Health, Care and History of Havanese Dogs

Though the Havanese may seem to suffer from a large complement of ailments, very few Havanese from reputable breeders will have these problems, and the wide list is more a testament to highly proactive clubs and breeder organizations.

Havanese clubs like the Havanese Club of America have worked hard for many years to try and search out and eradicate the health problems these dogs may suffer from. In spite of these uncommon ailments, Havanese are generally considered healthy and sturdy dogs, and live between 12–16 years.

Among these ailments are:

Cataracts

Patellar luxation

Hip dysplasia
Chondrodysplasia (stunted leg growth, often resulting in bowed, dwarfed legs)
Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome (inheritable condition which causes femur malformation)
Liver shunts
Heart murmurs
Deafness

Havanese, even ones not to be bred, should go through several tests, including a one-time BAER hearing test, a CERF eye test annually, and a Patellar Palpation and Hip Evaluation. Soaping has also become a popular way for breeders to test health. It involves soaping up the dog to flatten the coat to its body and reveal the structure of the legs. Crooked, bowed or over short legs are a symptom related to many Havanese health issues, and dogs suffering from them should not be bred.

Because of the small genetic pool from which the Havanese were revived, Havanese organizations around the world are always on the lookout for new health and genetic issues that may come to the fore in this otherwise wonderful and healthy breed.
 

Care
Havanese have several specific considerations for their care that a prospective owner should keep in mind.

The Havanese has difficulty in housebreaking and can take a year or longer to consistently train. This is due to a smaller bladder than many other dog breeds. Crate training or litter box training are two options to help aid in this difficulty.

The Havanese has a profuse coat that requires daily grooming. If one does not intend to show their dog, it can be trimmed shorter so as to require less brushing.

The Havanese, with their drop ears, need to have their ears cleaned to help prevent ear infections.

Though they are not a dog that requires long walks, Havanese are active and require at least a large, well-enclosed yard to run around in a few times a day. They will also use up energy tearing around and getting underfoot.

The Havanese is not a naturally yappy dog, but may alert its owners to approaching people. Usually acknowledging that you have heard their alert is enough to make them cease.
 

Havanese at work
Because of the cheerful and readily trained nature of the Havanese, they are increasingly a dog utilized for a variety of jobs, especially those involving the public. Havanese have been utilized for:

Therapy dogs
Service dogs, such as aid dogs for those in wheelchairs and hearing-ear dogs
Performing dogs
Mold and termite detection
Tracking
Havanese also compete in a variety of dog sports, such as

Dog agility
Flyball
Musical Freestyle
Obedience

History
The Havanese itself developed uniquely in Cuba, either as the result of said Spanish sailors, or as is often believed by native Cubans, as gifts from Italian traders to open the doors of wealthy houses to their goods. The "Little Dog from Havana" even traveled back to Europe where it found brief favour in the late 19th century as a circus and trick dog and a court companion.

As part of the Cuban Revolution, many trappings of aristocracy were culled, including the pretty but useless fluffy family dogs of the wealthy land owners of Cuba! Even though many upper class Cubans fled to the United States, few were able to bring their dogs, nor did they have the inclination to breed them. Indeed, when Americans became interested in this rare and charming dog in the 1970s, the gene pool available in the US was only 11 animals.

With dedicated breeding, as well as the acquisition of some new dogs of type internationally, the Havanese has made a huge comeback, with recognition by many major kennel clubs and one of the fastest growing registration of new dogs in the AKC (+42% in 2004). They have also suffered from a certain level of trendiness due to rarity, good temperament, and publicity by such famous owners as Barbara Walters.
 

Buyer beware

The Havanese is an expensive and rare dog, and the cost of getting a dog from a breeder who takes the time to put them through the right health tests can drive the price to $2000 or more. Beware of anyone who is selling a Havanese through a pet store. There is a lot of time and money invested into a healthy puppy, and a responsible breeder should want to meet you, often a few times, before selling you a puppy.

Many people sadly use the Havanese's rarity to sell them for a fast profit. Increasingly, some people will attempt to pass off a crossbred 'poodog' as the more desirable Havanese. If you must look for an inexpensive dog, try a Havanese rescue group first.
 

Havanese Dog Breed Information and Pictures

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Havanese".