Entrant's First Name
Celeste

Animal Bio
Kaiya is a purebred Havanese born at the Misty Trails Havanese Kennel in Cobble Hill, B.C. on Vancouver Island. She will be 3 years old May 8/18. I got her a few months after the death of my 17 year old dog Kelti (cocker spaniel x). I knew that my heart was aching for the love and companionship of another dog. I have always had a dog since I was just 3 years old, and I will turn 70 in a week! I love ALL animals, but dogs are my favorite partners for companionship, joy, love and affection, loyalty, motivation, and shared exercise (daily energetic walks in nature).

KAIYA chose me at 5 weeks of age while I was visiting her plus her 7 litter-mates who were having a delightful time wrestling one another. They would then race to their devoted birth-mother who willingly restored their energy with wholesome and nutrient-rich warm milk. After a snooze, it was playtime again, but KAIYA would often leave her siblings to come and receive my cuddling and attention. When I returned a week later to visit again, she enthusiastically ran to the edge of the large pen when she heard my voice and begged for me to pick her up. She dispensed endless licks over my face and hands and refused to be placed back in the pen without a little tantrum of cries and whimpers. She was TOO CUTE with a wavy black coat, a white blaze on her chest, and four white-tipped feet. I was “hooked” on this little ball of fluff, energy and affection.

At 8 weeks of age, I was thrilled to be able to take her home with me. She was a perfect vehicle passenger from that trip onward, and now wants to travel with me every time I am getting into the car. She has a supportive, elevated and partially-enclosed “booster seat/bed” that is secured to the seat-belt unit in the back seat. She is placed in a harness which is secured to the seat-belt to keep her from being tossed about in the event of a sudden stop. She gladly gets strapped in and waits eagerly for the car wheels to turn and the top edge of the nearby door window to be lowered. She calmly snuggles down in her travel bed and waits for the eventual arrival at one of her favorite locations - namely one where she KNOWS it is her opportunity to get out of the vehicle with me and go for a long walk (or “run” if it is an off-leash area).

KAIYA is undoubtedly the most energetic and exhuberant dog I have ever owned (and I have had the priviledge of providing a permanent home to 18 wonderful dogs in my life). She is also the most affectionate and devoted dog who wants to be close to me at all times. She makes it clear that she should be near to me no matter where I go. She wants to be “connected” regardless of the circumstances and insists upon showing her affection via her licks, pressing up against my leg, sitting on one of my feet, or leaping into my lap if I am seated. She enthusiastically greets any visitors to the house without any apparent ability to contain her expression of joy and excitement. I continue to work at teaching her to control some of her “effervescence” that enthusiastically erupts every time a visitor arrives at the door, or when encountering another dog and its owner/handler while out walking on park trails. Her bursts of energy and affection toward people just pours out of her with reckless abandon.
I believe it is important that she learn how to contain her energy on command. She and I have spent considerable time working with an excellent Trainer. It is a “work in progress”. We are making gains, yet I know we have considerably more to accomplish. My goal is to help KAIYA learn, and consistently obey my commands, with regard to stopping her impulsive and overt expressions of uncontrolled excitement. With persistence and consistent training practices, I am confident that she will achieve the goal with the help of her developing maturity. She now has significant periods of calmness at home - especially if I stretch out for an afternoon nap, and in the evening hours. She curls up in her soft blanket on the couch and has a good and peaceful period of rest.

KAIYA has invigorated my energy and my quality of life. I have some medical issues, and years of chronic nerve pain and widespread osteoarthritis create feelings of exhaustion and can trigger depressive episodes. KAIYA’s energy, affectionate and loving nature, her devoted companionship, and her exuberance for life all motivate me and bring me great happiness. Her love of daily walks and car rides inspire me to maintain a more active lifestyle and encourage me to “get out and get moving”. Her constant desire to stay close to me, frequently demonstrate her love and affection , combined with her need that I meet her basic daily requirements for food, water, exercise and touch all combine together in creating purpose, motivation, and fulfillment in my life. I have concluded from KAIYA’s energy, happy temperament, and good physical health that she is quite delighted to be sharing a home and life with me.

I am so happy that we chose one another and hopefully we will share many wonderful years together.