A Havanese traces its beginnings from the now extinct Bichon dog Blanquito de la Havana that was cross-bred with a poodle to produce this well loved National Dog of Cuba. Havanese are small yet sturdy dogs with folded ears and tails that are often carried on their backs. They have long silky coats that are soft, light and hair-like and they come in all colors, from pure white to black and other combinations.

Despite being a toy dog, Havanese is not as fragile as other dog breeds. They can weigh anywhere from 7 to 13 pounds and between 8.5 to 11.5 inches tall. They have a body that is slightly longer than their withers, making them longer than they are tall. Havanese dogs have a strong and lively gait, when they run they have a strong rear drive and because they have slightly shorter upper arms they can often appear to bounce up and down. This adds to the playfulness of their character.

The Havanese is a bright, playful and clever toy dog; they are able to interact well with other pets and are perfect for children. It is rare for a Havanese to be shy; they love to be the center of attention and will often resort to performing tricks that they have learned to get people’s attention. They have even earned the reputation of being circus dogs, because of their ability to quickly learn and perform tricks. They love learning new tricks and performing them. This dog breed needs a lot of activity, despite its size; they need constant physical and mental exercise. If the Havanese is not able to have enough activity, it can become difficult and even depressed.

Although the Havanese is not a possessive dog breed, they love following their humans around. They thrive to be in constant company of their owners and are very people oriented. As much as they enjoy their physical activities, they are also quite content sitting on their owner’s laps and cuddling. With a good amount of socialization and play, they are rarely nervous and because they are a sturdy breed, it is okay for them to be subjected to the rough play of children. They are also gentle and responsive, because they aim to please, it is quite easy to teach them new tricks and often do well in obedience competitions. They are very sensitive to the temperament of their owners that a slight change in tone is enough to get them to follow instructions so no harsh punishment is necessary.

As cute as these toy dogs are, they also have their not so lovable traits. They can be finicky eaters and can be quite difficult to housebreak, a trait proven to exist in most Bichon family dog breeds. While friendliness is a good trait it can also become a problem with a Havanese since they are sometimes too friendly even with strangers, for this reason they can not be expected to act as guard dogs. They can also suffer from separation anxiety and may tend to bark excessively or chew on furniture or shoes if left alone for quite some time or without any training. Overall the Havanese is a great pet but owners need to keep in mind that as with any other creature, they need care and attention for them to thrive and be happy.