A Brief History:
The Havanese (Habaneros in Spanish and also known as the Bichon Havanais) is a member of the Bichon family. The breed originated in the Western Mediterranean region and developed along the Spanish and Italian coastal regions. It is believed that the Havenese's ancestors were brought to Cuba aboard trade ships sailing from the island of Tenerife. The Havanese is the National Dog of Cuba and its only native breed.
By the mid-eighteenth century the breed was popular in Europe and type was well established. With the Cuban revolution, those Cubans who owned Havanese were among the first to leave the country and with that, a few dogs ended up in the United States. By the 1970s, the gene pool was being rebuilt and today, all Havanese, except those who remained in Cuba, stem from 11 immigrant dogs.
The Havanese's traditional role was that of a family companion, playmate, watchdog and herder of poultry.
For further reading on the history of the Havanese breed, see:
Breed Profile:
Today the Havanese is bred primarily as a family companion. He is a happy, outgoing, pleasant and affectionate little dog. He is also exceptionally bright and easily trained. He is very devoted to his family and loves children.
Even though the Havanese is classified as a Toy breed, he is not a tiny, fragile dog, but rather robust, muscular and very athletic with great stamina. Most Havanese take naturally to the water and love to swim. They also do very well in Agility.
In appearance, the Havanese has a unique lively, elegant, springy gait which gives the impression of agility. His expression is mischievous and intelligent with large, dark, almond-shaped eyes.
The Havanese's coat is non-shedding, long, soft and wispy with curls at the ends. He comes in white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver, chocolate, or any combination of these colours. The coat is profuse but extremely light and soft which was the reason for the breed's original names: Havana Silk Dog or Spanish Silk Poodle. Although the coat is very warm looking, it developed as a barrier from the tropical sun and overheating.
TOP
Health Issues:
The Havanese is a very healthy breed with a life expectancy of about 14 to 15 years. No breed is without health problems however, and the Havanese may be prone to:
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Cataracts — In the Havanese, cataracts can develop at any age, can cause blindness or grow slowly and never progress to blindness. Cataracts can appear in different locations within the lens as well as affect one or both eyes. The Havanese Club of America highly recommends annual eye examinations.
- Chondrodysplasia — Chondrodysplasia or CD, meaning faulty cartilage, can manifest in various ways. The most recognisable effect is "Dwarfism." A disorder of the bone which may result in premature closure of the growth plates. This can be either mild or moderate and not easily seen or it can be severe. In addition, while some dogs affected with CD may have straight short legs, others may have one or both legs bowed. Chondrodysplasia has many syndromes and Dwarfism is only one. Other abnormalities can include cataracts, as well as liver and heart defects. For more information on CD, see the Havanese Health Issues section of the Havanese Club of America website.
- Luxating Patellas
- Legg-Calve Perthes
- Heart Disease — Mitral Valve insufficiency has been confirmed in the Havanese breed.
- Deafness — Both bilateral (complete) and unilateral (partial) deafness has been found in the Havanese. At this time, the mode of inheritance is unknown.
It should also be noted that the Havanese may have a heightened sensitivity to certain Anesthetics and may require reduced levels. In addition to general anesthesia, some Havanese may be hypersensitive to pre-anesthetic sedatives. For further information on this important topic, please see: Anesthetic Reactions from the Havanese Fanciers of Canada.
If you are considering the adoption of a Havanese puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy's parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases. In order to qualify for the "Breeder Referral List" from the Havanese Club of America, "a breeder must provide proof of BAER-hearing, CERF-eyes, OFA-Hips and Patella’s." Many breeders also test for Liver Shunt and Cardiac issues. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the main Breed Listing and Breeders page.)
Health Resources:
TOP
Breed Standards:
TOP
Grooming:
Regular grooming is required to keep the Havanese' soft coat from matting.
- Grooming — See this section of the Canada's Guide to Dogs website for additional information, tips and articles on Grooming as well as listings of Groomers from across Canada.
TOP
Training Resources:
- Training — For information on training your Havanese, see this growing section of Canada's Guide to Dogs for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.
- Raising and Training — from the Havanese Fanciers of Canada
 |
Little Dogs - Training Your Pint-Sized Companion
by Deborah Wood
Contains all the information essential to the training success of both you and your little dog! Geared specifically toward small dogs 12" and under or 20 lbs. and under.
— Available from Dogwise.com.
|
| Note: Additional books specific to the Havanese breed are listed under the Havanese Books & Merchandise section. |
TOP
Additional Information:
- Have a Hav? Or Just Considering One? — A comprehensive Havanese FAQ to help you decide if a Hav might be the right dog for you and your family.
- Havanese ABC's — Excellent resource for information about the Havanese.
- Clubs, Sports & Activities — See this section of Canada's Guide to Dogs for information on various sports and activities as well as listings of non-breed specific clubs from across Canada. (Note: For Havanese specific clubs, see the Breed Clubs section.)
- Euro Bichons — Euro Bichons is Europe's only Multi-Bichons Breed Community - Bichons Frisé, Havanese, Bolognese, Lowchen, Maltese, Coton Du Tulear.
For a great selection of books, visit Amazon.com by selecting one of the links above, or see the Havanese Books section for even more books from Dogwise.com and Amazon.ca.
