Havanese Dog Breed Guide: Size, Temperament, Colors & More

Where the Havanese comes from

The Havanese belongs to the bichon family of small companion dogs. Its ancestors reached Cuba with Spanish settlers in the early 1500s, and the breed takes its name from Havana. It is the only dog breed native to Cuba and is often called Cuba’s national dog.

After the Cuban revolution, emigrants brought a small number of their dogs to the United States. Those few dogs became the foundation of the Havanese we know today, and the breed has since become a favorite with families and city dwellers in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

What a Havanese looks like

A Havanese is a sturdy little dog with big dark eyes, drop ears covered in long hair and a plumed tail carried up over the back. It moves with a lively, springy step that makes it look busy even on a short walk.

The coat is the breed’s signature. It is long, soft and light, and it can be straight, wavy or curly. Left to grow, an adult coat reaches about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). Many pet owners keep it in a shorter puppy cut or teddy bear cut, which looks just as cute and takes far less brushing.

Havanese size and full-grown weight

Most adult Havanese weigh 7 to 13 lb (3.2 to 5.9 kg) and stand 8.5 to 11.5 inches (22 to 29 cm) at the shoulder. Males tend to be slightly heavier than females, but the difference is small. That makes the Havanese a true tiny dog: light enough to carry, but sturdier than the smallest toy breeds.

There is no official mini or teacup Havanese. A dog sold under those names is a small Havanese, a mix or an underweight puppy, and dogs bred to be as small as possible face more health risks. If your adult Havanese is well outside the usual range, ask your vet whether it is a healthy weight for its frame.

Havanese colors and coat patterns

Breed standards accept all colors and patterns, so you will meet Havanese in white, cream, gold, champagne, chocolate, black, silver and blue, as well as black and white and other white-with-patches combinations.

Color has no effect on health or temperament. Be wary of anyone who charges more for a “rare” color: it is a common sales tactic, not a sign of a better dog.

Havanese temperament, personality and family fit

Havanese are affectionate, playful and sociable. They bond closely with their people, follow them from room to room and are usually friendly with visitors, other dogs and cats. Most will bark to tell you someone is at the door, then greet the visitor like an old friend.

They are gentle and good with children, which makes them one of the easiest tiny breeds for families. Because they are small, teach children to sit on the floor to hold the dog and never to carry it around or let it jump from furniture.

The main trade-off is company. A Havanese does not do well left alone for long periods, and some develop separation anxiety or start barking when bored. The breed suits homes where someone is around most of the day, or where the dog can come along.

Apartment life suits a Havanese well. It needs little space, adapts easily to indoor potty pads or a grass patch, and its exercise needs are modest.

Havanese pros and cons

Pros

• Gentle, playful and good with children and other pets
• Small enough for an apartment, sturdy enough for family life
• Low-shedding coat
• Smart and quick to learn with reward-based training
• Long-lived for a dog, often 12 to 15 years

Cons

• Needs company and copes poorly with long days alone
• The coat mats quickly without regular brushing or trims
• Can bark at noises and visitors if not taught otherwise
• House-training takes a consistent routine and patience
• Feels the cold and needs a coat in winter

Training and potty training basics

Havanese are smart and eager to please, and they do best with reward-based training: small treats, praise and play. They are sensitive, so harsh corrections tend to make them shy or stubborn. Keep sessions short, practice a few times a day, and end on something your dog can do. Start with sit, come, stay and walking on a loose leash in a well-fitted harness.

Potty training a Havanese

• Take your puppy out after meals, after naps, after play and before bed.
• Use the same spot every time and reward within a few seconds of success.
• Watch for signals: sniffing the floor, circling, whining or restlessness.
• Use a crate for short periods to build bladder control, and lengthen the time gradually.
• If you catch an accident, calmly interrupt and take your puppy to the right spot. Clean with an enzyme cleaner so the smell does not draw it back. Never scold.
• Indoor pads or a grass patch work well for apartment Havanese, and many owners keep using them long term.

Socializing your Havanese

Puppies learn most about the world in their first few months, so start early: gentle people of all ages, calm vaccinated dogs, household sounds, traffic and short car rides, always at a pace your puppy enjoys. Once your vet says it is safe, join a small puppy class that uses positive reinforcement. Keep it going for life, because a Havanese that rarely meets new things can become timid or clingy.

Barking and time alone

Barking usually comes from boredom, attention seeking or noises outside. Give your dog enough play and puzzle toys, reward quiet moments, and teach a “quiet” cue instead of shouting. To prevent separation problems, practice short absences from puppyhood: leave for a few minutes, come back calmly and build up slowly. If your dog panics, drools or destroys things when left, talk to your vet or a qualified behaviorist.

Daily care: grooming, exercise and food

Grooming. Brush and comb a full coat at least three or four times a week, right down to the skin, to stop mats forming. Check behind the ears, under the legs and on the belly first, because that is where mats start. A shorter clip from a groomer cuts brushing time a lot. Wipe around the eyes, trim nails and brush teeth several times a week. Our Havanese grooming guide covers brushing and haircuts step by step.

Exercise. About 20 to 40 minutes a day is enough: a daily walk plus a game of fetch or a short training session. Use a harness rather than a collar on walks. Despite all that hair, a Havanese is small and feels the cold, so use a dog coat in winter and keep walks short in very hot weather.

Food. Feed a complete food made for small breeds, weigh each meal rather than guessing, and count treats as part of the daily amount. Ask your vet how much your dog should eat, since it depends on size, age and activity. Keep up vaccinations, parasite control and a yearly vet check.

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What a Havanese needs at home

Look for a soft, adjustable harness that does not press on the throat, a pin brush plus a metal comb that reaches the skin, a puppy gate or playpen for the house-training months, and washable indoor potty pads or a grass patch if you live in an apartment.

Havanese health and lifespan

Havanese are generally healthy and long-lived, with a typical lifespan of about 12 to 15 years. Like every breed, they have a few inherited conditions that good breeders screen for:

• Patellar luxation: a kneecap that slips out of place, often seen as skipping on a back leg
• Hip dysplasia: a badly formed hip joint that can lead to stiffness and arthritis
• Inherited eye disease: checked with eye exams by a veterinary eye specialist
• Congenital deafness: checked with a BAER hearing test
• Elbow problems: elbow scoring is recommended for breeding dogs in the UK

In the US, the breed’s parent club asks breeders to test hips, knees, eyes and hearing. In the UK, the Royal Kennel Club recommends eye testing and elbow scoring. Ask to see the results for both parents. See your vet if your Havanese limps, squints, has cloudy eyes or seems not to hear you. Read more in our Havanese lifespan and health guide.

Havanese vs. similar tiny breeds

If you like the Havanese, you are probably also looking at the Shih Tzu and the Maltese. Here is how they compare.

Havanese vs. Shih Tzu: similar size and coat care, but the Shih Tzu has a short muzzle, which makes it more sensitive to heat. Pick the Havanese if you want a playful dog that enjoys training; see our Shih Tzu breed guide for the other side.

Havanese vs. Maltese: the Maltese is smaller, under 7 lb (3.2 kg), which matters with toddlers and other dogs. Both need daily or near-daily brushing.

Havanese vs. Bichon Frise: a close cousin from the same bichon family, but heavier at 12 to 18 lb (5.4 to 8.2 kg). See our Bichon Frise guide.

Havanese vs. Havapoo: a Havapoo is a Havanese and Poodle mix. Its size and coat depend on the Poodle parent and vary even within one litter, so meet both parents and expect less predictability than with a purebred Havanese.

Find a Havanese rescue or a responsible breeder

Tiny Loving Canines is not a rescue and does not rehome dogs, but we encourage you to look at rescue first. Adult Havanese and Havanese mixes do end up in shelters, often because an owner could not keep up with the coat or the time the dog needs.

1. Search adoption listings and local shelters for “Havanese” and “Havanese mix”.
2. Contact Havanese and small-breed rescue groups in your state, province or region. Your national breed club can often point you to rescue contacts.
3. Ask about the dog’s age, health records, grooming history, how it copes alone and how it reacts to children and other pets.
4. Expect an application, a home check and an adoption fee. A good rescue vets and vaccinates its dogs before they go home.

If you buy a puppy, choose a breeder who shows you both parents’ health test results, lets you meet the mother at home and never ships puppies sight unseen. Walk away from sellers who advertise mini, teacup or rare-color Havanese, always have puppies ready, or ask for a deposit before you have met the dog. These are common signs of puppy mills and online puppy scams.

Havanese FAQ

How Long Does a Havanese Live?

Grooming Guide for Havanese Dogs