The Pooch Behind That Long Silky Hair: About The Havanese Dog

The Havanese breed originated in Cuba and is still recognized as the national dog of Cuba. The history of the Havanese is nearly as old as the exploration of America itself. Following Columbus, one group of early European settlers to Cuba came from Tenerife, itself a small island under Spanish rule in the chain of islands now collectively known as the Canary Islands. It is thought that the four-legged companions of these settlers began the breed now known as the Havanese. The breed (then known as the Blanquito de la Hablana, or Havanese Silk Dog) continued more or less unchanged until the 19th century, when they were bred with French and German poodles to produce the breed as it is today.  Facing a serious threat as a distinct breed following the political and social upheaval of the Cuban Revolution, the breed was pulled back from the brink of extinction by a concerned breeder in America with a group of only 11 Havanese. Their numbers have rebounded since that time, and the Havanese regularly rank in the top 50 of registered breeds in America based on total numbers.

A “Tail” Of The Tape: Size, Color And General Description

If you’re looking for a large, short-coated, physically imposing dog then the Havanese is, well, it’s not the right dog for you. But, if you’re looking for a small, long-haired, sturdy little animal, then you’re looking at the right breed. The Havanese is classified as a toy dog, with a typical height of between 8 to 11 inches and a typical weight of 7 to 13 pounds (think lap dog). Full-grown, these cute little guys are usually slightly longer than they are tall.

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While the earlier Havanese Silk Dog (the ancestor of the Havanese) was uniformly white in color, modern Havanese come in many different colors or in a combination of two to three colors. Some common colors for this dog are silver, white, cream, blue, black and gold. The eyes of the Havanese are usually dark, but chocolate colored Havanese may have lighter eyes. The Havanese generally have long silky coats. Both their undercoat and outer coat are soft and feel very light to the touch. Again, this coat design allows them to tolerate heat very well and serves to protect them against the sun (good to have if you’ve lived on a tropical island for generations!).

Surprisingly, some Havanese are born with short coats, but this is not typical for the breed. It is due to a recessive gene for short coat length that expresses itself in some animals. It doesn’t follow that a short-haired Havanese (also known as a Shavanese) should not be considered as a pet; the temperament and other physical characteristics of the dog remain the same as the more common long-haired variety of the Havanese.

These little dogs are best suited to living indoors although they do enjoy outdoor activities and need regular exercise. Like most smaller dogs, the life span of the Havanese is relatively long (typically 14 years or more). Unlike some toy breeds which do not do well around very young children, Havanese have a reputation for being a suitable playmate for children of all ages. This makes it a particularly good choice of pet for families who have young ones underfoot and gives potential owners (and parents) a reliable idea of what to expect owning a Havanese. Our next topic: History and origin of the Havanese.

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