Havanese
The havanese is Cuba's national dog, descended from bichon-type dogs brought by Spanish settlers and developed on the island into a small companion for the colonial gentry.
The breed survived in the United States through a handful of dogs brought out after the 1959 revolution.
It is a small, sturdy toy with a long silky double coat that is meant to be light and airy rather than heavy, and a springy, distinctive gait. Havanese are sociable, trainable and cheerful — historically circus performers as well as lapdogs — and they are extremely attached to their people, which is both the appeal and the caveat.
- Origin
- Cuba
- Size
- 3–6 kg, 22–29 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 14–16 years
- Coat
- Long, silky double coat; low shedding
- Temperament
- Cheerful, sociable, trainable, people-dependent
- Exercise
- 30–60 minutes daily
3 havanese photos, newest first
Living with a havanese
The coat sheds very little and mats accordingly — brush through to the skin several times a week, or keep it in a puppy clip, which many owners sensibly do.
They are prone to separation anxiety and are not a breed for a house that is empty all day.
Watch for luxating patellae, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy, several of which have screening. Chondrodysplasia and deafness appear in some lines. Small mouths need real dental care — brush the teeth.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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