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Havanese
The Havanese is a small companion breed that makes a good family pet. They require regular grooming but can be clipped for ease in coat maintenance.
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Breed Facts
Finding a Havanese
Physical Characteristics
- Small and sturdy
- Double coat, hair is light in texture, profuse without being harsh or woolly
- Tapered ears covered in hair
- Eye rims, nose and lips are solid black
- Coats can be cream, gold, white, silver, blue and black
- Height: 8.5-11.5 inches
- Weight: 7-13 pounds
- Average lifespan: 14-15 years
Temperament
- Cheerful, curious, sociable, affectionate, gentle, responsive, very smart, playful
- Interaction with people: Excellent with children; good companion dogs. Become very attached to their human families
- Interaction with animals: Good with other dogs and pets
- Training: Easily trained
- Protection: Good watchdogs
Medical Conditions
- Deafness
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Patellar luxation
While the listed ailments may be common in this breed, not all members of the breed suffer from these conditions. Responsible breeders screen for orthopedic and genetic diseases.
At Home
- OK for apartments
Grooming
- Nonshedder; hypoallergenic
- Remove dead hair by brushing
- Coats can be clipped short for easier care
- Long coats need thorough brushing and combing twice a week
- Clip excess hair from between pads of feet
- Teeth need weekly brushing; this habit should be started early
Other Facts
- National dog of Cuba; country's only native breed
- Once called the Havana Silk Dog or Spanish Silk Poodle
- Coat looks warm; however, it insulates from the sun
- Popular in the mid-18th century; celebrities such as Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens owned one
- Repudiated as circus dogs because of its ability to learn quickly and its desire to please people
- Likes to sit in elevated places and observe the activity around them
- Brought to the U.S. in the 1960s by Cuban immigrants to Florida
Breed History
- Native to Cuba, descended from the breed Blanquito de la Habana
- Now rare in its native land
- Almost driven extinct following the French, Russian and Cuban revolutions
- Popular pets to the Cuban aristocracy during the 18th and 19th centuries
- Breeding of Havanese in the U.S. began in the 1970s
For more information about this breed and breeder referral contacts, please visit the Havanese Club of America For breed rescue opportunities, visit HCA Rescue
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