This little dog is the Cuban member of the Bichon family. They are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean area. Bichon type dogs were probably taken to Cuba by traders & settlers and to have evolved into the Havanese. Originally the lap dog of the aristocracy, they became, in time, the much loved pet of the ordinary Cuban.

 
The Havanese is a small sturdy dog, slightly longer than tall .They have a a double coat i.e. an outer coat of long silky hair which is generally wavy to straight with a soft undercoat. The coat should be abundant though light in texture .The coat comes in many colours ranging from white, all shades of cream, gold, sables, tobacco brown, silver, to black and any combination of these colours, giving particolours and tricolours.
 
 
The coat is untrimmed for showing except for the hair on the feet which should be neatened. Havanese have almond shaped eyes and a gentle and intelligent expression .Their legs are relatively short but not so short as to make the dog too close to the ground. They move in a jaunty fashion with a unique springy step, are very agile, and carry their plumed tails over their backs when on the move. A completely natural look is what is required.

 
They are happy with a zest for life, they adore their family, bonding closely with them. This is the main reason why Havanese are not suitable as kennel dogs. Their greatest desire is to live at home as part of the family. They will become sad & introverted if left alone regularly or repeatedly for the greater part of the day & so are not suitable for people who work full time. Havanese need companionship to thrive.

They are very good with children, especially older children who can appreciate their small size & play with them appropriately. They love their toys & can be very entertaining involving their humans in games of their own devising.

Havanese mix well with other breeds. They enjoy obedience training & mini agility or indeed any pastime in which they can participate & be with their owner. They want to please while still maintaining their own individual character. They are easy to house train as they are very clean by nature. They don't mind water & indeed have been known to swim! They will give warning but are not "yappy"

Grooming is essential - they will benefit from being combed through and brushed daily, plus the normal maintenance of ears, eyes & nails.

The Havanese has some health concerns such as inherited eye conditions , cataracts, distichiasis (NOW in some UK show LINES), heart murmurs, patella luxation , sebaceous problems .Please ensure that YOUR breeder tests and does not breed poorly managed dogs.Small gene pools are a shoddy excuse for poor breeding management, dont let breed clubs fool you!

Even with a small gene pool it should never be acceptable to breed dogs that are fundamentally flawed.