At first glance, the Havanese with its silky soft fur and hair clip over its eyes looks like a somewhat boring sofa dog. At second glance, however, it reveals a robust small dog that enchants with its clever, playful and watchful nature. Long walks, exciting play sessions and smart dog training challenge the Cuban in a species-appropriate way. Havanese love their couch but are not couch potatoes!

Havanese: Temperament from Cuba in fuzzy format

The only recognized dog breed from Cuba does not actually come from the Caribbean island: The Havanese has its origins in the western Mediterranean and officially belongs to the group of Bichons. To this day, there is disagreement as to whether the Bolognese, the Maltese or the now extinct Bichon Teneriffe was the ancestor of the Havanese. But perhaps there was even a Cuban dog breed called Blanquito de la Habana in Cuba in the 16th century, which was later crossed with poodles.

In any case, one thing is certain: The Havanese would no longer be here today if lovers of the breed had not smuggled some breeding animals from the sugar island in time. For a long time, instead of Cuba, breeding took place mainly in the USA. Today, the small dog breed is widespread worldwide.

The character of the Havanese

The Havanese brings with him a firmly anchored enthusiasm for his humans. He has a cheerful, friendly and affectionate nature, cuddling is an elixir of life for the little fuzzy dog. He is also considered bright, fond of children and curious. He is therefore well suited as a family dog.
The little furworms are also intelligent and quite skillful, so it is quite possible to teach them little tricks or dog tricks.

Many dogs of this breed do not like to stay alone: Persistent barking, uncleanliness and chewed objects can be the result if you do not train staying alone in very small steps with your Havanese.

Havanese: height and weight

Havanese are comparatively handy dogs. Measured by shoulder height, they reach a size of up to 27 centimeters and weigh between 3.5 and six kilograms. If you have trained your Havanese well, this small dog can accompany you practically anywhere – whether to the office, on trips or – if allowed – to the restaurant. Their small size also makes walks uncomplicated, so that even a child accompanied by an adult can lead the Havanese without any problems.

Life expectancy: How old do Havanese get?

With good care, age-appropriate exercise and appropriate feeding, Havanese usually live up to 16 years.When it comes to nutrition, pay special attention to the slim figure of the fluffy dwarfs: They tend to be overweight if they are fed too well and not exercised enough.

ProfileHavanese

Is a Havanese a quiet dog?

Havanese are very active, intelligent dogs that want to be challenged physically and mentally. They are alert and report visitors reliably. Therefore, this small agile dog cannot necessarily be described as calm. Here it is important to challenge and exercise the little four-legged friend according to his nature. Agility and dog dancing are well suited for Havanese. In addition to the daily rounds in the fresh air, the Havanese also needs a lot of attention at home so that he is balanced.

Bad qualities: Are Havanese “yappers”?

One of the few bad characteristics of the Havanese is a certain joy of barking, which – if there is no appropriate education – can also degenerate into yapping. In the case of noisy apartment buildings or a bored Havanese, vigilance can take on strenuous proportions. The attentive dogs hear and report everything, including a visit to the neighbor across the street. Their barking sometimes leads to discussions. To avoid this, it makes sense to counteract this at an early stage with appropriate training. For Havanese puppies, a visit to a puppy school is recommended from the beginning.

Havanese temperament: Is the dog breed prone to aggression?

Aggressiveness is far from the sympathetic Havanese – on the contrary: they tend to suggest a game when uncertain. This behavior, known as “fiddling”, is a skipping action and does not show real enthusiasm for the game. Here it is up to you to spare the little dog unpleasant encounters.

Havanese have a watchful instinct, but hardly any hunting or protective instinct. In some breeding lines, however, the dwarfs show herding characteristics. Since this must be taken into account when training, it is best to talk to your breeder about it before buying.

Are Havanese suitable for beginners?

In principle, the friendly and cheerful Havanese are also suitable for beginners. As with any dog, it is important not to leave the training of the Havanese to itself. Although dogs of this breed are almost never aggressive, this trait alone does not promise good behavior. As small and cute as the Havanese may be, it needs a clear, consistent upbringing. However, special strictness or even toughness is not necessary. With straightforwardness and positive reinforcement, the Havanese temperament can usually be steered well. Otherwise, these clever dogs will take advantage of any carelessness and shape their world as they like it. This also applies to the recall when going for a walk. It is better to use a tow line at the beginning so that the curious Havanese does not go on adventures alone and set his ears to draught.

As a first-time dog owner, you should familiarize yourself well with the characteristics of the Havanese before buying and then it is best to visit a dog school to have the training professionally accompanied. There you will learn how to control the barking, how to manage foreign dog encounters correctly and how to build up the training to stay alone.

Who is a Havanese suitable for?

Havanese are basically suitable for almost everyone, from young to old, for families or people who live alone. The prerequisite for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence with a Havanese is the willingness of its human to pay enough attention to it. Because the Havanese likes to be the center of attention: docile and always eager to please his humans, the little nerd is always ready to learn something new. Thus, the Havanese is suitable for anyone who likes to share fun and games with their four-legged friend.

Whether basic commands or dog tricks – the main thing is that there is a lot of praise!

Havanese have little undercoat in their coat – this may make them more tolerable for allergy sufferers than other dog breeds. In principle, however, it is advisable to clarify with a doctor beforehand whether it is possible to keep a Havanese if you have existing allergies.

What are Havanese particularly good at?

Havanese are particularly good at tasks that combine movement and mental work. Dog dancing, i.e. dancing with the dog, search games and dummy work are great fun for them. In the mini class of agility, Havanese shine with their joy of movement and their talent for quick reactions. Dogs of this breed are also very talented in learning tricks (trick dogging). It is not for nothing that Havanese are sometimes found as circus dogs.

How much exercise does a Havanese need?

Although a Havanese is not a high-performance athlete, this dog needs a good mix of physical and mental challenge so that it lives in harmony with its humans. At least one long walk a day should complement the short walks. A Havanese is also an enthusiastic companion when hiking. A Havanese also runs shorter distances at a moderate pace next to the bike – but if you are traveling by bike, you should not overwhelm this dog and plan regular breaks. Due to its small size and light weight, it is also happy to accompany you in the bicycle basket. The Havanese has a handy format, so it is also suitable for keeping in a small city apartment.

How long can you leave a Havanese alone?

A Havanese does not like to be left alone in the apartment at all. Like most dogs, being alone as a pack animal is alien to him. For example, if you leave your dog alone for several hours a day due to work, you have to expect destroyed furniture or the like. Since being alone also means stress for the Havanese, neither man nor dog will be happy in this situation. But that doesn’t mean that you can never leave a Havanese alone. With appropriately guided training, it should be possible for a Havanese to stay alone for a short time without getting up to mischief.

Pflege des Havanesers

You should not underestimate the amount of care required for the Havanese: It is best to brush the silky coat daily. Because the Havanese’s coat grows rapidly, unpleasant knots quickly develop. They are mainly located behind the elbows and around the ears: You should check these as well as eyes, teeth and claws in the course of daily grooming.

Although Havanese are also available as shorthair variants, these do not correspond to the breed standard. Shorthaired Havanese are rarely seen so far.

Depending on the season, the route and the amount of dirt, it is necessary to wash the silky fur of the Havanese. Due to its origin from the Caribbean, the little fuzzy is perfectly adapted to high temperatures and also copes well with hot summer weather. In winter, on the other hand, many “Havis” tend to freeze quickly despite their apparently thick fur. A species-appropriate, well-fitting and warm winter coat is therefore indispensable for Havanese in wet and cold weather.

Special features and health: What are the Havanese diseases?

The Havanese is considered a fairly robust dog breed in terms of health. However, as with many breeds, there are diseases that occur more frequently in the Havanese. These include certain eye diseases, such as retinal dysplasia (RD), a retinal disease, and cataracts. In addition, heart and liver diseases as well as dislocation of the kneecap (patellar luxation) are more common. By breeding selection with the help of health tests, you can reduce the risk of disease in the Havanese puppies. It is therefore important to pay attention to the breeding requirements when choosing a breeder. Breeders who are affiliated with the VDH – Association for the German Canine Society – must have their breeding animals tested for these diseases.

How much does a Havanese cost?

A Havanese usually costs between 1,000 and 1,500 euros. However, the price can vary from breeder to breeder. If you want to buy a Havanese, however, don’t pay so much attention to the price, but above all to its origin from a reputable Havanese breeder.

Buying a Havanese: What you should consider

If you want to buy a Havenese, attach importance to a conscientious breeder.

For example, he will answer all the important questions about the breed and its breeding. The fact that he shows you the parents together with the puppies is a matter of course for a trustworthy Havanese breeder. The same applies to the veterinary care of his dogs, including the recommended vaccinations and parasite treatment.

Maybe it doesn’t have to be a purebred Havanese for you? Then maybe a Havanese-Maltese mix is also an option. Since both dog breeds are similar both visually and in character, the mixed breeds are also very close to the purebred Havanese. Under certain circumstances, they can be a little smaller. A Havanese-Poodle mix is also a popular Havanese mix. By crossing with a Poodle, this Havanese mix, also known as Havapoo, has the advantage that the dogs shed less.

Another option is to look for a Havanese in an animal shelter or to have a Havanese in need placed through an organization. Sometimes older Havanese have to be handed over here because their owners can no longer take care of them. Considering that Havanese have an average life expectancy of 16 years, you can also enjoy an older Havanese looking for a new home for a long time..

You might also like these other small dog breeds:

• Russkiy Toy: The Russkiy Toy is a pretty, somewhat deer pinscher-like small dog and a companion full of character. The Russkiy Toy is an excellent choice for dog owners who want a friendly and clever four-legged friend in a “handy” format.
• Maltese: Anyone who has ever looked into the black, loyal button eyes of a Maltese is hooked. The lively, small companion dog playfully wraps animal-loving people around his finger with his cheerful and lively nature.
• Prague Rattler: Once highly valued as a hard-working rat hunter and exclusive companion of Bohemian kings and nobles, the Prague Rattler is now a popular companion dog. The tiny creature impresses with its self-confidence and loves the closeness of its humans.
• Pug: “A life without a pug is possible. But pointless,” said Loriot. With good reason: The pug is a lively charmer and loyal companion, yet loving and affectionate. You can’t resist his crumpled face and his big eyes.
• Maltipoo: The Maltipoo combines the kindness of the Maltese with the intelligence of the poodle. The mixture results in an attentive, cheerful and playful family dog that is easy to train and lead in everyday life.
• Chihuahua: Small, but mighty! The Mexican Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world. The size of the Chihuahua is between 15 and 35 centimeters shoulder height. With a maximum of three kilos, the weight of the Chihuahua is also handy.