Mary Allen
The Havanese is a really cheeky little fellow! Find out everything about the little whirlwind and why he is so much more than a lap dog here.
The Havanese has three main characteristics that make up its character or the whole dog: It is small, lively, and squeaky!
Within a few years, the little dog has easily become a popular champion among the small breeds. On the hit list of the most popular dogs, he lands in a good 22nd place. Of the small dog breeds, only the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is ahead of the ball of fur. He even makes it ahead of the Chihuahua!
And the cute dog succeeds not only because of its cuddly appearance with the dark beady eyes that cheerfully look out of a tousled head. The Havanese is considered faithful and loyal friend of humans. He is not particularly demanding when it comes to his posture and is just as content with living in a city apartment as with a large house and garden in the country.
For the Havanese, something completely different is much more important: its people. He would like to be with them day in, day out. It doesn’t matter to the dog whether it can be with you at work or in your free time. This makes him an ideal family dog.
How tall is a Havanese?
A Havanese should be between 23 and 27 cm tall. However, the breed standard allows a range of 21 to 29 cm for dogs of this breed. The specification does not differentiate between males and females. However, females tend to be at the lower end of the scale and males tend to be at the higher end.
How heavy is a Havanese?
The breed standard does not specify a specific weight. According to the VDH, the dogs weigh between 3.5 and 6 kg on average. The male representatives of the Havanese are usually somewhat heavier than the females.
What does a Havanese look like?
A Havanese is compact and stands on short legs with the body being slightly longer than it is tall.
The fur
The long, soft fur of the Havanese is striking. It is smooth or wavy. However, unlike other dog breeds, the Havanese has little to no undercoat.
The top coat of an adult dog is 12 to 18 cm long. It should not be cut or trimmed if you take the standard literally.
Havanese can be pure white in color, but this is less common and is more likely to be found in the white-bred Maltese, Bolognese, and Bichon Frize.
Different beige (fawn) tones are much more common in Havanese. Other colors are
- Black,
- Havana brown,
- tobacco colored and
- red-brown.
Some dogs are spotted in the colors mentioned. Brand markings in the fur are also permitted. These are light brown markings above the eyes, on the muzzle, or on the paws.
The head
The almond-shaped, bold eyes are dark and look alert and happy out of the curly head out into the world. The dogs’ hanging ears are tapered and densely covered with fringes.
How old does a Havanese get?
As a small breed that often enjoys excellent health when cared for appropriately, owners of a Havanese can expect a life expectancy of 13 to 15 years.
What character or nature does the Havanese have?
The Havanese is a classic lap dog in character. By the way, this is already revealed by its name: the dog is also known as Bichon Havana or Bichón Habanero. Bichon means “lap dog”.
The Havanese prefer to have a whole family around them. Then he can be the center of attention. However, it adapts to different life situations, whether in a city apartment or in a country house. A Havanese can also have an alert character.
But even as a classic lap dog, the Havanese would like to be kept busy and not lead a life as a couch potato. If he gets this physical and mental balance, he is an affectionate and cuddly dog with a balanced personality that can be easily integrated into everyday life.
Where do the Havanese come from?
The name of the Havanese reveals the origin of the breed: Havana in Cuba. However, its roots lie in Europe, more precisely in Spain. Experts suspect that the dog came to the Central American island with Spanish colonizers. There he was further bred with local dogs. This is how the small, robust little fellow came about. Incidentally, the dog was particularly popular in Cuba among the rich.
However, after the Cuban revolution under Fidèl Castro, the Havanese no longer had a good image. He was considered a remnant of the abolished upper class and his numbers were decimated rapidly so that the old bloodlines died out.
Some fans smuggled the dog from Cuba to the USA, where it was then used by some breeders. From there he finally found his way back to Europe.
In Germany, the Havanese is now one of the most popular small dogs after the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and ahead of the Chihuahua because of its loyalty and zest for life.
Havanese: The right attitude and training
For the Havanese, their people are the center of their lives. He likes to cuddle with his bipeds, lie on them or just be there. If he doesn’t get the attention he thinks he deserves, he can bark loudly to demand it. The Havanese has character and shows it too.
Therefore, despite all the cuteness, you should start training the ball of fur with the puppy. This starts with waiting patiently (e.g. when feeding or walking out the door) and ends with training to stay alone. (Reading tip: 8 steps – this is how your dog learns to stay alone) Because the little whirlwind doesn’t like that at all. Faced with a choice, the Havanese will always choose the company of his humans over a quiet minute alone in the next room.
As a pure family and companion dog, the Havanese was not bred for a classic task. Still, a dog of this breed wants to be kept busy. He is happy with everything he can do together with his people: small search games, but also tricks or dog dancing are excellent opportunities to do something together with the dog. Some Havanese are also very good at retrieving. Try it out: Learn to retrieve – How to train it properly.
Since Havanese are very smart and docile, training them is not a big challenge. All it takes is loving consistency. On the other hand, the “Havi” acknowledges exaggerated severity or loud screaming with ignorant stubbornness. He also educates his people to respect him.
What care does the Havanese need?
Due to their long fur, Havanese belongs to the rather high-maintenance dog breeds. You should therefore brush the coat regularly. It is best to take the time to do this care every day.
This is not only for visual reasons. During the shedding process, dogs’ hair tends to become matted. They then form plates that lie against the skin. These can only be removed later by clipping and are also a hygiene problem or impair your health: the tangles can result in inflammation and skin fungi.
In contrast to breeds such as the Puli or the Komondor, the matting is not desirable in the Havanese, it is rather a sign of a lack of care.
You should either shorten the hair on your forehead slightly or tie it up with a hair clip so that the Havanese can see clearly. If you want to bathe your silky fuzz from time to time, use a mild dog shampoo. The rule here is: as often as necessary, but as seldom as possible.
What are the typical diseases of the Havanese?
The Havanese is an extremely hardy breed of dog with solid health. Hereditary diseases are not very common in little Cuban.
Nevertheless, reputable breeders test their bitches and dogs and thus rule out the hereditary eye and heart diseases, hip and elbow dysplasia, deafness, and patellar luxation in the breeding animals. However, older dogs are more likely to get cancer.
You should definitely avoid being overweight. Because that promotes joint diseases or diabetes. Sufficient exercise and a good diet prevent this. Also, make sure that the pup is eating the right amount of food and that your dog is eating high-quality food.
How much does a Havanese cost?
Puppies of pedigree dogs from reputable breeders in the VDH cost between 800 and 1,800 euros. For puppies with rare colors or offspring of beauty champions, more than 2,000 euros can sometimes be due from the breeder.