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Havanese Standard and History of the Breed
The Havanese are non-shedding, hypo-allergenic and odorless with a soft coat that is easy to maintain with daily brushing and regular bathing. The coat is double coated with soft hair making up both the under and outer coat. Coat types can range from very soft to a wavy coat. Both are correct, but the slightly wavy is preferred.
The Havanese are a small but sturdy short-legged dog with a plumed tail carried curled over the back. They have a soft profuse untrimmed coat. Although small they are not a fragile little dog.
The expressive eyes are large, almond shaped and very dark . The nose and lips are black except on a true chocolate dog and then the pigment will be brown. The height ranges from 8 ½" to 11 ½", the ideal being from 9" to 10 ½". The weight ranges from 7 to 13 lbs. With he ideal being 8 to 11 lbs. A major fault would be any dog whose weight deviates greatly from the above ideal range. Disqualifications would be any dog measuring under 81/2" or over 11 ½" in height.
TEMPERAMENT: The Havanese are charming, intelligent, devoted and very alert. They love children, other dogs, and are very loving. They are very smart and therefore easily trained, craving lots of attention a Havanese loves to be on your lap, if invited. Full of energy they will play tirelessly with other dogs and children. They are excellent watch dogs but love strangers once they see that you approve of them. Your Havanese doesn’t mind being left alone, but does not like to be alone for extended lengths of time.. They are truly happy little dogs. Our Havanese are "bell trained" they ring the bell at the door each time they want to go out to do their business. They truly are one of the smartest little dogs.
COAT COLOURS: Colours vary from white, champagne, chocolate, silver, black and white, sable and/or any combination of these colors, all are correct.
HISTORY: The purebred Havanese is a member of the Bichon family which includes the Bichon Frise, Coton de Tulear, Bolognese, Maltese. This group of small long haired dogs is very old and originated in the Mediterrean many years ago.
In the early 1970's Bert and Dorothy Goodale of Colorado began looking for a small breed to raise which had a calm temperment and intelligent. After a few years of investigation the Havanese caught their attention, but they had to find a way to obtain them. Not until 1991 was anyone sure that the Havanese still existed in Cuba. A closely supervised breeding program was put into place using foundation stock of about 11 dogs. In 1997 the first Havanese was exported from Cuba to the Netherlands. In Cuba today, the Havanese can be found in great numbers in the Capital of Havana as well as in the towns throughout the countryside. Cuba chose the image of a Havanese to grace a 1992 souvenir issue postage stamp.
Thanks to the Goodales we are able to share this wonderful, affectionate, happy little dog with a lively, springy gait, and one of the best temperaments we have seen, with you.
Official C.K.C Breed Standard
GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Havanese dog breed is a sturdy little dog, low on his legs, with long abundant hair, soft and preferably wavy. His movement is lively and elastic.
TEMPERAMENT: Exceptionally bright, the Havanese is easy to train as a watchdog. 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.
SIZE: Height at the withers from 23-26cm. (8 ½ to 11 ½ inches) The ideal being 9 to 10 ½ inches.
COAT & COLOUR: Hair: undercoat wooly and not very developed, it is often totally absent. The topcoat is very long (12-18cm in adult dog), soft, flat or wavy and may form curly strands. The usage of scissors to cut 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 it is preferable to leave it in natural length. Colour: there are two varieties of colour. Rarely completely pure white, fawn in different shades of light fawn to Havana brown (tobacco colour, reddish brown); patches of those colours in the coat; slight blackened overlay admitted. Permissible colours and patches (white, light fawn to Havana brown) with black markings. Black coat.
HEAD: 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 3/7. Skull: flat to very slightly rounded, broad, forehead 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 Muzzle: narrowing progressively and slightly towards the nose but neither snipey nor truncated. Lips : fine, lean, tight Jaws/Teeth: scissors bite. A complete dentition is desirable. The absence of premolars (PM1) and molars (M3) is tolerated. Cheeks: very flat, not prominent. Eyes: quite big, almond shape, 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 in hair in long fringes. Neither propeller ears (sticking sideways) nor stuck to the cheeks.
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 Havanese body is slightly superior to that of the height at the withers. Topline is straight, slightly arched over the loin. Croup noticeably inclined. 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 or preferably rolled over the back; it is furnished with feathering of long silky hair.
GAIT: According to 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 the impulsion and moving in a straight line.
FAULTS: Any departure from the forgoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
- General appearance lacking in type
- Truncated or snipey muzzle, length not identical to that of the skull
- Bird of Prey eyes, 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, trimmed coat
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
- Depigmented nose
- Upper or lower prognathism
- Ectropion, Entropion; rim of eyelids of one or both eyes depigmented
- Size over or under the indicated norms of the standard
- Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum
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