Hurdles in House Training A Havanese Puppy
70Havanese Training In Action!
Useful Havanese Links
- Animal Planet Video on the Havanese Breed
- Havanese Fanciers of Canada
The National Breed Club for Havanese in Canada - American Kennel Club - Havanese
The Havanese is a small sturdy dog of immense charm. He is slightly longer than tall, and covered with a profuse mantle of untrimmed long, silky, wavy hair. His plumed tail is carried loosely curled over his rump. A native of Cuba, he has evolved ove
Fans of toy dogs know this is group of dogs with their own class: portable, just-too-darned cute, longer-lived compared even to most big dogs. Add to this the notorious fact that they are tricky to housetrain!
But lest potential owners of toy breeds misinterpret, all-too-doting human owners are key to the dog's undoing, unconsciously raising the dog to be inconsistent through their unwitting affection.
Still another factor arises not only from the method of training a havanese puppy, but more importantly, the way the dog was bred. A lot of small dogs from in-demand breeds like Yorkies, Maltese, or poodles, come from puppy mills and other fly-by-night arrangements. These large scale breeders usually do not have as a priority the sense of order that makes housetraining easier.
To prevent encountering puppy mill pups raised on dirty newspapers, there is a need to know only reputable breeders that are knowledgeable in training, health screening and socializing the dog.
But dogs that matured indifferent into living with their own dirt still have a chance to learn better. How? First, the dog needs to be helped to feel secure and safe in the outdoor spot you have selected for it. So in that particular spot, there is no danger of another dog or other animal popping up to catch the dog unawares.
Cold weather is another challenge that makes the outdoors a bad choice for dogs that otherwise want to go. So it is not nonsense to give the dog a sweater; on the contrary, it is an aid to training.
Training a havanese puppy is also not complete without motivating the dog to use the elimination spot. Take the dog outside after it eats, after play, upon its waking up, and after any sort of stimulation. Bring a favorite treat and your happiest voice to the special spot. When the act is completed, praise the dog and give the treat. With that, eliminating outside is an event to look forward to!
Getting back at the dog for its mistakes—what we call the poo or pee on the floor indoors—is beyond the dog anymore. Punishing the dog for its mistakes do not teach the dog anything given the pet's mysterious sense of memory. Keep in mind too that your biggest ally in getting your dog potty-trained is the typical canine eagerness to please. They bond well with their owners, toy dogs simply want to do as commanded!
