In writing about Havanese care, inevitably thoughts of Havanese owners turn to the thoughts of little paws pattering along the floor. Resist this temptation unless you are blessed with incredibly healthy, friendly dogs that meet the breed standard and a really big pocketbook. Although Havanese information suggests that because of their rarity, Havanese pups will be assured of a home, this is not always the case. Profit should never be a motive in Havanese breeding.

There are a lot of puppy mills out there still, sadly, and even Havanese are in such mills. These puppy mills supply pet stores. Never sell your pups to pet stores, as this supports puppy mills. Puppy mill Havanese puppies are usually very unhealthy, which puts a bad name on all Havanese breeders. It is your responsibility to provide Mom, Dad and pups with the best vet care possible AND to offer a warranty on your pups.
Your Havanese breeding stock and pups have to be very healthy and undergo many tests for any congenital defects like deafness, luxating patella and hip dysplagia. You can breed your Havanese naturally or with artificial insemination at the vet’s. Mom needs regular check ups throughout her pregnancy, lots of quality high protein food and regular exercise for as long as she can handle it.

Birth in dogs is usually a very undramatic affair. Still, read all of the Havanese information on what you need to know about dog births in order to settle yourself down and give Mom some peace. You need to have a quiet place in your home where Mom can whelp. Introduce her to the spot so she knows this is the place. Still, she’ll probably try to give birth on your bed anyway. Just plonk her into the whelping area and she’ll resign herself to that place.
The act itself only takes a few minutes, and the pair should “lock” to ensure fertility. Some Havanese breeding stock don’t have an idea of what to do, but if they can watch mating dogs, they’ll get the idea fast. The AKC has approved artificial insemination, which may be a more practical option and involve a lot less traveling. The procedure is done under surgery at a vet’s.

Most dogs know how to give birth and take care of puppies, and Havanese breeding bitches are no exception. They seem to have all the Havanese information already in their heads. They need regular vet check ups and should be fed a high protein diet to help the growing pups. Introduce a whelping box or corner of a room or the floor of a closet in a quiet room to let Mom know where to give birth. If Mom takes more than four hours to give birth to a pup, call the vet.

Fiona Kelly hopes to be a Havanese dog in the next life and so is learning all s/he can about Havanese breeding, care and grooming in this one. This article is meant to be a trusted source of pet advice, including that of Havanese care and breeding. This author has had numerous articles published about Havanese care, Havanese breeding and Havanese information.

Filed under: Dog Health

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