Havanese – a Wonderful Dog.
Saturday, November 7th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
The Havanese is a Bichon Group breed, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a good-humoured small dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They like to have attention and will do many things to attract it. This need for notice does not make them an ideal choice for a busy working couple. They will often follow owners around the flat, however they are not possessive of their “friends”, so are good 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 tug of war 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 soft and light, with a heavier undercoat.
The Havanese should be groomed 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, they do suffer in extreme cold, 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 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.
Whilst the Havanese is a toy dog, it is solid and sturdy. The Havanese weight ranges from around 5 Kgs ( about twelve lbs). Its height measured at the withers is normally two hundred and fifty mm( 9-11 inches). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.
They have a sprightly agile movement. They are good swimmers, but many of them do not like swimming, but careful close to waterparticularly if there are animals for them to chase.
The Havanese have almond eyes, with average sized ears that are well covered and hang down. They are more likely than most breeds to ear infections, so routinely inspect their ears and clean them. Every so often they may need inner hairs to be pulled by tweezers or hand. 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 trainable so are often used in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance Dogs, mould, termite and drug search.
They normally 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 ( streaks and dots on the retina). It is recommended only to acquire Havanese from parent Dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese sometimes develop brown tear stains, which is especially noticeable on those with white or light coats.
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, taking off in the seventies from only 11 Dogs in the USA. 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 wonderful family dog that should be considered.
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