Saucy Pet

The Havanese is one of the Bichon type breeds, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a good-humoured small dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They like to have peoples notice and will do tricks to catch peoples attention. This love for attention means they are not the choice for a working couple. They will often follow owners around the house, but are rarely overly possessive of their “ family”, so are great with other dogs, pets and other animals. They often like to eat with someone in the room, so stay there when they are eating, otherwise they may take their food with them and eat it as they walk, which can be messy. They are a “ true dog”, playing games such as tug of war with gusto. Like many toy dogs, they do not require long walks, but they do love attention. Professional Dog Walkers such as London Dog Walking, if doing grouped walks will pair them with similar dogs, rather than big energetic dogs.

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 has a slight wavy double coat, which is soft and light, with a denser undercoat.

The Havanese should ideally be brushed every day, as the fur has a tendency to mat. If not a show dog, you can trim the coat. Whilst they have a good coat, they do suffer in extreme cold, 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 for showing needs to keep a natural look, but for everyday looks and practicality may benefit from bows etc..

The original Harvanese were white, but now they occur in all types of coat colours and patterns.
The Havanese has  a sturdy appearance compared to most toy dog breeds. They have a weight range of about five Kgs ( 10-15 lbs). Its height measured at the withers is 220-290mm( roughly 10). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.

They have a sprightly agile movement. They are good swimmers, but many of them do not like swimming, but be prudent when near waterparticularly if there are birds for them to run after.

They have almond eyes, with medium sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are susceptible to infections and diseases of the ear, so regularly inspect their ears and clean them. From time to time they may require their inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail arches over the back and is also well covered. They have very sensitive noses and are trained in some countries for search. They are easily trained so are often used in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

The Havanese routinely live around fourteen years. Like many other pure breeds they suffer from a  few genetically-linked disorders. The most common being liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( blots 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 original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Internationally the Havanese is a new breed, taking off in the seventies from only 10 animals in the United States. Though they were common prior to the Cuban Revolution, they, like many trappings of aristocracy were culled. Rapid growth in popularity now makes it difficult to find a puppy.

A great family dog that should be considered.

Comments are closed.