The Complete Dog Breed Profile and Information



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by Janice Jones     |Last Updated January 24, 2020

Thinking that the Havanese Dog may be the perfect furry friend for you? Well if you’re
looking for a very adaptable, amusing and overall humorous dog, then this breed could be the absolute perfect dog for you.

Havanese Puppy

Even though they are a toy breed, they are fairly sturdy and not overly delicate or frail, which is a bonus especially with small kids or other pets.

These little dogs have the most adorable tiny spring in their step due to the fact that their front legs are slightly shorter than their rear legs. This gives them a little bounce, which seems to make everything they do even more amusing than it already is.

The Havanese Breed At a Glance

Traits Rating
Playfulness
Affection Level
Friendliness Towards Strangers
Good with Children
Good with Other Dogs
Good for First Time Owners
Exercise Needed
Ease of Training
Watch Dog Ability
Grooming Requirements
Shedding
Cold Tolerant
Heat Tolerant

Explanations for At a Glance Ratings 

  • Playfulness:  Most=5   Less=1
  • Affection:  Most=5   Least=1
  • Friendliness Towards Strangers:  Most=5  Least=1
  • Good with Children:  Good=5   Not Good=1
  • Good with Other Dogs:   Good=5   Not Good=1
  • Good for First Time Owners:  Good=5  Not Good=1
  • Amount of Exercise Required:  Much=5  Minimal=1
  • Ease of Training:   Easy=5   Difficult=1
  • Watch Dog Ability:   Excellent=5   Poor=1
  • Grooming Needs:   Extensive=5  Minimal=1
  • Shedding:   Heavy Shedding=5   Minimal Shedding=1
  • Cold Tolerance:   Cold Well Tolerated=5    Poorly Tolerated=1
  • Heat Tolerance:   Heat Well Tolerated=5   Poorly Tolerated=1

Another unique characteristic of the Havanese Dog is that they
are not yappy or snappy like a lot of toy breeds, which makes them perfect city
dogs.  They will do just fine with RV or apartment dwellers.

Very similar to
the Shih Tzu, the Havanese dog has an arched tail which curls over toward their
back, but the tail never actually touches the back of the dog.

The breed is still considered rare, but the demand and popularity of these furry little guys is
growing. Many famous people such as Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, and
Barbara Walters had a little Havanese under their care and all of them were
claimed to absolutely love and adore their fur baby.

They are such a
unique and at the same time very personable and fun loving dog that would
make a wonderful edition to any family.

Quick Facts about the Havanese Dog

Other
Names Used:
Havana Silk Dog, Havanese Cuban Bichon, Bichon Havanais, Bichon
Havanês, Havaneser, and Bichon Habanero

Affiliation:
Toy group; AKC recognized in 1996 and CKC (Canadian Kennel Club)

Size

     Height:
Anywhere from 8.5 and 11.5 inches tall at the shoulder (20-28 cm)

     Weight:
7-13 pounds (3 – 6 kg)  

Coat
Type: l
ong, soft, lightweight, and silky; described as raw silk floss

Colors:
Black, white, chocolate, silver and any combination in between including;
silver, orange, fawn, cream, blue and red; All have a black nose and
black pigment around the eyes, except the chocolate or brown dogs which may
have a dark brown nose.

Country
of Origin:
Cuba

Activity
Level:
Moderate; routine walk needed

Life
Expectancy:
14 – 15 years

Good
with Children:
yes, but small children should be supervised

Good
with Other Pets:
Yes

History of the Breed

The Havanese Dog BreedThe Havanese Dog Breed

The Havanese dog is the national dog of Cuba, and the country’s
only native breed. They developed from the now extinct, Blanquito de la
Habana, or “ little white dog of
Havana.” It is believed that the Havana comes from an eventually crossbreed of
the Blanquito and another Bichon type, including the poodle. With dedicated
breeding, they are making a miraculous comeback and are quickly
becoming the fastest growing breed of dog in the AKC.

For
hundreds of centuries, they has adored the laps of the rich and famous.
This is an ancient breed whose origins can be traced to the Mediterranean as
far back as the first century A.D. These furry friends are said to be “cousins”
of the Bichon family, or at least members of it.

They were also believed to
have traveled among Spanish trade ships in Cuba during the early 16th
century. During the Cuban Revolution, 11 Havanese dogs fled to America with their
owners. That being said, all the Havanese today can be traced to 11 Havanese dog
immigrants.

Personality

Since it is a toy dog, they are absolutely great to play
with and surprisingly they are not too tough to train as long as they are
receiving lots of positive reinforcement. They can also be house-trained, which
is great for a toy breed.

Like most breeds, it is best to train when they are
puppies so they do not develop bad habits when they get older. Start training
right when you bring him home so he/she can soak up more information and do not
give them too much freedom to roam around.

They do not become un-trainable as
adults but it is just a little tougher. You do not want your little furry friend to
pick up bad habits such as barking, digging or any other obnoxious activity
when bored.

What they lack
in size, they make up for in personality. Lively, affectionate, people loving,
and compassionate, these dogs are bred for companionship.

They are best
suited to indoor living, which makes them perfect city and apartment dogs. They
require moderate amount of daily exercise, like most toy breeds, but will be
pretty calm when taken indoors.

These little guys are very cheerful and smart,
but can tend to be mischievous and occasionally naughty. Do not be surprised if
you come home from work and find that your little Havanese dog tore up some
newspaper or paper towels. Tearing and shredding paper is one of their favorite
pastimes, so keep that in mind.

Other than their
occasional mishap, they are an overall cute and fun dog and watching them
play around can keep you entertained for hours. With proper training and
dedication, life with a Havanese dog can be a special treat for you and everyone
that gets the enjoyment of being around your new pup.

Grooming

Grooming the HavaneseGrooming the Havanese

The Havanese
dog has a spectacular silky fur coat that can be described as raw silk fur. Unlike
most double – coated coat, the fur is not coarse or overly dense, it is
actually very soft and lightweight.

They have hair rather than fur, so they
have little to no shedding; however they are not considered hypoallergenic by
any means. They still shed dead skin cells that contain some allergens.
Frequent grooming and brushing is required to brush out all the dead hair. The
coat is wavy, soft and bountiful, insulating the dog from the harsh tropical
rays of its native lands. The characteristic of the breed is for their hair
to look messy and moppy, but some owners just prefer an overall short coat.

Their coat has a
tendency to pick up dirt, grass, and debris, so keep that in mind if you let
your little guy roam through the field or the backyard. Other than the typical
grooming and bathing, you need to check the pads of their feet, and keep them
trimmed.

Ears, nails, anal glands, and all the usual will also need to be kept
in check. As with all dog whose ears drop, special care must be taken to
keep the ears clean and prevent infection from setting in. The simple method of
placing a cotton ball in each ear prior to bathing will help keep water from
entering the ear canal.  Ear hair needs
to be plucked periodically.

The coat will cord naturally, or can actually be trained
to cord although this look is not for everyone. The amount of grooming really
depends on if you want to keep your dog’s hair long or short, but shorter is obviously
less work.

Health Concerns

Havanese are considered a healthy breed, but as with other
breeds there are some conditions that may come up from time to time.  Some of them are considered to have an
inherited basis. 

They  suffers
primarily from luxating patella, liver disease, heart disease, cataracts, hip dysplasia,  and retinal
dysplasia.  While not usually considered
a health concern, the breed is also susceptible  to tear stains especially on the white
or light colored varieties. 

Problems in this Breed:  

Hip Dysplasia 

Juvenile Cataracts

Cherry Eye

Patellar Luxation


Did You Know?

Did you know that Barbara Walters has a little Havanese named “
Cha-Cha” and she claims that it has told her “ I love you”?

Did you know that if these dogs grow up around water, they could
turn out to be excellent swimmers?


Pros:

  • The Havanese is good with other people and pets; very gentle
  • Loves to please people and is a great companion; strong
    attachment to family
  • They have minimal to no shedding
  • Intelligent and agile; does well in agility competitions
  • Small but not yappy
  • Don’t mind traveling; good for the RV lifestyle

Cons:

  • Coat can tend to mat, without routine grooming
  • They can get bored and love to tear up paper
  • Can develop barking, digging, etc. without proper training
  • Does not do well alone
The Havanese Dog Breed:  History, Grooming, Care, Health Concerns, Temperaments and more details about the breed.

The following books are available on Amazon and are recommended for further reading if you are considering the addition of a Havanese to your household.  

Resources


Breed Club

Havanese Club of America


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