Shortly after we were married, Kristina brought home a little black fur-ball we named Junior. He was a great dog, a member of the family. A couple of years later, when Junior was getting heavy, we got a puppy; a Brittany named Rusty. One after another our dogs have lived long happy lives, completely spoiled and very much loved. Three years ago, after we lost Rusty; it was time to get another dog, ah… four-legged family member.
Kristina talked with several people and we became interested in a breed of small dogs called Havanese. We learned they didn’t shed much, were hypoallergenic, friendly and very smart. We didn’t know much else about the breed so we investigated by going to a pet store. We were introduced to a really cute, tiny dog that was ½ Havanese and ½ Maltese. The pet store said it was a designer breed called a Hava-Malt.
A few days later we went to see Lee and Ellen Payne of Knapdale Havanese. They raise champion show dogs and had a puppy for sale. He was a little too large for the breed standard but we didn’t care. He would be the smallest dog either of us had ever owned. He cuddled right up to me immediately. I held him and said, “You’re a cute little puppy but you don’t have any malt in you, so you must be a milkshake. Milkshake has been in our family ever since. Happy adoption day, on January 21 you will have been with us for three years!
