5-6 weeks old, they are underfoot, just like the rest of the dogs. I use raised pens for puppies, to keep them off the floor and I wrap the pen with a blanket until the mom is a bit more relaxed and not so worried about all the other dogs peeking in to meet the new arrivals. 10. aT WhaT age do you deTermine a puppy To be shoW qualiTy? I watch the puppies from birth, do a formal evaluation at 8 weeks old and then continue to evaluate as they mature. I sell show puppies as pets first, show dogs second. I am not God and cannot predict what will happen with 100% certainty and I want all of my pup- pies to be loved family members first. I do not agree with rehoming puppies just because they developed a fault making it unsuitable for showing or breeding. I don’t feel that is fair to the puppy that has come to love its new family. I do my best to put only puppies I would run on myself to show in the bred by class, into a home where I know the owners have an interest in showing. I have had great success with novice owner handlers fin- ishing their dogs championships and on to grand championships. Many are not only Best of Breed winners, but group placing and Specialty Winning Havanese now. All owner handled. 11. WhaT is The greaT- esT healTh concern for your breed? All auto immune issues. We recom- mend doing hip xrays, BAER testing, CERF and patellas for the CHIC. But unfortunately, these are not the prob- lems that are killing the Havanese or causing a poor quality of life. 12. if you Were noT involved in shoWing dogs, WhaT Would you do? I could not imagine not showing dogs. But if I ever could not, I would not be breeding either. I breed when I want my next show dog, or because people have contacted me wanting a puppy from a specific breeding. For me, showing is what I enjoy most, breed- ing and whelping puppies not so much. So, if I could not show dogs, I would probably go back to work as an RN. Perhaps it would be nice to get a steady paycheck again.
“i HAVE StudiEd PEdigrEES for oVEr 15 yEArS Now ANd i liKE to worK witHiN tHE liNE i HAVE SiNcE it HAS bEEN HEAltHy ANd ALSO PRODUCES NICE DOGS!”
adding color, but hope that breeders will remember that the Havanese is so much more than a fancy color when they are making their breeding decisions. 4. WhaT has been your high poinT as a breeder? While the wins in the show ring immediately came to mind as the answer to this question, I think the actual high point as a breeder has come from the many families who have my dogs as their much loved family mem- bers. I get pictures of dogs I have bred daily from all over the country. Noth- ing warms my heart more than hearing updates from the people who I now consider life-long friends because they found me when looking for their new family member. 5. WhaT is your peT peeve abouT The shoW/ breeding World? The exhibitors who are quick to hire a professional handler when they don’t win every time they walk in the ring, instead of admitting they may not have the best dog or that they need to work on their own handling skills. The exhibitors who have decided that dog shows are only about the win instead of the friendships between breeders and what should be the common goal of working together to improve the breed as a whole. 6. is There a grooming secreT you Would like To share? I don’t really have any secrets. And I do not color, flat iron, rat up or hairspray my dogs. They are bathed and brushed and blown dry. They are shown as our standard calls for, naturally, as is consis- tent with good grooming. Period. 7. do you inbreed, line breed or ouT cross?
I do line breed with an occasional outcross. I have studied pedigrees for over 15 years now and I like to work within the line I have since it has been healthy and also produces nice dogs! But occasionally I have to outcross to bring in a trait I want and then I breed back into my own line. I have a new puppy at my house now SherRex N’ Amblers Just Jammin’. JJ is 5 months old and represents 6 generations of dogs I have owned and bred. He is a mix of line breeding and out crossing. I am extremely excited about him and pray he holds together! 8. is The currenT sTandard adequaTe? Yes. I think it is, although judges still tell me it confuses them. We do allow for quite a size range and that can cause issues. If you consider an 8 ½ inch dog standing next to an 11 ½ inch dog in a class and then keep in mind that the dogs will weigh much different too, they can look like two different breeds. What the judges must keep in mind, are the 6 critical elements of breed type that they are taught in JE Seminars. Unfortu- nately, I still see judges putting up their preference in size, which may not actu- ally be the better example of the breed, just because they don’t like “too big” or “too small”. When in doubt, do not be afraid to ask for the wicket. Another problem with the standard is the fact that exhibitors, both owner handlers and pro handlers, are not adhering to the part about sculpting, flat ironing, etc. and the judges are awarding these dogs the wins. What part of natural do they not understand? 9. Where do you house your dogs and Whelp your biTches? My pups are born in my living room and are surrounded by the noise of everyday life here. Once they are about
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