Because the valid Havanese standard is formulated misleadingly in some points, we would like to give you a short breed description.

The Havanese belongs to the very old toy dog breeds and 2,000 years ago they already lived as popular compaion dogs in the Mediterranean area. The Havanese is one of the probably rarest toy breeds out of all small dogs.

His origin can't be recognized surely. Probably this breed came from the Karibik as the name "Havanese" already means. It is assumed that the Maltese who is the Havanese ancestor came into the Karibik with some Spanish conquerers and developed to an own breed mainly on Cuba. The first Havanese were called "Havana Silk Dog" (Havana's Seidenhuendchen), named like Cuba's capital.

Especially the ladies of the high society liked these small charming toy pets in the 17th, 18th and 19th century. Like many other dog breeds, also the Havanese came gradually into oblivion.

Some exile Cubans had to fled to America during the Kennedy era but could carry their dogs forward and saved this breed. Today only some hundred Havanese are registered in the USA the same as in Europe. 1980 the first breeder brought 2 Havanese to Germany. Now we have some Havanese breeders and lovers in Europe, who partly engage themselves very much for this breed. But until today the Havanese is quite a rare breed.

APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER
The Havanese is a small toy dog, but no pampered toy pet - he is a small formated personality. A toy dog of easily rectangular format. Heights at withers amounts from 23 to 27 cm. Weight approx. 4-6 kg. The upper heading is flat and broad. The stop is moderately pronounced. He has a black nose and articulate scissor bite. The eyes are rather largely, very dark and almond-shaped. The ears are relatively highly set hanging with formation of wrinkles. The croup is sloping and the tail highly carried, long and silky-coated. Deep chest with sprunged ribs. The hair is rather smoothly or easily curved, with some undercoat. The hair grows half to three-quarter long and it's possible to cut it a little bit only under the feet and at the catch. Colors: rarely white, all colours (from beige to black) with or without, more or less white markings are allowed. A puppy can still change the color.

The Havanese is extremely intelligent and easy to educate by his awake curiosity. He wins every heart within a moment because of his open nature and his irresistible charm and becomes very soon the focal point of his family. Because of his extraordinarily comical and companionable fashion he is recommended especially to children, i.e. he is family-friendly and more compatible for each family form, but nevertheless everybody must treat him with respect, because a Havanese is like every dog not a "toy for small children", but a living being. The Havanese is watchful, but no hysterical babbler like some other small dogs. Although a toy dog he has the character and the constitution for each playing kind of sport - by the way also an excellent float, who loves nothing more than to mad in the water. The Havanese is very flexible and referred to his family and very lucky, if everyone accepts him as an adequate family member.

MAINTENANCE AND HANDLING
Like his "family father" the Maltese the Havanese has a full and soft hair-coat, which has no seasonal hair change, i.e. he does not shed. By regular combing and brushing he will receive his beautiful, silky look. You may bath him whenever you want. You can cut his mostly curled coat a little bit, but usually this is not necessary, since the hair does not fall bottom-long.

FUTURE OF THE BREED
In Europe and all FCI-agreed countries the Havanese is accepted as a purebreed with an own standard. In Germany there are still only a few breeders, who try to save this charming, comical and intelligent dog from the final oblivion

Back to INDEX !
[Home] - [About us] - [Puppy News] - [Puppy Photos] - [Females] - [Photo Gallery] - [Shorthaired Havanese=Shavanese???] - [Katarakt Results] - [FCI-Standard] - [Breed Description] - [Links] - [Impressum] - [Guestbook] -

This Homepage was created by Angela Starke.
Reproduction or use of any kind of text is prohibited without written permission.

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page