Havanese

Origin and History

The Havanese is Cuba's national dog and its only native breed; it belongs to the Bichon family. It developed as the lapdog of aristocratic families and became a beloved companion thanks to its cheerful personality and silky coat.

Appearance and Coat

It has a small, charming and well-balanced body. Its soft, silky, long coat sheds little and comes in a variety of colors. It requires regular grooming; some owners prefer to keep the coat short.

Personality and Temperament

The Havanese is cheerful, affectionate and extremely sociable. It is very devoted to people, follows its owner around and loves attention; it does not like being left alone. It gets along wonderfully with children and other animals. Intelligent, playful and trainable, it has a comical character.

Care, Exercise and Training

The silky coat needs regular (frequent) brushing to prevent matting; it sheds little. Low-to-moderate exercise is enough. Intelligent and eager to please, it responds well to reward-based training and loves learning tricks.

Health

It is generally robust and long-lived. Luxating patella, a hip joint condition (Legg-Calvé-Perthes), cataracts and congenital deafness may occur. Regular eye and dental check-ups are recommended. The Havanese is ideal for families and individuals looking for an affectionate, cheerful, low-shedding companion.