The Havanese is a Bichon Group breed, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a playful little 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 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 animals and dogs. 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 football 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 has a slight wavy double coat, which is soft and light, with a heavier undercoat.

The Havanese should ideally be groomed daily, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If you are not showing the dog, you can trim the coat. Whilst they have a good coat, 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.

It is advisable to dry them after a bath with towels, rather than a hair drier, which can make their skin too dry and prone to infections. 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 Havanese now come in many different colours and patterns, but were originally white.
The Havanese has a robust look compared to other toy dog breeds. They have a weight range of 4-6 Kgs ( normally 12 lbs). Its height measured at the withers is 220-290mm(around ten). The back raises from the withers to the rump which is unusual in dogs.

The Havanese move with an agile springy gait. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but careful when near waterparticularly if there are animals for them to run after.

They have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are susceptible to ear infections, so regularly check their ears and clean them. Every so often 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. The Havanese are easily trained so are often found in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

They generally live fourteen to sixteen years. Like many other pure breeds they suffer from a few genetically-linked disorders. These include liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( blots on the retina). It is recommended only to buy 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 was bred from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Havana by traders and settlers. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Internationally the Havanese is a new breed, taking off in the seventies from only eleven dogs in the US. 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 should be considered.

New! We've just starting a message board and discussion forum over on the Toxic Byte Pets Forum. It's a bit lonely over there at the moment, but feel free to join in and participate!

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