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AKC: Havanese breed overview

Toy group · Cuba

Havanese

Also called Bichon Havanais, Havana Silk Dog

Cuba's national dog, a cheerful little shadow that treats every room you enter as the place to be.

The Havanese is a small, sturdy companion dog from Cuba, part of the Bichon family and usually weighing 3 to 6 kg (7 to 13 lb). It is known for a warm, clownish temperament and an almost total dependence on human company. That devotion is its great charm and its main drawback.

Original AI-generated breed illustration

Weight

3 to 6 kg

7 to 13 lb

Height

22 to 29 cm

at the shoulder

Life expectancy

14 to 16 yrs

Activity estimate

60 to 90 min

editorial daily planning range

Adult-size estimate

12 months

approximate model input

Life with a Havanese

Ask Havanese owners what the breed is like and most will describe a dog that follows them to the bathroom. That is not a flaw that crept in; it is what the breed was shaped for. Small Bichon-type dogs arrived in Cuba with Spanish settlers and traders, and over two centuries the island's wealthy families refined them into house companions whose job was to be charming, portable and present.

The 1959 revolution nearly ended the breed. Many families who left for the United States took their dogs with them, and in the 1970s American breeders started rebuilding the Havanese from a very small group of those dogs. Today it is one of the more popular toy breeds in North America and Europe, with a far larger gene pool thanks to careful outcrossing within related lines.

Day to day, a Havanese is playful, curious and good-humored. Many enjoy learning tricks, and the breed has a history as a performer in circuses and as a therapy dog. They tend to be friendly with visitors, other dogs and cats, which makes them easy to include in family life. The price of that sociability is poor tolerance for being left alone.

What stands out

Training

Havanese learn happily with praise, play and food, and they notice your mood more than your words. Harsh corrections tend to make them clingy or worried. Short sessions spread through the day, with lots of reward for the right choice, work much better than one long lesson.

Read the full training guide

Easy to train

Open with strangers

Good with other dogs

A great match for

homes where someone is around most of the day
families with gentle children
first-time owners willing to groom
apartments and small houses

Think twice if

distress when left alone for hours
matting during the puppy-to-adult coat change
slow housetraining in some dogs
tear and beard staining on pale coats

Personality and needs at a glance

Living together

Good with children

Good with other dogs

Open with strangers

Apartment friendly

Copes with alone time

Energy and character

Energy level

Playfulness

Easy to train

Barking

5 means very vocal

Care and climate

Grooming needs

Shedding

Drooling

Handles cold

Handles heat

How much a Havanese eats

Illustrative calculations for neutered adults at midpoint breed weights, with food at 370 kcal per 100 g and 100 g per cup. These are not measured breed requirements. Use actual weight, the food label and veterinary body-condition advice.

Dog	Weight	Calories	Dry food
Female, relaxed lifestyle	5 kg	300 kcal	80 g (0.8 cups)
Female, typical pet	5 kg	350 kcal	95 g (1 cups)
Male, typical pet	5 kg	350 kcal	95 g (1 cups)
Male, very active	5 kg	430 kcal	115 g (1.3 cups)

Full Havanese feeding guide Calculate for my dog

Care guides for the Havanese

Feeding5 kg (10 lb) usually eats 75 to 90 g of dry food a day, which is about three quarters of a cup, split into two meals. Some are fussy eaters who hold out for something better.Read more Puppy growthPuppies reach close to adult height by around 8 months and fill out to adult weight by their first birthday. 2 and 2 kg, depending on the parents' size.Read more ExerciseAround 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day suits most adults, made up of walks, games in the garden and indoor play. They are energetic in short bursts rather than built for long runs, and many will happily switch between racing round the living room and falling asleep in your lap.Read more GroomingA full Havanese coat needs brushing three or four times a week with a pin brush and a wide-toothed comb, working in sections down to the skin. Between 8 and 12 months, when the adult coat grows in, mats appear almost overnight and daily brushing becomes necessary for a few weeks.Read more HealthHavanese are generally long-lived, but the breed is known for a handful of inherited concerns: slipping kneecaps, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease of the hip, cataracts and other eye disease, congenital deafness and liver shunts. Good breeders have eyes examined by a specialist, run BAER hearing tests on puppies, and have knees and hips assessed before breeding.Read more

Things owners are often surprised by

1The only native dog breed of Cuba
2The modern population outside Cuba was rebuilt in the US from a small group of dogs, often quoted as eleven
3Has a distinctive springy, lively gait that shows off its slightly longer back
4The coat can be left flowing, kept in a short cut, or allowed to form cords
5Adult coat comes in between about 8 and 12 months, which is peak matting season

Havanese questions

Why is the Havanese called a Velcro dog?

Because it sticks to its people. The breed was developed purely as a house companion, so a Havanese usually wants to be in the same room as you, following you to the kitchen and waiting outside the bathroom door. That makes it affectionate and easy to live with, but it also means long periods alone can cause barking, chewing or restlessness.

How long can a Havanese be left alone?

Most adults cope with around 3 to 4 hours once they have been gradually taught that being alone is fine. Longer stretches, especially every day, are hard on this breed. If you work full days away from home, plan for a walker, a neighbor, daycare or a second dog, and practice short absences from puppyhood.

Are Havanese good for people with allergies?

They shed less than most breeds, and much of the loose hair stays in the coat until you brush it. Some allergic people manage well with them, but no breed is truly allergen free, since allergens also come from saliva and skin. Spending time with a few adult Havanese is the best way to test your own reaction.

Can a Havanese coat be corded?

Yes. Left to mat in a controlled way, the Havanese coat can form long cords, and it is one of the few breeds where this is accepted in the show ring. Corded coats need regular separating by hand, careful drying after baths, and patience, since a full set of cords can take two to three years to grow.

Do Havanese bark a lot?

They are moderate barkers. Most will announce the doorbell and visitors, then settle. Excessive barking usually comes from boredom or from being left alone longer than the dog can handle. Rewarding quiet behavior and giving a Havanese enough company and play keeps it manageable in apartments.

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