Havanese

The FCI standard describes the Havanese as exceptionally bright, affectionate, happy, charming, playful and even a bit of a clown; according to the standard, it loves children and plays with them endlessly. The Royal Kennel Club likewise asks for a lively, affectionate, intelligent, friendly and outgoing temperament. The AKC notes that the breed has become especially popular with city dwellers in the United States.

The FCI also notes that the Havanese is easy to train as a dog that alerts you when someone comes to the door. Because it's a people-loving dog that enjoys being part of family life, being alone needs to be taught gradually.

The Havanese is a good choice for families looking for a playful, people-loving small dog, who spend a lot of time at home and can set aside a few minutes every day for coat care.

Teach children to pet the dog while sitting on the floor and to leave it alone while it eats or sleeps; a small dog can easily get hurt falling from someone's arms. Our article on kids and dogs at home has more tips.

According to the FCI, the Havanese has its origins in the western Mediterranean: the breed developed along the Spanish and Italian coasts, and these dogs are thought to have been brought to Cuba early on by Italian ship captains. The FCI also notes that calling its most common brown color "tobacco" gave rise to the legend that the breed was born in Havana. According to the Royal Kennel Club, this member of the bichon family is Cuba's national dog, and the AKC presents it as the only dog breed native to Cuba.

The breed's recent history was shaped by political change in Cuba. According to the FCI, those events led to the complete disappearance of the old bloodlines in Cuba; a few dogs were taken out of the country, and their descendants survived in the United States. The Royal Kennel Club also describes how the breed became more widely known after many people fled to the US with their dogs following the change of regime.

A sturdy, short-legged small dog that is slightly longer in the body than it is tall. Its tail is carried like a plume over its back, and its eyes are large and dark. The FCI asks for lively, springy movement.

• Height: According to the FCI, 23–27 cm (9–10.5 in) at the shoulder, with 21–29 cm tolerated; the Royal Kennel Club gives 23–28 cm.
• Weight: 7–13 pounds (3.2–5.9 kg) according to the AKC.
• Coat: According to the FCI, long, abundant, soft and preferably wavy. The Royal Kennel Club notes that the breed doesn't shed noticeably.
• Color: Most of the bichon family is white, but the Havanese comes in many colors: the Royal Kennel Club's standard colors include black, white, cream, gold, red, chocolate, sable and combinations of these with white, as well as particolor and tricolor patterns.

Some Havanese are reported to have short, bowed front legs; this is covered in the health section below.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends daily grooming for the Havanese. The long, soft coat tangles easily, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and between the legs.

• Combing: If the coat is long, comb every day, making sure the comb reaches the skin. A pet Havanese's coat can also be clipped short to make care easier; then a few combing sessions a week may be enough.
• Groomer: The RSPCA suggests checking whether a groomer asks for vaccination records, uses reward-based handling and avoids enclosed drying boxes in which a dog can't control its body temperature.
• Eyes: Tie up or trim the hair around the eyes so it doesn't touch them, and wipe around the eyes with a damp cloth. Frequent blinking, watering, redness or squinting can be signs of an eyelash problem; see your vet.
• Teeth: Get your puppy used to tooth brushing early; in a large 2021 UK study, the risk of gum disease rose as body weight fell.
• Ears and nails: Check the ears weekly and decide with your vet what to do about hair in the ear canal. Trim the nails regularly.

Our dog grooming guide walks you through a combing and bathing routine step by step.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 30 minutes of exercise a day for the Havanese. Because it's a playful dog, games like fetch, hide-and-seek and sniffing alongside walks both tire it out and make it happy. Our article on sniffing games has ideas.

• Reward-based training: According to the FCI, it's a bright dog that's easy to train; short, rewarding, fun sessions work best. Learning tricks can be an enjoyable shared hobby with this breed.
• Early socialization: Give your puppy positive experiences with different people, sounds and calm dogs.
• Alerting: It's natural for it to let you know someone is at the door; if it barks a lot, our article on why dogs bark can help you find the reason.
• Leash: Teach walking without pulling while it's young; our loose-leash training guide can help.
• Being alone: Teach being alone gradually, starting with short periods; our article on separation anxiety explains how, step by step.

A Havanese doesn't need a special food; a complete, balanced dog food suited to its age and size is enough. In a small dog, even a few extra treats change its weight quickly, so measure its food and count training treats as part of the daily amount.

• If you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above, the weight is about right.
• Weighing your dog once a month shows changes early.
• Some human foods are toxic to dogs; check our list of foods dogs should never eat.

The Havanese is generally a long-lived breed, and the Royal Kennel Club lists no conformation concerns that show judges need to watch for in it. But some eye and leg problems are being researched. The information below is for awareness only; ask your vet about diagnosis and treatment.

Extra eyelashes (distichiasis)

These are eyelashes that grow from the wrong place on the edge of the eyelid. In a 2021 study of 1,156 Havanese in Norway, 14.5% of the dogs had them; most were mildly affected, and mild cases usually show no signs. In some dogs, though, the lashes irritate the eye and can lead to painful corneal problems. The study showed that the condition is largely inherited.

Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye; it can reduce vision and, in severe cases, lead to blindness. A 2023 study describes cataracts as an important health issue in the Havanese and notes a breed predisposition. The researchers point out that dogs in Norway are brought for eye examinations at an average of 3.4 years of age, when most genetically at-risk dogs don't yet show visible changes. The Royal Kennel Club recommends, at a minimum, the eye examination scheme to breeders.

Short, bowed front legs

Some Havanese have short, bowed front legs. According to a 2020 study, this may be linked to a gene change that shortens legs in dogs (the FGF4 retrogene). Most affected dogs show no signs of pain, but in some the problem is serious; the researchers note that this build can put abnormal strain on the joints and lead to arthritis. In the same study, dogs carrying at least one copy of the "normal" form of the gene were 31.3 cm tall at the shoulder on average, while those carrying two copies of the altered form were 26.4 cm; the normal form had steadily declined in the breed over the past two decades. The authors recommend preserving a more moderate build. The Royal Kennel Club also recommends elbow screening to breeders.

A 2024 UK study using data from about 585,000 dogs from 18 sources found a median lifespan of 14.5 years for the Havanese, well above the 12.0-year median for crossbred dogs. However, this figure rests on a small number of dogs: only 56 Havanese deaths were included, and the upper limit of the confidence interval couldn't be calculated. The AKC also gives a life expectancy of 14–16 years for the breed.

Eye checks, dental care, a healthy weight and yearly vet visits are the most practical ways to help a Havanese enjoy that long life in comfort.

• Consider a shelter: Purebred dogs end up in shelters and rescues too. Our article on adopting a shelter dog covers the first steps.
• If you buy from a breeder: See the mother with her puppies at home. Ask for the eye examination and elbow screening results the Royal Kennel Club recommends; the breed club also runs its own health scheme. Check that the parents' front legs are straight.
• The age of eye exams: According to the cataract researchers, a single exam at a young age may miss cataracts that appear later; ask for the parents' results from exams at older ages too.
• The "hypoallergenic" promise: Low shedding doesn't mean allergy-free. In a 2012 study, so-called "hypoallergenic" dogs had higher levels of the main dog allergen in their coats, and the researchers concluded there is no evidence for calling any breed hypoallergenic.
• Red flags: Steer clear of sellers who won't show you the mother, always have puppies available, can't provide paperwork or rush you to "buy now."
• Registration: Rules vary by country; many places require or recommend microchipping. In Türkiye, owned dogs must be microchipped and registered in the PETVET system.