Frequently Asked Questions
All rights reserved, copyright Deborah Owens 2008
©deborah owens
The following FAQs, and this entire site, are copyrighted, all rights are reserved, Deborah Owens. This page is still under construction, please send a topic if you have one in mind. If you have questions you would like answered here, please send them to belovedhavanese@aol.com
A Couple of Quick Pointers:
These FAQs contain some breed specific information. Vets are great generalists learning to treat everything from fish to birds, but most vets do not have breed specific information. Most vets have only seen a few havanese, where we have seen thousands of Havanese. We have decades of experience in animal husbandry and many years of breeding Havanese so we hope you find this information useful. Run this all by your vet and, please, remind him that we have breed specific information available.
Do not think that because a product is available that the product has been government tested and is safe for your animal. Not True. Most products have not been tested, and there is little to no government regulation to provide product safety for animals. The products at issue are toys, over the counter medicines, herbals, and all other animal specific producta whether it be a crate, a blanket, a vest, etc.
What is the best food? What about bowls? What is the best feeding schedule:
We use Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy (found only at PetCo- Petland, etc., not available at grocery store) until one year of age. After one year of age, we feed 1/2 Purina O.N.E. and 1/2 Beneful Adult Original Formula. For pups please see the New Pup Primer, it addresses the initial adjustment period. After the initial adjustment period you can either "free feed" all day until 4-6:00 or "Schedule Feed" twice a day for 15-30 min. ALWAYS Provide water all day long. Remove food by 6:00 PM, if possible, to avoid late night interruptions. We use metal bowls as Havanese will sometimes carry bowls around, and ceramic will break. We only feed bottled water. No flavored waters.
What treats can he have?
One teaspoon of low fat cottage cheese
One tablespoon of Old Breeder Treat (one part plain white yogurt with live cultures to one part low fat cottage cheese with chopped boiled egg (the yeast cultures supply the needed enzymes to process the milk product)
One raw baby carrot
Five "Cut Fresh" canned green beans
One-three Vanilla Wafer
Two-Five Animal Crackers
One or Two Ritz Cracker
Five-Six Cheeze-It Crackers
One fourth- One half boiled egg
The red pieces of Beneful Original Formula Adult Dog Food
One- two inch cube of boiled chicken without skin or fat (we boil, chop and freeze in baggie)
One tablespoon Poochie Souffle (recipes on site)
One tablespoon cooked foods from recipes on site
What foods are toxic to dogs? Signs of some of these toxins may not show up for months, do not use these foods!
DO NOT ASSUME THAT HUMAN FOODS ARE SAFE FOR DOGS
Alcohol
Tobacco and 2nd hand smoke
Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar & sugary foods (cause diabetes and digestive problems)
Raw eggs (causes skin and coat problems)
Raw meats, poultry & fish
Rawhide (can puncture intestines)
Pig ears, hooves, etc (can contain dangerous bacteria and disease)
Dairy products (usually not absorbed, can cause diarrhea in large amounts)
Large real Bones (cause salmonella and other problems)
Fish Bones and other small bones (get caught in swallowing)
Onions (may cause hemolytic anemia months later)
Garlic (similar to onions cause anemia- but to lesser extent than onions)
Raisins
Grapes/Muscadines
Chocolate
Caffeine
Potato, tomato and rhubarb leaves
Yeast Dough (expansion can cause intestinal damage)
Hops (causes breathing problems and death)
Spinach (causes bleeding)
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Macadamia Nuts
Hamburgers, particularly from fast food, (they have onions)
Meat, fat, skin, fatty foods, salty foods
Baby Food (has many toxins to dogs in it)
Fat (can cause pancreatitis)
Colas, Gator Aid- Kool-Aid
Human Vitamins (iron can destroy kidneys & liver)
Citrus and citrus oils (can cause Gastric distress)
Liver ( very much of it can cause Vitamin A overdose and harm muscles and bones)
Human tooth paste, (sweetener can cause liver failure in dogs)
Do Havanese like to jog?
No, it will harm their legs.
Do Havanese need to go for walks every day?
No, they will usually get all of the exercise they need in the house particularly if there is a Havanese companion in the house with the Havanese.
How far is too far to walk with a Havanese?
One fourth mile is all we allow them to walk.
But my Havanese loves to go for long walks and loves to jog, etc.
Yes, and your sweet little Havanese will follow you as long as he breathes. He will not complain and will maintain a merry disposition. He will show no pain and probably no exhaustion until he is well past normal healthy exhaustion. He will disregard his own body needs to please you. He will show no pain, exhaustion, or irritability. He will accompany you as long as he can stand. Like a tiny toddler who needs his mom to settle him down to rest a Havanese must be made to rest and that must be done by ending the walk earlier rather than later.
Do Havanese need stairs to use the couch?
They usually will not use them. We think they should not be placed on the couch since they will ruin their knees jumping off of couches and beds. Just one movement the wrong way, just slightly to the side, may cause injury to the knees.
Do the products for eye stain work?
The antibiotics work, but are very harmful to the dogs and some will ruin the dog's liver. Do not use them. Many over the counter eye stain products are really off-shore-manufactured antibiotics. DO NOT USE THEM.
What products/toys do you avoid with these dogs:
Angel Eyes (see eye care article)
Tea Tree Oil
Mineral Oil
Aspirin
Tylenol
Revolution & ProHeart (flea-heartworm med)
Albon (med for protozoa called coccidia, which are common in pups- see eye care article)
Febreeze
Frontline Top Spot
All systemic meds that are placed on back for fleas/heartworms and last for weeks
Combination products which treat for fleas, heartworms, mites, ticks, all in one products
String (can tie off intestines)
Rawhide (can puncture intestines)
Pig ears, hooves, etc (can contain dangerous bacteria and disease)
Nyla Bones, hard plastic bones
Soft Plastic Bones, denta bones (many will eat them plastic is not good for them)
Pull toys-ropes- etc.
Toys with removable small parts- like eyes
Towels with holes in them, can cause amputation (trim towels with string and holes)
Can I substitute a plastic carry case or plastic transport case for the wire crate/cage, or should the plastic carry case only be used for transporting the dog? What size plastic carry case should I get for the dog?
Do not use a travel case or plastic carry/transport case for housing the dog for sleeping at night or to house the dog during the day. They are too small, and they do not do not allow a view, aeration, etc. For a Havanese you need to get a carry or transport case that is much larger than the dog. The larger it is the better he will like it. If he can focus his eyes inside of it he will be less likely to get car sick. We purchase the large one that is used for cocker spaniels. Choose a sturdy one with a handle. They cost about $50- from Wal-Mart.
What about wire crates and what size wire crate is best?
Use wire crates and baby gates to safely confine and control the movements of the dog. Use a wire crate that is much larger than the dog. We prefer 30 inch high by 30 inch long wire crates. This way the dog can stand on tippy toes, when full grown and not be cramped at all. We buy the large wire crates at Wal-Mart for about $55. Always err on the side of a wire crate that is too large, rather than too small, as a wire crate/cage that is too small will harm your dog's personality and cages that are too small are cruel. Cages that are too small and crating for too long a time harm your dog and are cruel.
Should the furnished wire panels be used in the wire crate, to make it smaller, to prevent the dog from "going" in the crate?
No, You should never use a wire panel, to decrease the dog's useable space in a wire crate. The wire panels that make the wire cage smaller do indeed, make the animal less likely to "go" when he is crated, however it may cause cage neurosis, cage anxiety and other illnesses. Cage neurosis is a terrible condition and very harmful to the well being of dogs! Some animals have suffered severe brain damage from cage neurosis. The actual physical structure of the brain can change.
What is the maximum period of time a dog should be crated?
Certainly not while you are gone all day. We cannot answer this question as there are too many variables, however you cannot leave the animal for long periods of time in the crate. Cages that are too small and crating for too long a time harm your dog and are cruel.
Is crating natural- do dogs like to be crated?
Dogs have a social structure that is more or less hardwired into their brains. They have instinctive behavior that they will display without any training. They also have instinctive urges that create preferences in their selections. The social structure of dogs includes denning behaviors: the leader of the pack has a specific den, and other members of the pack have separate quarters. Dogs have this natural denning preference, so they readily adapt to free access to a crate. That does not mean they want you to lock them up. It does mean they sometimes prefer a small space for sleeping. With this in mind and remembering that too much crating can be very aversive and can actually cause brain damage, you want to crate the dog in a way that not only will not harm the dog but will allow him to feel safe and happy.
For instance, when the dog is a puppy, you might want to crate him while you are out of the house for 2 hrs. or less. You might want to tuck him in, when you crate him, with toys and hot towels from the dryer. Put him in the crate at night just when he is ready for bed. It is best to get up early and let him out, so he will neither soil his cage nor feel like he is a prisoner. The wire crate allows him to sleep undisturbed, and to stay out of harms way throughout your sleep. Remember it is not a good idea to substitute a plastic carry crate for the dog's wire crate to house the dog at night or in the house, not ever.
How many cages/crates do I need?
Large homes do well with two or more. This way he can be tucked away safely if you have young guests. It can protect him from drinks and or food that may harm him. You can crate him to assure your observation of his well being. Some people even put an extra wire crate in the kitchen to assure that he will stay out of harm's way when a big dinner is on the stove.
What about baby gates?
Yes, all small dog owners should use them to control the dog's access to parts of the house and even the yard. Likely places are: decks, stairs, laundry room, kitchen, basement, bathroom, recreation room. We do not always have to crate the pup, we can confine his movements with a puppy gate.
What type of baby gate do you use?
We never use the expanding diamond shape gates because they will choke a dog in a second. We order the 30 ft. wide ones for our open kitchen floor plan from www.Jefferspet.com . The smaller door gates are readily available at Wal-Mart for $30-50. Some are small enough to step over. We try to put them in a place where we can leave them up permanently, and we try to have a hand hold to grasp when moving back and forth over the gate.
What about doggie doors?
We do not use them- they are dangerous. Everything from burglars to wild animals have been known to use them. You also can not always know where your beloved pet is if you have a door that gives him access to the outside at will. Doggie Doors are one of the most frequent reasons that dogs are stolen. Dogs that come and go at will are frequently stolen from their own yards.
What about chaining?
We have a provision in our contract that will not allow chaining. The dogs can pull against the chain and harm their necks. Chaining would break the heart of a Havanese and as small house pets they should never be chained.
What about electric fences?
Electric fences will not stop Havanese. Havanese will run right through electric fences, over and over again. We have seen Havanese with burn marks from them. They will not work and they are cruel. Our purchasers agree not to use them in our contract.
Do you have to have a fence with a Havanese?
A fence certainly makes life much easier. First and foremost, if you have a fence off your back door you can simply open the door and let him out and come back and let him back in a few minutes later. This prevents you from having to get dressed to go out, it prevents you from having to walk the dog in the rain, and it prevents you from having to stop what you are doing to take him out. If you do not have a fence, housetraining will take much longer. Havanese have a natural tendency to play chase- till they drop. You cannot ever predict when they will decide to fly like the wind. Some Havanese will walk along side you for years, and, then, all of a sudden, they will get the urge to run and then they are GONE! About the chase, they will stop when you stop, but they will run again as soon as you move. You need a fence to keep the dog from running away and getting out of control. Housetraining is very much easier if you have a fence and here is why: when you let the dog go out, he needs to run to make his digestive system work properly. If you have him on a tether he cannot run- if you walk him he will prefer to follow you than to understand that he is on a business trip. Usually, he will walk with you, and as soon as you get home, he will congratulate himself on being such a sweet and compliant pet- following you everywhere you wanted to go, and then he will use the BATHROOM on the living room carpet. Your life will be much easier, with fewer interruptions, and with less clean up, if you have a fence.
Courtyards and the advantages they offer.
The remarkable thing about a fence is you only need a small courtyard, something as small as 15 X 20 will do. They fence only needs to be 30 inches tall to keep the average Havanese inside. The fences are most convenient and work best if they are just off the back door. Please see our fence page. Over the years, many people have sent pics of their beautiful courtyards. Often times the entire family gets involved in the courtyard. The children often view it as their secret garden and before you know it, the courtyard has tables, chairs, roses, walkways and is a private little sanctuary!
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