May 2022
HRI Dogs: Denver & Boston
Denver
Sometimes the dog’s stories are heartbreaking. Denver and Boston, 4 and 5-year-old fellows in Maine came in from a family where the father died suddenly, leaving three children and a widow who worked 50 hours a week. She said ‘I love these dogs more than myself and I know I don’t have time for them or finances for grooming’ etc. The children adore them, play with them, sleep with them, dress them like dolls, etc. The dogs adore the children too”. The family was devastated, The children finally came to understand what was best for the dogs. It was very hard. The family was adamant that Denver and Boston stay together because they had lost everything and everyone else.
Boston
It was clear to the HRI volunteers that these dogs needed a home with children. Karen Duprat was the HRI State Contact. Karen breeds show dogs and is active in conformation showing. At a dog show, through friends, Karen heard of another family, who lived in Maine, like Denver and Boston’s family, and were looking for a dog. They also had children! Miraculously they were delighted to take both dogs.

When the appropriate paperwork, transport, references, and approvals were done Denver and Boston were able to go to a new home very similar to the one they had left, and a loving family with two adoring children to love them; a new and happy beginning.
HRI Volunteer
Massachusettes and New Hampshire State Contact
It is a pleasure to introduce Karen Duprat.
Karen and Moose
Karen is the State contact for Massachusetts and New Hampshire and is also a breeder and very successful Conformation exhibitor. Karen began with her Havanese program 15 years ago and has shown 15 or more dogs to their championships, Her ‘Moose’ is Officially BISS GCP CH ANGELHEART N ADORABULL’S MOOSE ON THE LOOSE. 

Moose has multiple Best of Breed and Group 1 in the regular breed ring.
In the Owner Handled rings he is MBOHBIS, MROHBIS. Moose is also a Platinum Owner Handled recipient, and the AKC’s #1 Lifetime Owner Handled Havanese as well as the AKC's #1 lifetime Owner Handled dog.

Karen began many years ago while a full-time nurse at Bay State Medical Center. Her first dog was a Llasa who was not a show dog, but she enjoyed working with him. She also had a Wheaten terrier and the two were buddies. After the Llasa died she researched other breeds to find a pal for the Wheaten and found Havanese.

Her first Havanese was a show dog, placed by owners who were focusing on another breed. The dog’s name was Trump and Karen showed him and finished his championship and Grand Championship. Seeing her success, another breeder offered her Trump’s half-sister, UhOh and Karen also finished her to Grand Championship.

Karen retired after 30 years of nursing. She loves shows, her friends and family, and the dogs. Her husband Adam loves the dogs and is a great supporter of her dream to breed and show Havanese, and to be able to pass on her breeding program to Brielle, her granddaughter. Karen's husband pitches in and helps with the dogs almost every day. 

Her Granddaughter Brielle came along with her to shows from an early age and has become a remarkable Junior Handler and a very serious competitor. Karen and Brielle are wonderful helpers at shows as many a show Chairman will attest. We are proud to have them in HRI.
FYI:
Conformation
In these bulletins, we have spoken of Agility, Rally, and Therapy but left out Conformation.

Of course, it is not for rescues as all are spay/neutered. Conformation is a way of proving the soundness and breed type of a dog for future breeding.
However, as you are all dog lovers, you likely watch dog shows either in person or on TV so hopefully, this information will help you to enjoy them more. Some of our HRI Rescue volunteers also show in Conformation. Karen Duprat is one of them.

The Standard is the framework by which our breed is judged and it is printed on the Havanese Club of America website. Each breed has a Standard. To be a Champion a dog must win 15 points at a show and the points are awarded according to the number of dogs beaten in the ring. The dog is judged according to the Standard for the breed. The Judge goes over the dog with his/her hands on the table to check the construction, dentiton, expression, temperament, and coat. The movement is checked on the go around and the down and back. Then the awards are lined up:
-Best of Breed,
-Best of Opposite Sex (to Best of Breed)
-Best of Winners (the best non-champion),
-Winners Dog (the best non-champion male),
-Winners Bitch (the best non-champion female)
-Select Dog (the second-best male)
-Select Bitch (the second-best female)
and at Specialties and large shows also some Awards of Merit.

How Is a Havanese Judged?
Havanese judging has six critical elements:
Topline - the back is straight, but not level, rising slightly from withers to rump
Outline - Slightly longer than tall, with head, carried high and tail arched over back:
Gait - Springy, with moderate reach and drive, showing free reach and good extension. Not stilted. May show flash of pad coming and going.
Coat - Soft, silky, wavy, and abundant. Can be corded.
Expression - Broad back skull and large, dark almond eyes; correct ear set follows the line of the skull; full rectangular muzzle is slightly shorter than back skull. The expression is soft and intelligent, mischievous rather than cute.
Temperament - Intelligent, playful, sweet, and non-quarrelsome.
CONTACT INFORMATION LINKS
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Choose an appropriate contact below.
Click to request assistance for a dog needing rescue.
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 Click to volunteer with Havanese Rescue.

Click if you have a question or suggestion for this newsletter.
Newsletter Staff
Editor - Joan Ambrose, Past President
Production - Jen Jablonski, President