General Questions & Answers
I1. Welcome! 2 Cute Havanese offers a variety of colors and sizes but our focus is on health and personality.
2. Size. Our puppies generally range in weight from 8-14 lbs. I do not guarantee weight, size or color.
3. 'Sable'. The color 'sable' normally means 'brown'. In Havanese speak 'sable' means 'change'. Havanese can vary in their coloring some throughout their life but 'sable' puppies can change dramatically. See 'Color Changes' page. A wonderful detailed page beyond ours is Colours of the Rainbow (https://havaneseabc.com).
4. Affection. With Havanese the male is often more affectionate that the female. An example is when called, the male will come right away where the female will give it a moment's thought. In havanese I have a saying that a girl havanese loves you and a boy havanese is in love with you. This is a very minor difference but it seems to be quite accurate most of the time.
5. Introduction to an existing dog. If you have a dog at home please give them time to adjust to the new puppy. Be sure to show attention to your existing dog more than usual. For instance over the next couple of months always pick your existing dog up first, treat that dog first, give them extra attention, etc. The puppy absolutely will not care but your existing dog will and may get jealous or act out. They will figure out the pecking order if you give them the chance to work it out.
6. Temperament or Personality. A working dog as a puppy is not given a temperament test until about 10 weeks of age. I have seen puppies shift from being very laid back to very active. I encourage you to examine your lifestyle to know if you want an active vs. a less active puppy or in between. I can offer our opinion if asked however havanese tend to adjust your lifestyle and environment.
7. Socialization. Puppies have a huge window from 2-4 months to be socialized. Of course socializing starts from day 1 and will continue past 4 months of age but this window is an important time to push for learning experiences for them. Unfortunately this window coincides with protecting them from parvo, too. To assist with socialization I have included a Socialization Scavenger Challenge in our go home binder that will give you some ideas for before 4 months and some for after all shots are completed and it is safe to take your puppy out in public to socialize.
8. Parvo. Parvo and Distemper are two of the greatest threats for any puppy. Parvo can live on inanimate objects such as a shopping basket in a pet store or your shoes for 48 hours. Distemper lives on inanimate things for 24 hours. Both are extremely contagious. Parvo is a 10-14 day roller coaster that many puppies do not survive. I are very clear about waiting to visit us 48 hours after going to a pet store, another breeder's home, dog park or veterinarian office. Older dogs can carry and shed the virus without knowing it.
9. School. I recommend you take your puppy to a 'Puppy Manners' class about 2 weeks after 3rd shots. Puppies do grow up and on the way to becoming an adult dog they go through adolescence when they forget all the good things you taught them including, sometimes, who is the boss. Training class will help you maintain good manners and will build trust for both you and your puppy.
10. Feeding. I 'free' feed. Food and water are available during the day. Havanese have a high metabolism and nibble on a couple kibbles at a time all day long. They can have a drop in sugar if they are too long without food and in my experience they do a very good job maintaining their weight.
11. Puppy Pick Up. All puppies have seen the veterinarian twice and have been examined twice. The first time is to remove dew claws and the second time is for the first puppy shot and to get their micro-chip (@ 8 weeks). The pups also have a 'stinky' toy that smells like siblings and mom, a binder with information about the breed for you and bag of food. I also have information & a wish list on the puppy care page on this web site.
12. Potty Training. Puppies have been introduced to a grass mat and some potty training has begun. Consistency is the most important thing in the beginning, after a nap as soon as you see them start to move around they will need to be out quickly, about every 1.5 to 2 hours of activity, first thing in the morning & before bedtime take the dog out to the area you want it to potty. They take 15 to 20 minute of moving around to work their bowls so if you bring them in too soon there will be accidents, if it is too hot, cold or rainy just put them back out shortly after the initial walk to do their business. Praise is a big deal to them so if they potty outside act like they just won the lottery & treat responsibly and not every time.
13. Puppy Wish List. I have created a wish list for first time puppy parents under the puppy care page to help you see what has worked well for me. You can buy what you think will work for you everyone has a little different set up so keep that in mind. FYI the dog food that I feed is there also.
14. Veterinarians. I strongly encourage you to find the right veterinarian for you with his/her name on the door. Try to find one that is open on Saturdays because it will always be Saturday or Sunday when you need them the most. I prefer not to use corporate/chain veterinarians because they tend not to think outside of the corporation guidelines and some times it will take thinking out of the box that could save you puppies life.
15. Full Immunization. Your puppy is fully vaccinated at 17 weeks. The shot schedule is 8, 12, and 16 weeks. It takes about a week after the last shot for full immunization against parvo & distemper to effective. Rabies vaccination is given usually about 16 weeks. Allow one week after the 3rd and final vaccination shot before you expose your puppy to any public dog areas, pet stores or access to any area outside a secured yard area.
16. Deposit. Deposits are non-refundable but will roll over litter to litter until you find the pup that is the right fit for you.
17. Spaying/Neutering. Puppies are sold on a spay/neuter contract. I recommend to spay/neuter with the guidance of your veterinarian keeping in mind muscle mass and bone growth development usually around 8 to 9 months of age. Full adult muscle and bone growth usually is around 2 years old so your vet might ask you to wait a little longer if they need more time to develop please understand that our contract says by 1 year old but I always want the spay/neuter to be done with health the priority so just give me a call if you are being advised to wait.
18. Children 3-9. Havanese are wonderful with children but as puppies they need to be handled under supervision when being handles by young children. Keep in mind that they are growing quickly and that for a while and need to take naps and have limited play time so that they don't get over stimulated. The saying let sleeping dogs lie comes to mind so if the puppy is sleeping on his/her bed, in his/her crate, next to you or on your lap try to let him/her sleep. FYI never leave a puppy on a couch or chair if you get up because they can fall off or injure themselves jumping down to follow you.
19. The Right Fit. I am all about the 'Right Fit' for you and your family, I encourage and welcome continuing questions before, during and after this entire experience. I don't just send you off with your new puppy and hope to never hear from you again I am committed to my breeding program and questions help me to adjust and improve so please don't hesitate to reach out with questions and concerns.
20. CDPA Testing - In the article ‘Breed Defining Chondrodysplasia’ by Julia Bouirmane in My Dog DNA, she explains CDPA as a “desirable trait”. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) comments on breeders “retaining the short-legged phenotype conferred by CDPA” in the Havanese Health Panel documentation. This is the very short version of information:
“In breeds where both mutations are present, breeders can benefit from test results to implement breeding strategies to reduce incidence of CDDY, while retaining the short-legged phenotype conferred by CDPA.” – UC Davis Havanese Panel. https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/dog/HavanesePanel.php
“Breed-defining chondrodysplasia, also called short-leggedness, is a favorable phenotype found in some breeds [Havanese] . . . Short-leggedness caused by the FGF4 insertion is a desirable trait, and it is caused by different mutation than the undesired dwarfism causing genetic disorder found in some breeds, such as the Norwegian Elkhound.” From the article ‘Breed Defining Chondrodysplasia’ by Julia Bouirmane in My Dog DNA -https://mydogdna.com/blog/breed-defining-chondrodysplasia
2. Size. Our puppies generally range in weight from 8-14 lbs. I do not guarantee weight, size or color.
3. 'Sable'. The color 'sable' normally means 'brown'. In Havanese speak 'sable' means 'change'. Havanese can vary in their coloring some throughout their life but 'sable' puppies can change dramatically. See 'Color Changes' page. A wonderful detailed page beyond ours is Colours of the Rainbow (https://havaneseabc.com).
4. Affection. With Havanese the male is often more affectionate that the female. An example is when called, the male will come right away where the female will give it a moment's thought. In havanese I have a saying that a girl havanese loves you and a boy havanese is in love with you. This is a very minor difference but it seems to be quite accurate most of the time.
5. Introduction to an existing dog. If you have a dog at home please give them time to adjust to the new puppy. Be sure to show attention to your existing dog more than usual. For instance over the next couple of months always pick your existing dog up first, treat that dog first, give them extra attention, etc. The puppy absolutely will not care but your existing dog will and may get jealous or act out. They will figure out the pecking order if you give them the chance to work it out.
6. Temperament or Personality. A working dog as a puppy is not given a temperament test until about 10 weeks of age. I have seen puppies shift from being very laid back to very active. I encourage you to examine your lifestyle to know if you want an active vs. a less active puppy or in between. I can offer our opinion if asked however havanese tend to adjust your lifestyle and environment.
7. Socialization. Puppies have a huge window from 2-4 months to be socialized. Of course socializing starts from day 1 and will continue past 4 months of age but this window is an important time to push for learning experiences for them. Unfortunately this window coincides with protecting them from parvo, too. To assist with socialization I have included a Socialization Scavenger Challenge in our go home binder that will give you some ideas for before 4 months and some for after all shots are completed and it is safe to take your puppy out in public to socialize.
8. Parvo. Parvo and Distemper are two of the greatest threats for any puppy. Parvo can live on inanimate objects such as a shopping basket in a pet store or your shoes for 48 hours. Distemper lives on inanimate things for 24 hours. Both are extremely contagious. Parvo is a 10-14 day roller coaster that many puppies do not survive. I are very clear about waiting to visit us 48 hours after going to a pet store, another breeder's home, dog park or veterinarian office. Older dogs can carry and shed the virus without knowing it.
9. School. I recommend you take your puppy to a 'Puppy Manners' class about 2 weeks after 3rd shots. Puppies do grow up and on the way to becoming an adult dog they go through adolescence when they forget all the good things you taught them including, sometimes, who is the boss. Training class will help you maintain good manners and will build trust for both you and your puppy.
10. Feeding. I 'free' feed. Food and water are available during the day. Havanese have a high metabolism and nibble on a couple kibbles at a time all day long. They can have a drop in sugar if they are too long without food and in my experience they do a very good job maintaining their weight.
11. Puppy Pick Up. All puppies have seen the veterinarian twice and have been examined twice. The first time is to remove dew claws and the second time is for the first puppy shot and to get their micro-chip (@ 8 weeks). The pups also have a 'stinky' toy that smells like siblings and mom, a binder with information about the breed for you and bag of food. I also have information & a wish list on the puppy care page on this web site.
12. Potty Training. Puppies have been introduced to a grass mat and some potty training has begun. Consistency is the most important thing in the beginning, after a nap as soon as you see them start to move around they will need to be out quickly, about every 1.5 to 2 hours of activity, first thing in the morning & before bedtime take the dog out to the area you want it to potty. They take 15 to 20 minute of moving around to work their bowls so if you bring them in too soon there will be accidents, if it is too hot, cold or rainy just put them back out shortly after the initial walk to do their business. Praise is a big deal to them so if they potty outside act like they just won the lottery & treat responsibly and not every time.
13. Puppy Wish List. I have created a wish list for first time puppy parents under the puppy care page to help you see what has worked well for me. You can buy what you think will work for you everyone has a little different set up so keep that in mind. FYI the dog food that I feed is there also.
14. Veterinarians. I strongly encourage you to find the right veterinarian for you with his/her name on the door. Try to find one that is open on Saturdays because it will always be Saturday or Sunday when you need them the most. I prefer not to use corporate/chain veterinarians because they tend not to think outside of the corporation guidelines and some times it will take thinking out of the box that could save you puppies life.
15. Full Immunization. Your puppy is fully vaccinated at 17 weeks. The shot schedule is 8, 12, and 16 weeks. It takes about a week after the last shot for full immunization against parvo & distemper to effective. Rabies vaccination is given usually about 16 weeks. Allow one week after the 3rd and final vaccination shot before you expose your puppy to any public dog areas, pet stores or access to any area outside a secured yard area.
16. Deposit. Deposits are non-refundable but will roll over litter to litter until you find the pup that is the right fit for you.
17. Spaying/Neutering. Puppies are sold on a spay/neuter contract. I recommend to spay/neuter with the guidance of your veterinarian keeping in mind muscle mass and bone growth development usually around 8 to 9 months of age. Full adult muscle and bone growth usually is around 2 years old so your vet might ask you to wait a little longer if they need more time to develop please understand that our contract says by 1 year old but I always want the spay/neuter to be done with health the priority so just give me a call if you are being advised to wait.
18. Children 3-9. Havanese are wonderful with children but as puppies they need to be handled under supervision when being handles by young children. Keep in mind that they are growing quickly and that for a while and need to take naps and have limited play time so that they don't get over stimulated. The saying let sleeping dogs lie comes to mind so if the puppy is sleeping on his/her bed, in his/her crate, next to you or on your lap try to let him/her sleep. FYI never leave a puppy on a couch or chair if you get up because they can fall off or injure themselves jumping down to follow you.
19. The Right Fit. I am all about the 'Right Fit' for you and your family, I encourage and welcome continuing questions before, during and after this entire experience. I don't just send you off with your new puppy and hope to never hear from you again I am committed to my breeding program and questions help me to adjust and improve so please don't hesitate to reach out with questions and concerns.
20. CDPA Testing - In the article ‘Breed Defining Chondrodysplasia’ by Julia Bouirmane in My Dog DNA, she explains CDPA as a “desirable trait”. UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) comments on breeders “retaining the short-legged phenotype conferred by CDPA” in the Havanese Health Panel documentation. This is the very short version of information:
“In breeds where both mutations are present, breeders can benefit from test results to implement breeding strategies to reduce incidence of CDDY, while retaining the short-legged phenotype conferred by CDPA.” – UC Davis Havanese Panel. https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/dog/HavanesePanel.php
“Breed-defining chondrodysplasia, also called short-leggedness, is a favorable phenotype found in some breeds [Havanese] . . . Short-leggedness caused by the FGF4 insertion is a desirable trait, and it is caused by different mutation than the undesired dwarfism causing genetic disorder found in some breeds, such as the Norwegian Elkhound.” From the article ‘Breed Defining Chondrodysplasia’ by Julia Bouirmane in My Dog DNA -https://mydogdna.com/blog/breed-defining-chondrodysplasia