Helpful Hints

This is not meant to be a complete "how-to" section, but just some added tips to help the Havanese owner. Please feel free to email us with your own tips, so that we can add them!

Dog Names - If you are looking for a new pet, or just like checking out the latest pet names, check out this site: DogBreedz. They have 13,915 names listed at last count.

Training - There are many resources out there for training your dog or puppy. Books, videos, websites, classes, and of course, word-of-mouth advice. There is no one best resource for everyone, as it depends upon your level of experience with dogs in general, and the Havanese breed in particular. Also, your individual circumstances will affect your training choices: is the dog alone for any length of time while people work outside the home, are there other pets or young children in the house, is the dog going to be housebroken to go outside or use an indoor area, etc.

Some of my puppies went to homes where they are trained to ring a bell to tell their owners they have to go "potty". Others have been trained to use a "doggy litter box", as they live in an apartment building in a city. The key to any housebreaking method is to apply it consistently and diligently with a small puppy. One owner told me they succeeded in fully housebreaking their puppy at 16 wks. of age by taking the puppy out every hour during the waking hours!

Housebreaking methods and tips vary widely, also. I recommend a modified crate-training method, which I review with all my puppy owners. Basically, puppies and dogs do not want to soil their nesting or sleeping area. Therefore, when the puppy is awake and being watched, you attend to the puppy's elimination by taking it outside frequently. When the puppy is tired, sleepy, or you cannot watch the puppy, you put it in its crate for some quiet time. Of course, this is a very abbreviated synopsis of this method into which most puppy training resources will go into great detail and give you many helpful hints.

My suggestion for anyone getting a Havanese for the first time is to read all the available books you can find on the Havanese, as their individual characteristics and personality traits will help you and your dog learn together. Currently, there are only a few books on the market:

Microchips - I microchip all my dogs. Check with your local shelters and your vet to see which kind of chip is predominantly used in your area, as there are two main types: HomeAgain and Avid. Each chip has its own specific scanner/reader, and it is possible your area shelters only have one kind of scanner. You don't always have to register your dogs with the online registry. My vet injects the chips and keeps the records. If my dogs are lost, the shelter will contact my vet and they will know who owns the dogs.

Grooming - Some Havanese owners have fantastic websites with very complete, thorough, and instructional sections on grooming. Check out the Links page for some good websites to start with. Again, grooming advice can differ depending upon preferences, so you will have to read all the advice and see what works for you.

Eyes and Ears - Havanese can be prone to ear infections. Most vets will recommend that you keep their ears clean of hair that will grow in the canal. Just use your fingers to pluck out these hairs, and you will not pinch the delicate skin of the ear. As for eyes, all long-haired dogs will have some problems with tear-stains. There are many causes of tear-stains as well as advice on how to eliminate them, and you will find a couple of good websites on the Links page. My vet recommends clipping (or pulling away with a hairband if in show coat) the hair very short around the eyes, so hair doesn't get in the eyes and cause tearing. You will also get the added bonus of seeing those soulful eyes gazing up at you! BEWARE of ANY chemical that you add to your dog's diet to prevent tear-stains: please, please check with your vet first!

Vet Visits - Vaccinations can vary around the country, depending upon geographical location and the diseases that present themselves in your area. Whatever your vet recommends, be aware that some Havanese have had some reactions to vaccines - usually it is when a multiple number of shots is given at once. I recommend that all my puppy people remain in their vet's office (I stand around talking to the receptionist) at least 15 minutes following their dog's vaccinations. If a severe or anaphylactic reaction should occur (and remember, these are RARE), it will occur within this length of time.

Surgery - I have had the horror of hearing of puppies having adverse reactions to the anesthesia used to perform minor surgery such as spaying, neutering, or teeth cleaning procedures. Their hearts have stopped on the table before any incision was made! Some have been successfully resuscitated, while sadly, others have not. This has been extremely heartbreaking, and it appears that some Havanese may have an allergic reaction or sensitivity to some anesthesia chemicals. Because of this,I have tried my best to learn as much as I can regarding anesthesia reactions and educate my puppy owners so they can be prepared to ask the right questions of their vets before their beloved pets undergo any procedure. The website www.vetinfo4dogs.com includes a section on anesthesia reactions. However, don't panic. As in humans, there is an inherent risk to any kind of anesthesia, and in order to lower the risk, there are a couple of things you can do.

1. ALWAYS get pre-surgery bloodwork done. Make sure a pre and post-prandial bile acids test is done. This is where you take blood from a dog before they have eaten, then feed them and take blood 2 hrs. after they have eaten. The bile acids levels will give a good indication as to how the dog metabolizes substances (such as anesthesia) in the liver. Here is a good chart regarding bile acid value norms and abnormal levels- Bile Acids Overview. If levels come back elevated, don't panic! Have your dog retested at another date, and ask your vet exactly how much food to feed and what % of protein should be in that. That could make a huge difference. In the meantime, postpone the surgery if you can.

2. An injection of butorphanol prior to surgery for pain is ok, as well as pre-induction chemicals by mask. Some vets may use a pre-anesthetic sedative named Acepromazine or "Ace." Havanese, however, may be extremely sensitive to Ace and will be overdosed with a "normal" dose. It is best NEVER to use Ace in the Havanese, as it has been responsible for adverse reactions.

3. However, ALWAYS insist on an IV-INTRAVENOUS line be used. This is the fastest way to provide emergency medications should the need ever arise.

4. All the resouces I've checked recommend the following anesthesia: Isoflurane is the best one to use, followed by Sevoflurane. These chemicals are metabolized better in the Havanese than the older anesthestics. DO NOT USE Methoxyflurane and Halothane as they aren't metabolized as well and can cause excessive sedative effects.

One more thing - there are a few breeds out there, usually the larger herding dogs, that are known to have a genetic mutation, MDR-1, that causes allergic reactions to many medications, including some anesthetics. Your vet should be aware of this list. Although the Havanese have not been identified as a breed carrying this genetic marker, it is worth having this discussion with your vet, to see if any of these identified medications can be substituted when prescribing for the Havanese. If you are curious, for a full list of the drugs causing the reaactions in these dogs, go to the Washington State University's Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Lab.

Poisons - See the Breed Information page for links to Poison Information and Emergency Treatment Protocols

last updated 4/8/08