Description
Here is a basic description from the Canadian Kennel Club. If you'd like to read the standard in greater detail please visit the link below.
Temperament
Happy, outgoing and quite trainable, the Havanese is a pleasant and affectionate companion.
Activity Level
A sturdy, short-legged, small dog with a lively, springy gait, the Havanese is well suited to urban or suburban living. His exercise requirements are easily met.
Height/Weight
A Toy breed, the Havanese ranges from 8.5-11.5 in (22-29 cm) in height and can weigh between 7-13 lb (3-6 kg).
Coat
The non-shedding coat is long, soft and wispy with curls or tufts at the ends.
Colour
The breed comes in a virtual rainbow of hues – white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver, chocolate, or any combination of these colours.
Grooming
Regular brushing is needed to keep the soft coat from matting.
Click here to read the CKC HAVANESE BREED STANDARD
Temperament
Happy, outgoing and quite trainable, the Havanese is a pleasant and affectionate companion.
Activity Level
A sturdy, short-legged, small dog with a lively, springy gait, the Havanese is well suited to urban or suburban living. His exercise requirements are easily met.
Height/Weight
A Toy breed, the Havanese ranges from 8.5-11.5 in (22-29 cm) in height and can weigh between 7-13 lb (3-6 kg).
Coat
The non-shedding coat is long, soft and wispy with curls or tufts at the ends.
Colour
The breed comes in a virtual rainbow of hues – white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver, chocolate, or any combination of these colours.
Grooming
Regular brushing is needed to keep the soft coat from matting.
Click here to read the CKC HAVANESE BREED STANDARD
History
The true origination of the Havanese isn't completely agreed upon but here is a basic outline that focuses on the preservation of this wonderful breed.
The Havanese is the Cuban member of the Bichon family, including the Bichon Frise, the Coton de Tulear, the Lowchen and the Bolognese. Havanese have also been known as the White Cuban, Bichon Habenero, the Havana Silk Dog, and the Bichon Havanese.
The Havanese and their Bichon cousins are thought to have originated in the Western Mediterranean region pre-dating the time of Christ as early as 600-300 BC. A statue of a Maltese type dog was found near Cairo, Egypt dating to that time.
This wonderful little companion is the National dog of Cuba and its only native breed. They were first brought to Cuba from the Mediterranean region in the early 1800’s during the 400 year Spanish Empire by commercial sea captains most likely from Italy and Spain. They were brought as gifts to the wealthy people to establish trading with rich Cuban families. The Havanese lived with high class people as companions and children’s playmates. They were sometimes given as special gifts to a friend or to someone that had done a valuable favor for the family.
The Cuban Revolution of 1959 brought the breed to near extinction when the wealthy families had to flee their country. They could not take their pets with them so they sadly left them behind with friends and servants hoping they would soon return. Many of them never saw their pets again.
A wealthy Cuban woman who had a great love and interest in the breed was Catalina Lasa. She devoted herself to expanding and preserving the Havanese. It is believed that her efforts played a role in saving the Havanese during the revolution chaos.
During the Cuban revolution the Fantasio and Perez families were able to smuggle their dogs out of Cuba. They were the first Havanese on record in the United States. They combined their efforts to help preserve the breed for the next decade.
Another huge milestone came in 1974 when Dorothy and Bert Goodale of Colorado decided to further their 30 plus year career of breeding with the search for a little dog. They were looking for an intelligent dog with a sweet temperament and came across an article in a Spanish magazine documenting Havanese. They were able to locate the Cuban families who fled Cuba and they purchased six pedigreed dogs including a female with her four daughters and an unrelated male. After a year of advertising in the Miami newspaper an elderly Cuban gentleman living in Costa Rica sold them six more Havanese. They were able to prevent the extinction with the four bloodlines they had by following the only breed standard of 1963 published by the European Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) which means World Canine Organization. The Goodale's kennel registry name was Havana and can be found in many havanese pedigrees.
The Havanese Club of America was founded in 1979. The United Kennel Club recognized the Havanese in 1991 with the American Kennel Club following in 1996.
Cuba established the Bichon Habanero Club in 1991 to study the islands remaining havanese and after careful observation a closely supervised breeding program was put into place using a foundation of fifteen dogs. A year after Cuba had a souvenir stamp designed to pay tribute to it's native breed by placing an image of a Havanese on it.
Havanese were introduced into Canada in the early 1990’s with the Canadian Kennel Club recognizing the breed in 2000. Many breeders are working hard to maintain the breed's health and conformation.
The Canadian Kennel Club has ranked the Havanese #8 in popular dog breeds in Canada for years 2013-2014 and for good reason. The Havanese are enjoyed by many as a loving and sociable lap dog with hilarious antics and intelligence.
The Havanese is the Cuban member of the Bichon family, including the Bichon Frise, the Coton de Tulear, the Lowchen and the Bolognese. Havanese have also been known as the White Cuban, Bichon Habenero, the Havana Silk Dog, and the Bichon Havanese.
The Havanese and their Bichon cousins are thought to have originated in the Western Mediterranean region pre-dating the time of Christ as early as 600-300 BC. A statue of a Maltese type dog was found near Cairo, Egypt dating to that time.
This wonderful little companion is the National dog of Cuba and its only native breed. They were first brought to Cuba from the Mediterranean region in the early 1800’s during the 400 year Spanish Empire by commercial sea captains most likely from Italy and Spain. They were brought as gifts to the wealthy people to establish trading with rich Cuban families. The Havanese lived with high class people as companions and children’s playmates. They were sometimes given as special gifts to a friend or to someone that had done a valuable favor for the family.
The Cuban Revolution of 1959 brought the breed to near extinction when the wealthy families had to flee their country. They could not take their pets with them so they sadly left them behind with friends and servants hoping they would soon return. Many of them never saw their pets again.
A wealthy Cuban woman who had a great love and interest in the breed was Catalina Lasa. She devoted herself to expanding and preserving the Havanese. It is believed that her efforts played a role in saving the Havanese during the revolution chaos.
During the Cuban revolution the Fantasio and Perez families were able to smuggle their dogs out of Cuba. They were the first Havanese on record in the United States. They combined their efforts to help preserve the breed for the next decade.
Another huge milestone came in 1974 when Dorothy and Bert Goodale of Colorado decided to further their 30 plus year career of breeding with the search for a little dog. They were looking for an intelligent dog with a sweet temperament and came across an article in a Spanish magazine documenting Havanese. They were able to locate the Cuban families who fled Cuba and they purchased six pedigreed dogs including a female with her four daughters and an unrelated male. After a year of advertising in the Miami newspaper an elderly Cuban gentleman living in Costa Rica sold them six more Havanese. They were able to prevent the extinction with the four bloodlines they had by following the only breed standard of 1963 published by the European Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) which means World Canine Organization. The Goodale's kennel registry name was Havana and can be found in many havanese pedigrees.
The Havanese Club of America was founded in 1979. The United Kennel Club recognized the Havanese in 1991 with the American Kennel Club following in 1996.
Cuba established the Bichon Habanero Club in 1991 to study the islands remaining havanese and after careful observation a closely supervised breeding program was put into place using a foundation of fifteen dogs. A year after Cuba had a souvenir stamp designed to pay tribute to it's native breed by placing an image of a Havanese on it.
Havanese were introduced into Canada in the early 1990’s with the Canadian Kennel Club recognizing the breed in 2000. Many breeders are working hard to maintain the breed's health and conformation.
The Canadian Kennel Club has ranked the Havanese #8 in popular dog breeds in Canada for years 2013-2014 and for good reason. The Havanese are enjoyed by many as a loving and sociable lap dog with hilarious antics and intelligence.