Havanese are the historic lapdogs of Cuba’s wealthiest. With a spring in their step and a mischievous gleam in their eye, this spirited companion will jump into any adventure by your side. Given their history, they grow extremely attached to their owners. This breed is great with young children, elderly folks, and small apartment dwellers. A distinctive feature of the breed is their silky, luscious coat.
The Havanese is a small, long-haired dog that may be white, black, sable, gray, or a combination of these colors.
Havanese are sweet and lovable, and pretty eager to please. They may be easily trained, picking up tricks quickly. Housetraining and separation anxiety are points of pain for many Havanese owners, but with patience and consistency, you can raise a well-adjusted adult.
This dog breed is highly adaptable. They are well-known as a favorite of apartment city-dwellers, but will also adapt well to larger homes with space to roam. They do well in many climates. As a native breed to Cuba, their coat acts as insulation and also as a barrier against the sun to help prevent overheating. However, you will still want to keep an eye on them in the heat. Due to their smaller size, they may need to layer up in climates with colder winters, but are able to adapt. Because they are social companions, they do not like to spend a lot of time alone.
With a lifespan of 12-15 years, Havanese are pretty healthy. Like all breeds, however, they may be susceptible to certain diseases. For the Havanese, these include deafness, eye disorders, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, heart murmurs, patellar luxation, and chondrodysplasia. Small dogs are also more prone to dental disease, so brushing their teeth frequently is important.
This dog breed is highly intelligent. Since they love attention and being around people, they are also eager to please. These traits make them highly trainable and a good fit for owners of experience level, as long as only positive training methods are used. Because they are so in-tune with people and eager to please, they are also very sensitive. They’ll take any harsh scolding or tones personally and could become withdrawn. They respond best to gentle training methods with plenty of patience and positivity.
The Havanese has a long, silky coat that can be kept long or clipped short to be more manageable. Frequent brushing and occasional professional grooming is important to keep their coat nice. You will also want to clean the corners of their eyes every day to prevent tear stains on their light-colored fur.
In addition to coat care, their nails, ears, and teeth need to be groomed as well. Because their ears cover the ear canal, moisture can cause infections and hearing loss, so keep their ears clean and dry. Their nails should be trimmed monthly and their teeth brushed daily to prevent decay.
The Havanese has a moderate energy level, so they don’t require a lot of daily activity to stay happy and healthy. A walk and some play time are great daily practices.
Havanese are small dogs, generally weighing 7-13 pounds and standing at a height of 8-11 inches at their shoulder.
This dog breed will generally live 14-16 years.
The Havanese is the only dog breed that is native to Cuba. Also, Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, and Ernest Hemingway both owned a Havanese.
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