Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
She walks the walk..., August 20, 2006
It seems like years ago when I first read this book. My older 2 dogs, a 16 year old Puli named Lilly, and a 14 year old Lab mix named Max had died within 4 days of each other, and I was miserable and looking for a puppy to fill the void. As it turns, that void is never filled; other things grow up around it; nothing fills it.
But I digress. The book: The Havanese, by Diane Klumb and Joanne Baldwin DMV:
The Chapters include:
1. History of the Havanese breed:
In Cuba and beyond, then and now
2. Is a Havanese Right for You:
Male or female; how to judge a breeder-`Just Slip out the Back, Jack' if you feel something is wrong with the breeder you have chosen; what age should the puppy be when you take him home and why.
3. The Right Stuff:
Buying crates-to crate or not to crate;litter boxes; food dishes; water; chewy things; what to buy without actually going to the moon, financially and other ways.
4. How to Survive The First Few Months:
Picking up the puppy; who's the alpha dog; avoiding the peter principal for your dog; travel; if you have to leave your puppy at home.
5. Feeding:
Canine dog food industry and quality control; getting your Havanese to actually eat.
6. Havanese Health:
This information and analysis would apply to any breed: Ockham Syndrome; eye problems; Baer tests; hedge family signaling genes; chondropdysplasia; orthopedic problems; patella problems; dysphasia, heart and liver problems; and H.E.A.R.T.
7. Preventative Medicine:
How to keep your Havanese well: Anesthesia; parasite control; poisons.
8. The Well Groomed Havanese:
The ideal coat; puppy cut; brushing 101; nails etc.
9. The Corded Havanese:
How to cord your havanese; speed cording!
10. The Well Educated Havanese:
K(C)1 thru Westminster...
In the pages on getting your Havanese to actually eat, the author slips imperceptibly from teacher to student to subject:
Meal one: The new owner drives across town to buy the brand of dog food suggested by the breeder.
Meal two: Owner adds some cup-up chicken
Meal three: Puppy loves the lamb and rice...but everything else he now considers toxic waste.
Meal 4: Plain kibbles and rice? You're kidding right? I'd like some cottage cheese, please...
This ability to empathize with the Havanese and their (perspective) owners gives the book insight and makes it effective: we get the information we need/want in a way that we can use, and in a way that the Havanese pup can understand!
The chapter on `Speed Cording' was awesome. I used it on Lucky. She was 2 years old last Christmas time when her older dogs, Max and Lilly, died. And though a Puli in ever syllable of her being, she had never corded. Lilly, the 16 year old Puli who died-she had a seizure one night that never ended-, had corded up perfectly at age 6 months. But Lucky was still a fuzzy frizzy white mess on the verge of being shaved. Now, 8 months later, with lots of spraying and dividing, Lucky is corded, a little confused around her ears still, but corded.
The section on health is very detailed and will convince any reader to look for puppies from breeders, and only from those breeders, who test their breeding dogs.
In my search for the perfect Havanese, I asked one breeder for the CHIC numbers of her pups' dam and sire. Her answer was `but tell me what is a chic number?' ...as the author might say, 'Just make a new plan, Stan!'.
If you are thinking of getting any breed of puppy, and especially a Havanese, if you want a model/blueprint of how to get and bring up a healthy, happy puppy, you need this book: a perfect balance of detailed reference guide and humorous, insightful, brilliant reflections.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Educational read for all Havanese owners..., August 6, 2006
... or for those thinking of buying a Havanese. A must have read for new puppy buyers, for sure! I own 'all' the Havanese books and in my opinion, this is the best one to have, if you can only buy one! While these are wonderful little clowns to own, they may not be for everyone, so please educate yourself with this book before you decide to buy one. Educational and historically factual and always entertaining. Diane is a great author!
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Havanese Resource there is!, November 7, 2006
I've read most of the available books about the Havanese breed - everything from the original ones written by the those who started it all, to the generic "how-to" books that are all the same with only the name of the breed changed in the title.
This is by far the best of the best. My copy is well worn, as I've read and re-read it, and used it often for reference.
The fact that the authors donate ALL profits from the sale of this book to on-going health research shows their dedication to the future of this breed.
This is a MUST HAVE for anyone interested in Havanese. I highly recommend it to pet owners and show dog owners alike.
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