Owning dogs, in particular taking care of the havanese, is old hat for people across the world. Historians theorize that dogs were first domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that canines evolved from wolves. Since then, people have selectively bred more than 400 different breeds, ranging in size from four-pound teacup poodles to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of the tallest dog. But the most popular pooches are non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The havanese is another favorite pick among canine owners. Some owners are misinformed, however, of some important havanese care tips.
General cost of care for your havanese
The annual cost of raising the havanese—which includes everything from meals and treats, to vet bills, toys and license—could range between four hundred twenty and $780. This does not even count capital expenses for spay/neuter operations, a collar and leash, dog carrier and a doggie crate. Note: Make sure you have procured all your items before getting your havanese home.
Basic havanese Care
havanese Feeding Plan
- havanese puppies between 8 and twelve weeks old need four meals daily.
- havanese puppies 3 to 6 months old should be fed three meals each day.
- Feed puppies 6 months to one year 2 bowls of food every twenty-four hours.
- By the time your havanese makes his or her 1st birthday, one feeding a day is usually sufficient.
- Some adult havaneses might prefer 2 smaller bowls. It is your job to learn your havanese’s eating tendencies.
High-quality dry dogfood ensures a balanced diet to full-grown havaneses and may be mixed with water, canned food, or broth. Your havanese may also have a taste for cottage cheese, cooked egg, fruits and vegetables, but these should be less than ten pct of his or her daily nutrition. havanese pups ought to be given a high-quality, brand-name puppy food. Try to limit “people food”, however, because it can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, bone and teeth problems, and might lead to very finicky food choices and obesity. Clean, potable water should be made exclusively, and make sure to wash water and food bowls often.
havanese Care Tips: Make sure to get your havanese some daily physical activity
havaneses must get some exercise to stay healthy, recharge their brains, and maintain their health. Daily exercise also really helps havaneses avoid boredom, which has the potential to lead to difficult behavior. Exercise would quell most of your havanese’s desires to herd, dig, chase, retrieve and chew. Activity needs are dependent on your havanese’s level of health and his or her age—but just a couple of walks around the block every day and ten minutes in back of the house probably won’t cut it. If your havanese is a six to eighteen month adolescent, her requirements will probably be a little more.
havanese Grooming
Frequent brushing will help reduce shedding and keep your havanese clean. Check for ticks and fleas daily during the summer or other warm weather. Sometimes havaneses don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Prior to the bath, cut out or comb any and all mats from the havanese’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap residue.
Handling Your havanese
Pups are obviously easier to handle. While carrying the havanese pup, take 1 of your hands and place it beneath your dog’s chest, with either the forearm or other hand supporting the hind legs and rump. Never attempt to grab or lift your pup by his or her front legs, tail or back of the neck. When you need to lift a larger, full-grown havanese, lift from underneath, supporting his or her chest with 1 of your arms and rump with the other arm.
havanese housing
havaneses need a comfortable peaceful place to sleep apart from all drafts and away from the ground or floor. You might wish to purchase a dog bed, or consider making one out of a wooden box. Place a clean blanket or pillow inside the bed as cushioning. Wash the havanese’s bedding often. If the havanese will be spending a lot of time outdoors, make sure he has covering and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a dry, warm, covered shelter in the cold.
havanese Identification
Make sure to follow the city’s licensing regulations. You should attach the license to the havanese’s collar. The license, together with an identification tattoo or tag, may help you recover your havanese should he go missing.
havanese Temperament Information
havanese Training
Well-mannered, companion havaneses can truly be a blessing. But left untrained, your dog can easily be troublesome. Training your havanese on the basics—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—bolsters the relationship both with the dog and the neighbors. If you own a pup, start teaching her manners as fast as you can! Use food as a lure and reward. Pups should enroll in obedience courses when they are adequately immunized. Call your local SPCA or humane society for information about training classes. Always walk your havanese on a leash while in public, even while a puppy. Just be certain your doggie will come back to you at all times whenever you tell her. A disobedient or aggressive havanese is not yet ready to play with others.
About your havanese’s Health
Your havanese should see the veterinarian for a thorough assessment, vaccinations and heartworm exam each and every year, and ASAP when she is injured or sick.
havanese Oral Health
Although we might object to our havanese’s foul breath, we should pay attention to what it may be a symptom of. Foul breath is usually a symptom which means that your havanese requires an oral exam. Plaque due to germs causes a bad smell that requires professional treatment. After you give your havanese a professional cleaning, his teeth and gums can be maintained by eliminating table food, feeding a special diet focused on maintaining dental health, and brushing regularly. Your vet can supply you with more data on reducing oral ailments and halitosis. You should brush your havanese’s teeth with a doggie toothpaste or a paste made of baking soda and water a couple of times per week. Clean them with a nylon stocking stretched across your finger, a gauze pad, or a child’s soft toothbrush. Some havaneses develop periodontal disease, sometimes called gum disease. Often, tooth loss takes place because of periodontal infection. Infections can sometimes also propagate to other areas of your havanese’s body. The vet should clean your dog’s teeth as a regular part of your havanese’s health exam.
Halitosis in havaneses
If your havanese has foul breath, periodontal disease may not necessarily be the only issue, as other more serious conditons also have that symptom. Diseases of the intestines or liver also cause smelly breath, while a fruity, even pleasant smell may be a sign of diabetes. Kidney disease may be the reason when your havanese’s breath smells like urine or ammonia. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your havanese has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Fleas and Ticks in havaneses
Regular, daily checks of your havanese for ticks and fleas in the summer are critical. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are numerous new techniques of tick mitigation. Talk to your havanese’s doctor about these and other recommendations.
Heartworms in havaneses
Your havanese is at risk of developing heartworms if he is exposed to lots of mosquitoes. The insect carries the worm from dog to dog. Several havaneses die yearly as a result of heartworms. It’s critical to make sure your havanese has a blood screening for worms each spring. It is also good to give your havanese a monthly pill throughout mosquito season to help protect him from heartworms. Your havanese should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some warmer climates, veterinarians advise preventative worm medication be taken continuously.
Toxins and Medications
Remember to never give your havanese medicine that hasn’t been prescribed by her vet. Are you aware that just one ibuprofen caplet causes stomach ulcers in havaneses? Make sure your havanese is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. When you have reason to believe your doggie has been exposed to a toxin, call the doctor or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hours per day for help.
havaneses: Neutering and Spaying
Female havaneses should be spayed—which is the extraction of the uterus and ovaries—and males neutered—removal of the testicles—by 6 months of age. You usually will greatly reduce your female havanese’s breast cancer risk by spaying prior to maturity. The risk of an infected uterus, which is another serious condition that impacts older females, will be eliminated by spaying prior to six months. Neutering males eliminates the risk of testicular diseases, some hernias and certain aggressive behavior.
Vaccinating your havanese
- Your havanese puppy should be vaccinated with a combination vaccine (called a “five-in-1”) at 2, three and four months old, and then once yearly. This immunization immunizes your puppy from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. Your havanese puppy’s innoculation regimen cannot be finished before 4 months of age.
- If you have the rare havanese who has not been innoculated and is older than 4 or 5 months, he must have a series of two vaccinations 2 or three weeks apart, followed by a yearly immunization.
- Your havanese pup’s vaccinations should coincide with her socialization program. Many vets advise that new owners bring their havanese puppies to socialization courses, beginning at 8 to 9 weeks of age. They should have already received their first innoculations by this age.
Statutes vary so much around the country, that it’s best to call your neighborhood doctor about rabies innoculation info. In NYC, for example, the rule states that all pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the first innoculation, he must get a second shot the next year, and then every three years after that. There are a variety of immunizations that may or may not be right for your havanese. Ask your havanese’s vet for his recommendation. Also, if your havanese gets sick because he is not immunized, do not give the shot until the dog has made a full recovery.
Intestinal Parasites in havaneses
havaneses are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Eggs that carry hookworms are transmitted through a dog’s stool. Even the healthiest of havanese puppies carry intestinal worms. The secret to effective treatment is early detection. This will make sure that the medication is effective against the parasite your dog has. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, can’t kill tapeworms. Your havanese’s doctor can best define the culprit—and prescribe the right medicine.
havanese Care Tips: Additional Information
havanese Supply Checklist
- Excellent-quality dog food and treats specifically for havaneses and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water bowl
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Brush and comb for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and identification tag
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for pups)
- Training crate
- Dog bed or box with quilt or towel
- Dog toothbrush
The no-no list
Never feed your havanese the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocoloate or any food with caffeine
- Grapes & raisins
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, chives and garlic
- Poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit & stems
- Yeast dough
Final Thoughts
Unless you are at home, or in a fenced-in, secured place, always keep your havanese on a leash. And please, when your havanese defecates on your neighbor’s lawn, remove and dispose of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about havaneses
Was this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂
Follow