Apollo learning to lap up his food
The Puppies
Wood Hood Havanese recognizes that the three most important characteristics influencing a puppy’s development are genetics, nutrition and the environment. Breeders have tremendous control of these factors and consequently have a great deal of influence over the successful development of a puppy. Good breeders choose to take the reproduction functions of dogs seriously and accept the responsibility that derives from that choice. Wood Hood Havanese strives to produce quality puppies who mature into confident, outgoing dogs who acclimate to new environments easily and successfully. *
Wood Hood Havanese believes that a puppy’s development includes critical or optimal learning windows at which to teach desirable behaviors (Scott and Fuller 1965). Recognizing and capitalizing upon these periods will help facilitate a solid base from which the puppy will grow and can be trained. These periods include but are not limited to socialization with humans and other animals, sensitivity to sound and their startle reflex and establishing authority. *
Items we send home with you.
1. Bag of Nulo puppy food and a can of Nulo puppy.
2. Harness to ensure safe travel
3. Four or six foot leash to begin training
4. Baby blanket that smells like mom & litter mates
5. Two (2) potty pads
6. Ball
7. Stuffed Animal toy
8. Chew toy
9. Havanese Book
10. AKC limited registration paperwork
11. Pedigree
12. Contract with medical records & health guarantee.
13. Copy of shots record from vet
14. AKC folder
15. One month of pet health insurance
16. A lifetime of support
Artemis learning to lap up her food
Necessary items for your new puppies.
1. A Crate - You only need one or two. We use the smallest crate for small breeds and cats while they are puppies. There are also dividers available to use with a larger crate. Less room in the crate deters them from using the crate to defecate and learn to “hold it.” It is preferable to keep the puppy’s crate in an enclosed pen at night, with the crate door open. They will leave the crate to use the potty pad so they do not soil their bed. Our puppies are raised in this way.
This is the bolster pad we use in the crate, though many others are available, or use blankets.
The soft crate for riding in the car.
This is a booster seat/Car Seat for dogs. We use something similar in our own cars.
2. A Puppy Playpen or exercise playpen or a sectioned off area for the puppy in your absence or when you need a break. We prefer the eight (8) sided (24" x 30" sections), exercise pen. You might prefer the 24" x 36" panels with a gate for older dogs. Multiple pens can be hooked together with clips that are included.
3. Potty pads. I recommend getting the mid-sized pad. There tend to be more misses with the smaller pads. Comparison shop, even within Amazon. If you have a Costco membership, their potty pads are good quality and cheaper than amazon most of the time.
4. Bully sticks. There is only one vendor whose product and reputation I trust for bully sticks and most treats. That is bestbullysticks.com
Remember puppies NEED to chew! Giving them something they like to chew will lessen the likelihood they will chew something you wish they wouldn’t. Everything looks like a toy to a puppy. Bully sticks are a high dose of protein and would suggest moderate consumption. Once the stick reaches 1 to 1 1/2 inches, they should be taken from the dog to avoid the hazard for choking.
5. Dog food:
KIBBLE: We free feed (leave out at all times) Nulo puppy and adult dry food for the first year and the same brand (any flavor or mix it up like we do) as adults.
WET FOOD: We serve Canidae all life stages wet food or Nulo puppy wet food several times a day to the puppies. We try to avoid chicken as it is a very common allergen that the mother is sensitive to.
TREATS: A great treat to give dogs, is freeze dried liver. Our Older dogs’ preference is bully stick jerky from Best Bully sticks.
Alternative foods: Organic plain goat yogurt or sometimes vanilla yogurt, raw and cooked vegetables (mine love broccoli and peas), most fruit, rice, lean meat, cooked eggs, cooked fish.
Foods to Avoid: Xylitol, which is an alternative sweetener. CHECK LABELS! Avoid chocolate, grapes and raisins, peaches, plums and persimmons, avocado, alcohol, onions, garlic, salt, macadamia nuts, yeast dough, human medicine, raw eggs, raw fish, fat trimmings and pork. There are lots of alternatives to these. While Chicken you don’t necessarily avoid, many dogs have sensitivities to it.
6. Food & Water Bowls. For puppies your best bet is the metal bowls that have the rubber on the bottom so they don't slide and an inclined side so they are less likely to walk into their bowl. Glass or safe ceramic bowls are also good.
7. Harness: I prefer "soft harnesses" as they do not break the coat like many of the other harnesses and are much better than collars. Your puppy will need an XXS or an XXXS when they first come home. Your initial harness is provided. ONE // TWO // THREE
8. Leash I use a 4' or 6' leash. It is a matter of preference. They are sent home with a leash.
9. Puppy Shampoo Puppies, like adult dogs, can get dirty outside playing. We prefer Burt’s bees products. They don’t have perfumes, so if your dog is especially stinky, the smell won’t completely fade.
10. Flea Control. Talk to your vet and compare products online. Everyone has different preferences, choose what makes you feel most comfortable.
11. Safe Toys. I will include a few toys to take home with you. Safe toys are great. When you go to the pet store, ask for help and tell them you only want safe toys for puppies. That means nothing that can come off and choke them. Kong is a dependable and overall safe line of toys.
12. The Breeders Guide to raising Superstar Dogs This is the book from which our puppy protocol is taken. The book advises from birth through the puppy’s first year. This book is highly recommended so your puppy becomes the best dog they can be. It is available for kindle or in paperback.
13. Dental, Nail & Hair Needs. Teeth cleaning can be very expensive and requires anesthesia. I use a natural dental spray when needed. I have included links to a variety of grooming and hygiene products
A. Toothpaste.
B. Nail Clippers.
C. Hair Clippers to do grooming yourself. This comes with longer scissors that I use to
Our Girl
Our Boy
*Hope, Jerry. The Breeders Guide to Raising Superstar Dogs. Diamond ~H~ Publishing, 2008.
Tilly
Tilly is a delightful dog. She is playful, sweet and loves attention. She is very food motivated which is interesting given her petite size. Her coloring is a beautiful combination of red and cream. She looked like she had swallowed a small watermelon when she was pregnant. We were concerned that she was too little to be so pregnant. Her first and second pregnancies and deliveries were uneventful and straight-forward. We had never experienced such a straight-forward, complication-free and fast delivery process. Tilly weighs about eight pounds when she is not pregnant.
Bucky
Bucky is a very laid back, go with the flow dog. He is NOT motivated by food. His coat is the softest we have felt on a Havanese. His coat is all black with a subtle shine. Sometimes when he is asleep, it is difficult to see his eyes or even to identify which end is his head. Bucky weighs twelve pounds.
Mama Tilly, as a puppy, and our older dog, Beckett, playing.
Dad Bucky, and Beckett playing tug of war. Bucky’s just along for the ride.