Smart, nimble and loving, the Havanese is accomplished in any number of canine sports and activities. Among the venues where this multitalented dog can be found are the agility, conformation, obedience and rally rings, as well as nursing homes, hospitals and schools, where their therapy visits are eagerly anticipated.
Havanese have been described as having springs on their legs. Their athletic ability and love of running and jumping make them ideally suited to competition in agility trials, and it’s not unusual to see a Havanese in hot competition, racing through the course, hair flying.
One of those speedy agility demons is Ch. MACH Meme Zee’s Bob-A-Loo E, CGC, CD (Loo E to his friends). Whew! Lots of initials for a little dog. The MACH stands for Masters Agility Championship, and agility is one of his favorite activities. Loo E has also turned his paw to conformation and obedience. He has a conformation championship (Ch.) and a Companion Dog (CD) title. Together, his titles earned him a Versatility award from the Havanese Club of America. What’s next? Well, you may see him competing in Rally or going for a more advanced obedience title.
Other Havanese spread cheer by visiting nursing home residents and hospital patients or helping children improve their reading skills. They may perform tricks, snuggle in laps or go for a ride in a wheelchair. People talk to them, pet them and laugh at their antics. The visits make everyone’s day. At schools, they listen patiently while students read them stories. The best thing about Havanese reading partners is that they never criticize, only appreciate.
Other activities in which Havanese excel include flyball and freestyle. In flyball, their speed stands them in good stead. And in freestyle, well, who better than a Cuban dog to excel in dance moves? When you have a Havanese, it’s easy to strut your stuff in any number of dog events.
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