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Researching this breed, need advice.

3K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  krandall 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Everyone,

I am not a Havanese owner yet but I have been looking at this breed (and coming back to it) for about 2 years. My daughter has been asking "Santa" for a puppy since she was 5. I finally feel that I am ready to take on that responsibility now that my kids are a bit older (10 & 12). In my research, I have ruled out a number of breeds that I love the look of and personality - but do not ultimately fit what I could live with in a long-term doggy relationship. I want a small dog that is fun, playful, good with kids, does not bark constantly or nip at people, loves to snuggle and has the potential to be a certified therapy dog. A HUGELY important thing for me is that the dog does not stink. At times my kids will pet a neighbors dog and come home with a wet dog smell just from briefly petting the dog. I know I can't deal with a dog living in my house that has a continual "stinky dog" smell. From what I understand, this is not true of the Havanese. Has this been your experience?

Also, I just visited a breeder near me that has AKC registered Havanese puppies. The dam of the puppy I was interested in looked like she has severe eye staining issues. This gave me concern as how prevalent this is in this breed. Do most havanese have eye staining or just some?

We live in Marietta, GA (near Atlanta) can any of you recommend a great breeder in this area. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
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#2 ·
Sounds like all you dog wishes line up to all the traits of the Havanese! They are truly the best of the best! Yes, there is eye staining depending on the individual dog, some get it, some don't. But, if you happen to fall for a darker haired pup you may never see the staining. There's lots of tips from the knowledgeable people here to help combat staining issues just in case...best of luck and can't wait for pictures!
 
#3 ·
A couple things. I think you will find most folks here are very against the idea of puppies as Christmas presents. The holidays are a very busy time for everyone, and bringing a puppy into the mix is unfair to all parties involved. Training is overlooked, things are chaotic, and it just isn't fun. Dogs shouldn't be a surprise either, not even for the kids. Adding a dog is life changing, but there are a lot of unpleasant things that come with puppies, and children should be constantly reminded of that for months and months leading up to the arrival of puppy. No reputable breeder will EVER sell a puppy as a Christmas present, and for this reason, it is very uncommon to find a good breeder with puppies ready to go home end of December through early January (though there are a couple exceptions). Instead, leave a note from Santa explaining that he bargained long and hard with their parents and finally got them to agree to a puppy, which will come in the next year (or something like that :) ).

It is also important to remember that AKC registry does not mean you are getting a quality dog by any means. All it takes to have a registered litter is parents with full registration of the same breed. It takes a lot more to make a breeder a quality, reputable one. We have a sticky somewhere in finding a reputable breeder, which I'm sure someone will give you the link to, but I also recommend you get in touch with your local Havanese breed club, which in your case is the Southern Magnolia Havanese Club

The Havanese sounds like it may be a good fit for you, but there are negatives to the breed too. If you work full time out of the house and can't provide a dog walker or doggy daycare, it isn't the breed for you. If you aren't willing to do early socialization to all kinds of people, places, and things, it's not the breed for you. I'm sure you have learned this in your research, but it is something that shouldn't be overlooked.
 
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#4 ·
PUPPIES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! I feel very strongly about this. A puppy for Christmas might be exciting for the children but terrifying for the puppy. In this case, I put the puppy's needs ahead of the children.

If your family wants a puppy, that is fine, but it should be an organized procedure with everyone, including children participating over a period of time. I would not patronize any breeder who thought a "surprise" puppy for Christmas is a good idea.

Ricky's Popi
 
#10 ·
Thank you for your response. I understand you feel strongly about this because you really care about puppies making a good transition to a new home. Please understand that while I get where you are coming from, this way of thinking assumes that Christmas Day is the same in every house - loud, stressful, chaotic, and busy with a house full of people etc... Our family does not do Christmas that way. Christmas Day at our house is clam, laid back, relaxed and probable one of the best days to welcome a new puppy to our family. Thanks for your care and concern. I wrote more below.
 
#5 ·
I concur with the others that bringing a puppy home at Christmas isn't a good idea. At 10 and 12 your children are old enough to be able to enjoy a couple of months of planning and preparation for a new puppy. Our Rex was sired by MJ of Premiere Havanese in Atlanta. Carol Croop is very nice and would be a breeder to reach out to as she would know other breeders in that area and could help connect you to other good breeders in the area. It is quite unlikely that you will stumble on an available puppy from a conscientious breeder as they usually have waiting lists for their puppies. But if you meet a contact a few breeders, talk with them by phone and maybe have the opportunity to visit you will find a breeder you can form a good relationship with. This will be invaluable to you as someone who hasn't had a dog in many years. I can't imagine life without a dog/dogs BUT dogs especially puppies are a lot of work for many months if not the first year or so. As much as kids beg for a puppy they quickly tire of any routine feeding, potty trips, watching to keep puppy out of mischief, etc. so that all falls to mom. A really good breeder will help you work through the inevitable frustrations with housetraining, puppy nipping, grooming etc. Also exploring options for puppy kindergarten classes would be something you could do while waiting for a puppy. Havanese don't have as much doggy odor as many breeds but to a non-dog household I expect that you will still notice some doggy smell. I bath our 2 Havs weekly because I love the feel of their coats when clean and because I want them smelling fresh. I would suggest that you visit a breeder and see if you find any doggy smell once the kids have been petting the dogs. You don't want to bring a puppy home and then decide after a time that you can't abide the smell and gave to return the puppy to the breeder. That would be unfair to the puppy and to your kids. Dogs should be brought into a family for better or worse so smells, allergies, time, etc. should be explored carefully before committing to adding a dog to your household. Enjoy your search for a puppy and whether or not you end up adding one you'll learn lots and meet nice folks along the way.
 
#6 ·
Havanese are very intelligent, athletic dogs, with individual personalities

It's Most important to find one with the right personality for your family. I strongly suggest to visit the breeder, meet their dogs, and let the breeder meet your family. The match is the most important thing. This will work out Much better in the long run, rather than a Christmas morning surprise.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Christmas Puppy

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of you taking the time to give me advice and input. I understand everyone's concern about A Christmas Day puppy. I like the idea of leaving a note from Santa and involving everyone in the process of preparing for and finding the right puppy. I should have clarified that the puppy will not be just for my daughter... It will be a family dog that will stay with us when she goes to college... I will be the one ultimately responsible. I understand this is a long term commitment and it is not something I enter into lightly, impulsively or without research and preparation. For my family, Christmas Day is not chaotic - it's just the four of us. We do not have a houseful of people, it's not loud or stressful or busy. My kids are 10 and 12 and are very respectful and conscientious towards animals. Christmas day for our family is actually quite laid back, relaxing, and enjoyable. The line of thinking that a Christmas Day puppy is a bad idea 100% of the time, while I understand where people are coming from, seems a bit rigid and extreme since every situation is not exactly the same. For our family, it seems like the perfect day to focus on a new puppy. I am a stay at home mom (former teacher), now homeschooling my kids. We are home most of the time. One reason I thought of Christmas being the ideal time is that we actually have the time to be very focused on a new puppy until mid- January as we are on break from school. Even when school begins in mid- January, the kids and I will be home most of the time. There is 1 day a week from 9 to 4 we will be out of the house but my husband will arrange his schedule to be home with the puppy. As I said, I have thought through this for a long time. I certainly do not want to do anything that would be detrimental or harmful for a new puppy. I think a Christmas puppy in general is a bad idea, but evey family situation is unique. While I agree that in most cases it's a bad idea to gets puppy on Christmas, I think people should be open to the possibility that there are some situations where a Christmas puppy might actually be in the puppies best interest. That said, it is far more important to me to find the right puppy for our family than to get one on Christmas Day. Thanks again for all your input.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I like the idea of leaving a note from Santa and involving everyone in the process of preparing for and finding the right puppy.
I think this is a BRILLIANT idea! Break the surprise at Christmas and get everyone involved and excited. Christmas will occur day after day when you all visit one or more breeders, go shopping together for the new addition to your family, plan together how you will integrate your new addition into your family, read books and the Internet about Havanese, everyone participate on Havanese Forum and ask questions, including the children, and finally, the big day when you all find and select the perfect puppy for your family. Christmas will go on for days, weeks, and maybe months - and then the fun will really begin when everyone has prepared properly and the furbaby comes home with you!. Finding the right puppy is a process because not all puppies are the same and you all will know the right one when you see it.

You have arrived at a good plan!

Merry Christmas, Ricky's Popi
 
#8 ·
Thank you for your response. I understand you feel strongly about this because you really care about puppies making a good transition to a new home. Please understand that while I get where you are coming from, this way of thinking assumes that Christmas Day is the same in every house - loud, stressful, chaotic, and busy with a house full of people etc... Our family does not do Christmas that way. Christmas Day at our house is clam, laid back, relaxed and probable one of the best days to welcome a new puppy to our family. Thanks for your care and concern. I wrote more below.
 
#11 ·
Hi Everyone,

I am not a Havanese owner yet but I have been looking at this breed (and coming back to it) for about 2 years. My daughter has been asking "Santa" for a puppy since she was 5. I finally feel that I am ready to take on that responsibility now that my kids are a bit older (10 & 12). In my research, I have ruled out a number of breeds that I love the look of and personality - but do not ultimately fit what I could live with in a long-term doggy relationship. I want a small dog that is fun, playful, good with kids, does not bark constantly or nip at people, loves to snuggle and has the potential to be a certified therapy dog. A HUGELY important thing for me is that the dog does not stink. At times my kids will pet a neighbors dog and come home with a wet dog smell just from briefly petting the dog. I know I can't deal with a dog living in my house that has a continual "stinky dog" smell. From what I understand, this is not true of the Havanese. Has this been your experience?

Also, I just visited a breeder near me that has AKC registered Havanese puppies. The dam of the puppy I was interested in looked like she has severe eye staining issues. This gave me concern as how prevalent this is in this breed. Do most havanese have eye staining or just some?

We live in Marietta, GA (near Atlanta) can any of you recommend a great breeder in this area. Thanks in advance for your input.
Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of you taking the time to give me advice and input. I understand everyone's concern about A Christmas Day puppy. I like the idea of leaving a note from Santa and involving everyone in the process of preparing for and finding the right puppy. I should have clarified that the puppy will not be just for my daughter... It will be a family dog that will stay with us when she goes to college... I will be the one ultimately responsible. I understand this is a long term commitment and it is not something I enter into lightly, impulsively or without research and preparation. For my family, Christmas Day is not chaotic - it's just the four of us. We do not have a houseful of people, it's not loud or stressful or busy. My kids are 10 and 12 and are very respectful and conscientious towards animals. Christmas day for our family is actually quite laid back, relaxing, and enjoyable. The line of thinking that a Christmas Day puppy is a bad idea 100% of the time, while I understand where people are coming from, seems a bit rigid and extreme since every situation is not exactly the same. For our family, it seems like the perfect day to focus on a new puppy. I am a stay at home mom (former teacher), now homeschooling my kids. We are home most of the time. One reason I thought of Christmas being the ideal time is that we actually have the time to be very focused on a new puppy until mid- January as we are on break from school. Even when school begins in mid- January, the kids and I will be home most of the time. There is 1 day a week from 9 to 4 we will be out of the house but my husband will arrange his schedule to be home with the puppy. As I said, I have thought through this for a long time. I certainly do not want to do anything that would be detrimental or harmful for a new puppy. I think a Christmas puppy in general is a bad idea, but evey family situation is unique. While I agree that in most cases it's a bad idea to gets puppy on Christmas, I think people should be open to the possibility that there are some situations where a Christmas puppy might actually be in the puppies best interest. That said, it is far more important to me to find the right puppy for our family than to get one on Christmas Day. Thanks again for all your input.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I understand that Christmas Day is not the same for every family, but in general, it is a busy time. Not just that one day, but the surrounding weeks. Because of this, reputable breeders will not have puppies ready to go home around Christmas. You may have missed that in my initial post. You are setting yourself up to buy from a backyard breeder, or worse, a mill, and that is something the users here can not stand behind. By no means am I intending to attack, I promise. It is just something I feel passionate about and want to educate folks on :)
 
#16 ·
I agree with Sophie... even breeders who, because of their bitch's cycle, end up with puppies that MIGHT be ready to go at Christmas, almost always hold the puppies until after Jan. 1st, because the wellbeing of the puppies they breed is of foremost importance in their minds. The desires of the purchasers, quite frankly, are a secondary consideration. Thta is as it should be, in my opinion. So, as Sophie says, regardless of whether you WANT a Christmas puppy, the breeders that you should want to buy a puppy from, most likely won't let you take it home until after the first of the year.

My third, Panda, was born on Oct. 15th, so she was certainly the "right age" to go home at Christmas. That's just the way her dam's cycle worked out. None of the puppies were allowed to go home before the first of January. And believe me, our house isn't a busy one at Christmas either. We have two grown sons, no grand kids...
 
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#13 ·
Thank you. I did not take any input in a negative way. I want to be an informed, educated and responsible owner so I value the input from those more knowledgeable and experienced. Where can I find a reputable breeders in the Marietta, GA area? I will be looking into the suggestions that have already been madeas well. Are all backyard breeders a bad choice? What are the most important questions to ask a breeder? I guess I still have much to learn and figure out regarding certification etc... I thought that AKC certification required health testing several generations back.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Thank you. I did not take any input in a negative way. I want to be an informed, educated and responsible owner so I value the input from those more knowledgeable and experienced. Where can I find a reputable breeders in the Marietta, GA area? I will be looking into the suggestions that have already been madeas well. Are all backyard breeders a bad choice? What are the most important questions to ask a breeder? I guess I still have much to learn and figure out regarding certification etc... I thought that AKC certification required health testing several generations back.
Not always the case- my sister has two Goldens from akc registered parents- one has had no issues- the other has had many health issues and surgeries needed in just two short years. Reputable breeders will post health testing here Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

In my long search for the right breeder- I found when I asked about heath testing (not just a vet exam mind you) and if the results were posted on OFA, the ones that did not reply directly to my question or NOT AT ALL was a HUGE red flag and were immediately off my list.

Sadly my sister didn't confer with me prior to making her decisions (the one with health issues was a "Christmas puppy" btw bought on a whim and she did not put the time into getting to know the breeder as much as she did the first) Come to find out in my research after the fact- the healthy one had parents that the breeder posted health testing to OFA and the other did not. Sister got lucky on the first because she had no idea to even ask or check; but did spend time visiting the breeder and puppies over time. Her family has spent thousands of dollars in vet bills on her second Golden so far. He is a sweet dog, and she feels lucky to have "saved him" as another owner may have not bothered- so she tries to be positive.

Good luck in your search. Don't be tied to getting a puppy during a certain time frame. It may cloud your decision making process and red flags may not be as obvious. My sister now sees the red flags in hindsight.
 
#14 ·
I recommend you get in contact with someone from the Southern Magnolia Havanese Club. They represent breeders and owners from Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, and the president should be able to help you get in touch with some good breeders. Just put it in the Google machine :)

As far as things to look for and questions to ask, check out Things to Look for in a Reputable Breeder It is pretty extensive.
 
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#17 ·
To be clear, even with fully health tested parents, especially in a breed riddled with health problems, like Goldens, while you have a BETTER possibility of a healthy dog, there are no guarantees. As with any living creature, things can go wrong, even with the best of parents. However, you do have a much better CHANCE of a healthy puppy from fully health tested parents from health tested line. A GOOD breeder will stand behind their puppies, and if a genetic health problem crops up, will help you. (And NOT just by offering a "replacement puppy" for a dog you already love!)

But there are absolutely NO requirements that AKC registered dogs be health tested or meet any of the MANY standards for a well-bred dog. All it means is that both parents were registered. And yes, all "back yard breeders are bad for the breed because they are not breeding to the standard, do not health test their dogs, usually don't do much in terms of enrichment for the puppies... They can sell puppuies for less because it costs a lot less to produce them when you do it that way... you can breed your females by 9 months or so, if you don't care about health testing or the bitch's health. BYB's can range anywhere from a person who just gets any two Havanese and lets them do "what comes naturally", to borderline puppy mills, where they produce many, MANY litters from large numbers of bitches for as long as those bitches will produce for them. You do neither yourself nor our wonderful breed any favors by purchasing a dog from anything other than a reputable breeder. If for some reason you choose NOT to purchase a Havanese from a reputable breeder, PLEASE look into rescue instead. It can take a while to find the right rescue dog, often longer than purchasing a puppy. But it is the ONLY other option that is not detrimental to our breed.

I think others have already given you the names I would give you in that area, but please also consider going further afield to find the right breeder and the right pupoy for your family. I live in MA and my first two are from NC. I flew down for both, and couldn't be happier with my dogs, my breeder and the support and friendship I've over the years. My third came from closer to home, but she was a "mistake"... I went to visit a friend's litter, and she "followed me home". :laugh:
 
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#18 ·
To be clear, even with fully health tested parents, especially in a breed riddled with health problems, like Goldens, while you have a BETTER possibility of a healthy dog, there are no guarantees.
Yes I didn't have the heart to break that to my sister about Goldens and the many issues they can have. They are beautiful and such a lovely, sweet breed I can see why she is enamored with them.
 
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