Havanese – a Superb Dog.
The Havanese is one of the Bichon type breeds, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a playful small dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They love to have attention and will do many things to attract it. This need for notice means they are not the choice for a busy working couple. They will often follow owners around the apartment, however they are not possessive of their “friends”, so are great with other dogs, pets and other animals. They often like to eat with someone in the room, so stay there when they are eating, otherwise they may take their food with them and eat it as they walk, which can be messy. They are a “real dog”, playing games such as football with all their strength. Like many toy dogs, they do not require long walks, but they do love attention. Professional Dog Walkers such as London Dog Walking, if doing grouped walks will pair them with similar dogs, rather than big energetic dogs.
For dog care they are straightforward. They do not shed much, so whilst not strictly non-allegenic, they may be suitable for a family with an allergic member.
The Havanese has a slight wavy double coat, which is soft and light, with a heavier undercoat.
The Havanese should be brushed every day, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If not a show dog, you can have the coat cut. Whilst they have a good coat, it is a coat to keep the hot sun off the body, not warmth inside, so in some areas you may need to buy sweaters for them.
It is advisable to dry them after a bath with towels, rather than a hair drier, which can make their skin too dry and prone to infections. It is a breed that the kennel clubs, prefer and dictate a natural look, avoiding the bows and preferring the hair over the eyes, that protected their eyes from the Cuban sun.
They now come in many different colours and patterns, but were originally white.
They have a sturdy look compared to other toy dog breeds. The Havanese weight ranges from 4-6 Kgs ( around twelve lbs). Its height measured at the withers is around 250mm( 9-11 inches). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.
The Havanese move with an agile springy gait. The Havanese are good swimmers, but many of them do not like swimming, but be prudent when near water if there is something for them to chase.
They have almond eyes, with medium sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are disposed to ear infections, so regularly check their ears and clean them. Sometimes they may require their inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail sweeps over the back and is also well covered. They have very sensitive noses and are trained in some countries for search. They are easily trained so are often found in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.
They routinely live fourteen to sixteen years. The Havanese being breed from a limited gene pool suffer from some genetic diseases. These include liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( blots on the retina). It is recommended only to buy Havanese from parent dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese sometimes develop brown tear stains, this is more obvious on the lighter coloured dogs.
The dog was bred from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Cuba by original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a relatively recent breed, taking off in the seventies from only 10 animals in the US. They were common in Cuba, prior to the revolution, but suffered afterwards. It is now one of the fastest growing registrations in most country kennel clubs. For this reason it may be difficult to acquire one, so the best of luck on finding one.
A superb family dog that is well worth considering.
