Welcome to DelSol Havanese

Preservation Bred • Health Tested • Home Raised • Puppy Culture • Lifetime Support

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About Me & DelSol Havanese

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My name is Margaret Lacey Wardle. I am a retired nurse, and my dedication to dogs, canine health and responsible breeding spans more than three decades.

My journey as a breeder began in 1991 with Australian Shepherds. As the years passed and I began looking for a smaller breed, I discovered the Havanese and was captivated by their joyful personalities, intelligence and extraordinary devotion to their people.

In 2013, I began specializing in Havanese, and they have been at the heart of DelSol ever since.

I strongly believe that responsible breeders should never stop learning. I remain actively involved in the Havanese community through the Havanese Fanciers of Canada (HFC) and the Havanese Owners and Lovers Association (HOLA).

Continuous education, responsible breeding practices and a commitment to the future of the Havanese are important parts of the DelSol philosophy.

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Preservation Breeding With Purpose

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We are proud to be preservation breeders.

For us, preservation breeding is about far more than producing puppies. Each breeding is carefully considered with attention to temperament, health, structure, pedigree, genetic diversity and preservation of the characteristics that make the Havanese unique.

Our goal is to protect the integrity and future of the breed while adhering closely to the Canadian Kennel Club Havanese Breed Standard.

We also believe breeders should be prepared to have their dogs evaluated beyond their own breeding program. DelSol dogs have been actively shown in CKC conformation, and dogs we have bred have successfully earned their Canadian Kennel Club Championships.

The conformation ring provides another valuable tool for evaluating structure, movement, soundness and adherence to the Havanese Breed Standard.

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​Our Breeding Philosophy

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Oue breeding program is built around three fundamental priorities:

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1. Temperament — The Heart of a Havanese

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Temperament is our #1 priority.

The Havanese is known for being affectionate, intelligent, playful, friendly and deeply devoted to its people. These are qualities we work very hard to preserve.

Good temperament begins with genetics, but it must also be nurtured.

Our puppies are raised as part of our household and are carefully introduced to age-appropriate experiences that encourage curiosity, confidence and resilience.

We don't simply want our puppies to experience the world. We want them to learn how to think, explore, solve problems and approach new experiences with confidence.

Our goal is a happy, outgoing and adaptable Havanese who is prepared to become a wonderful member of their new family.

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2. Health — A Lifetime Commitment

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Health is at the heart of every DelSol breeding decision.

Before a dog is considered for our breeding program, appropriate health testing is completed. Dogs that do not meet our health requirements are not used for breeding.

Our breeding dogs are health tested through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), and most are also DNA tested.

Depending upon the dog and bloodline, our health screening may include:

• CAER Eye Examinations

• OFA Patella Evaluation

• Cardiac Evaluation

• Hip/LCPD Evaluation

• Thyroid Testing

• DNA testing

Health testing is only one part of responsible breeding. We also extensively research pedigrees and previous generations, looking at longevity, health, temperament and other characteristics that may influence future generations.

Whenever possible, we look well beyond the parents and grandparents. Decades of breeding experience have taught us that understanding the dogs behind a pedigree can be every bit as important as understanding the dogs standing in front of us.

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​​​​​​​​​​3. Structure — Built for a Healthy Life

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Although the Havanese is a Toy breed, correct structure is extremely important.

A Havanese should be able to move comfortably and remain active throughout life. Sound structure contributes to movement, comfort and long-term quality of life.

By breeding with the CKC Havanese Breed Standard in mind and participating in conformation, we strive to produce dogs who are well-balanced, sound and recognizable representatives of their breed.

Our puppies are first and foremost beloved companions, but we are equally proud when a DelSol puppy goes on to represent the breed successfully in the show ring.

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Raised in Our Home —

Not Just Raised in a House

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Our puppies are born and raised in our loving home, never in a kennel environment.

The Havanese was developed to be a companion, and we believe these puppies should grow up surrounded by people and normal family life.

But being “home raised” means much more to us than simply having puppies living inside our house.

We put extensive time and effort into the development of every litter.

Beginning at approximately three days of age, our puppies participate in Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS).

As they develop, we incorporate the Puppy Culture program into their daily lives.

Puppy Culture provides age-appropriate experiences designed to encourage learning, confidence, problem-solving, resilience and adaptability.

Our puppies experience different people, household sounds, surfaces, objects, challenges and environments as they become developmentally ready for them.

The objective isn't to overwhelm a young puppy with experiences. It is to introduce the world gradually and positively so the puppy develops the confidence to handle new situations throughout life.

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Preparing Your Puppy

for Their New Home

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Our responsibility doesn't end with producing a healthy puppy. We want to make the transition from our home to yours as easy as possible.

Crate Training

Our puppies are introduced to their crates before leaving DelSol. By go-home time, our goal is for puppies to be comfortable sleeping for approximately seven hours overnight in their crate beside your bed.

This gives families an enormous head start with both nighttime routines and future crate training.

Potty Training

Our puppies are introduced to and trained to use the PetSafe Pet Loo before leaving our home.

No eight-week-old puppy can be considered completely housetrained, but establishing this routine provides an excellent foundation for families to continue.

Socialization & Confidence Building

Socialization is much more than simply meeting lots of people.

Our puppies receive carefully planned, age-appropriate experiences intended to develop confidence, resilience, problem-solving ability and emotional stability.

We want our puppies to leave DelSol curious about their new world and equipped with the foundation they need to continue learning.

Veterinary Care Before Going Home

Before leaving DelSol, puppies receive age-appropriate preventative and veterinary care.

This includes:

• Microchipping and permanent identification

• Scheduled deworming

• Veterinary fecal testing

• A comprehensive veterinary wellness examination

• Cardiac and patella assessment

• Age-appropriate vaccination

• Individual health records for their new family

Each puppy also goes home with familiar items and information designed to make those important first days with their new family easier.

Our 10-Year Health Guarantee

Confidence Built on Generations of Careful Breeding

We are extremely proud to offer our families a:

10-Year Health Guarantee against covered congenital and hereditary diseases.

We are able to stand behind our puppies with such a comprehensive guarantee because of the health testing, pedigree research and careful breeding decisions behind our program.

Over the decades, the health of the puppies we have produced has given us tremendous confidence in the principles upon which DelSol is built.

For us, however, a health guarantee isn't simply a piece of paper.

It represents our commitment to the puppies we bring into the world and to the families who place their trust in us.

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Lifetime Breeder Support

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When one of our puppies leaves DelSol, our relationship with that family is just beginning.

We provide lifetime breeder support.

Questions don't stop when a puppy goes home—and neither does our interest in that puppy.

Whether you have a question about feeding, grooming, training, behaviour, development or simply want to send us a photograph and tell us what your DelSol dog has been doing, we love remaining connected with our families.

Our puppies will always be part of the DelSol family.

Choosing Your DelSol Puppy

We believe matching a puppy with the right family is more important than choosing a puppy simply because of sex, colour or markings.

Families have the opportunity to spend time interacting with the puppies. We encourage you to sit on the floor, let the puppies interact naturally with you and experience their individual personalities.

We often describe our philosophy very simply:

Pick the puppy that picks you.

Puppies are placed in the order deposits are received, but our goal is always to help families find the companion whose personality and temperament fit naturally into their lives.

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​​​​​Looking for a

Havanese Puppy

in Ontario?

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If you are looking for a Havanese Puppy in Ontario, we invite you to contact Delsol Havanese about current availability and upcoming litters.

When contacting us, we like to know about your previous experience with dogs and, most importantly, what you are hoping for in your new companion.

If you would like to proceed after your initial inquiry, we ask that you provide a couple of possible dates and times when we can speak by telephone.

Breeder and family should both feel comfortable with the relationship. A conversation gives us an opportunity to answer your questions, learn more about your family and help determine whether a DelSol Havanese is the right fit for you.

We are happy to provide information about:

Current and upcoming litters • Puppy availability • Reservation details • Expected go-home dates

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Thank You for Considering DelSol Havanese

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Adding a puppy

to your family

is a

significant decision.

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Choosing the breeder who will bring that puppy into the world is an important decision as well.

At DelSol Havanese, our commitment begins long before a litter is born—with pedigree research, health testing and thoughtful breeding decisions—and continues through pregnancy, birth, early development, socialization, training and placement.

And it doesn't end when your puppy goes home.

With more than 30 years of breeding experience, health-tested breeding dogs, Puppy Culture and ENS raising protocols, CKC conformation experience, a 10-year health guarantee and lifetime breeder support, we are committed to giving every DelSol puppy the strongest possible beginning.

Most importantly, every puppy is raised with love in our home while we prepare them for what matters most:

A lifetime of being loved in yours.

We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to the DelSol Havanese family.