Since the Cairn has been gone, however, the Havanese tends to leave her food uneaten for a great part of the day. She takes a mouthful, walk out into the hallway, drops it onto the floor, and eat the pieces one by one. She’s healthy and of good weight. I’ve found out since, that many Havanese have a similar eating quirk. Her previous need to finish her meal at one sitting was because she was intimidated by the Cairn, who would have eaten her food if she walked away from it.

I’ve found that the best schedule for feeding my Havanese is ½ cup of commercial dry dog food given twice a day; once in the morning and again at dinner time. With the Cairn gone, I leave the food at her eating station all day. She seems to like it that way. Sometimes she eats it all, and other times she leaves half a meal. I try to give her reward snacks only when she’s eaten her regular food. I don’t want her to replace the balanced nutrition with what she considers to be good tasting snacks. I always present her with fresh food mixed with a little water at each meal. If she has food left over from the morning meal, it has usually absorbed all the water and become mushy. I throw it out and replace it with fresh food mixed with a little water.

I tried different dog foods and, although I won’t recommend a specific one, settled for one of the good commercial brands that offer different food mixes for different stages in the dog’s life, as most good ones do. I had the Cairn on a weight-watching formula for older dogs, while the Havanese was started on a puppy mix and will soon be moved up to the active dog mix. The dry food, a constantly available supply of fresh clear water, and rationed snacks seems to be working to keep her in good shape.

From my experience with dogs, I’ve found that most of them become used to whatever food they are normally given and may reject different foods or eat them reluctantly, even if it’s a food that I might think was a major taste treat. My Cairn was an exception. I think she was part goat. If it was available to her and even remotely edible, she would wolf it down and never be bothered with stomach problems. The Havanese, however, might take a very small piece of cheese or a small cube of turkey and enjoy it, but when I decided to give her some chopped up turkey, broccoli, and rice after Thanksgiving dinner, she left it in the plate.

I think it’s safe to say that your Havanese is pretty much self-regulating with regards to what and how much to eat. If you keep her provided with clean fresh water and a food that she enjoys, she’ll pace herself and eat properly, setting a good example for her owners.

If you’re bringing home a havanese puppy it’s best to continue feeding what he’s been fed by his breeder for the first few months. Your puppy’s breeder typically has a lot of experience in raising puppies and has chosen a food that she believes is good for your Havanese puppy. After that you can do some research and consult with your breeder to choose an adult food for Havanese dogs. He may not yet be an adult but there are some issues related to skeletal growth that make it a good idea to move away from puppy foods.

Don’t forget to keep fresh, clean water available to your Hav at all times. Remember to wash your food and water bowls daily.

Havanese dogs are a longcoated breed of dog with a double coat. That means that he needs at least a light grooming every day. It doesn’t have to be a formal grooming session. You can brush him lightly while he’s lying on the sofa next to you. But do brush him daily. Otherwise his coat can become a tangled mess.

Plan on giving your Havanese dog a bath about once a month or on the rare occasion when he gets into something smelly. According to the Havanese Club of America you should start paying particular attention to your puppy’s legs around nine months when you are bathing him. It’s easy to see how they are shaped when your dog is wet in the bath. If they look bowed or irregularly shaped you should talk to your breeder or a vet about chondrodysplasia. This is a disorder that involves the growth plates and it can be seen in a dog’s crooked front legs.

You should also clean your dog’s ears weekly and brush his teeth at least weekly — doggy dentists recommend daily brushing. Don’t forget to trim your dog’s nails. You can do this with either a scissors nail trimmer, a guillotine-type trimmer, or with a small nail grinder. The important thing is to get your dog used to having his nails trimmed from an early age and to avoid hurting him. Just take a little nail off in each trimming session and give your puppy or dog lots of treats when doing each paw.

Don’t forget the flea and tick care. Flea and tick prevention are much easier now than they once were. Topical flea treatments such as Frontline and Advantage have made it very easy to apply a treatment once and not have to worry about fleas for weeks. There are also products such as Program, Capstar and others for different situations. If you do find a flea give your Hav a bath right away, wash all of his bedding, vacuum your house and dispose of the vacuum bag (which could contain fleas). Treat both your yard and your house with a good flea product.

It’s important to stay current on your Havanese dog’s vaccinations. When you first get your puppy he should have already received his first and possibly second set of shots. You should continue to follow the schedule that your breeder has laid out for him. If there is any difference of opinion between your breeder and your vet (and sometimes there is), you should ask your breeder to phone your vet and discuss the matter. There are currently a couple of different vaccination protocols for Havanese puppies. Some call for more shots and different shots, some starting giving shots earlier or go on longer. If there is a disagreement between your vet and your breeder they should work the matter out.

Your dog also needs heartworm prevention. Heartworm is now found throughout the United States and it is present year-round in many places. Heartgard, Interceptor, Revolution, Sentinel and other products provide good protection for your Havanese dog against heartworm. You can discuss with your vet which product is best for your dog.

Your vet will probably also do a fecal exam on your puppy to see if he has any worms. If he does need worming this is something that is easily taken care of.

After all of his health needs have been met (which can usually be done in just a couple of trips to the vet), your dog will be ready to take over the house. A happy, well-cared for Havanese dog will typically live 14-15 years. Take care of him, see that he gets regular vet care, feed him good food, and be his best friend and those will be wonderful, happy years for both of you.