What Are They Up To?

The remaining pups are going outside with the larger crew and Tia is wondering what they are up to. Tia is heading home in the morning. Slowly people are coming back from trips, honeymoons etc. and this house is getting quiet.

I know I said that before but the kids came upstairs this morning and went oh my gad its soooooooo quiet here. Sure they play, they run but with less dogs it is quiet play even when I am playing games.

It's raining yet again. What is it about this weather? I groom and I groom and I groom and then they get wet again. hehehe

The Markham Dog show starts tomorrow. The Havanese are in on Thursday at 10:45ish tomorrow morning but there is only 1 Havanese. On Friday theres only 2 at approx 11:15. On Saturday there is 6 at approx 1:10 and on Sunday there is 5 at approx 1:15. We are going to check out a friend's pup out and Fiona and Kat's pup will be in it on Saturday and Sunday. If you are going, let us know. Love to see you there and k9groomingsupplies is there and he has all the stuff I use.

The show is at:

Richmond Green Sports Complex
1600 Elgin Mills Road East
Richmond Hill, Ontario

Let's Play

We have had some really high energy play going on. I just adore watching it. Even the pups found Charlie fun.

I also managed to put my card into my camera backwards so photos were few today. Don't ask me how I did that but I guess it happens to ME.

This guy gets along with everyone but is smitten with Tia and Abigail. He can walk and walk and walk.

Our Treasure was in a huge play mode today. It must be due to it being ever so quiet.

We practiced 'no bark' and played games and had huge snuggles. There's nothing like being draped in dawgs - I tell ya. With someone who has 7 kids, being down so many dawgs is downright quiet. Maybe it wouldn't be to someone with 1 but we are used to high activity all of the time and then we sleep. I am not sure quiet is what my life is supposed to be.

Now back to the dawgs!

Charlie, Sadie & Bissli

It's getting downright quiet here and we hope those that have gone home are catching some serious zzzs. The dawgs play so much that they get tuckered out.

Despite the rain, we have had some serious playtime. We also had a number of baths and lots of grooming.

I think we are so tuckered out tonight that we may settle into that recliner draped in dawgs and watch TV. Imagine that!

The Mommy Connection

Wet Day - Risa, Wasabi, BissliWhen Bissli eats his dinner he will growl under his breath to tell all others not to sneak his food. This is normal behavior in a pack. It's not an attack. It's a warning - not to - I don't want you to etc. You have to learn the difference. It's okay to say, please do not take mine - you already had yours.

But interesting enough, when Bissli has Momma Wasabi around, he will gladly give up his meal for her. We do not allow it but there is something truly special between them. I find the relationships with the Havanese to be complicated but quite beautiful. If you take the time to really watch and I mean really watch, you will notice special little signs of affection between certain dawgs. The relationships are beautiful. It's hard to imagine that life creates so many changes.

Sadie and Bissli heads out tomorrow. They will be missed greatly. Raylan, Sadie and Bissli play up a storm. It's becoming very quiet around here. The red bear pup thinks he is part of the big guys. He's been bought by someone in England - oh my!

The picnic was fun but I am missing a stick. What does that mean? I am missing a lot of photos with dawgs we brought and dawgs that others brought. I am hoping others can fill those in or I find that stick. Check out the photos that I did manage to find. Sorry - not many of the dawgs we brought - sigh.

I feel as if I am destined to be missing something. How sad...

Havanese Picnic

We went to the annual Havanese picnic. This year it was held at Yvonne's house. People came as far as Montreal with yummy bagels in hand. Thank you, Lillian.

We got to see Majik, Oreo, missed Sebastian it seems (sigh), Tiger Lily, Ripley, Daisy, Abu, Mojo, Lexi, Basil, Ali, Lola, Downsey and on and on and on.

We got back late but not too late as Teddy had to go home <sigh>.

No time for photos and tomorrow may be bad to resize as we have 2 pups going home but by Monday look for them.  

Let's just say Bea's dip was yummy! I want the recipe. I also want the address of the ribs, Linda.

The weather stayed till 4pm when the skies opened up and Alex was walking people to the cars with an umbrella in hand. Nathan got 2 inches away from Alex's car and ooops is it insurance time? hahaha

It was fun. The dawgs were wonderful and it was bitter sweet for me knowing that I may not see some of them for a bit.

Nathan had a slew of dawgs following him around. They adore him but I can understand why the dawgs do.

I will leave you with this photo taken at the picnic. Now what do you suppose they were looking at?

More in a day or two.

Nose to Nose

There are times when you capture special moments just by clicking at the very right time. I think this photo represents the right time to have a camera at hand.

I just adore having the dawgs as something I can click. They give me such great copy.

The dawgs had a day of play, fun and yep groming. Teddy had a bath cause after the picnic he goes home. I am going to miss having a little Teddy in my life.

Gad, I miss all the dawgs. Hope to see some of you at the picnic tomorrow. If I seem really sad, forgive me. I am.

Rain & Mud

We have a patch where the grass just won't take. No matter how much we seed or what we do, well the tree is over this area.

Where do the dogs like to go when it rains? Right to this patch to muck it up and this one is no exception.

It just means I groom a bit more but honestly, I prefer them to have fun even if it makes extra work for me.

Whitney, our old golden loves the puppies. She plays with them so gentle and she is so good for them as it helps them to socialize to the bigger set.

We had a rip roaring storm and she didn't react. She always reacts to the storms. It's rather sad watching them age. She's over 14 and that's ancient for a golden. She also has a growth that we have had looked at and no matter what we do, well they won't do anything with it due to her age. Will she make another winter? I am not sure. Our other golden who is getting way up in age too needs two hips - yep hip replacements. So, we have been saving up for that and something else threw a cog in that plan and we wonder why life at times has to be so hard. The dawgs...well they deserve the very best and we do everything we can to do that for our own and any visitors that has been here to say hello, our puppies that go to forever homes - we genuinely care more than you can imagine.

I do believe I love the dawgs more than life itself. But sometimes I feel like I am climbing a mountain and someone keeps throwing a wrecking ball splat right at me. Enough of that. Who wants to read such.... sorry!

Persistence Pays Off?

Have you ever mulled over the idea that if you are persistent enough, it will pay off?

Well, I am not sure I buy that. I think it all depends on the situation and who and what you are dealing with but this puppy just kept saying play with me, play with me and it got its wish.

Puppies can be persistent and at times you have to curb that. It can't just be about them.

They need to learn how to entertain themselves at times. You can do this with toys that make them think.

Now back to the crew. They had a really laid back day today. They got groomed, loved, snuggled and played with but I must admit I didn't take many photos today other than the puppies.

But did the crew have fun? Yep!

Dawgie Love-In

This reminds me of a 70s love-in where everyone gets together for lots of love.

I just adore dawgs - mine, everyone else's. There is something special about the unconditional love they give.

Today I washed a couple of the dawgs, brushed the rest as I do daily and just finished grooming a few minutes ago. Why did it take me so long? I groomed then played then groomed and played then groomed and snuggled and... ROFL

What a day...

One of My Fave Photos

Just wanted to share one of my most fave photos with the visitors I have had. It's not the best I have taken but it shows how much fun the dawgs have. This is a great memory for me.

When a dawg is having fun and smiling with their whole body - well I think that is rather special.

We should all try to achieve that with our dawgs. What better way to know you made a difference in this world but to see happiness through a canine.

Slowing Down a Fast Eater

If you have a pup or an older dog that eats too fast, inhaling vs. enjoying, why not try the many kong type devices - the puzzle treat dispensing toys where he/she works their mind for their food. For most dogs it will be fun and not frustating if you don't make it too hard.

Slowly the summer is waning and we are getting back to just our crew. The dogs have had walks already. The weather was cooler this morning so it felt right vs. at night. We played fetch and find the treat today. I am about to groom the crew and do some loving snuggles.

What have you done with your dogs today?

Crazy Days & Changes

Zoe had a bath before she goes home tonight. She's not crazy about the bath. Some dogs are not. This is how we accomplished it and you can duplicate it if you have a dog that hasn't been slowly conditioned to this bath business or reacts for a different reason.

Use 2 people, 1 to hold gently but firmly and the other to wash, rinse and condition. If a dog has a fear about the bath, it could hurt themselves by trying to escape. I believe in slow conditioning in a positive way. You talk and calm the dog down, you give massages and you actually wash more frequently. You might say why would you force the dog to do what it fears more frequently? If you do it right, the more you do it the more slow conditioning it receives and the more it realizes this can be fun. Arm yourself with treats. If it is too upset, it won't take them but as he/she calms down, it will. The idea is to associate good things with the experience slowly making the good outweigh the fear till it disappears. It does work - this slow conditioning stuff and we have helped MANY dogs with this. As someone who has helped a rescue or two or three or more through their fears, we don't believe in flooding but slow conditioning done right changes their coping skills and allows the fears to be minimal or completely fade.

No one and nothing should have to live in fear. Fear can make you react and keep you away from being productive and it can even interfere with living a full and good life. Fear can actually destroy on many levels. As someone who is an advocate for achieving a well balanced dog in each canine, if we can, if allowed, we will still offer tips and rah rah support to those in need to help you achieve this with your own. Fears are complicated but given time, patience and a desire from you - well you too can make a difference no matter how small the fear is or how large.

There's nothing better in life knowing you have made a difference in another. It warms the heart in a very unique way. Be good to your dawgs!!

The rest of the crew is saying what the hey - another rainy day off and on. What's that about?

No Hands Balance

Charlie is a character. His folks are off in Europe and he will be going back to his human parents as soon as they get back. Zoe heads out tomorrow after her bath tonight.

We have company tonight for dinner so no photos and a pup goes home today too so it's a short update as our guests are arriving shortly.

Someone asked us to expose their dog to the puppies to see if they can get a pup. Sometimes when they are older, have only had you and no exposure to pups, well some like the grandkids and some don't. Personally how could you not love the grandkids but some of us get cranky or have no patience when we get older or we just want to be the only one. Can I be the only one and get all the attention too? hahahahaha

Keep that in mind when you are adding a pup. Do it when they are young and full of play. Don't do it to see if you can get your older one to play again. It may or may not ever happen. Adding a dog has to be about you foremost and having the rest fall into place.

Just my food for thought worth exploring.

Water & Havanese

Get a hose out to clean up the backyard (we do this a few times a day and pickup on site) and Sadie gal will run through it, snap at the water and just get soaked, soaked and more soaked.

Everyone is doing well, playing with the pups. Visitors are starting to go home and everyone thought this treat business when groomed is the way to go, I don't blame them. Do you?

Puppy Play With the Dawgs

Zoe loves playing with the pups and I managed to get some great shots. See the latest photos.

This is good socialization for the puppies especially to a non-havanese. This way when they start going to their forever homes and see a non-Havanese, they will feel alright with the differences and that's a good thing.

Soon Zoe and the others will be going home and the puppies will start going home and this place will become a much quieter place.

Sadie has been a running banshee and so has Lucy and Charlie. We already miss dogs but hope to stay connected with those that we truly love.

Cody is not so crazy about puppies but that's okay. It is what it is. Rocky who goes home tomorrow - well we hope we have managed to help him get conditioned to other dawgs in some small way.

I do believe we make a difference getting them used to grooming, to other dogs and people, to walks, to just about anything including a metal bowl for one. We did it out of love.

Now as the summer unwinds and we go back to less dawgs, maybe we will get back into conformation and obedience and photo taking. Life and the dawgs are sure interesting - is it not? I am who I am because of each and every one of them.

So Little Time

So much to do, so little time. I am taking a break from the blog to concentrate on things I have to do. Dawgs are getting lots of love. They are getting groomed and played with. As people come back from holidays, we will kiss them goodbye and we will miss them madly. This dawg stuff is so emotional, isn't it?

What a Day!

Fidel went home today but you can see him hanging out with the younger set. Fidel has come so far in really feeling relaxed and finding his place with the other dawgs. That is so important to us when a dawg comes in not sure and leaves feeling, "I can do this! This is FUN!'

I wish I had photos today but something happened today that trampled on my heart so we are trying to hug the dawgs and still update you but I am afraid I won't get to the pix today.

Everyone is doing well. They are playing, loved, groomed and well they are what makes life worth living. So, we treasure these moments and I mean that more than you can even fathom.

More tomorrow....

Sweat Came and Wet Arrived

Today Oreo and Majik was supposed to go home but the plane had issues so they will be picked up tomorrow. Fidel and Chico are also going and Cody is arriving.

We are hoping tomorrow is not muggy and rainy.

We spent a lot of time going in and out many, many times a day for short periods of time so no one got overheated. They still played but we practice fun wisely.

Where was my camera when Raylan drank out of the watering can or Shoshi showed her allergic stint to wet grass?

I need to wash 3 more dogs before tomorrow so Nathan and Dennis will be playing with the dogs and I wil be busy. No photos today as there simply is not enough hours in the day to wash and resize.

We certainly had a good day despite Oreo being so very beautiful and clean and deciding to mud it. I have to laugh at such displays as life is better that way.

Now to see if the 3 others will keep me on my toes in the cleaning department.

Relationships are really tight here this week. Everyone is totally meshing even Fidel and Zoe with the pups. I think they think they are the best thing ever and yeah pups are special too.

More tomorrow.

Zoe Arrives, Cosmo and Shaggy Leaves

Zoe is not a Havanese but she sure fits in nicely running around with the pups and the adults and playing grandly. She's here to help socialize the pups.

Although this is the 2nd time Zoe has been with us, we still did a meet and greet with one Havanese at a time. It takes some time to do this but it surely makes a new one feel welcome by realizing no one is here that is a threat to them and if anything they are ready and willing to play. Doing a one on one will help avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Cosmo and Shaggy really made huge strides opening up and playing up a storm. Cosmo eventually felt the puppies were no longer martians. We will miss them.

In the winter we actually shovel wonderful paths through the yard to allow the dogs to run up and down them. If anyone has a used electric shovel they are looking to get rid of for a price, let me know. I realize as I get older I need a bit of help to do the decks and the walkways and the paths we create or I need a small snowblower. So - let me know. We even create areas for the dogs to run under and play all for the sake of fun.

Now back to our day. It was rainy but we still managed to have a great deal of fun. We got wet. I had to groom twice but it was worth it. The adults, boarders and residents are truly enjoying what the pups add to the mix. Thankfully for Zoe, we have had exposure to larger dawgs for the pups. This type of immersion really works.

Tomorrow Oreo and Majik goes home and on Tuesday Chico and Fidel goes home.

Check out today's photos.

Crazy Day

It's been a long day between a vet visit for pups (our son, my sister-in-law) watched the dogs while we went. Then we had a few people over.

I did get photos but I am not up to resizing tonight so tomorrow.

We have guests coming tomorrow morning so I washed Cosmos and Shaggy tonight and just got finished. They look so good. It's amazing what a bath can do. They go home tomorrow morning. I can't believe it is time already. They have really opened up since they first arrived.

Sadie burst into the scene today and she has been delightful, as usual.

Charlie and Fidel have been playing up a storm as you can see in this photo.

Lucy decided to sleep on my legs last night. I woke up thinking I had a cramp. ROFL

Everyone is doing rather well and really meshing. Photos and more tomorrow.