The Havanese dog breed comes from Cuba. This is a top choice among toy dogs. Long haired Havanese are truly full of liveliness and vigor. He is close to Bichon Frise, Maltese and Coton de Tulear in physique.
Havanese dogs do not like to be unruly. This polite little dog prefers your closeness with his accompanying bright activities. Fluffy and silky appearance of a Havanese mellows every soul.
A distinguished coat identifies this canine companion from Havana because it lends him a cuddly look. Cuban Revolution took a toll on these dogs as they were the symbol of aristocracy.
However, they were able to survive the onslaught and now enjoy super fandom around the world.
Havanese personality:
Whatever you arrange for him, he will not create problems. An authentic gentle nature forbids him from messing up things. He tends to take actions for your pleasure. But this small dog is especially allergic to loneliness. This little one often follows your footsteps not to lose you for a moment.
He is an excellent friend to the children and other pets. This is an easily trainable pet. Your appreciation and clever instruments are going to flash out a vigorous character off a seemingly fragile animal. They are relatively adept at dog shows and sports.
Most of the time, you do not need to match with his lifestyle. Rather, he will actively put an effort to suit your manners. Depending on the owner’s daily routine, a Havanese can be a champion couch potato as well.
But he is alert to his surroundings and sounds an alarm of an intruder. He barks and it often resembles the tone of a bigger dog. But lack of proper training can cause some unpleasant yappy growling too.
Measure Havanese smartness:
Funny and humorous activities differentiate a Havanese from the other pets. He loves to clown around at every opportune moment.
So, you have got a joker at your disposal for all day long. They will show a sound judgement on their part. As a result, we can detect their working intelligence. This dog breed is not too sharp to outwit the most intelligent dogs.
On the same token, they are not going to bring in the latest version of dumbness. They are following a middle of the road approach in this respect which is simply enough for a small companion dog. This is an awesome watchdog. He has a joyful soul reflected in his happy temperament.
It is easy and fun to go along with a Havanese because of his simple nature and quick wit.
What & how to feed:
This dog likes to keep up with your pace all the time. So, a Havanese adult dog needs 1 cup of dog food in a day. You may divide this amount into two meals respectively in the morning and in the evening.
But all the dogs do not ask for the same amount of food. It relies on their age, health, sex, activities and so many other aspects. Food quality is vital for a good mood and sound lifestyle.
High quality dog products ensure proper nutritional supply and these items usually contain little of the filler ingredients. Obesity is a real problem for the Havanese and it can be checked. You have to be judicious in providing him the right amount of food.
Treat provision will have a major bearing on his overweight tendency. Do not free feed the dog. Give him access to his food for about half an hour and then lift it out. They should be fed small breed dog food.
Their regular meals should contain plenty of proteins and fat. Beef, fish, chicken and lamb are excellent protein sources. You have to ensure 20%-30% of proteins in his bowl. It is the primary source of his energy. It is the force behind all the actions he displays.
On the other hand, flaxseed oil, fish oil are nice fat reservoirs. Fat will maintain the shininess of his coat and a good health of his skin. It will also protect his vital organs from injuries by creating a layer upon them. They can do simple chores such as herding small animals like chicken or duck and moreover, they must be exercised properly. Daylong goofy antics also call for fitting supply of energy.
The National Research Council of the National Academics opines that a 10 pound alive and kicking Havanese demands 404 calories everyday. You have to avoid giving him wheat, corn or soy.
On the other hand, sweet potatoes and brown rice will fulfill his carbohydrate requirements. They also need a lot of fresh drinking water.
Escape a few health issues:
Centuries of tremendous care has ensured that the Havanese possesses a sound health. But there is no dog breed that can guarantee you of a rock solid health.
However, some precautionary measures are going to move you ahead with confidence. You have to consider a few health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF). The Canine Health Information Centre (CHIC) database number can immensely help you in this respect.
They do not issue a clearance number unless an individual dog has been put to rigorous tests. Your Havanese is susceptible to Chondrodysplasia. This problem leaves his legs shorter than they are supposed to be. It will awfully disturb his natural movement.
Deafness is another issue related to this dog. It may be cured with surgery. But most of the time, it has no treatment and a deaf dog ultimately becomes a huge burden.
Of course, hand signals training can come to your assistance at such a dire situation. A Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test can determine his level of deafness.
Various types of heart diseases also attack him. Heart Murmur restricts normal blood flow. Mitral Valve Insufficiency often causes heart malfunction among the senior dogs. Dislocated kneecap is called Patellar Luxation.
It will also leave him physically impaired. Legg-Perthes Disease reduces blood circulation to the femur head. At some point, the bone dies down and the dog will become lame. Arthritis and inflammation are some other outcomes of this condition.
Insightful care program:
Havanese coat appears to be a terrific thing of beauty. On top of that, he is regarded as a low shedding dog. But there are plenty of grooming requirements as well. Their fluffy double coat is subject to matting and should be brushed and combed daily to prevent it.
If you leave it alone, the coat may even form a cord. You can also clip it down to a short form so that you do not have to undergo the toil everyday.
Long coat needs one bath each month and a short coat do not seek for a frequent bath at all. You may have to take help from a professional groomer at the initial stage of adopting a Havanese. An uncut coat may reach up to 8 inches and will easily mop up your floor.
You must pay attention to trimming his nails and brushing his teeth too. Scrutinize his ears closely and look for any discharge or smell. Keep the ears polished. The Havanese will greatly benefit from a yearly thorough health check-up.
Cleaning the corners of his eyes is a vital task. Tear staining is a common phenomenon to this dog. A warm wet cotton ball swipe can do the magic in this case. He should be on the leash while going out. His delicate body is prey to many harms.
Proper exercise method:
This is not a robust dog who demands tons of exercise. Often, romping around you is enough for him. But you should not leave it on him alone.
So, prepare a daily schedule for going out. Usually, 15-20 minutes of walks are okay for this dog. You can also arrange a fenced yard for him.
However, you should keep vigil while he is in the backyard. Big birds might consider this fluffy animal to be a nice meal. Puppies should not be exposed to any structured exercise.
Be especially careful of the hot days. Long coat and tiring workouts will put a toll on his health. Short exercise gives him the status of an apartment or city dog who can cope up in case there is no exercise.
Dog training cues:
Training a Havanese should be started at the very beginning of the adoption. His pleasing nature gives you an edge in teaching him the right lessons. You have to impart him the basics of socialization.
Let him meet other humans and pets to gather experience on different sights and situations. Gentle commands will prompt him into actions. Your techniques should be regular and consistent. Otherwise, the dog will mix things up.
Crate training is very suitable for house training purposes. It gives you some space to act timely and effectively. Thus you can set a schedule and a certain location for breaks. Crate will help him deal with separation anxiety.
But too much confinement can bring a few disasters as well. Never exceed 2-4 hours of crate time. Basic commands such as ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘leave’, ‘come’, etc should be his daily lessons. These are pillars for upper level training programs.
Positive reinforcement is the way to follow. But the dog should obey your commands. If you do not follow through your orders, he will consider it to be of lesser value and will not abide by the rules in future instances.
Remember that your Havanese is a trickster and can fool you around. His beauty is an unmistakable weapon in this business.
Havanese Origin:
Spanish armada reached the Caribbeans en masse in the 16th century for colonization purposes. Cuba was also a part of this project. These colonizers brought the Bichon Frise breed to this island nation.
It is estimated that Bichon Frise started its occupation of the Cuban aristocrats’ laps in the same century and it is the forefather of the Havanese that we know of today. The Maltese is possibly a contributor too in this regard.
In the beginning of the 19th century, there was a completely new breed named after the capital of Cuba. It was gaining a strong foothold in the high societies thanks to a patronization by the European settlers. These colonizers even took them back to England, Spain and France.
However, the Cuban Revolution in 1959 considered these dogs as an enemy along with their rich masters. So, there arose an existential crisis for the Havanese.
But a few of the owners took the pain to resettle in America with their beloved Havanese dogs in the face of a fierce and popular movement.
Thus their American history started in a tumultuous way. Soon, they were able to attract much stardom in this new land as well. There were 11 of these dogs who have been famous for breeding the current stock in America. The AKC came to acclaim this dog as a distinct breed in 1995. Nowadays, the Havanese enjoys #24 spot on the AKC breed popularity list.
