CARING FOR THE PUPS BEFORE THEY GO TO NEW HOMES
NOTE: Although our methods listed on this page have worked well for most new puppy families, we are always improving and updating how the puppies are raised their first 9 weeks of life. We are proud to announce that we are now using the PUPPY CULTURE program. This page will be updated soon with our new methods.
We try to give the puppies the best possible start before they go to their new families. All puppies are born and raised in our house. I am retired now and spend most of my time with my dogs and the puppies. The first 3-4 weeks they are in a quite room with their mom, but we still go in and handle them often. At 2.5-3 weeks, we begin early potty training in their whelping box. They are then moved to a play pen where there is a bed, an area to go potty, and a play area. The play pen is in our main living area so they can get used to the sights and sounds of everyday life. The older they get, the bigger the playpen gets and the further away the potty area is from their bed.
Most people report that the most difficult part about bringing a new puppy home is potty training, especially with toy breeds. Havanese are very smart and loving, but they can be stubborn when it comes to going outside. In order to do our part and make it easier to potty train your new puppy, we have started using a litter box method inside of the playpen. New puppy families will still need to do their part in completing the process, but they should be well on their way to accident free. Keep in mind that the puppies are still young with very small bladders and it is not good for them to hold it for a long period of time. It may also take them a little time to let you know when they need to go out and to get used to their new surroundings.
The puppies have to learn that there is an area for sleeping, playing and going potty. When they first start toddling, we separate their area into a sleep area and a potty area. As they grow, the play/sleep area gets bigger and the potty area gets smaller. I do not use pee pads, except during the very early stages, because they start to associate your rugs with the pee pads and it is very difficult to break them of the habit of doing their business on the rugs and carpet. As the puppies get older we start taking them outside on a regular basis, weather permitting.
Crate training is utilized as a means to help the pups get used to being in a crate during grooming appointments and the vet office. They are not housed in crates, but rather used to take naps in and a place where they can sleep soundly in a busy household.
We also get the puppies used to being groomed. Their feet are handled regularly, the trimmers are placed on their bodies so they can get used to the vibration and sound, they are placed on the grooming table where they are brushed and faces cleaned. We bathe them at age appropriate times.
At 8-9 weeks old, our vet will administer their first set of immunizations, deworm them and perform a thorough exam. Vaccines are susceptible to temperature changes and will not be affective if they are not kept at appropriate temperatures. The veterinarians have safety features to ensure the vaccines are kept at optimal temperatures, both at their office and delivery to their office. Therefore, I will never administer my own vaccinations and this is why most veterinarians will recommend having the series completed over again if administered by a breeder. Most puppies go home at 9 weeks old.
We would love to have potential families visit the puppies, in fact we encourage it. Puppies have also done well with families from out of state that cannot visit because I try to choose families I know will have the time to spend with them. If you decide to come to the house, we will ask that you remove your shoes, wash your hands, not visit any pet stores, kennels or other breeders for 2 days before coming over and please do not bring other pets with you. Our puppies are still vulnerable to Parvo virus and other diseases. Puppy visits will not be allowed until they are 6 weeks old. We have sent puppies to their new homes without a visit from their new families and those puppies have always done really well also. UPDATE: Due to increase in parvo and covid cases, we will not be having anyone visit the house. I will be sending photos and videos. I am with the pups all day everyday and can work with you to choose the pup that best fits your family. Due to increase in puppy scams, please be aware that I do not work with, nor have any association with any other breeders. If someone other than myself sends you a video with Hillside Havanese’ name attached, know that they are a scam. It was also brought to my attention that another breeder in Missouri recently started using my name. I promptly asked her to change her name as we have been Hillside Havanese for quite some time. She ended up just adding Hillside Havanese of Missouri to her name instead of changing it completely. She only performs DNA testing on her adults, but no OFA testing. Again, we are not affiliated with her in anyway.