It seems that each country has its own history when it comes to dogs and which dogs become the particular dog that has flourished in that country. Cuba is no exception, as it is the native country of the Havanans. Although the Havanese most likely originated with the Spanish settlers of Cuba many centuries ago as descendants of the southern Spanish barbichon, after many years of development it became apparent that the dog was destined to become a unique breed. Because at first there seemed to be many of these little toy dogs that had a distinctive dark brown cigar-like coat, it is theorized that the name “Havanese” comes from the name “Havana Brown” which is the first known name of the dog. Eventually this name was popularized as the “Havanese” and it is under this name that the dog is now recognized as an AKC breed.
This little dog is similar in many ways to the Bichon Frize. However, the coat color can be any mix or match, while the bichon is always white. The coat of the Havanese is long and shaggy and standards for the show ring require that the coat not be clipped, altered or manipulated in any way. The coat is double. However, as this is a breed that has lived for years in the tropics, the double coat is not “hard” or woolly, but soft and silky in appearance and texture, more like a single coat. The guard hairs on the topcoat are long and quite wavy. The AKC also allows the mature Havanese to be shown with a “corded” coat. A corded coat will occur naturally if, as the dog is maturing, the coat is allowed to separate into separate tufts of hair that will gradually coil around themselves over time (usually with human interference) and become cords. . This type of coat is rarely seen in a Havanese because it takes a lot of patience to “train” a coat this way. The head is provided with a beard and long hair over the eyes. This long hair is believed to protect the dog’s eyes from the heat of the Cuban sun and because of this it has become a tradition for this breed to let its hair hang loose over the eyes rather than collect it in a bun. The Havanese is not a large dog, at the withers the height should not exceed 11 and a half centimeters, with the minimum being 8 centimeters.
This little dog should have a cheerful and happy appearance and of course have a temperament to match. He is a dog that has been used throughout the centuries as a family pet and also as a shepherd and protector of the family’s flock of chickens, a task that he can perform quite well. It is an active breed and does not sit still for long, as some small lap dogs do. This little dog is quite intelligent and good at tricks and also excels in sports such as obedience, agility and flyball.