy look compared to other toy dog breeds. They have a weight range of 4-6 Kgs ( around twelve lbs). Its height measured at the withers is about 250mm( normally 10). The back raises from the withers to the rump which is unusual in dogs.

The Havanese have a sprightly agile movement. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but be prudent when near waterparticularly if there are animals for them to run after.

The Havanese have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are inclined to ear infections, so routinely check their ears and clean them. From time to time they may require their inner hairs to be plucked 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 often for search. The Havanese are easily trained so are often found in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

They normally live around 15 years. Like many other pure breeds they suffer from a few genetically-linked disorders. 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 sometimes 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 Havana by original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Internationally the Havanese is a new breed, rapidly growing in the seventies from only 10 animals in the USA. 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 superb family dog that is well worth considering.

If you’re a first time puppy owner, you’re probably starting to wonder about your new responsibilities. Now that you’re responsible for another life, it’s important that you understand what these responsibilities entail.

Your puppy’s diet is first on our list. Puppies are on their mother’s milk until they are about six to eight weeks old. This weaning age is usually when breeders allow the puppies to be taken home by their new owner. Ask your breeder what the pup is currently eating and continue to feed him that. Usually they will be eating a soft canned food mixed with puppy milk replacer. Use less and less milk until your puppy is on pure canned food. You can do the same when switching to dry food by mixing in a little soft food and then cutting back a little each day until the puppy is on dry food only. Dry food is recommended as the best type of food for dogs as it has less fat content and keeps your dog’s teeth strong and free of plaque build up. This should happen gradually over the course of about 7 – 10 days. You should never feed your dog human food (ie: table scraps) at any time during his life. A dog’s diet requires a specific balance of certain nutrients and feeding your dog table scraps will upset this balance. Also remember to keep a water bowl filled for your pup at all times.

Your next concern should be to see that your dog gets all of the required vaccinations. Some breeders may start the vaccination process, so check with your dog’s breeder to find out if any vaccinations have been given to your pup. There are three shots given three weeks apart. These shots are referred to as the “core” injections. They help to prevent your pup from contracting distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis. You can have the first shot administered when your puppy is 6 weeks old. Your veterinarian may suggest vaccinations to prevent illnesses that are a concern for certain breeds or demographic regions. These are called non-core vaccinations as they are not a requirement for all dogs. To be on the safe side, we recommend you keep your dog away from other dogs (that are not in your home) until your puppy has completed his round of core vaccines. They will become effective about 10 days after the last vaccination.

Our next health tip is grooming. Regardless of the breed of your puppy, all dogs require a certain amount of grooming. For instance, long-haired dogs will require much more brushing and haircuts than other breeds, but there are also some breeds, particularly the ones with long ears, that need their ears cleaned frequently to avoid infection. All dogs need to have their nails clipped every so often, but we recommend that you have this done professionally if you aren’t experienced at the job, as clipping too close to the quick in your dog’s nails causes a great deal of pain and bleeding. Do a bit of research on your puppy’s breed to get a good idea as to what your grooming responsibilities will be.

Exercise is one of the most vital aspects of your dog’s health. Your puppy will have a great deal of energy, which is completely natural! You should encourage playtime, especially outdoors so that he can have tons of room to romp around. If your puppy becomes restless, he may chew excessively which can be dangerous for your puppy (think of all the cords/cables plugging into your outlets, as well as wooden furniture that can splinter!). Pet steps are a great tool you can use to give your dog a workout. The time you spend training him to use the dog stairs to get onto furniture will encourage your pup to bond with you as well as to be obedient and respectful.

For more tips on raising a healthy pup, visit HelpYourPets.com.

The breed was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885. Their intense sociability is just one of their positive aspects. Beagles are also attractive physically; they are short haired, with a sturdy body structure, and brown eyes with a characteristically sad expression. The AKC and other beagle experts recommend several grooming techniques for this affable breed. Grooming is a way to care for your beagle’s appearance and maintain his overall health.

While it may be true that cats generally do a pretty good job with taking care of their hygiene, your kitten might need a little help with the process. In addition, it is a good idea to start a grooming routine while your cat is still a kitten. In the field of Medicine with a mobile pet grooming van, dogs can be used to detect cancer in human beings. Your kitten’s face should be the first place you start with grooming. After inspecting the ears, it is time to move onto your kitten’s ears. If your kitten was abandoned early by its mom or was otherwise removed from its mom at an early age, it may have problems with keeping its ears clean. A simple cotton swab is good for cleaning its ears. Just make certain you do not stick the swab too far into the ear.

However, it needn’t be this guilt-factor as doggy daycare facilities of today are far from the horror-stories one heard about ‘doggy boot camps’ where excessive force was used to train animals or where too many dogs were crammed into unhygienic quarters. For this reason, many pet-owners staying out for long periods prefer to place pets in doggy daycare centers that provide nourishing meals, play and grooming facilities at a cost - after all, who’d like to return to chewed shoes or messed-up homes everyday when Fido is left alone at home - or worse still, have to run after an escaped dog after a long, tiring day? Not only is it ugly, but it can become very uncomfortable for your pet causing him to pinch and pull at it. Of course, this can just make matters worse. So, what causes matts and how do you treat matted fur? Check and treat your pet for fleas regularly. Some cats and dogs have 2 coats of fur which shed and need to be brushed out. So how do you de-matt your pet’s fur? Well, let’s get this one out of the way first.

All of the above can be stressful for the sensitive silky terrier dog and as a concerned owner of this breed of pet dogs, you have to understand the implications of keeping your pet in conditions that may not be conducive to your pet’s health, treating him unlike you would a toy. Brushing also helps you remove burs and other foreign matter that could threaten his health. Regular grooming will help maintain a shiny, healthy coat and enhance your Golden Retriever’s quality of life.