The Havanese is one of the Bichon type breeds, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese They are a playful little dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They like to have attention and will do many things to attract it. This requirement for attention means they are not the choice for a working couple. They love following owners around the house, however they are not possessive of their “ family”, so are superb with other dogs, pets and other animals. This seeking for attention often shows when eating, as they like someone present, so if you leave the room, they will often follow, eating as they go, which can be messy. They are a “real dog”, playing games such as tug of war with gusto. Not the greatest walkers in the world, often liking breaks with games or just watching the world go by. Professional dog trainers such as London Dog Training love them, as they are so responsive to positive reinforcement.
For dog care they are relatively simple. One advantage of the Havanese is that they do not shed much. You may see on lists that they do not shed, this misleading as all hair follicles will have a cycle of growing and dying, shedding it hair, but this is variable and not often, so there is no strong cycle of hair shedding. The coat catches the hair and dander internally, so many people think it is non-allergenic, but they all release dander that can aggravate allergies. If you have an allergy sufferer in the house, have one to stay for a few days to check.
The Havanese have a slight wavy double coat, which is light and soft, with a denser undercoat.
The Havanese should ideally be groomed every day, as the fur has a tendency to mat. If you are not showing the dog, you can trim the coat. Whilst they have fur, it is a coat to keep the hot sun off the body, not warmth inside, so in some areas you may need to buy sweaters for them.
When you bath them, dry with a towel and allow them to dry off naturally inside, as they are susceptible to skin problems if dried with a hair drier. It is a breed that the kennel clubs, prefer and dictate a natural look, avoiding the bows and preferring the hair over the eyes, that protected their eyes from the Cuban sun.
They now come in many different colours and patterns, but were originally white.
They have a solid look compared to other toy dog breeds. They have a weight range of 4-6 Kgs ( around 12 lbs). Its height measured at the withers is about two hundred and fifty mm( 9-11 inches). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.
They move with an agile springy gait. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but careful when near water if there is something for them to run after.
They have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are prone to ear infections, so routinely inspect their ears and clean them. Every so often they may require their inner hairs to be plucked by hand or tweezers. The tail sweeps over the back and is also well covered. The Havanese have a great sense of smell and are trained often for search. They are easily trained so are often found in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.
The Havanese routinely live around 15 years. The Havanese being breed from a limited gene pool suffer from some genetic diseases. The most common being liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia (dots and streak on the retina). It is advisable only to acquire Havanese from parent dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese sometimes develop brown tear stains, which is especially noticeable on those with white or light coats.
The dog originated from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Havana by traders and settlers. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a new breed, rapidly growing in the 1970s from only 10 dogs in the United States. They were common in Cuba, prior to the revolution, but suffered afterwards. It is now one of the fastest growing registrations in most country kennel clubs. For this reason it may be difficult to acquire one, so the best of luck on finding one.
A wonderful family dog that is well worth considering.
