Love the Havanese! Have you met one of these?

 

 

 

Cuban aristocracy and sugar barons often owned this lovely tousled breed who just loves to treat her owners like royalty. Queen Victoria & Charles Dickens also owned them.

The Havanese have been everything from a companion to a circus performer and is quite adept at being able to jump up down whilst standing on her back legs. The breed appeared in America around the 1950’s when many wealthy Cubans relocated to the U.S during the Cuban revolution.

The Havanese sports a wavy lightweight coat which offers insulation against the hot Cuban sun. It is non-shedding but requires brushing and may be clipped to ease care. Leaving the coat longer will naturally help keep this breed cooler in hot weather. Please remember that a coat with minimal shedding does not mean no maintenance. Her breed (which has also been known as the Havana Silk Dog and the Spanish Silk Poodle) is a descendant from the bichon in the Mediterranean.

This Velcro dog just loves nothing more than to be by your side. She is playful, easily trained and has even been known to work as an assistance dog.  The Havanese is well suited to apartment living and larger yards alike but do not like to be left alone. It is not unusual to find her perched on the back of the sofa or atop the table as she enjoys being up high. One little quirk is that they simply love paper and will go out of their way to find it to shred or simply play. If a toilet paper roll is left on the floor you may return to find your Havanese wrapped up like a mummy.

She will alert you that company has arrived but tends to be friendly toward strangers. Adults measure around 30cm at the shoulder and live to between 12 and 15 years. If you love exercising your dog with agility or flyball, a Havanese will be only too willing to oblige. They need as much exercise as many larger dog breeds.  The Havanese love to expend energy whilst having fun and like we said, they are easy to train.  But be aware, this breed is so cute that if you end up adoring it too much it may just train you.

Leah & Angela O’Meara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)