Havanese

The Havanese is the Caribbean branch of the Bichon family and the sole national dog of Cuba (Perro Nacional de Cuba). Its ancestry begins in the 16th century, when Spanish colonists and Italian sailors brought the Mediterranean Bichon Tenerife to Cuba. Blended with local small dogs and later Poodle blood, three centuries of island isolation produced the puffy double coat that shields against Caribbean UV and humidity, plus the light, springy gait that defines the breed today. [1][3][5]

By the 19th century, Havanese had become sought-after pets in Cuban high society and European royalty - Queen Victoria and the Dickens family both kept them. [3][5] The 1959 Cuban Revolution nearly wiped out the type: many affluent families fleeing to the US had to leave their dogs behind, and the domestic population collapsed. In the 1970s, Dorothy and Bert Goodale of Florida acquired 11 original Havanese from Cuban exiles, and this founder group - the 'Goodale eleven' - is the base of nearly every AKC-registered Havanese today. [1][3][5]

The Havanese Club of America was founded in 1979; the AKC officially recognized the breed on March 1, 1996, placing it in the Toy Group. [1] The FCI recognized it earlier, in 1963, as the Bichon Havanais in Group 9, the Companion and Toy Dogs section. [3] Since 2000, US registrations have climbed steadily; in 2013 the breed first cracked the AKC top 25 most popular breeds and has stayed near the top of the Toy Group's growth chart. [1]

The current AKC standard (approved 2011) defines the Havanese as a small companion dog slightly longer than tall, with a soft, long coat. Ideal shoulder height is 8.5-11.5 in (21.5-29 cm), most desirable at 9-10.5 in; weight is 3.2-6.4 kg. Length-to-height ratio is roughly 5:4 - similar proportions to the Lhasa but visibly lighter. [6]

Gait is the breed's number-one identifier. The AKC standard uses the word 'springy' - a distinctive lift in the front and drive from the rear that produces a subtle vertical bounce as the dog moves. It comes from generations of island terrain: rocky, wet, uneven ground. This gait separates the Havanese from every other Bichon relative. [6]

Head: slightly rounded skull, medium muzzle, skull-to-muzzle ratio close to 1:1. Eyes are almond-shaped and dark brown, alert yet soft. Ears are medium, drop, feathered with silky hair. Bite is scissors. Tail curls up over the back or lays lightly to one side; docking is not permitted. [6]

Coat: double, with a soft outer coat, wavy to lightly curly (never tightly curled and never fully straight); soft undercoat; length 15-20 cm. Show dogs are shown in full coat with only foot and ear tidying. All colors and combinations are AKC-legal - solid white, gold, cream, chocolate, blue, black, silver, parti, tricolor. [6] The clearest visual difference from Maltese and Bichon Frise: the Havanese coat is neither the Bichon's cotton-ball pouf nor the Maltese's straight silk curtain, but wavy and mobile, moving with the dog. [3][5]

The AKC picks three words: smart, funny, outgoing. Of every Bichon-family breed, the Havanese is the most social and the most people-collaborative - centuries as the household companion of Cuban high society selected for a dog whose full-time job is pleasing humans. [1][3][5]

Hence the nickname Velcro dog. The Havanese follows its person from couch to kitchen to bathroom, step for step. That devotion carries a downside: separation anxiety. Left alone longer than about four hours, they bark, house-soil, or chew furniture. So the breed is a poor fit for empty homes with 8-hour workdays and an ideal fit for households where someone is around most of the time - remote workers, retirees, multi-generation families. [3][5]

With children, the Havanese is one of the friendliest of all toy breeds. The AKC explicitly recommends the breed for families with young children - the combination of patience, size, and gentle temperament comes closest to a 'small Golden Retriever' among tiny dogs. [1] With strangers, they warm up quickly - no long observation period like a Lhasa - typically greeting new people with a wagging tail. Tolerance of other dogs, cats, and even rabbits runs high, making the Havanese an excellent addition to a multi-pet household. [1][4]

Coren ranks the breed 45th in Working and Obedience intelligence - upper-middle - and the training response is outstanding. Havanese are one of the very few toy breeds that can hang with Border Collies and Poodles in agility. Historically they starred as circus performers in the Cuban theater tradition, and rearing on hind legs plus that springy gait remains a signature party trick. [3][5] The one caveat: their learning fuel is human approval. Chronic under-attention shrinks training performance and, at worst, produces anxiety-driven behaviors. [1]

Exercise: The AKC labels the Havanese Exercise Level 2 out of 5. A daily 30-minute walk plus 15 minutes of indoor engagement (fetch, hide-treat, mini-obstacle) is enough. This is one of the top toy-breed picks for entering agility, Rally Obedience, and Trick Dog competitions - and even non-competing homes benefit from indoor obstacles as mental fuel. Endurance beats a Maltese of the same size, but heat tolerance does not - Caribbean genetics handle humidity better than direct sun, so avoid midday walks above 26 C. [1][3][5]

Grooming: The one significant expense. Full show coat requires 15-20 minutes of daily line-brushing; roughly 90% of pet homes clip to a puppy cut or teddy cut (3-5 cm) trimmed every 6-8 weeks. Tools: pin brush, comb, dematting rake. Focus areas: ears, armpits, inner thighs, groin, tail base. Bathe every 3-4 weeks and dry all the way to the skin - residual dampness is the leading cause of tropical-lineage skin problems. Trim around the eyes weekly and wipe daily with tearless solution. [1][3]

Diet: Havanese have small appetites; feed adults 2% of body weight in dry matter per day, split into two meals. Choose a 6-8 mm kibble at 26-30% protein and 12-14% fat, with 500 mg/day fish oil for coat and heart. Dairy tolerance is low - skip cheese as a training treat. Weight gain is easy - subtract training treats from the daily kibble ration. [1]

Environment: Great in apartments, houses, and multi-story homes; adaptable to a wide temperature range - no clothing needed above 5 C in winter, but limit outdoor time above 30 C in summer. Noise reactivity is low - among the quietest of the Toy Group. Separation anxiety is the primary behavior risk; manage with crate training and gradually extended alone-time. [3][5]

Training: Havanese respond outstandingly to positive reinforcement. Start basics at 12 weeks and complete socialization by 6 months (people, dogs, environments) to cover ~90% of adult behavior needs. Two to three weeks of clicker work usually locks in sit / down / stay / recall / heel. [1][3]

The Havanese is one of the longest-lived toy breeds. AKC and insurance data both give 14-16 years as the average, and 18-plus is not rare. [1][3][5] Overall a healthy breed, with hereditary issues concentrated in orthopedics, ophthalmology, and hearing:

1) Patellar luxation - typical toy-dog issue; OFA data show 5-6% incidence in the Havanese, mostly medial. Grade 1-2 is managed conservatively; grade 3-4 needs surgery. Sudden three-legged skip after a jump is the classic sign. [1][7]

2) Legg-Calve-Perthes disease - avascular necrosis of the femoral head, onset typically at 5-8 months, presenting as progressive rear-limb lameness. Confirmed cases require femoral head osteotomy (FHO). [1][7]

3) Cataracts and PRA-prcd - autosomal recessive adult-onset progressive retinal atrophy screenable by OptiGen/Wisdom DNA test. AKC recommends an annual CAER exam. [1][7]

4) Cherry eye and shallow-orbit issues - a small subset of Havanese carry shallow orbits leading to prominent eyes; corneal protection matters.

5) Congenital deafness - linked to white coat pigment; incidence is low but nonzero. BAER is the only reliable test - screen predominantly white puppies at 5-7 weeks. [7]

6) Cardiac - senior Havanese commonly develop mitral valve degeneration (MVD); annual auscultation plus echocardiography from age 10.

7) Occasional issues: intervertebral disc disease and portosystemic shunt (PSS).

The AKC and HCA CHIC certification panel: annual CAER, OFA patellar grade, cardiac auscultation, optional BAER, PRA-prcd DNA. [1][7] Because the breed's foundation stock was only 11 dogs, genetic diversity is limited, so responsible breeders calculate five-generation coefficient of inbreeding (COI) and typically require it below 6.25%. [3]

Myth 1: Havanese equals Bichon Frise. - Both are Bichon family, but the coat types are different. The Bichon has a tight double curl that trims into a powder puff; the Havanese has a soft, wavy, flowing silk. The Havanese is longer than tall with a springier gait; the Bichon is nearly square. [3][5]

Myth 2: Havanese never shed and are hypoallergenic. - They are low-shedding, but a small amount of undercoat still comes out and dander (canine analogs of Fel d 1) still exists. True dog-allergic buyers should test with a 30+ minute meeting first; do not treat 'hypoallergenic' as a purchase guarantee. [1][3]

Myth 3: Havanese are too clingy - they will inevitably develop separation anxiety. - Not inevitable; it is a training issue. Start crate training at 8 weeks and lengthen alone-time gradually (5 min - 30 min - 2 h - 4 h) with Kong-style puzzles, and most Havanese comfortably handle 4-6 hours solo. [3][5]

Myth 4: Havanese need no exercise. - Their need is lower than that of a working dog, but zero exercise leads to obesity and behavior problems. AKC's minimum stands: 30 minutes of walking plus 15 minutes of play daily. [1]

Myth 5: Havanese only live 12 years. - Actually one of the longest-lived toy breeds - 14-16 years median with 18-plus common - thanks to careful COI management and a modest breed-disease burden. [1][5]

Adoption tips: Havanese Rescue Inc. (HRI) is the largest breed rescue in the US, placing 200+ adults per year, most 4-8 years old with completed evaluations, vaccinations, and neuter/spay. When buying a puppy, ask for both parents' CAER, OFA patellar, cardiac auscultation, PRA-prcd DNA, and five-generation COI. Visit at 8 weeks and check for the emerging springy gait, wavy soft coat, and confident, people-seeking temperament. Avoid marketing labels like 'mini Havanese', 'teacup Havanese', or 'royal Havanese' - the AKC standard has no such subtypes. [1][3][7]