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What to look for when buying a Havanese?

Every Havanese I have ever met are loving and people pleasing dogs.Not every breeder however is.

When looking for your puppy be sure to be able to trust and know your breeder.

Puppy Mills

<---- The sad truth is many breeders and store bought puppies are from puppy mills.

A puppy mill is where owners neglect and mistreat there dogs, inbreed, and dogs and puppies live in foul and disturbing conditions.There dogs are no longer pets to them just simply a paycheck and a breeding farm.You ever search for a dog breed and see some breeders selling puppies for 800.00 or less and then others selling up to $2,000.00 or more for the same breed, both claim to have champion lines,champion sired,all claim the best possible living for all there dogs and puppies.But, the truth is any puppy sold for such a minimal amount is going to be a puppy mill pup.

Ways to spot bad breeders


Cost: One of the first things a person looks for when purchasing anything is the price.Dont get taken in believing that just cause a puppy is such a low price that in the end your be getting a deal compared to others."You should always ask to see the pups records and or even the vets number. Vets are not going to lie and tell you all is well, they got into the field for a reason." I have personally heard so many horror stories about buying from puppy mills, and that low price quickly makes since once the medical bill pile up and the poor puppy is ridden with illness.Its not right to endup with heartbreak for the loss of your new puppy.


Amount:If you search the web a little bit and notice alot of breeder websites your see alot of them breed multiple breeds, I'm not saying thats wrong. But, If you have 6 dogs of this breed and 6 dogs of that breed and 5 of this breed,how do you have time to pamper and give your dogs the attention they need as pets? I have 5 Havanese so I know they require alot of attention.


Litters: Breeders who have a bunch of litters at once or during a short period of time.I have had and witnessed several litters of pups be born, and mother nature seems to work most of the time. I find it near to impossible for someone to have so many litters born at one time and beable to manage every puppy properly.How are you going to tell if a single puppy isnt progressing well if you have so many puppies all over. To me it doesnt seem responsible as a breeder to have so many litters at once, or overbreeding a female. Always ask to see a litter history of the mother. Females should only be bred once a year, overbreeding a female will shorten there life span and make the puppies and the mother sick and undernourished.


Inbreeding: Inbreeding causes several genetic defects and illness.Seeing the parents pedigrees before purchasing a puppy is recommended.(Ours are not listed on our site, but just ask!)


Contracts: Always look at the contracts you sign, or have someone else who knows about legal things take a look at one.Anyone who doesn't have a contract or a legitimate one, this includes health guarantees, you should not purchase from those breeders.Our Contract

Care Of Your Havanese

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

1.)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.


2.)The Havanese, with their drop ears, needs to have their ears cleaned to help prevent ear infections.


3.)Though they are not dogs that require long walks, Havanese are active and require at least a medium, well-enclosed yard to run around in a few times a day.


4.)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.


5.) Havanese have sensitive skin, it is important to use all natural shampoos, we use Espree products, all natural Coconut shampoo and re-moisturizing conditioner to prevent dry skin.

Information On The Breed

True Companion

Havanese are natural companion dogs gentle and responsive. They become very attached to their families and are very good with children. Very affectionate and playful with high degrees of intelligence. These cheerful dogs are very sociable and will get along with everyone, including people, dogs, cats, and other pets. 

Obedient

They are easy to obedience train and get along well with other dogs. This curious dog loves to observe what is going on. Harsh words will only upset the dog and will achieve very little. They need a firm confident, consistent owner, not a harsh one. The Havanese have a long reputation as being circus dogs, probably because it learns quickly and loves doing things for people. Few tend to bark a lot, as they can be taught not to do this. It is not in their nature to bark a lot. It is best to teach them not to bark unnecessarily while they are still young to prevent it from becoming a habit. 

Watch Dog

Havanese are good watch dogs alerting you when a visitor arrives, but quickly welcomes the guest once he sees you do. Havanese live for your every word and gesture. They should be neither timid nor aggressive. 

Life of a Havanese

Havanese are good for apartment life. They are very active indoors. Havanese are born to live in your home, and not on a patio or in a kennel. They require plenty of exercise. This is a very healthy, long lived breed; however, all long lived breeds eventually have health problems. Some are prone to PRA, cataracts, luxating patellas, cherry eye, and dry skin. More information can be found at the Havanese Club of America website.

History Of The Breed

The Havanese is AKC's 142nd breed. The Havanese is the National Dog of Cuba and the country's only native breed (Havana = Havanese). Despite its being a new breed to the AKC, the Havanese is an old breed, descending from breeds brought over from Spain to Cuba. The Havanese was once called the Havana Silk Dog or the Spanish Silk Poodle. The coat of the Havanese is deceptively warm-looking; in reality, it is an insulation and barrier from the sun and overheating.   

Hypoallergenic/Nonshedding

This breed is good for allergy sufferers. They are a non-shedding, hypo-allergenic dog. The Havanese descends from the same ancestor as the entire Bichon family, the Tenerife.   

Jobs/impact

By the mid-eighteenth century, the Havanese was so popular that it was owned by such celebrities as Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. It became known as the dog of the aristocratic class of sugar barons of Cuba. 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 - Tracking

Assistance dogs, such as signal dogs for the hearing impaired.

Performing dogs - Mold and termite detection

Havanese also compete in a variety of dog sports, such as

Dog agility - Flyball

Musical canine freestyle

Obedience training

Average Height 8 1/2 -11 1/2 inches - Life Expectancy 14-15 yrs

Litter Size 1-9 puppies Average 4 - Average Weight 7- 15 lbs


Did You Know?

The AKC Havanese standard describes a small sturdy dog of immense charm. Slightly longer than tall, covered in a profuse untrimmed mantel of long silky wavy hair with a top line that rises slightly from withers to rump. His head carriage is high, and his plume of a tail is carried arched over his back. His eyes are almond shaped; his expression is mischievous, his gate is elegant and springy. His character is described as essentially playful rather than decorative; and the overall impression of the dog is one of agility rather than excessive ability to cover ground.

Did you know...out of 150 AKC breeds the Havanese is the only breed whose standard calls for a top line that is straight but not level, rising slightly from withers to rump?

Did you know...the Havanese is the only breed in the AKC that allows for parti colored corded dogs? All the others which allow cording are solid color breeds.

Famous Havanese owners of the past and present:

Donald Trump Jr. , Businessman

Barbara Walters, Broadcaster

Venus Williams, Tennis Athlete

Seal & Heidi Klum, Celebrity

Robert Verdi, TV Personality

Queen Anne of England

Queen Victoria of England

Charles Dickens, Author

Thomas Carlisle, Philosopher

Ernest Hemmingway, Author

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