WanaHavanese

I'm sure a few of you have seen the talking dog craze by now, but I recently watched the Hidden Life of Pets and Bunny has been thrown into the spotlight again. Its such an interesting topic, while we know animals are great at non verbal communication, this attempt at verbal communication shows just how intelligent they are. I've followed Bunnys progress online for a while now and am utterly convinced this dog knows what it is saying. The owner now has a second dog - Otter, a standard poodle, who is picking up button communication even faster. Its awesome to watch. Not only these dogs, but many others are communicating with words. I will try to add a few of my faves but I am not sure the rules surrounding social media links here. I dont have buttons, im not promoting or selling, just thought it a fun topic. Apologies if not permitted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMMG9GJ8P7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeOiZd1AgQu/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cev7hTdl99D/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= What do you think? Is it a good form of additional communication? Does it add to the dogs experience of life? How can it be used in the future? Do you think its just another passing social media craze?

I said not many, right there. Only my opinion because I had been actively searching for years. I was just trying to add my experience to the discussion. Nearly every rescue dog advertised has a photo. My intensive searches of small shelters were within WA but I looked at the big pet rescue sites for interstate small dogs daily as well. Very few small dogs over the last few years and very high demand for them. I agree, that will change with more being bred now. In WA the rescues have been full of staffy and big bull types. Having had these before, I knew they were not suited for me now. Certainly not for my home with free range house rabbits and ducks in the garden. Instagram and social media has influence, especially on the young and wealthy. Oodles to an extent were a status symbol for a while. Hence so many in the big cities and fewer in regional areas. I could have got a staffy or a roo dog for free locally even at the height of the pandemic. I do agree this will likely change in the future, and expect to see more neglected coats of oodle dogs with groomers in such high demand able to pick and choose their clients (as they should). NSW has way more people and more choice of everything. WA may as well be barren planet.

Not many oodles in rescue shelters - yet. Very, very few small dogs in general over the last 4/5 years. Oodles that needed re-homing at an older age were still going for big bucks over the last couple years. Now with the flooded market, this will likely change and I would not be surprised to start to see them in the shelters in years to come. Either for behavior/training reasons or medical surrender/health reasons. As @moosmum said, it will take a while before people realize the money isnt there for them anymore. Even if my dog does have health issues in the future, she has been insured since 8 weeks old and the maths was done considering her actually reasonable purchase price. Paying $5000 for any dog was completely out of the question for that reason. Online oodle communities have been good in supporting people new to dogs. One person recently asked what the lumps were on its puppies tummy (they were nipples), just to give an example of how inexperienced some are. I have to say, I am in awe of how great some of these little dogs have turned out despite the non doggy homes they landed in. The other side of that, is the dogs that have been fired from groomers, or become reactive around children, the allergies and incontinence, but these, so far, seem few. Perhaps the purchase price was protective. Who's going to discard dog they paid so much for, and put so much time into. Some dogs are child substitutes. Most oodle owners appear to be spending money in training, vet care and day care rather than give it up. This wont be true for all, but is for many.

When I got mine, there were under 200 dogs listed on gumtree of any breed, including rescues. Now there are well over 600 dogs/litters advertised. I'd imagine the oodles flooding the market now are likely not as specifically bred, just due to the demand and the prices they were selling for. A while back I saw a "havapoo" havanese cross poodle, but I doubt the mother was a havanese. Her legs were so badly turned out and her mouth was awful, easily visable in the photos alone. She looked more like a shaggy dwarf basset hound. So any shaggy puppy can be called anything. I guess you wouldn't see the turned out feet with a long puppy coat. I will be interested to watch if those bred back to genetically tested stud poodles, being more poodle than anything else, will have unsuspecting owners who cant cope with poodle personalities. Mine is definitely poodley, bounces around like a bloody arab pony. She can be flighty and fussy, but is not naughty. Her prey drive is higher than I wanted in a dog, but shes been a very, very easy puppy. Maybe I can pick up a second dog cheap sooner than I thought haha.

Yes, this was the hard part for me. I wanted a small dog because since becoming disabled, verbal communication is an issue, so I do tend to avoid people and their judgements. Breeders all want a phone call and meetings, sometimes deposits, and waitlists. I was able to get assistance for a single call and pick up, but getting social help for months of negotiations was never going to happen. I thought getting a show dog might be a great recreational activity for me. I got some great help and info from this site and was excited to try it. Once I know the rules I am able to participate confidently but interactions with breeders didnt have rules to follow. Most ads seem to say no time wasters, yet you're not allowed to ask the price on the first enquiry either. Many websites said they did not allow the buyer to choose their preferred sex ,colour and certainly not which pup. One breeders site I went to had a page dedicated to etiquette and that it was poor form to enquire with more than one breeder. That it was a very small world and I was intimidated by the tone. It really got confusing and stressful and all I wanted was a pretty dog to brush and take out on weekends like I used to do with the ponies. It became far more complicated than I had the capacity for. Now I have a beautiful little oodle and would not trade her for the world. I cant show her, obviously, but we enjoy our nights on the couch grooming and brushing and fussing. Many hours in the garden playing and training. Daily trips to the post office, weekend markets and walkies around town. I have become more interactive as she grounds me in social situations. She is just the joy I required, despite being a backyard bred mongrel, she was simply available and easy for me to access. I am forever thankful. In most ways she is perfectly suited to this lifestyle and I have barely done any training with her at all, she just hasnt needed it yet. Bred to be a pretty pampered pet.

My dog isnt a furbaby. She has hair. Hairbaby just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Thanks @DogsAndTheMob I dont have a facebook account so I like the groups that let me view without one thankyou for the link.

Thanks @Tassie for that clear explanation and for the reassurance in talking to people at shows. Often when I disclose being anxious about that sort of thing, people just say toughen up without offering ideas on best approach. I appreciate it. @Dogsfevr I am closer to Albany than I am to Perth. Night shows sound like a really great idea with the heat up there. I have family I can stay with, provided my future dog handles the travel and the families mini 'oodle. I would be unlikely to go up more than about 6 times a year though. Not a big fan of the city bustle. Are there show "seasons' and then an off season? That would suit me as well knowing when the break is. @Rebanne that sounds like a great option for me. I think desexed dogs are cheaper to register with the shire here too and far fewer hoops to jump through in order to keep, so I would definitely be happy with a non breedable dog if I can still show it in conformation. Having to find someone willing to part with a well loved dog of that quality might be the hard part!

I have been watching a few vidoes on youtube which has been fun, now that I know a bit more about what I am watching. I am still a long way behind in some aspects though! I am definitely drawn to the conformation side of showing and rally obedience looks like something I might like to try. Is the difference between rally obedience and obedience just that one has written and vocal instructions, while the other does not? Most of the videos I have seen so far are from overseas. I really am falling more in love with the havanese breed the more I see. I am not at all good with social skills, living an isolated life, so finding a mentor or even talking to people at a show will be the major hurdle for me. I am already overwhelmed by the etiquette of contacting breeders and navigating the purebred realm. The closest show to me is next month and I do plan to go and watch, plus that would also be the closest dog club to me if I was to find a dog and join. Just wondering, and maybe a stupid question, but are experienced older or near retired show dogs ever available to novice homes? One that could show me the ropes? Say an ex breeding female or one who has achieved all they needed to at city shows and are ready to slow down to a country show level? I'd love to raise a puppy, but if this show road is one I want to go down as a serious long term hobby, I have time for a puppy later once I know what I am actually doing in terms of grooming and handling. I live on half an acre and while I want small indoor dogs, I have the space for a couple to run and play together on my off days.

That sounds terrifying @Little Gifts. What good dogs you have! I must admit, part of the reason I want dogs back in my life is the alert and security aspect. Living alone was fine at first, but as I get older, I find myself getting more concerned. Even a bark is better than having no warning of intruders at all. I am doubtful my choice of small dog would scare anyone off, but just having more sets of ears in the house with a noisy mouth, would be a comfort to me. I have house bunnies and ducks that can make a ruckus when they want to, but it's usually to alert me to a dying fly behind the litter box, or a mouse in the coop A dog is probably going to care a bit more and attract more attention if I was to be incapacitated in any way. Amazing story that this man survived.

Thanks @BDJ that's really helpful to me I had a little buckskin for a short time, with multiple breed registrations and man, that was a long day at a breed show! The Andalusians following her were a breeze in comparison, plus, no make up, no plaiting . To be honest, I was initially drawn to the havanese breed because of their long flowing "mane". I truly enjoy the brushing and grooming aspect of animal care. Shih tzus look quite fabulous too, but I prefer the face and sturdiness of the havanese that I have seen online (I am yet to meet one in person!) One class per day would much better suit my current abilities, thanks for explaining the structure. I work much better with a goal in mind, so I will have to learn more about this point system. Having the comparison of best in breed/show to champion/supreme of supreme horse makes this all a lot clearer to me

Thanks so much for the links and info! I have some reading to do @Diva I have found a show near by to me on the link you provided, fantastic! I will for sure go down and check that out. @DogsAndTheMob I have been following US based dog forums for a while and everything looks like so much fun! I don't have much of an exciting life with very little recreation so getting to shows might be a good goal for me. I appreciate the responses, thankyou

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I live rurally so youtube is a great suggestion in the covid age I figured with the price of puppies at this stage it may be worth looking into getting one that I can do more than just potter around the garden and cuddle with. I don't currently have a dog, but am keeping my eyes open for one (or two) and any toy or small breed is on the radar. Thankyou for the reminder to be looking for mains registered. I do love the fussing of the grooming and primping on show days, already have a crate and sounds like my old horse show gear and outfits may suffice initially. Plus the wagon to drag it all there! I am not really interested in breeding dogs as I could hardly bare to part with my home bred ducks, but I assume they need to be entire for conformation shows? Is it easy to assess the dogs adult conformation at a puppy age? Are the male/female classes separate? Is each breed shown separately or do they all fall under "type"? Are there age classes, then all champions in together for supreme? How do the points work in dog showing? Do you have to qualify for the royal? I must admit, I am not a big fan of the perth royal show having been numerous times with horses, but I do very much enjoy the agricultural show circuit following it - are there dog classes at ag shows? Or is that more on the agility side? What is sweepstakes? Sorry for all of the questions, I have tried to read up online but seem to only get american based websites and know things are very different in Australia, especially Western Australia. Is there a link to that information that anyone could provide? I would probably only travel to high point shows if the dog shows promise. Do you retire show dogs at a certain age? My last mare came home with a supreme at 18 years old so I am open to long show lives, but am unsure if it is the "done" thing in the dog world.

I have no idea about dog showing at all and am unsure if I will ever get this far, but is anyone able to give me a run down on basic costs or just list requirements of breed showing? I assume there are membership fees, entry fees, equipment and grooming gear. What is required of the handler, in terms of dress, shoes and workout? I used to show horses and miss it dearly but am limited in both income and ability now and wonder if looking down the dog show path might be for me. How many shows are available each year and how often should a dog be shown? Is there a high point or championship/dog of the year? Do the dogs show across many disciplines? When do you retire the dogs from show life? Thanks in advance for taking the time to read or reply.

I feel your pain OP. I have been looking for a dog for 4 years now. Initially I was going for a rescue, but in 4 years I have never managed to get a rescue organisation to even reply to me! So I started looking for puppies last year and was shocked at the prices that just seem to keep going up, even for odd mixed breeds with obvious parental faults. Due to my situation, I require a small dog this time round, so I researched and found the PERFECT breed for me, and almost applied for a pure bred puppy to be flown from over east, when the prices jumped up by $2000 suddenly! Now, I do understand why that is the case, as I have been watching gumtree puppies and have seen multiple cheap pups re-sold on for higher prices. But it is sad, as I am completely priced out of the market as a pensioner and I wonder how many others will now never know the love of a dog because they do not have the riches for one. How long will this upward trend continue? Is there any chance prices will ever return to a reasonable level? Is there any hope for people with lower incomes? I used to show horses and I am not joking, when I say they were cheaper to keep in a year than the purchase price of some puppies today.

I saw Dr Katrina Warrens interview the other day and completely agree! There are so many dogs lately with absolutely no manners, but people seem to think a cute dog doesnt need manners, especially if they are small. Reminds me a lot of miniature ponies, some people don't train them because they are tiny, and then they turn into hell demons that kick and bite and those people wonder why. I have seen a number of bizarre training trends on instagram/tiktok lately. I love dogs, but having boundaries and basic expectations of an animal is not cruel or evil as many on social media seem to think now. Makes me doubly glad that I am not a parent as I am sure that is a much worse realm to deal with