Havanese

[Troy]

The Havanese

ANKC Standard

(from http://www.ankc.org.au/home/breeds_details.asp?bid=14 )

Group: Group 1 (Toys)

General Appearance: The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, low on his legs, with long, abundant hair, soft and preferably wavy. His movement is lively and elastic.

Characteristics: [Not specified. Classified by the F.C.I. under Companion and Toy Dogs.]

Important Proportions , The length of the muzzle (tip of nose to stop) is equal to the distance between the stop and the occipital protuberance. The relation between the length of the body (measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock) and the height at the withers is as 4:3.

Temperament: Exceptionally bright, he is easy to train as an alarm dog. Affectionate, of a happy nature, he is amiable, a charmer, playful and even a bit of a clown. He loves children and plays endlessly with them.

Head And Skull: Of medium length, the relation between the length of the head and that of the trunk (measured from the withers to the base of the tail) is as 3:7.

Cranial Region:

Skull- Flat to very slightly rounded, broad; forehead hardly rising. Seen from above, it is rounded at the back and almost straight and square on the other three sides.

Stop - Moderately marked.

Facial Region:

Nose -Black or brown

Muzzle- Narrowing, progressively and slightly, towards the nose but neither snipey nor truncated.

Lips -Fine, lean, tight.

Cheeks ,Very flat, not prominent.

Eyes: Quite large, almond shaped, of brown colour, as dark as possible. Kind expression. The eye rims must be dark brown to black.

Ears: Set relatively high; they fall along the cheeks forming a discreet fold which raises them slightly. Their tips are slightly rounded. They are covered with hair in long fringes. Neither propeller ears (sticking out sideways) nor stuck to the cheeks.

Mouth: Scissor bite. Complete dentition is desirable. The absence of premolars 1 (P1) and molars 3 (M3) is tolerated.

Neck: Of medium length.

Forequarters: Forelegs straight and parallel, lean; good bone structure. The distance from the ground to the elbow must not be greater than that between the elbow and the withers.

Body: The length of the body is greater than the height at the withers [as 4:3].

Back, Topline straight, slightly arched over the loin.

Croup , Noticeably sloping.

Ribs - Well sprung.

Belly - Well tucked up.

Hindquarters: Good bone structure; moderate angulation.

Feet: Of slightly elongated shape; small. Tight toes.

Tail: Carried high, either in the shape of a crozier [a Bishop�s crook] or, preferably, rolled over the back; it is furnished with feathering of long silky hair.

Gait/Movement: In accordance with his happy nature, the Havanese has a strikingly light-footed and elastic gait; forelegs with free stride and pointing straight forward, the hindlegs giving them impulsion [drive]and moving in a straight line.

Coat: Undercoat woolly and not very well developed; it is often totally absent. The topcoat is very long (12-18 cms [4.5-7 ins] in an adult dog), soft, flat or wavy and may form curly strands [cords]. All grooming [primping or teasing], the use of scissors to even out the length of the coat and all trimming is forbidden with the exception of tidying up the hair on the feet and the hair on the forehead may be slightly shortened so that it does not cover the eyes and the hair on the muzzle may be slightly tidied up, but it is preferable to leave it its natural length.

Colour: Rarely completely pure white, fawn in its different shades (slightly blackened overlay admitted), black, havana-brown, tobacco colour, reddish brown. Particolours in mentioned colours allowed.

Sizes: Height at withers: From 23-27 cms [9-10.5 ins]

Tolerance from 21-29 cms [8-11.5 ins]

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Important Faults:

General appearance lacking in type.

Truncated or snipey muzzle, length not identical to that of the skull.

Bird of prey eyes [yellow]; eyes too deep set or prominent; rims of eyelids partially pigmented.

Body too short or too long.

Straight tail, not carried high.

"French" front (pasterns too close, feet turned outwards).

Deformed hind feet.

Coat harsh, not abundant; hair short except on puppies; groomed [trimmed] coat.

Disqualifying Faults:

Depigmented nose

Over or undershot.

Ectropion, entropion; rim of eyelids of one or both eyes depigmented.

Size over or under the indicated norms of the standard [over or under the tolerated heights].

Notes: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

See Photos of the Havanese

QUESTIONS

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc)

2. Where and why was the breed first developed?

3. How common is it in Australia?

4. What is the average lifespan?

5. What is the general temperament/personality?

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult?

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with?

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods?

9. How much grooming is required?

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)?

11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of?

12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be)

If you wish to contribute to the knowledge about this breed, please answer the above questions. (Copy and paste them into a new post).

• Please only answer if you breed or own a pedigree example of this breed.
  
• You do not have to answer all questions
  
• Please keep posts limited to answering questions or for asking further questions if you require more (or expanded) information.
  

See Photos of the Havanese

Havanese Breeders

Havanese Puppies For Sale

[experiencedfun]

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) First time owner

2. Where and why was the breed first developed?

3. How common is it in Australia?

4. What is the average lifespan?

5. What is the general temperament/personality? Outgoing, funloving. Get along with everything. Behave like cats, like to lay along the back of the lounge and around your neck

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult?

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? If you like brushing every day

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? yes

9. How much grooming is required? Alot to keep in show condition...if as a pet regular clipping makes them easy to keep

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? no, they are very gentle and seem to control themselves depending on who is around

11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of?

12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be)

Well that is my limited knowledge....come on guys put in your two cents worth

[Bjelkier]

Is this the kind of breed one can have with larger dogs or are they too delicate?

[Darkrai]

what is the price range some would expect to pay for a Havanese?

[RoxyNHemi]

what is the price range some would expect to pay for a Havanese?

I have heard prices from $800 - $1500

[poodleluv]

QUESTIONS

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I show and breed Havanese.

2. Where and why was the breed first developed? Cuba as Lap dogs for the rich ladies, later to herd poultry.

3. How common is it in Australia? There are a few being shown, still a rare breed though.

4. What is the average lifespan? Up to around 15 years.

5. What is the general temperament/personality? Fun loving, Playful, Affectionate, Intelligent.

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Havanese do not need long walks but love to go out to socialise.

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Yes.

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Some can, some can't, as with most breeds.

9. How much grooming is required? As Havanese are low shed dogs pets need to be clipped off with regular brushing twice weekly and bathing will keep them in nice condition. Show dogs require a lot of brushing when in full coat, trimming is minimal though.

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)?

They are lively, but as they are small it is usually not an issue.

11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Yes, P.R.A., H.D., Elbows, Slipping Patellas,

(Dwarfism)Chondrodysplasia

12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) At least 1 parent should have good Hip/Elbow scores and Patellas checked, Clear Eye Certificates.

Edited August 6, 2009 by poodleluv

[Veanna]

what is the price range some would expect to pay for a Havanese?

I would say the average would be $2000, though this may vary depending on the lines and individual breeders.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Veanna

[havahug]

Breed Standard updated 5th August 2009

FCI Standard No 250 dated 5 May 1998

Effective in Australia from 1 January 2000 Group: Group 1 (Toys)

History: The breed comes from the Western Mediterranean region and has developed along the Spanish and Italian coastal region. It would seem that these dogs were imported early in Cuba by ocean navigating Italian captains. Erroneously, the most frequent brown colour of these dogs (tobacco) gave birth to the legend which would mean it to be a breed originating from Havana, capital of Cuba. The political events however have led to the total disappearance of the old blood lines of the Havanese in Cuba; apparently a few dogs would be successfully smuggled out from Cuba; their descendents have survived in the U.S.A.

General Appearance: The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, low on his legs, with long abundant hair, soft and preferably wavy. His movement is lively and elastic.

Important proportions: The length of the muzzle (tip of nose to stop) is equal to the distance between the stop and the occipital protuberance. The relation between the length of the body (measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock) and the height at the withers is of 4:3.

Characteristics:

Temperament: Exceptionally bright he is easy to train as an alarm dog. Affectionate, of a happy nature, he is amiable, a charmer, playful and even a bit of a clown. He loves children and plays endlessly with them.

Head And Skull: Of medium length, the relation between the length of the head and that of the trunk (measured from the withers to the base of the tail) is of 3:7.

Skull: Flat to very slightly rounded, broad, forehead hardly rising; seen from above it is rounded at the back and almost straight and square on the other three sides.

Stop: Moderately marked.

Nose: Black or brown.

Muzzle: Narrowing progressively and slightly towards the nose but neither snipey nor truncated.

Lips: Fine, lean, tight.

Cheeks: Very flat, not prominent.

Eyes: Quite big, almond shaped, of brown colour as dark as possible. Kind expression. The eye rims must be dark brown to black.

Ears: Set relatively high; they fall along the cheeks forming a discreet fold which raises them slightly. Their extremity is in a lightly rounded point. They are covered with hair in long fringes. Neither propeller ears (sticking sideways), nor stuck to the cheeks.

Mouth: Scissor bite. A complete dentition is desirable. The absence of premolars 1 (PM1) and molars 3 (M3) is tolerated.

Neck: Of medium length.

Forequarters: Forelegs straight and parallel, lean; good bone structure. The distance from the ground to the elbow must not be greater than that between the elbow and the withers.

Body: The length of the body is slightly superior to that of the height at the withers.

Back: Topline straight, slightly arched over the loin.

Croup: Noticeably inclined.

Ribs: Well sprung.

Belly (abdomen): Well tucked up.

Hindquarters: Good bone structure; moderate angulations.

Feet: Of slightly elongated shape; small, tight toes.

Tail: Carried high, either in shape of a crozier or preferably rolled over the back. It is furnished with feathering of long silky hair.

Gait/Movement: According to his happy nature, the Havanese has a strikingly light-footed and elastic gait; forelegs with free stride and pointing straight forward, the hind legs giving them impulsion and moving in a straight line.

Coat: Undercoat woolly and not very well developed: it is often totally absent. The topcoat is very long (12-18 cm [4.5-7 ins] in an adult dog), soft, flat or wavy and may form curly strands. All grooming, the usage of scissors to even out the length of the coat and all trimming is forbidden. Exception: tidying up the hair on the feet is permitted, the hair on the forehead may be slightly shortened so that it does not cover the eyes and the hair on the muzzle may be slightly tidied up, but is preferable to leave it in natural length.

Colour: Rarely completely pure white, fawn in its different shades (slight blackened overlay permitted), black, havana-brown, tobacco colour, reddish brown. Patches in mentioned colours allowed. Tan markings in all nuances permitted.

Sizes: Height at withers: From 23 to 27 cms [9-10.5 ins]

Tolerance from 21 to 29 cms [8-11.5 ins]

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in the exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Important Faults:

- General appearance lacking in type.

- Truncated or snipey muzzle, length not identical to that of the skull.

- Bird of prey eyes (yellow); eyes too deep set or prominent; rims of eyelids partially depigmented.

- Body too long or too short.

- Straight tail, not carried high.

- French front (pasterns too close, feet turned outwards).

- Deformed hind feet.

- Coat harsh, not abundant; hair short except on puppies; groomed coat.

Disqualifying Faults:

- Aggressive or overly shy.

- Depigmented nose.

- Upper or lower prognathism (over or undershot).

- Ectropion, entropion; rim of eyelids of one or both eyes depigmented.

- Size over or under the indicated norms of the standard.

Any dog clearly showing physicals or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

Notes: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Last Updated: 5 Aug 2009

Note extra DQ faults and Cords removed.

[Havasneeze]

Yes you can have them with larger dogs. I have bearded collies and schipperkes as well as 2 havanese. They all get on very well together.

Is this the kind of breed one can have with larger dogs or are they too delicate?

[BittyMooPeeb]

QUESTIONS

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc)

First time owner, exhibitor.

2. Where and why was the breed first developed?

3. How common is it in Australia?

Probably under 500 dogs at present.

5. What is the general temperament/personality?

Happy, fun loving, cheeky, companionable, eager to please, fairly calm. They generally dont bark very much except to warn of strangers.

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult?

A walk and/or some good quality playing time. Dogs need both their minds and their bodies exercised, and a daily walk provides both.

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with?

Yes. Pet owners can choose to have the coat clipped to make it lower maintenance. They would still need brushing a couple of times a week though. They are fairly easy to train and generally like to please, so are good for first time dog owners.

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods?

No. I'm not sure any breed of dog can. The Havanese is a companion breed, and so thrives on company. If the owners family is away from the home for extended periods of time, the dog will need a canine companion to keep him/her company.

9. How much grooming is required?

A full coat needs daily brushing, weekly or twice weekly bathing, and possibly smaller baths too if feet, back end etc get dirty.

A Havanese in pet clip is much easier to look after, and only needs weekly or twice weekly brushing, and bathing as often as the owners like (once a month is common). A Havanese in pet clip will need to visit the groomer several times a year to maintain the coat at a length that is easy to look after.

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)?

No.

[HiDi]

3. How common is it in Australia?

Probably under 500 dogs at present.

Approx how many Hav breeders do you think are in Australia?

[Havasneeze]

There are currently 16 breeders listed on the Dogzonline Havanese Breed Page

http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/breeders/havanese.asp

Jo

3. How common is it in Australia?

Probably under 500 dogs at present.

Approx how many Hav breeders do you think are in Australia?

[Darkrai]

Probably dragging this from right at the bottom

How common are these hereditary problems, are any more prolific then the other P.R.A., H.D., Elbows, Slipping Patellas, (Dwarfism)Chondrodysplasia...

Are these the only problems that a Hav can be affected by???

with the grooming how different would it be to groom say a Shih Tzu??? (just going on coat likeness)

[BittyMooPeeb]

Probably dragging this from right at the bottom

How common are these hereditary problems, are any more prolific then the other P.R.A., H.D., Elbows, Slipping Patellas, (Dwarfism)Chondrodysplasia...

Are these the only problems that a Hav can be affected by???

with the grooming how different would it be to groom say a Shih Tzu??? (just going on coat likeness)

Hiya Darkrai,

According to the paper

Hereditary Evaluation of Multiple Developmental Abnormalities in the Havanese Dog Breed

Alison N. Starr

,

Thomas R. Famula

,

Nathan J. Markward

,

Joanne V. Baldwin

,

Karon D. Fowler

,

Diane E. Klumb

,

Nancy L. Simpson

, and

Keith E. Murphy

chrondodysplasia is the most common anomaly in Havanese. The paper also cites liver shunt, cataracts, heart murmurs and missing incisors as other heritable problems in the breed.

We also know that Havanese can be affected with PRA, sebacious adenitis and luxating patella.

I dont know of any Havanese in Australia with liver shunt, cataracts, heart murmurs or PRA.

The OFA site in the US has statistics on many breeds, including Havanese http://www.offa.org/

[BittyMooPeeb]

Re grooming as compared to a shih-tzu, the shih-tzu coat is heavier than a Hav, and is trimmed, headfall put up etc. A Hav coat is lighter and left 'natural' so no trimming (except feet and genitals), headfall is left natural for show.

I have had pet shih-tzu's but not a show dog so dont know what is required to groom a show Shih. For a Hav, keeping them clean and knot free is the most important between show task. Most people dont band. People with white (or parti) dogs often keep them off grass. When mine were younger I needed to brush every day. Once coat change is over, mine dont need brushing as much. I clean mouths every night, but apart from that, mine have free access to teh garden.

To prepare for show, some wash only and let dry naturally, some blow dry as well. A light show spray or balm is used on show day - something that doesn't weigh the coat down too much.

Cheers

Gail

[Darkrai]

Thanks BMP for the info

so a rough natural coat is desired then?

would someone be over looked i the ring if their dog was blown straight?

I've been told not many breeders in Aust don't do many health tests. Is this true or is now increasing with more interest in the breed?

[Henrietta]

Is health testing routinely done in this country?

How would these guys like training and dog sports? Are they fairly active?

[Veanna]

I have a 1 year old, Onyx, that I am training to compete in dog sports and she loves it. She is very eager to please and greatly enjoys any training that we do.

With Onyx, she is happy to take as much or as little as you are prepared to give, though she does really enjoy her activity and thrives with her training sessions.

She loves going for walks (we regularly walk 1 hour and she would be happy to go for longer) and playing off lead, but on the days where she doesn't get as much exercise she is happy to have a 10 minute bolt around the backyard and then come in and sleep.

[Henrietta]

Thanks Veanna, Onyx sounds like a lot of fun!

[Veanna]

You're welcome She definitely is! Always up for whatever you want to do and a complete clown. I can't imagine my life without a Hav now