Introduction
With their spirited and lively gait, gorgeous flowing coats, and sweet almond-shaped eyes, Havanese are appealing little dogs that make you feel happy to watch. The Havanese is the national dog of Cuba and, although a toy breed, is sturdy and athletic. Havanese are happy, playful, and good-natured. They are deeply loyal to their family and do not do well being left alone. Because of their strong loyalty and powerful bond to their family, Havanese are highly trainable. You are more likely to be looking for new things to teach your Havanese than struggling with training something.
Defining Tasks
Trick training should be fun and playful, and your Havanese will engage joyfully in trick training when done in a positive manner. While toys and treats help motivate and mark good behavior, many Havanese are more than happy to learn tricks just for fun and because it pleases their family. Use your natural connection to your Havanese to choose times when she is looking for engagement and entertainment and use these opportunities to teach tricks. Choose tricks that are fun and fit your Havanese's personality. If your dog loves throwing herself around and being crazy, go with active tricks. If your Havanese is more watchful and reserved, teach tricks that rely on cleverness and watchfulness.
Getting Started
Choose times when your Havanese is attentive and interested for training. Do not rouse her from sleep or ask her to calm down when she feels like running around like crazy. Use as little treat motivation as possible, since tricks should be fun for your Havanese to learn. If you do use treats, use as small and low calorie treats as possible to motivate her, since she is a small dog who can gain weight easily. Be careful when planning tricks not to put too much stress on your Havanese's neck or back, as this is a slightly long back breed who could suffer back damage from doing a flip or other stressful trick.