What You Need to Know about Feeding Your Havanese

Owning a dog means you’re going to have a lot more to worry about than you do now. Even when that dog is a havanese, so sweet and wonderful, you will worry. It’s almost like having a new baby in the house. Is he or she eating enough? Is food left in the bowl an indication that someone is sick? Is it okay that your havanese didn’t finish all of its dinner or do you need to feed it something different because it’s obviously still hungry but hates everything you gave it? It’s natural to feel this way. However, it’s also not something you have to worry too much about. Think about yourself and your kids; do you go hungry? Do you feel neglected and staved and miserable when you don’t eat your entire meal or do you just feel full and unable to eat anything else because you’re stuffed? Dogs are a lot like this, too. Sometimes they don’t want to eat everything. Sometimes they’re not as hungry as you think they are. Sometimes they’re just done. Feeding your havanese should not be the kind of stressful situation you might occasionally feel it is. We have some advice for feeding your new havanese puppy that will help you relax and enjoy being a dog owner just a little more.

Understanding the Havanese Puppy

According to the Havanese Fanciers Association, the Havanese breed is one that can be a bit quirky when it comes to eating habits. Some call it picky, but the HFA says that they are not very picky, they’re just quirky. What does this mean? This means a lot of different things. For example, they would rather be with their owners than anywhere else, and this means that when it’s time to eat they’d rather be right next to you. This doesn’t really mean that they want to eat what you’re eating (though they probably do) or that they don’t want to eat what they have to eat. They’d just rather be around you, and this often means they eat their own food in quick nibbles and bites here and there. It’s perfectly normal for your havanese not to eat a full meal at one time, and to eat slowly throughout the day.

If you have other animals at home, however, you might not notice this. This is because your dog knows that his or her meals will likely be consumed by another animal if he or she does not take the time to eat the food quickly.

What to Feed a Havanese?

There are many options when it comes to feeding a havanese, and they all depend largely on your dog. If your dog has health issues, your vet might recommend that he or she eat a special diet and then provide you with information as to what kind of diet that might be. If your budget doesn’t allow for more expensive food, your dog can eat cheap food. Your dog might eat wet food in a cat or dry food from a bag. It all depends on your dog, what you buy and what the dog is used to. There is no real ‘special’ diet for a havanese, though they do not tend to eat nearly as much as larger dogs. They’re smaller eaters, and your vet can clarify this information for you when you ask about it.

What Not to Feed a Havanese

If you’re considering table food for your dog, and you think that it’s okay in small doses; think again. There are many foods, according to the ASPCA, that are too dangerous for your dogs to consume at all, no matter how large or small the doses.

Your dog must never eat any chocolate, coffee, caffeinated beverages or alcohol. All of these items contain ingredients that could cause a myriad of health issues in your dog, including some severe issues such as death. You might notice your dog begins vomiting, experiencing diarrhea and becoming unable to breathe properly if he or she accidentally consumes one of these items, and that means a trip to the vet is necessary immediately. Your vet will know what to do to negate the effects of what just happened to your dog.

Meat or Eggs Uncooked

While it’s okay to give your animals some small portions of cooked meat and eggs (so long as there is no butter or cooking spray on them) it’s not okay to give your dog any of these if they are uncooked. These are going to cause the same health problems in your havanese that they will cause in you and your family. Uncooked, raw foods contain bacteria that can harm your body, your dog’s body and kill you all if not treated properly. Make sure all food given to dogs is acceptable for them and that it is cooked all the way.

Garlic and Onions

We love them, and they make wonderful additions to any good meal. However, giving these to your dog can cause him or her to become very sick. They contain ingredients that cause gastrointestinal issues that can cause your dog to become very sick. The ASPCA says that mostly you should avoid these in large doses as small ones are not so harmful to dogs. This is more common in cats, but it’s not unheard of in dogs, especially smaller ones like the havanese, so it’s important to just avoid this kind of human food when possible.

Avocado

Small animals such as birds can die from consuming too much avocado thanks to certain ingredients. For this reason, the ASPCA warns that feeding this kind of food to your dog is too dangerous to even consider. It might be that your dog will only become a little sick, but it could happen that your dog becomes very sick and requires immediate life-saving techniques to prevent your dog from becoming so sick that he or she is unable to function – or even lose the battle and die. Call the vet if your dog gets into any of this.

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