Sorry for the short post, but this weekend has been a big one. My wife and I welcomed a new puppy into our home last night, and she’s been a handful to say the least. Meet Phoebe!

It’s only been a day that we’ve had her up to now, but she already feels like a member of the family. When we picked her up, she whined only a little on the car ride home, settling down almost right away. She seemed right at home in the playpen we built for her.

Phoebe is a Havanese, which is a breed that was originally bred as companion dogs to Cuban aristocracy (hence the name – Havana Cuba). They’re nicknamed Velcro dogs because of the way they like to cling by your side as you move through the house. We’ve definitely seen a bit of that in her! She’s got a ton of personality, and loves to play with my wife and I.

She’s also really clever, and has gotten bored with most of the toys we bought her. W’re trying to come up with ways to challenge her more and keep her busy and entertained. Basic chew toys? Forget it. We’ve needed to get creative, with interactive toys like agility tunnels and peanut butter-stuffed Kong toys.

One thing we were really impressed by is how well-trained she already was coming home. Phoebe comes to us from a reputable breeder named Kim, who runs Heart’s Delite Havanese here in Ontario. She trains her pups to get used to using pee pads before they go home with their new owners, and we haven’t had a single accident yet (fingers crossed).

Anyway, that’s all for now – she may be potty-trained, but there’s much, much more work to do. I’m sure there will be more stories and pictures to share in coming weeks!