Congratulations on welcoming a Havanese puppy into your life! These delightful little dogs are truly glorious companions, and while raising a puppy requires a lot of work and time, every moment spent will be well worth it. Here’s our practical guide to help you navigate those important early months.
Building a Strong Foundation Through Socialisation
The key to raising a well-adjusted Havanese is early socialisation. Expose your puppy to as many people, places, and experiences as you safely can. This creates a stable foundation that will serve them throughout their lives. Every positive interaction helps build their confidence and adaptability.
Consider enrolling in puppy pre-school classes. These structured environments provide controlled socialization opportunities with other puppies and people, while also introducing basic training concepts in a fun, positive way.
Safety First: Puppy-Proofing Your World
Havanese puppies explore everything with their mouths – if it can be tasted, it will be! This makes puppy-proofing absolutely essential. Pay special attention to your garden, removing access to poisonous plants. This includes tomato plants, which many people don’t realize can be toxic to dogs.
Inside your home, create clear boundaries between your belongings and your puppy’s toys. Shoes are particularly tempting targets – don’t even ask why we say this, just accept it and keep them out of reach!
Smart Toy Choices
Puppy toys don’t need to break the bank. One of the greatest joys you can give a Havanese puppy is an empty cardboard box to leap into, shred, and explore. It’s inexpensive entertainment that satisfies their natural instincts.
When choosing commercial toys, focus on safety and appropriateness for their size and chewing habits.
Health Precautions During Vaccination Period
Until your puppy has completed their final parvovirus vaccinations, be extremely careful about their exposure to outdoor areas. Shoes that have been outside pose a particular risk unless they’ve been thoroughly cleaned. We recommend using products like Sterigen as for effective disinfection. We use a low plastic box filled with a Sterigen-soaked towel as a shoe and paw wash. This is non-negotiable for anyone and anything coming onto our property.
This precaution might seem excessive, but protecting your puppy during this vulnerable period is crucial for their long-term health.
Creating a Safe Haven
Every puppy needs a personal retreat – a secure den where they can go when they need space and know they won’t be disturbed. A properly sized crate serves this purpose perfectly. It should be theirs and theirs alone, a safe space that’s never used as punishment, just somewhere they can decompress.
Crate training from an early age benefits both you and your puppy. It provides them with security and helps with house training, while giving you peace of mind when you can’t supervise directly.
Travel Tips for Your Havanese
Many puppies experience motion sickness, and Havanese are no exception. Help your puppy travel comfortably by using a raised car seat that allows them to see out the window, ensuring fresh air circulation, and gradually desensitizing them to car travel through short, positive trips.
Never feed your puppy right before traveling – an empty stomach handles motion much better than a full one.
Practical Bedding Solutions
When choosing bedding for your young Havanese, prioritize washability and safety. Polar fleece blankets are excellent choices – they’re inexpensive, easy to wash, and unlike towels, they can’t be shredded and swallowed, which eliminates a potential choking hazard.
Feeding for Future Success
The variety you introduce to your puppy’s diet now will determine how adventurous an eater they’ll be as adults. The more different foods they try during puppyhood, the less fussy they’ll become later.
However, some foods are absolutely off-limits: never give rawhide, cooked bones, chocolate, or cow’s milk to your Havanese puppy.
For healthy, safe chewing options, try vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. These provide excellent chewing satisfaction while delivering valuable nutrients. Your puppy gets the benefit of working their jaws and teeth while enjoying something genuinely good for them.
The Reward of Patience
Raising a Havanese puppy requires dedication, consistency, and patience. There will be accidents, chewed shoes, and sleepless nights. But remember – you’re investing in years of companionship with one of the most delightful dog breeds in the world. Every effort you put in during these early months will pay dividends in the form of a well-adjusted, happy, and healthy adult Havanese who will bring joy to your life for years to come.
Take it one day at a time, celebrate the small victories, and enjoy watching your puppy discover the world. These early months pass quickly, and before you know it, you’ll have a confident, well-socialised Havanese who’s ready to take on whatever life brings their way.
