Once an endangered breed, the Havanese has been carefully preserved by a group of dedicated breeders who are taken by the dog’s gentle and friendly nature. The Havanese puppy is a cheerful dog that gets alone with almost everyone. Sensitive to the feelings of its owner, it responds to calm, clear commands. The Havanese is a quick learner and loves showing off, which has made it a popular circus dog over the years.

What a Havanese Looks LikeA rugged little dog, the Havanese has strong legs and a solid build. A Havanese puppy can grow to 11 inches in height and gain up to 13 pounds. It has a long, silky coat that can grow to 6-8 inches in length. Its eyes and tail are covered in hair as well, hair that can be curly or wavy. There is also the possibility that a Havanese can have short hair if the two adults carry the recessive short hair gene. The hair comes in several colors including white, cream, gold, silver and black. In terms of body, the Havanese puppy has a springy step that is accented by its bouncing tail, which is carried over its back. It has a solid body and is far from the stereotype of a fragile little dog.

How a Havanese BehavesHavaneses are natural-born companions that are responsive to the emotions of their owners. They respond to the tone of their master’s voice, which means the owner must be firm yet calm when issuing a command. The Havanese puppy is playful and affectionate and attached to its family quickly. Their agreeable personality means they get along with almost everyone and every pet. They are excellent with small children. They have a great deal of intelligence that means they can be trained relatively easily and enjoy performing for its owners. The Havanese does not bark very much, but for those that do, they can be trained to restrict their barking.

What a Havanese Does BestThe Havanese has a long and interesting history. It belongs to the Bichon family of dogs and the Bichon Havanese originated in Cuba, where it was bred from the Blanquito de la Habana (the now-extinct Havanese Silk Dog) and French and German Poodles. The Bichon Havanese was a favorite dog of Cuban aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thanks to various revolutions in Cuba, France and Russia, the Havanese was almost rendered extinct. But in the 1960s and 1970s, when many Cubans began migrating to the U.S., the few Havanese that were left was introduced to these shores. A U.S. breeder in Florida was able to locate several families who had emigrated from Cuba that owned Havanese and found several more males from families in Costa Rica. The line of Havanese began appearing in 1974. A few years later, breeders in Germany began find Havanese puppies with short hair in the litters of regular Havanese. These recessive gene Havanese were dubbed Smooth-Coated Havanese or Shavanese.

The Best Environment for a HavaneseHavanese are well suited for life inside an apartment. They can find enough action inside to suit their exercise needs. In fact, the Havanese is an indoor-dwelling pet that was bred to enjoy life inside. But they still enjoy a daily walk and a run in the park is OK as well. Havanese are not excessive barkers, but the ones that do bark can be trained to restrict it. When grooming a Havanese, its coat can be clipped short to minimize the need for constant care. If the coat is long, it should be brushed and combed several times a week. Also, there is a special lotion that is available at groomers to prevent the hair from splitting. Havanese puppies shed very little which means loose hair has to be brushed away. A Havanese’s ears should be cleaned regularly as well, since dirt in the ears may give it an ear infection. The brushing of the teeth should be done on a regular basis as well, and owners should start the process on a Havanese puppy. While the Havanese is a minimal shedder and is hypoallergenic, the shorthaired Havanese, or Shavanese, is not hypoallergenic.

The Havanese has been brought back from the brink of extinction by careful breeding and become a favorite house and apartment dog for many pet lovers. It has a playful nature is a born performer. The Havanese gets along well with almost all people and pets. Its long, silky coat requires a bit of care, but gives it the tousled, carefree appearance for which the Havanese is famous.

HavaneseBreederNetwork.com: All About the Havanese