Playing with the adult Havanese and Alex...So Much fun

I had my family here all last week which is my excuse for not posting! LOL
Anyway, it certainly did not mean the pups were being ignored. Alex and Michael played with them every day. Here are some shots of Alex, Marli's pups and all the other dogs playing in the yard. Enjoy!

 Also, please forgive me for adding a few of our newest boy...Potter. Isn't he special!

Volhard Personality Testing Results

Yesterday my daughter helped me conduct our Puppy Personality Assessments. You need someone the puppies do not know in order to get an accurate read. If you are interested in the test itself, how it is conducted and what the results mean, you can find it in this blog at: http://www.havanesehaven.blogspot.com/2012/08/volhard-puppy-personality-profile.html.

Each puppy is tested separately. The only difference this time is that I eliminated a few tests. The ones we performed were for:
1. Sociability
2. Following
3. Acceptance of Restraint
4. Acceptance of Dominance
5. Elevation Test
6. Sound Sensitivity
7. Sight Sensitivity

I should also mention that this test was originally created to test dogs for the military. The Leader Dogs people also use a version of it to select their puppies. Much of the results do not apply to Havanese. For instance, some of the possible reactions by the puppies are biting, growling, etc. Havanese just don't have these reactions in their make-up! They are lovers....not fighters!
Still, we glean some insight into each puppy when we conduct the test. So here we golWe did seven tests this time.
#1-Social Attraction
#2-Following
#3-Restraint
#4-Dominance
#5-Elevation Test
#6-Sound Sensitivity
#7-Sight Sensitivity

 I skipped one test this time around because it pretty much overlapped with the #4 Dominance testing.

Zazu scored mostly 3's on his testing. Exceptions were #4 where he scored a 4.5. So, he is a confident puppy that likes to interact with people and has no really dominance issues.

Ziggy scored in the mid-range for the first four tests and 6's and a 5 on the last three. Like Zazu, he was relaxed, not stiff, for the Elevation Test. And he was pretty much disinterested in the keys tossed on the floor. He is a very social puppy and pretty calm.

Zola was a little more hesitant to come to and follow my daughter when called. But still she had her tail up, so she was happy about it. She did not like to be on her back in Test 3 but the other dominance tests did not bother her at all. She scored 5 on Sound and Sight Sensitivity. Basically she is a little more on the timid side but will likely grow out of this as she matures.

Zoey scored more on the high side of the numbers. She didn't come to Julie when called...was more interested in exploring her surroundings. Her tail was up for both tests 1 and 2.  She squirmed a bit in test #3 and #4 but then settled down so she is not terribly dominant. She had no interest in the keys...the noise did not startle her either. But she did explore the towel Julie dragged in front of her for test #7. Zoey is quite curious, loves to play and will likely be a better puppy for an adult.

Zia is a little more on the independent side. She did come to Julie readily with her tail up. However she did not like to be restrained at all...basically struggling through the next three tests. She ignored the tossed keys and, like Zoey, was curious about the towel in test #7. Zia is very social but will need more consistency in her training.

Zenia got very excited when she saw Julie. She scored a 1 and a 2 for the Social testing. Like Zia, she did not like to be petted in a restrained mode, however. She did not like being on her back or elevated at first; but did settle down after a few seconds. And she was very curious about both the tossed keys and the dragged towel and readily investigated both of them. Zenia appears to be very social, confident and willing to please.

Zhubin is pretty much a carbon copy of Zenia. An overall wonderful boy that is just a bit more outgoing and vocal.

Zusa is one of those puppies that doesn't test like my observations of her. For instance, she was not very interested in Julie at all. And, like many of the others, did not like to be restrained. The tossed keys did not bother her but she was a little frightened by the towel. What I have observed about Zusa, though, is that she is a real lap buddy despite her apparent moderate confidence levels. She will make a wonderful companion for someone who does not need her to engage with a lot of other people. Not that she won't engage. It's just that she's likely to prefer being with her family.

I've studied all these puppies very carefully. Especially when families came to visit...and we had a LOT of families come visit. They are all very responsive to people...no surprise there, they are Havanese!! Some are a little slower to engage...Ziggy for one, and Zusa. But those two are really lap buddies when picked up and respond very well to petting and stroking. None of the pups are at the far ends of Social, Dominance or Sensitivities.

I hope these assessments help. I find the process very interesting and, for the most part, accurate.

The Volhard Personality Testing

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Volhard Puppy Personality Profile

Test #1…SOCIAL ATTRACTION:
Purpose: To determine degree of social attraction, confidence or dependence.

Procedure: Place puppy in test area. From a few feet away the tester coaxes the pup to her/him by clapping hands

gently and kneeling down. Tester must coax in a direction away from the point

where it entered the testing area.

Score:

-Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands.                       1

-Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands.                   2

-Came readily, tail up.                                                          3

-Came readily, tail down                                                       4

-Came hesitantly, tail down.                                                  5

-Didn’t come at all.                                                                6         

Test #2…FOLLOWING:
Purpose: Degree of following attraction. Not following indicates independence.

Procedure: Stand up and walk away from the pup in a normal manner. Make sure the pup sees you walk away.

Score:

-Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet.        1

-Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot.                         2

-Followed readily, tail up                                                 3

-Followed readily, tail down.                                            4

-Followed hesitantly, tail down.                                       5

-No follow or went away.                                                 6

Test #3…RESTRAINT:
Purpose: To determine degree of dominant or submissive tendency.

How it accepts stress when socially/ physically dominated.

Procedure: Crouch down and gently roll the pup on his back and hold it with one hand for a full 30 seconds.

Score:

-Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit.                                            1

-Struggled fiercely, flailed.                                                  2

-Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact.            3

-Struggled then settled.                                                      4

-No struggle.                                                                       5

-No struggle, straining to avoid eye contact.                      6

Test #4…DOMINANCE:
Purpose: To determine degree of acceptance of social dominance. Pup may try to dominate by

jumping and nipping or is independent and walks away.

Procedure: Let pup standup and gently stroke him from the head to back while
you crouch beside him. Continue stroking until a recognizable behavior is established.

Score:

-Jumped, pawed, bit, growled.                                   1

-Jumped, pawed.                                                        2

-Cuddles up to tester and tries to lick face.                3

-Squirmed, licked at hands.                                        4

-Rolled over, licked at hands.                                      5

-Went away and stayed away.                                    6

Test #5…ELEVATION TEST:
Purpose: To determine degree of accepting dominance while in position of no control.

Procedure: Bend over and cradle the pup under its belly, fingers interlaced, palms up and elevate it slightly. Hold it for 30 sec.

Score:

-Struggled fiercely, bit, growled.                   1

-Struggled fiercely.                                       2

-No struggle, relaxed                                   3

-Struggled, settled, licked                            4

-No struggle, licked at hands.                      5

-No struggle, froze.                                      6

Test #6…SOUND SENSITIVITY:
Procedure: Place pup in the center of area, tester or assistant makes a sharp

noise a few feet from the puppy. A chain of noisy keys tossed on a ceramic tile floor works well.

Purpose: To determine degree of sensitivity to sound. (Also can be a rudimentary test for deafness.)

Score:

-Listens, locates sound, walks toward it barking                                    1

Listens, locates sound, barks                                                                 2

Listens, locates sound, shows curiosity and walks toward it.                 3

Listens, locates sound                                                                            4

Cringes, backs off , hides                                                                       5

Ignores sound, shows no curiosity                                                         6

               

Test #7…SIGHT SENSITIVITY:

Procedure: Place pup in center of room. Tie a string around a large towel and jerk it across the floor a few feet away from puppy.

Purpose: To determine degree of intelligent response to strange object.

Score:

-Looks, attacks and bites                                                                       1

-Looks, attacks and barks                                                                      2

-Looks curiously, attempts to investigate.                                              3

-Looks, barks, tail tucked                                                                       4

-Runs away, hides                                                                                  5

 Interpreting the Scores

• Mostly 1’s A puppy that consistently scores a 1 in the temperament section of the test is dominant, and his dominant nature will lead him to attempt to resist human leadership. He may require an experienced professional for obedience training.
• Mostly 2’s This pup is dominant and self-assured. However, he readily accepts human leadership that is firm, consistent and knowledgeable. This is not a dog for a tentative, indecisive individual. In the right hands, he has the potential to become a fine working or show dog and could fit into an adult household, provided the owners are consistent in their training.
• Mostly 3’s This pup is outgoing and friendly and will adjust well in situations in which he receives regular training and exercise. He has a flexible temperament that adapts well to different types of environment, provided he is handled correctly. May be too much dog for a family with small children or an elderly couple who are sedentary.
• Mostly 4’s A pup that scores a majority of 4’s is an easily controlled, adaptable puppy whose submissive nature will make him continually look to his master for leadership. This pup is easy to train, reliable with kids, and, though he lacks self-confidence, makes a high-quality family pet. He is usually less outgoing than a pup scoring in the 3’s, but his demeanor is gentle and affectionate.
• Mostly 5’s This is a pup who is extremely submissive and lacking in self-confidence. He bonds very closely with his owner and requires regular companionship and encouragement to bring him out of himself. If handled incorrectly, this pup will grow up very shy and fearful. For this reason, he will do best in a predictable, structured lifestyle with owners who are patient and not overly demanding, such as an elderly couple.
• Mostly 6’s A puppy that scores 6 consistently is independent and less interested in people. He will mature into a dog who is not demonstrably affectionate and who has a low need for human companionship. To perform as intended, these dogs require a singularity of purpose.

I

Havanese Girl Puppy #3

Havanese Girl Puppy #4

Havanese Girl Puppy #7

Havanese Boy Puppy #8

This is Aloha

Aloha is the last puppy to be placed. Actually, she was the first but, sadly, the family had to return her because their little boy evidently has super-sensitive allergies. Even Havanese can cause reactions in some very sensitive people. I feel so bad for the parents because they are going back home with three extremely saddened children. Surely one of the more difficult times for them as parents. I can't imagine anything much worse.

Anyway, Aloha is a sweet, confident and peppy little girl. She (of course) loves children and responds well to adults as well. She scored very well in our puppy personality assessment and will make an ideal pet for just about anyone.

Here are some photos of Aloha and you can see more earlier on in this blog.

Volhard Puppy Personality/Aptitude Testing

Yesterday my friend/dog-sitter extraordinaire came over the help me conduct our Puppy Personality Assessments. You need someone the puppies do not know in order to get an accurate read. If you are interested in the test itself, how it is conducted and what the results mean, you can find it in this blog at: http://www.havanesehaven.blogspot.com/2012/08/volhard-puppy-personality-profile.html.

Each puppy is tested separately. The only difference this time is that I eliminated a few tests. The ones we performed were for:
1. Sociability
2. Following
3. Acceptance of Restraint
4. Acceptance of Dominance
5. Elevation Test
6. Retrieving
7. Sound Sensitivity and
8. Sight Sensitivity

I should also mention that this test was originally created to test dogs for the military. The Leader Dogs people also use a version of it to select their puppies. Much of the results do not apply to Havanese. For instance, some of the possible reactions by the puppies are biting, growling, etc. Havanese just don't have these reactions in their make-up! They are lovers....not fighters!
Still, we glean some insight into each puppy when we conduct the test. So here we gol

Annie
Annie scored many 3's which means she is pretty outgoing, friendly and flexible. She did score low on the Elevation test (a 2) as she struggled, stiffened and cried loudly. Then, she accepted restraint (being held on her back for 30 seconds) without any protest and watched Lori the whole time. And as for Sociability and Following, Annie did not come or follow readily mainly because she was too busy exploring! I don't think it had anything to do with being anti-social.



Alvin
Alvin scored mostly 5's which likely means he quite submissive and perhaps needing in the self-confidence department. He did come readily to Lori when she called him, so he is very responsive to people. And he had no problem accepting dominance. When restrained he was relaxed and looked about the room, then making eye contact with Lori. And, along with Arthur, he was slightly more upset about the loud bangs on the pasta pot than the others. He will do best, then, in a structured, patient home with a predictable schedule.


Abby

Abby, like Annie, was not at all interested in coming to Lori but preferred to check out her unfamiliar surroundings. She did, however, follow Lori readily as she walked away. When restrained on her back she did not struggle but she did not make eye contact either...a very submissive gesture. All in all, though, Abby will be quite friendly and will adjust well with regular training and attention.

Arthur
Arthur was another puppy that liked to explore rather than make new friends. He didn't even have much interest in following Lori. He accepted restraint well, had no issues with being held elevated and was pretty nonchalant about the retrieving and sight sensitivity.The loud banging on the pasta pot did bother him more than it did the others as he hid for cover under a stool! (My bad on an earlier report that this did not bother Arthur. I had my notes mixed up!)



Alfi

Alfi came to Lori right away but didn't follow her. Instead she checked out other parts of the room.
She was one of the pups who did not like being restrained at all...a sign of a slightly more dominant personality. Funny since she has the most placid appearance! On the other hand, the elevation test did not rile her at all. And, she was one of the puppies who went after the balled up paper in a playful gesture. Then she walked away from it.

Ariel
Ariel did not come to Lori for a while and did not follow her either. Actually we think she mostly wanted to nap! She had no trouble with the restraint exercise. Nor did she make any eye contact. She loved being petted during the Dominance exercise and was totally relaxed for the Elevation test. She should be reliable with children, will be easily controlled and may be a bit less outgoing than some of the others but still gentle and affectionate.

Albert
Albert, with the exception of Retrieving and Sound Sensitivity, scored all 3's. Pretty even keeled.He will likely be outgoing, friendly and respond well to structure. He will adapt well and should be easy to train.

Aloha 
Aloha is our explorer extraordinaire. I think she'd explore her way to Alaska if offered the chance! But, when Lori walked away Aloha followed her readily. During the Dominance exercise she licked Lori's t-shirt and when Lori tossed the paper ball Aloha just licked Lori's shoes! Aloha, however, did not like the elevation test one bit. She struggled and cried which makes me think she doesn't like to be out of her comfort zone.








I should add to this assessment that all these puppies did warm up to Lori quickly...some just not right out of the chute! It is no surprise that they cared little about restraint, dominance or elevation. It's in their nature to be calm under most circumstances. That they don't readily retrieve the balled up paper was not a surprise either. They aren't retrievers! However, they will retrieve a ball if you make a game of it with them and play it consistently while they are still puppies. They love a good game!

With the exception of Arthur and Alvin, none of the puppies seemed to bothered by the loud pot banging sound. Alvin was slightly more disturbed and Arthur cringed and actually tried to hide but the others simply noted the sound and where it came from then went about their business of sniffing.

All these puppies are well within the range of well-adjusted, confident and adaptable puppies. There is not a mediocre one in the bunch! It is so much fun to watch their little personalities develop. If you have any further questions about any of them, please drop me a note.

What A Beautiful World It Is!

Nearly all the puppies' eyes are open now. A pretty translusent blue....like a Northern lake just after a spring rain. While they can't distinguish much besides shadows at this point it must give them a whole new perspective and certainly more reason to explore their whelping box.

They still spend all their time with Maxi. Don't seem to be nursing quite as much but still gaining beautifully. The first three weeks are the easiest for the breeder as the mother does all the cleanup! In another week or so they will begin eating mush in between meals with mom. That's when the real work begins.

Still I love this stage because they are beginning to stand on their wobbly legs and make lots of protest yips. Such a sweet sound.

My daughter Jenny stopped by this morning to help me take some photos. Here they are with new weights.

Maxi wasn't so sure about all this so we had to reassure her we'd take good care of her babies while they were out of the whelping box! This is Puppy 1

Puppy 1 again. Black and white with one spot on her side that you can see below. She now weighs 13 7/8 ounces

Puppy 2 is also black and white. His eyes are wide open and he's developing some more silver on his face. Sweet markings! He weighs 12 1/8 ounces. You can see his markings below.

Puppy 3 is very sweet. Eyes almost wide open. She is getting more black on her nose and some brown cheeks and eyebrows. Weighs 11 7/8 ounces.

This is our little Irish Pied boy. Lots of black markings. Weighs 13 1/2 ounces.

Puppy #5 is our smallest one but still very healthy and strong. I expect her eyes to begin to open tomorrow. She is a soft sable and white girl that now weighs 9 3/8 ounces.

Puppy #6 is a sable and white with a beautiful face and four distinct spots on her back. Her eyes are almost open wide and she weighs 12 5/8 ounces. You can see more of her markings below.

Puppy seven has his eyes open. He's black and white with two large patches on his back. He weighs 12 1/4 ounces. You can see his sweet face below.

And puppy #8 seems to be getting more white on her face. I love the white tip on her right ear! She is sable and white and has a patch on her back as well. She weighs 10 1/2 ounces.