Havanese

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10-15 lbs
8-11"
Cuba
Free Dog Walk * Free Dog Walk *
Havana Silk Dog, White Cuban, Havana Spaniel, Spanish Silk Poodle, Bichon Havanais, Bichon Habanero

The Havanese is growing in popularity as a great family pet. He is a happy dog who loves children, other dogs and even cats. The Havanese is relatively easy to train because he just wants to please his family. He is not an overly vocal dog which is surprising since he is a toy breed. He does not like to be alone for long periods of time and can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone too long. The Havanese is a high maintenance dog and requires daily grooming to keep his coat silky smooth. He does not shed much but is also not hypoallergenic.
Purpose
lapdog
Date of Origin
1700s
Ancestry
bichon tenerife, blanquito de le habana

Havanese Health

Sketch of Havanese
Average Size
Male Havanese size stats
Height: 8-11 inches Weight: 10-15 lbs
Female Havanese size stats
Height: 8-11 inches Weight: 10-15 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Deafness
  • Cherry Eye
  • Cataracts
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
  • Portosystemic Shunt
  • Heart Murmur
Minor Concerns
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Chondrodysplasia (Chd)
Occasional Tests
  • Eye
  • Hip
  • Hearing
  • Heart
  • Liver Ultrasound
  • X-Rays
  • Eye Examination

Havanese Breed History

The Havanese was named after Cuba’s capital city, Havana. He is a member of the Bichon family which also includes the Coton de Tulear, Bichon Frise and the Bolognese. The Bichon breeds are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean and then were taken to various parts of the world as people migrated. It is suggested that the Havanese were brought to Cuba by Spanish settlers sometime during the 18th century. Historians think that the Havanese developed from two breeds, both of which are now extinct. The Bichon Tenerife and the Blanquito de le Habana were small dogs with long, silky hair similar to the Havanese. There are ship manifests from Tenerife that were bound for Cuba that list small dogs brought aboard by passengers. A few Havaneses made their way into the United States around 1959 when the Cuban Revolution occurred. Refugees brought these little dogs with them into the United States. In 1979 the Havanese Club of America formed with just nine members. Today, there are about 400 members. In 1996, the American Kennel Club officially recognized the Havanese as a member of the Toy Group. These little dogs are becoming more and more popular. They are currently ranked number 31 in popularity among all the AKC recognized breeds. While the Havanese is a pretty adaptable dog, they thrive in warmer climates such as in the southern United States. They do not do well in cold climates and need to be monitored closely when exposed to colder weather.

Havanese Breed Appearance

The Havanese has a long coat that is silky to the touch. It should be soft and light in texture. They do have an outer coat and an undercoat. The outer coat should carry slightly more weight than the undercoat. His coat needs to be long and wavy. The Havanese should not have a straight coat, it needs to have a slight wave to it. However, a frizzy, curly or wiry coat is not desirable. The coat should look fluffy but also flow easily with movement. The ideal coat will allow for the natural lines of his body to be seen, not covered up. Puppies will have a softer texture to their coat and it will be shorter. The Havanese can come in any color but the most common colors include black, white, fawn, mahogany, tobacco and Havana brown. Patterns or parti colors are also acceptable in the Havanese. Some Havanese will have different colored skin and that is also acceptable.
Appearance of Havanese
Eye Color Possibilities
brown Havanese eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Havanese nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
black Havanese coat
Black
brown Havanese coat
Brown
red Havanese coat
Red
cream Havanese coat
Cream
fawn Havanese coat
Fawn
blue Havanese coat
Blue
silver Havanese coat
Silver
sable Havanese coat
Sable
brindle Havanese coat
Brindle
Coat Length
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
Havanese wavy coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Havanese Breed Maintenance

The Havanese is a high maintenance dog and does require daily grooming if kept in full coat. When he is in full coat, his hair can grow to eight inches in length. If he has a full coat, then he will need to be brushed daily and also have weekly baths. If his coat is cut into a puppy cut, or cut short, then he will need to be clipped every six to eight weeks. He will also need a bath every two weeks instead of every week. Puppy cuts still require that he be brushed several times each week. The Havanese has a coat that will naturally cord or it can also be trained to cord. This look is great for those who do not want to constantly brush their Havanese. When the coat is allowed to cord, or mat into ringlets, it does not require brushing. The corded coat does require weekly bathing to keep them from smelling and to remove any debris and dirt that is being collected.
Brushes for Havanese
Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Dematter
Comb
Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
Havanese requires daily brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Havanese Temperament

The Havanese is a very happy and fun loving dog. He loves his family and easily adapts to your schedule and lifestyle. He can be mischievous and will make his own fun if not given enough toys and attention. While not an overly barky dog, he will sound the alarm when visitors approach their home. The Havanese does not like to be alone, therefore, when you have to leave him be sure to have plenty of toys for him to occupy his time. He can be destructive if not given proper training and plenty of toys. Even though he is a small dog, training is still essential. He is too smart for his own good and will try to get away with developing bad behavior. The Havanese loves children and other dogs. He learns quickly and was a featured dog in many circuses. He loves to be told that he is good and thrives when praised for his efforts.

Havanese Activity Requirements
Activity Level
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
7 miles
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes

Similar Maintenance Breeds to Havanese

Similarly Sized Breeds to Havanese

Havanese Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
1.2 cups
Daily Cost
$1 - $1.3
Monthly Cost
$30 - $37.5

Havanese Height & Weight

6 Months
Sketch of Havanese at six months
Male Havanese size stats at six months
Height: 7 inches Weight: 6 lbs
Female Havanese size stats at six months
Height: 7 inches Weight: 6 lbs
12 Months
Sketch of Havanese at 12 months
Male Havanese size stats at 12 months
Height: 9 inches Weight: 9 lbs
Female Havanese size stats at 12 months
Height: 9 inches Weight: 9 lbs
18 Months
Sketch of Havanese at 18 months
Male Havanese size stats at 18 months
Height: 12 inches Weight: 12 lbs
Female Havanese size stats at 18 months
Height: 12 inches Weight: 12 lbs

Top Havanese Breeders

Check out who made our list for the most reputable Havanese breeders of 2018.
Top Havanese breeder Forever Poodles and Honor Havanese
Forever Poodles and Honor Havanese
Summerfield, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Havacasa Havanese
Havacasa Havanese
Gilbert, Arizona
Top Havanese breeder Yuppy Puppy Havanese
Yuppy Puppy Havanese
Fort Pierce, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Jangle Havanese
Jangle Havanese
Lehigh Acres, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Key Kats Havanese
Key Kats Havanese
Altoona, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Dreamworks Havanese
Dreamworks Havanese
Sunnyside, Washington
Top Havanese breeder Coco Cabana Havanese
Coco Cabana Havanese
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Lordocs Kennel
Lordocs Kennel
Punta Gorda, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Hola Havanese
Hola Havanese
Lecanto, Florida
Top Havanese breeder Wild Rose Havanese
Wild Rose Havanese
Lewisville, Texas

Havanese Owner Experiences

Chica
13 Weeks
1 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
I like to sit and talk to her
22 hours ago
Bo
18 Weeks
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Loving, well behaved, easy to train, extremely playful, eager to please, highly social with humans and dogs. Best dog I’ve ever owned.
2 weeks ago
Charlie
4 Years
2 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fun, loving, very smart
4 weeks, 1 day ago
Bronte
2 Years
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tricks
Walk
Hiking
This is my second havanese. They are super friendly and just want to be with you all the time. They both love to show off their tricks whether it be jumping through a hula hoop, rolling over or climbing on balance beams. They need lots of attention when it comes to grooming but it's well worth it for the love and joy this little companion will bring.
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Bessie Ann
3 Years
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
She love to run and chase the birds
2 months, 1 week ago
Bentley
5 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Napping
Watching movies
taking walks
Playing fetch
Bentley makes my days so much better. He is a great listener and he loves people. He rarely ever shows signs of aggression and he loves to cuddle. One thing these websites won't tell you is that these dogs have a big appetite. If you keep feeding, they keep eating so its easy for them to get overweight.this breed of dog is perfect
2 months, 2 weeks ago
Benji
1 Year
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Absolutely the best dog ever. Extremely intelligent, eager to please. Has a nose that's amazing. He sniffs out his treats and we play hide and seek with them. He never fails to find them. Loves taking me for our daily walk. He walks at a quick pace and regularly looks back for me telling me to come on... he's brought such joy to our household. Gets very vocal when he wants to go out to potty.
3 months ago
Gizmo
6 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tug-of-war
Therapy Training
She is a very sweet girl. Loves everyone and our cats. By our side, always. Sad thing is at 4 years she became sick. Ends up she developed an autoimune problem. Had encephilitis and menengitis. Had to be on a chemo drug and prendisone for 6 months. She is in remission now at 2 years. But, the prendisone caused Diabeties. Now she gets 2 shots a day. And then, diabetis caused cateracts and as of 3 weeks ago she is totally blind. She is going for eye tests to see if her retnias are not the problem. If not, she will get cateract surgery. And before ALL of this her knees went bad and teeth needed pulled. I never thought a dog so young, could have so many problems. So at 12,000 in Vet bills we are facing another 3,0000 if her eyes get done. Never in my life would I think this could happen to one dog. Would I ever get this breed of dog again ? I think NOT.
4 months ago
Los Sombra's L'il Candy Kisses aka Lola
8 Years
1 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Lola is an absolute delight ! She has won the hearts of diehard big dog owners with her love for adventures. She's alone all day while I'm at work and does just fine. She has 2 cats that she's best friends with, and they play together with great enthusiasm... total hooligans ! I cannot say enough good things about the breed and highly recommend the breed to anyone
4 months, 1 week ago
Princess
3 Years
4 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing in the snow
Going on drives
Walks.
Walks
Play
Yoga
Walk
Go to Park
Shes good and loves to be by my side
4 months, 3 weeks ago
5 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
I have walked this breed on multiple occasions. These dogs are always a happy go luck dog, with a great attitude. They are small and have a lot of hair. If well-groomed the hair is not an issue, but if not it can cause messy bowel movements. Always try to have some wipes when I walk this breed, just in case. They love to walk and are very submissive to your pace and route. They are curious and all the dogs I have walked have been male, so they do love to mark as you go. Even when marking their desire to be with you and their size make it so easy to redirect them that even the marking does not take away from the walk. They are a great dog to walk and are easy to train. Ask the owner if they have been trained to be on one side or the other. I have many that will only walk on the left, and the owners state they trained the dog themselves to do this. Easy walker.
5 months, 3 weeks ago
10 Months
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
sniff
Walk
Tug-of-war
Play
Every Havanese I’ve ever met has been so friendly and caring! This 10 month old pupper was no exception. She loved to play! We practically spent 10 minutes in the apartment playing before heading out on the walk. Throughout the walk she loved to sniff all the smells of the city, and was so excited to be outside she ran to the next spot. Havanese usually have lots of energy, but also like to relax and cuddle on the couch. I believe Havanese are a great family breed because of this; they are very loyal to family, love to play with kids, and will relax with mom and dad on the couch. The Havanese are a very fun breed, and with little upkeep they are an amazing addition to any family!
5 months, 4 weeks ago
6 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Chasing, running, sniffing
He was a bit stubborn and timid. He barked white a bit when we first met, but once outside was excited to explore. Really easy to wall, just wanted to sniff around.
6 months ago
5 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Groom
sit on lap
Go to Park
Fetch
They are definitely lap dogs. The ones I have experience with are very sweet but do have lots of energy and love jumping around. They get very excited to be outside and can sometimes be loud and bark a lot. They are mostly sweet and love their owners.
6 months ago
4 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing
Cuddling
The dogs I've walked have all been very affectionate. They love attention. They would rather cuddle than walk outside for a long time.
6 months ago
2 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
The one I walked was a havanese mix. Oh my goodness his energy was incredible. He was only 2 so as you can imagine everything excited him! It was so cute, when we were on the walk sometimes he would jump and walk to on two legs trying to run, so we would do wind sprints to help get some of his energy out. He was also a little jumper when putting on his leash so I had to get down and pet him to distract him. What a sweet dog though, so happy, so excited about life, loved to jump and play. What a great dog whose energy is contagious. He also tried to eat stuff along the way, so had to keep an eye out. Lovely dog!
6 months ago
3 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Play
Eating Snacks
Walk
Explore the city
He was the most friendliest, most sweetest dog ever! He did not cause any trouble during his boarding. On the contrary, he was super cuddly and he always listened to anything that was told to him; like “sit, don’t!, or yes and no.” He loved to go on walks and he never had any accidents occur in my home. He did super well during car drives. I sat in the backseat with him and laid out a blanket for him to lay on, but he preferred to snuggle against my arms instead. Super cute! He ate at least twice a day and did of course enjoy his occasional snacks. He did not really stare when I was eating my own food, which is a bonus. Overall, one of the most wonderful pups I have boarded.
6 months ago
4 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Eating Snacks
Fetch
Havanese are wonderful and so obedient! I absolutely have adored all of the Havanese I have walked. In general they have been friendly with other dogs, sweet to me, and well behaved. They have all "sat" on command and known other tricks as well. Their coat is long and requires grooming but is hypoallergenic!
6 months ago
3 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
The Havanese bread is an extremely friendly and welcoming dog. This dog had a high stamina and was able to keep up at a fast pass for over thirty minutes. This dog was intelligent. It knew multiple commands. This dog also seeks lots of attention.
6 months ago
3 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Very fun and cuddly lap dog. Super cute and always was super excited to see me. Loved to go on walks and just happy to have someone to hang out and play with. Pretty good walker too. Kept a nice pace and didn't pull.
6 months ago
2 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
petting
Walking
The Havanese that I have walked have been such happy and high energy dogs. They are so loving and excited when I get there for the walk. They like to stay at a quick speed and are very friendly with other dogs and people. They do like to run if you are willing to do so and the owner is okay with it, as they have alot of energy for a smaller sized dog.
6 months ago
19 Weeks
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
The Havanese is a toy dog.[1] It is smart and can be easily trained. It is best to train this dog at a young age, because some habits will stick as they become older. However, training these dogs while they are older is still possible. Like many toy breeds, the Havanese can be difficult to housebreak. However, Havanese can be trained to use a litter box, which can greatly reduce issues with housebreaking. This breed is very smart and can be house trained faster than most toy dogs. The Havanese get very attached and are very loyal to their owners, and often attach to one person which they will closely follow. As a result, the Havanese does not do well in a household where it will be left alone all day. Although the Havanese is an active and lively dog, they are small enough that many of their exercise needs can be met in a house or yard, and therefore they do not require as much vigorous exercise as other breeds may. However, exercise is still necessary for this breed to be happy and healthy.[1]
6 months ago
3 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walk
She was sweet. It liked walking but only for a certain amount of time. SHe defintely was a home body!
6 months ago
Blaze
3 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tug-of-war
Play keep away
Catch treats
Learn a new trick
Look out the window
Explore the woods
Boat ride
Bike ride
Laying in the sun
Dressing up
Eating Snacks
Dog Parks
Explore the city
Brushing
Speak
Heel
High Five
Fetch
Chase
Play
Frisbee
Run
Walk
Go on Vacation
Go to Beach
Awesome, they are the best dogs ever
7 months ago
Disco
6 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Dressing up
Shopping
Eating Snacks
Dog Parks
Shake
High Five
Fetch
Chase
Play
Go to Park
Tug-of-war
Learn a new trick
Look out the window
Run
Walk
Go on Vacation
Bike ride
Awesome they are the best dogs ever
7 months ago
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