Is the Havanese a Good Choice for the Family?
October 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty
The Havanese is a Bichon Group breed, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a lively 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 love for attention means they are not the choice for a busy working couple. They will often follow owners around the home, but are rarely overly possessive of their “ family”, 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 “ true 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 trainers such as London Dog Training love them, as they are so responsive to positive reinforcement.
For dog care they are relatively simple. One advantage of the Havanese is that they do not shed much. You may see on lists that they do not shed, this misleading as all hair follicles will have a cycle of growing and dying, shedding it hair, but this is variable and not often, so there is no strong cycle of hair shedding. The coat catches the hair and dander internally, so many people think it is non-allergenic, but they all release dander that can aggravate allergies. If you have an allergy sufferer in the house, have one to stay for a few days to check.
The Havanese have a slight wavy double coat, which is light and soft, with a denser undercoat.
The Havanese should ideally be brushed daily, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If not a show dog, you can have the fur 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.
When you bath them, dry with a towel and allow them to dry off naturally inside, as they are susceptible to skin problems if dried with a hair drier. It is a breed that for showing needs to keep a natural look, but for everyday looks and practicality may benefit from bows etc..
The original Harvanese were white, but now they occur in all types of coat colours and patterns.
The Havanese has a solid build relative to most toy dog breeds. The Havanese weight ranges from around 5 Kgs ( around twelve lbs). Its height measured at the withers is 220-290mm( roughly 10). The back raises from the withers to the rump which is unusual in dogs.
They move with an agile springy gait. Whilst they are relatively good swimmers, they generally shire away from water, but careful when near water if there is something for them to run after.
They have almond eyes, with medium sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are inclined to ear infections, so regularly check their ears and clean them. Sometimes they may need inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail sweeps over the back and is also well covered. They have a great sense of smell and are trained in some countries for search. The Havanese are easily trained so are often used in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.
The Havanese generally live fourteen to sixteen years. Like many other pure breeds they suffer from a few genetically-linked disorders. These include liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( streaks and dots on the retina). It is advisable only to acquire 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 Havana by traders and settlers. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a relatively recent breed, rapidly growing in the seventies from only 10 dogs in the states. Though they were common prior to the Cuban Revolution, they, like many trappings of aristocracy were culled. Rapid growth in popularity now makes it difficult to find a puppy.
A superb family dog that is well worth considering.
- No Comments »
- Posted in Pet Care



