Description: If a Havanese were never groomed or cut it would be a very rugged looking dog. This breed has strong legs and has a gait that is springy and unique. This breed has dark eyes and one of its features is the tail which is very long, curling up over the back, this is long and silky. This dogs' height is 8-11 inches, and its weight is 7-13 pounds. They have a full covering coat that can reach 6-8 inches in length. This is a double coated breed that has soft fur. Their eyes, nose, and lips are black in color, this is only different in the chocolate dog. This breed can come in any color, which includes parti and tricolors. There have been differing colors excluded throughout the world but is generally getting easier. If you wish to have a dog for show purposes then check with your local standards for showing. This is not a fragile dog it is a really sturdy little dog. This dog’s life expectancy is 14-15 years.

History: This breed was nearly made extinct after the French, Cuban and Russian revolutions. The Havanese is now rare in Cuba, throughout the 19th century. This breed has been facing a crisis but is now on the rise in popularity, which is helping to increase the breed. This dog has campaigners in USA for its preservation. This breed is part of the Bichons family.

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The Havanese's ancestors were owned by aristocratic Cubans, during 18th and 19th centuries. It is believed this dog got to Cuba from Europe in the 17th century, and here they adapted to the climate of the country. This dog has a history in the circus, as well. This dog only came to the USA in 1970, and was brought by Cuban refugees settling in Florida. Mrs. Goodale saved the breed from extinction by finding dogs with their pedigrees from the immigrants; she also managed to get five more males from Costa Rica and working with the 11 dogs, and her vast experience of breeding dogs, managed to save the Havanese. This breed was first recognized by the AKC in 1996. The breed does have a recessive gene, and these puppies’ were called short coated Havanese, the short coated Havanese are not able to be entered in shows, but make good healthy pets.

Temperament: This is a natural companion, who is responsive and kind. The Havanese will become attached to their owners. This is a lovely dog for children as they are playful. This breed is good with other pets and people. This dog is a good dog for obedience training. This dog has a lot of curiosity and will enjoy watching what is going on around them. This is a dog that is sensitive to the tone used and will not do as asked if they pick up a meek owner. This dog will work well if you are a good natural leader and are not harsh but firm. This breed is not just a companion dog but is a natural watch dog as well. Socializing this dog as a puppy will help it not to be shy, in later life. Do not allow this dog to have small dog syndrome as this will bring out the worst in any dog, these are not traits of the breed but rather a dog that has lost order to its life and is not happy.

Health issues: This breed is prone to hip dysplasia, PRA, cataracts, dislocated knee caps, deafness and dry skin. The Havanese is a healthy breed that has a long life and many of the problems are as adults rather than in puppy hood.

Grooming: This coat is best clipped if this is just to be a family pet. For the show ring, there is a lot of grooming needed, this can be hard work and a lot of good advice from the breeder and specialist dog groomer will be needed.

Living conditions: A Havanese is good for apartment living. The dog will be fine without a garden, but will still need walking daily.

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.