General Discussion

Hey all! I'm super excited because I might be able to get a dog in the spring or summer! :D I've wanted a dog for about 10 years and I was never able to get one due to a combination of circumstances (in part, allergies), but now that my situation has improved, there is a high chance that I can get a dog! I think that the best dog for me would be a Havanese. Here's a picture of one, courtesy of google images. [img]https://assets.vetary.com/media/seo_content/dog/havanese-med.jpg[/img] So I'm posting about it here because 1. I'm super excited and 2. I'd love to hear any tips you all have for first-time dog owners! I'm considering adopting from a shelter or rescue group, but there aren't any Havanese-specific shelters near where I live, and since I am allergic to most dogs, any mixes found in shelters would be more likely to aggravate my allergies. It would take forever for me to find an uncommon purebred Havanese in a shelter. So I'd like to know your thoughts? I have really no experience as to how to take care of a puppy or an adult dog and I'd really appreciate any advice! EDIT: [i]Some extra info from my second post on this topic.[/i] I am well aware of puppy mills and I am doing my best to spot the red flags on breeder websites I've visited. If anyone is good at judging those websites, could you please check out http://heavenlyhavanese.net/ ? It's my top contender right now, except that it's a bit far from where I live, so if we did get a puppy from there it is possible that the dog would have to be sent here on a plane (about a one hour flight). I've been doing a ton of research and I can't seem to find any breeds that meet all of my criteria (relatively small, hypoallergenic, not too difficult to train, intelligent, loving, and does well alone). The biggest issue that I am worried about is separation anxiety. Havanese seem to be prone to that; but so are all of the other breeds I looked at as well. Is there any breed that I haven't found yet that fits my criteria, OR any ways to minimize separation anxiety in dogs? (for reference, there would be no one in the house from about 7:30 AM to 3 PM most weekdays, excluding Thursdays when someone would be there all day. Weekends we are home more often.)

Try looking around the internet for dog care sites. I just found this one that looks reliable off of Google.

Also, if you can find a breeder, you can always ask them for tips on how to care for the dogs they breed. After all, if they're able to breed, they must know at least some stuff.

Hope some of this helps! I've never owned a dog, but I want to someday, and I've read a lot of literature about dogs. If you want to read, I'm sure your local library has books on dog care and training. Good luck!

@PPixelNinja216

Well the number 1 thing be perpard for the vet bills. puppys need their shots.
Watch were you take your puppy the first few weeks you have him/her. My vet told me to not wilk my GS puppy very far untill he had at lest 3 of his boster shots.
Watch whats around the floor, not all will do this, but mine loved to lick EVERYTHING and put everything in his mouth. My first puppy 5 years ago didnt do this nearly as bad as my GS puppy.
Also you may run into food and or treats that really upset your puppys stomic.
Train your dog no mater its size!
Ease of training varys dog to dog, my GS puppy is hardheaded and stobern. He lerns it but hes slower at it. my first one took everything supper fast but got bourd very fast too xD
if your puppy like to eat its food super fast get a slow feed bowl or a something like a kong wobler. I also sajest get one ether way there a way to keep the dog busy for a bit.
Also if you get raw hid bones do be carful with them, some like to chew thm too fast. in that case id sages an antler chew insted. There also better over all.

umm i think thats all i can think of atm that iv ran into the past 4 months now with my GS puppy.

@EagleFairy

Hate to be that person, but just because they are breeding and selling doesn't mean they know what they are doing/talking about.
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@PPixelNinja216

Please watch out for puppy mills!!!
Also, get the highest quality food and treats possible, don't feed the baby any of that junky food, it'll be better for them! Also, see if you can go through dog training when you get it, it'll help both of you establish a good relationship with respect and good listing skills. Don't over bathe the little fella, it's bad for the skin! As well watch for any possible allergies it might have, and if you find one, avoid it! If (s)he's not house trained don't let 'em on the bed until they are!
Never yell at, or beat, your puppy, though this is fairly obvious~ And be sure to socialize the baby with other dogs, cats, people, any animal it might be exposed to, or might live with in the future! Also, don't let it become defensive of things it sees as its own(be sure to teach "Drop it")! Don't just let the little guy into your lap, invite 'em first. If they climb onto without invitation, just gently poke 'em until they get the message and move off on their own! AND do NOT let the little fella pull on his leash. If so, STOP, then turn the other way and continue walking, if they pull still repeat until they learn that pulling gets them nowhere! Be sure to teach 'em to wait, it might just save their life or stop them from darting away, this is also the point to teach them to come!

To help with training, say the following with the trick being taught: "Yes, good ____!" Such as "Yes, good sit!" and be sure to treat the baby :O
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If I've confused you PM me, I can break it down! We currently have a pupper who is a rescue who was being abused. He came with dog aggression, and was terribly fearful, but with being equipped with the proper knowledge we are able to help him everyday :D

@Eaglefairy @iPhysik @Dxlyaxe @Sai Thank you all for the advice!
I am well aware of puppy mills and I am doing my best to spot the red flags on breeder websites I've visited. If anyone is good at judging those websites, could you please check out http://heavenlyhavanese.net/ ? It's my top contender right now, except that it's a bit far from where I live, so if we did get a puppy from there it is possible that the dog would have to be sent here on a plane (about a one hour flight).
I've been doing a ton of research and I can't seem to find any breeds that meet all of my criteria (relatively small, hypoallergenic, not too difficult to train, intelligent, loving, and does well alone). The biggest issue that I am worried about is separation anxiety. Havanese seem to be prone to that; but so are all of the other breeds I looked at as well. Is there any breed that I haven't found yet that fits my criteria, OR any ways to minimize separation anxiety in dogs?
(for reference, there would be no one in the house from about 7:30 AM to 3 PM most weekdays, excluding Thursdays when someone would be there all day. Weekends we are home more often.)

@PPixelNinja216

I couldn't find anything about the parents on that site and whether or not they were health tested or titled. They seem like someone who breeds more for money than for bettering the breed so I'd give them a skip. I see no health guarantees of any sort either and this is just me breezing through

https://www.havanese.org/index.php/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69
Give over here a look? Might be some nice breeders o'er here. Also, I'd happily suggest a Poodle for you which would fit all but maybe the last one.

@PPixelNinja216
Have you checked out the AKC marketplace? It's the perfect website to find reputable breeders ~

@Oratorio Hmm. Really? That website, to me, seemed much more trustworthy than any of the others I've visited so far. I couldn't find a list of the parents or the parents records, but I am doubtful as to if any breeder would put all of the parent's records online. They have tons of information on how to care for dogs, food recommendations, list the vet that checks out the puppies (along with info on when they should get their second and third sets of shots), and overall they seem pretty knowledgeable. I was planning to email and/or call them to ask questions about the health of their dogs, the parents, and other factors. Idk, maybe it's just because I want to believe that I've *finally* found a reputable breeder, but I'm really hoping that this one is okay.
That website that you linked me to- are all of the breeders listed there reputable?? I know that you can't judge by website quality alone, but a few of the ones that I checked out in my state seemed really unprofessional and hastily thrown together.

@Poi I have, and I found a few breeders in neighboring states. I'm not sure if all of the breeders listed on their website can be considered reputable just by being on the site, though. Some have their own websites, some don't, some have pictures of past litters and some info on the parents while others give nothing more than the breed they sell, their location and their email.