My love affair with Havanese started from a picture and brief description of one in the rare breed section of a dog book. I had just lost Peppi, my childhood pet. She was a silver poodle who had lived with me for 22 years. I knew I could never replace her and started looking for another breed with some of her characteristics.

When I discovered the Havanese breed, it was love-at-first-sight! My life has never been the same since that fateful day. At the time, Havanese were not even a recognized breed of the American Kennel Club (AKC), but well on their way to becoming one. They were, however, very difficult to find. It took almost a year to locate a breeder and adopt my first Havanese. In fact, I had never seen one "in person" until I arrived at the home of the Smalls'. 

Smallhaven's Oreo was my first Havanese. She exhibited all the lovable characteristics of my perfect dog; she was small, incredibly adorable, energetic, non-shedding (like the poodle), extremely smart, and devoted to my husband, son, and me. She was our family pet. At the time, I had no plans to show or breed dogs. After attending several shows, I was bitten by the "show bug." Hence, the birth of Signature Havanese . It has been a continual learning experience that has brought me more pleasure than I could ever imagine!