Dora's current schedule

Dora was a busy girl recently getting her RN so we took a bit of time off. Dora loves to Garden so her and Dad concentrated on that for awhile! Currently Dora is enrolled in an Attention class which she needed because from now on she will be in the ring without a leash! Dora tends to stay by Mom but is easily distracted. This first part of the attention class is a brutal 6 weeks of not moving at all. Let me tell you to get Dora to pay attention takes some really good treats! We have changed it up between liver, chicken, turkey, steak. Whatever Princess wants, Princess gets!

More fun for Dora last week, she passed her agility test. She starts agility tonight. This week our work included:

1. Touch- Dora has this concept down straight. We make her touch when she wants on the big king poster bed! She thinks this is a game and it is fun to spring into the air!

2. Hit it- Dora doesn't quite get why Mom wants her to walk over strange objects... Mom yells at her for jumping on tables normally!

3. Around it- Dora doesn't seem to have fears of new objects. Just strange people!

4. Heeling on the offside- Dora doesn't get this one at all. She always goes to finish around to my correct side. She really knows the difference between when going for a walk and when training and she is quick to let Mom know the difference between right and left!

In the meanwhile, Dora is taking a break from obedience/rally as she is re-learning how to heel with her head looking at me. This is the real challenge but surely coming along thanks to the attention class!

Have you ever wanted to be a calendar girl?

Guess who not only has the brains but also the beauty? That is right Isadora Brown! Dora will be featured in the Havanese Heart Calendar 2007. After a few novice pictures. Carolyn- a wonderful and creative photographer took Dora's already cute photo and turned them into wonderful pieces of art. The calendar isn't quite published yet but if you want a sneak peak, visit Carolyn's website at http://carolynangusphotography.com/ Click on enhancements and then page 4.

That is right... look how beautiful Dora is! The best part is Carolyn does all this work for Calendars to raise money for HEART. A great charity that makes sure those little havanese eyes can see everything coming at them! http://www.havanese.net/heart/

If you have a so-so picture of your special little girl, don't hesitate to contact Carolyn and she will make your little one a stunning work of art. http://carolynangusphotography.com/

Isabelle's Current Training Schedule

Belle, Dora, & Mom have weekly homework! This week has been hard to stay on track because of the nice weather. Belle & Dora both feel why work when you can play hard! Everyone says practice with your dog in your backyard... hasn't met Isabelle. Her backyard is her playground!

Isabelle is currently taking Advanced Novice Obedience. It might be too high of a class for her but we repeated Advanced beginners 4 times... so we thought we should move on and let some other dogs start off. Some days you teach her something and she gets it after 3 tries... then she decides she doesn't want to do it.

This week we are concentrating on:

1.Touch-Isabelle will only do this with food in your hand so not sure she is getting it! Dora picked it up instantly so I am having some trouble
2. Right and Left finishes. Isabelle is very hyper when she wants something. She kind of has the left finish down. Basically she throws her entire body over to heel position. Sometimes she ends up backwards but the little tornado looks adorable!
3. Pivots- She is getting this down pretty good. I use the command "here" and she is like oh you mean heel position.
4. Turns... Isabelle is a total forger. How something that weighs less than my foot can move so damn fast is beyond me! The only time she slows down is when I make a "EEEEH" sound. We are working on tighter leash and slow.... this has been an ongoing battle.

Isabelle's current goal is to get her butt into the Rally ring this fall for Rally Novice. When her little sister begin's Rally Advanced. As I forsee Isabelle she could easily take a first place or she could NQ... jsut depends on the day! I never know when she is on or when she isnt!

Candid Photos

The best way to get a visual of the girls is with pictures! Here are some random candid shots.





The best way to get a visual of the girls is with pictures! Here are some random candid shots.

Starting our blog

First of all the creator is me...Amanda! I am starting this blog with the intention of keeping up with Belle & Dora's training! I hope this can help me in the future and others too!

Basically in the fall of 2005, Jim & I relocated to Columbus. Dora our 6 month old havanese puppy was having some socialization issues not with other dogs (she loved them!) but with people. She only liked her Mom! Everyone else was strange and she would distance herself as much as possible. We were walking around MSU campus when someone came walking next to us. Dora stopped and wouldn't move. I thought hmmm we better work on this... it kept getting a bit more embarassing, so we enrolled in a puppy class.

Isabelle (3 at the time of starting) on the other hand LOVES people sometimes a little too much. Her issues included other dogs... All 5lbs of her turns into a total terror around the wrong dog! She is a total alpha and it doesnt matter who is around including that bull mastiff that kept trying to sniff her butt! She also had issues with walking on a leash, chasing critters (thanks to her daddy who thought an adorable fluffy hunting dog was cute), and the most annoying bossing everyone around.

Needless to say, speed up to June 2006, Dora has her CGC-Canine Good Citizen title and RN-rally novice title. We fell in love with performance sports! Isabelle is a work in progress but we have conquered many challenges. Hope you enjoy reading our story and please feel free to email or post comments!