You probably brought your new Havanese puppy home when he was about eight weeks of age. At that age he is old enough to begin learning some basic rules of behavior. It’s up to you to be consistent when setting and enforcing these rules. The dog will become confused if you’re not consistent in your demands upon him.
The first things he needs to learn is where he is allowed to eat. This will be easily learned if his food and water dish are always the same and located in the same place for each meal. He can be assigned a place to retire to and groom himself or rest; a private secure area which he can reliably call his own. He can be learn to eat, walk outside, and play according to a dependable routine. He can be taught to understand the word “NO.” He can quickly learn that you, not he, is the boss. This is the period when he can be most effectively crate trained.

At about three months you can begin to teach him simple commands like sit, stay, lie down. He can be trained to always come when called, not to run away, and to walk on a leash without pulling, and to permit you to remove anything from his mouth without reaction. He can now learn to become socialized with other family members and pets. Between four and six months it will be possible to begin training the dog to perform tricks, play games, and enjoy family activities like hide and seek.

Of course it’s easy to suggest what your dog can learn at which time; it’s another thing to actually accomplish the training. Remember that your Havanese is an intelligent dog with a delightful disposition. The most important component of successful training is your attitude.
• Never show anger when training.
• Give positive rewards when a training milestone is met.
• Always be affectionate to the dog and he will learn to trust and love you, and work very hard to please you.
• Always speak to the dog in a calming tone. Raising you voice will frighten him and distract him from the training activity.
• Always try to provide training in an area free from distractions.
• Learn to understand when the dog is tired, and don’t force him to train.
• Expect to repeat lesson over and over several times before the dog totally understands.

Training is a process that never ends. Once your dog has learned a certain behavior, you’ll need to reinforce it at all times. Your dog will become an important part of your family. Its behavior will affect all family activities in which the dog is a part. If your dog is well socialized and trained to exhibit acceptable behavior he will be welcomed wherever you go.

Brushing and Clipping
Brushing your dog’s hair regularly keeps the coat in top condition. Havanese dogs are said to be non-shedding, and it’s true that they don’t shed readily, but the coat must be brushed daily to remove dead hair. It also provides the dog with a gentle massage to improve circulation. Regular brushing offers owners the opportunity to examine the dog’s coat and skin for ticks or other parasites or hidden wounds. If you’ve had considerable experience clipping dogs’ coats you can give your dog a bimonthly trim. If you’re not an expert, it’s worth the few dollars expense to have a professional with the proper tools do the job.

Bathing
How often your Havanese needs a bath depends upon his lifestyle and his color. A white active Havanese could need a weekly bath, especially if he is allowed up on the furniture and bedding. Keeping the coat clean helps to keep the coat free of tangles. A Havanese that lives primarily as a house pet may not require bathing as often.

Eyes
Dogs with bright white coats like Havanese often get discolored hair near the eyes, usually red. Wash the skin around the eyes using a soft wash cloth or cotton ball. This staining can be minimized through daily cleaning. Lotions are available from pet stores that can help minimize eye irritation.

Ears
All dogs with long, wide, floppy ears are prone to ear infections. The floppy ears cover the ear canal so efficiently that moisture collects and cannot escape. Infections can be avoided by regularly cleaning the ears with a washcloth or cotton swab. Hair in the ears should also be removed using your fingers or tweezers. Be very careful not to probe too far into the ear canal.

Teeth
Dogs, like humans, have plaque buildup form on their teeth. This plaque can turn into tartar, support colonies of bacteria, and cause infections. Regularly brushing your Havanese’s teeth can keep the teeth and gums healthy. Use toothpaste which is made especially for a dog’s teeth. Canine toothpastes are available at all pet supply stores. To the delight of dogs, they come with a choice of chicken, liver, and malt flavors.

Nails and Paws
Your Havanese’s nails will become too long if not trimmed. Dogs do not like having this done, especially if they have had the quick injured in previous trimmings. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming your dog’s nails, seek the help of a professional groomer. Also, when you clip your dog’s fur, pay specific attention to the paws. The Havanese’s hair grows so quickly that it can build up to form a slipper like cushion which can cause the dog to slip on smooth surfaces.

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.

Just as we teach our children, the values of life so also, we must teach our Havanese. Learning starts from the very day they are born.

At 8 weeks of age: The Havanese puppy must be taught simple everyday things:

• Where his water dish is?
• Which is his private nook in the house?
• His daily schedule – eating, playing, bedtime, quite time, and bathrooming schedules. A routine has positive effects.
• The meaning of “no.”
• Who is boss?

You can teach the infant simple things like house rules, housebreaking norms, crate training, being handled by you as well as others, as well as bite inhibition.

When your Havanese puppy is 3-4 months old: He can be taught simple commands: sit, stay, down, to come when called, to never run away, to walk politely on leash, to “give”—handover when asked, anything he has in his mouth, stop barking when you say “No Bark,” as well as people skills (socialization).

When your Havanese puppy is 4-6 months—the training becomes more intense and goes to a higher level. You can teach the pet eye contact, to listen attentively when you speak, hand gestures, to play fetch, to do tricks, to greet guests politely, to have a “Lie down” and rest, to recognize family members by name, play hide and seek, and more.

Havanese Puppy Training Tips
Havanese puppies are like human kids—you will find that the puppy is excitable, easily distracted, forgets what he has been taught, and is sometimes reluctant to learn. It is with long interaction with your dog that you learn what is feasible and what is not.

Treat your Havanese puppy with lots of love and respect—just as you like respect so does your Havanese dog. If you give him plenty of love, attention, nurturing, as well as hugs and kisses from day one – the dog will learn to love you, allow you to take the place of its mother, respect you and look up to you for guidance.
Always use a soft and calm tone with your Havanese dog. Shrill or loud tones only serve to excite the dog. To establish control over the dog, you need to speak to him in soft and firm tones. When training a havanese puppy, teach it that you are in control of the situation and will handle all matters calmly.

Always select a place for puppy obedience training that is a distraction free zone. This will help both you and the dog focus on the lesson and not the surroundings. Once learning becomes an established routine and your puppy learns to concentrate, focus, and respond well to your commands you should gradually introduce distractions /disturbances in the form of people, noises, other dogs and so on. And soon you will find, that your puppy responds to your commands even in public places.

Keep a watch for the body language of the dog—you will be able to tell when he is distracted, when he is not in a mood to learn, when he is not focusing. Adjust to his needs – he too has good days and bad. Never force a dog or nag him. Go slow in the lessons — if necessary, go back 2-3 steps before you go forward.

Use only positive training methods—they work better and are enjoyable.

Love, patience, and persistence are the three keys to efficient havanese training. Havanese dogs are very easily trained and lovable. Follow the tips here and you will find it easy to care for your new pet.