About Havanese

ORIGIN: The Havanese is a Cuban member of the Bichon family that includes breeds such as the Maltese and Bichon Frise.

APPEARANCE: A Toy breed ranging from 8.5-11.5 in (22-29 cm) in height. The standard does not address weight, but a Havanese ranges from 7-15 lbs. The breed comes in a virtual rainbow of hues – white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver, chocolate, or any combination of these colours. The non-shedding coat is long, soft and wispy with curls or tufts at the ends.

TEMPERAMENT: Bred primarily as a pet, the Havanese’s pert personality has contributed to its appeal. Happy, outgoing and quite trainable, the Havanese is a pleasant and affectionate companion.

HEALTH AND CARE: A sturdy, short-legged, small dog with a lively, springy gait, the Havanese is well suited to urban or suburban living. His exercise and care requirements are easily met. As with most other purebred dogs, Havanese have a number of health issues that can affect them.

The Havanese is part of the Bichon canine family of small breeds which probably originated in the Mediterranean area in pre-Christian times. All Bichons are descended from the same bloodlines that produced the Barbichon (or water spaniel), the Poodle, the Portuguese Water Dog, and others. The Barbichon (Bichon) consists of several distinct breeds, including the Havanese, Maltese, Bichon Frise, Lowchen, Coton de Tulear, and Bolognese.

During the days of the Spanish empire, Bichons travelled to Cuba with sea captains who used them as presents for the women of Cuban households. By gaining entry into wealthy Hispanic homes, which were otherwise closed to outsiders, the captains were able to establish lucrative trading relationships with rich Cuban families.

Once in Cuba, the Havanese (Habeneros in Spanish) lived exclusively in the mansions of the highest social class of people. Havanese were never raised commercially or sold but were sometimes given as precious gifts to a friend or someone who had performed a valuable service. Like the Victorian-age wealthy Hispanic women who owned them, the dogs were not seen in the streets or public areas. They lived in the rooms and interior courtyards of their tropical homes and occasionally rode in carriages with their owners.

The Havanese found its way to Europe where it became very popular and was recognized by the European Kennel Club. It was known in England as the “White Cuban.” Queen Anne is said to have admired a troupe of performing dogs that danced to music in almost human fashion.

As happened to many other dog breeds, the Havanese’ popularity waned over the course of time. For awhile they were used in circuses as trick dogs throughout Europe, but eventually they became almost extinct — even in their native Cuba.

Only three families are known to have left Cuba with their Havanese during the political turmoil of the 1950s and 1960s. It is assumed that by that time there might not have been very many of these dogs kept by anyone. These three exiled families worked alone in Florida and in Costa Rica for over a decade to preserve the breed.

Currently, there are approximately 4,000 registered Havanese in the United States.

Credit: Dorothy Goodale, Havanese: A Complete and Reliable Handbook

Is the Havanese right for you?

The Havanese is a wonderful breed. A small but sturdy family dog. They are intelligent and cheerful companions. A wonderful playmate for children and amiable with the other family pets. All these wonderful characteristics said; it is not the right breed for everyone. Small breeds tend to be harder to housebreak. The Havanese must be housebroken as a Havanese must live in your home. The Havanese could never be happy in any other situation. A Havanese is all about their people. The quintessential family dog. They do not do well in homes where caregivers are gone for 8-10 hours. Havanese are “Velcro” dogs. They are non shedding and hypo allergenic, but all that  glorious hair requires grooming.

Havanese puppies are irresistibly cute, and the popularity of the breed is growing. As a result, many people are breeding dogs who should not take advantage of the burgeoning market. Consider puppies only from reputable breeders. To do otherwise may be a very expensive mistake, resulting in future problems. Getting a Havanese is not an impulse decision. Do your homework, and find a reputable breeder. Choose a breeder that you connect with as a reputable breeder wants to be there for you long term. Therefore, be sure that this is someone that you want to be there for you long term. A reputable breeders primary motives are the welfare, improvement, and advancement of the Havanese breed. They breed dogs as a hobby and not as their main source of income. They select the highest quality dogs to breed and then retain the best puppies in each litter to be the parents of the next generations. A reputable breeder is also the best source of information about Havanese. They can tell you from personal and extensive experience what the breed is like and what their particular family of dogs is like. They are available during the life of your dog to answer questions, provide breed specific tips, and help with problems. Reputable breeders are also always there for the dogs they produce. If a puppy/buyer cannot keep her dog at any age and for any reason, the responsible breeder will take the dog back and either keep it or find it a new good home. For this reason, understand that  as you are evaluating  the breeder the breeder is also evaluating you. Breeders want the very best homes for their puppies. Therefore, they will ask many questions of you to learn about you. Questionnaires, phone interviews, and home visits are all normal parts of the adoption process. If the breeder does not interview you and seem very picky about where his/her babies go, find another breeder!

A reputable breeder does all the health testing for conditions known to be found in the breed. The Havanese Club of America lists several health issues that may occur in the breed. These include cataracts, orthopedic or skeletal problems, liver function problems, heart problems, and deafness. This list does not mean the problems are rampant. It means that a responsible breeder tests their breeding stock for these problems because a responsible breeder would never want to knowingly breed health problems. The HCA recommends health tests on eyes (CERF), hearing (BAER), hips, and patellas. Most reputable breeders do additional tests. All health testing can be verified at www.offa.org. OFA is a wonderful database of information. It not only gives you the health testing on the prospective parents but also gives you information on grandparents, siblings, etc.

C. Field

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