Havanese character, behavior and temperament
The Havanese is a small breed that is happy and affectionate.
The Havanese is a true delight. They are intelligent, curious, and playful.
They are true companions who love to be part of the family.
They are extremely social and will lavish attention on those who lavish attention on them.
Since this breed is odorless and low shedding they are popular choices for allergy sufferers. This breed thrives on companionship and adores children. The Havanese are good watch dogs who will alert their family to danger or visitors. They will look to their family for reassurance before welcoming strangers. Once they befriend someone they are friends for life.
The Havanese is a highly devoted breed. They are at their best in the family environment and do not like to be left alone for extended periods of time.
They get along very well with children and other pets.
The Havanese are neither aggressive nor timid, and do not exhibit a possessive nature. They truly have an endearing personality that makes them a lovely house pet
The Havanese is exceptionally bright and easy teach tricks.
Because of his pleasant nature and irresistible charm, he immediately finds his way into the hearth of every family member, thereby becomes the centre of the family.
He is very amusing and friendly, which is why he can be recommended to families with children. Even though he is a lapdog he loves to play and has the character and condition to do so frequently and for long periods of time.
He loves children and plays endlessly with them.
He is a remarkable swimmer and loves to romp about in the water.
In former times the Havanese was often seen doing tricks in circuses.
His ability to be trained has never been seen alike.
"The Havanese is truly one of the most delightful of the small breeds. They are exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted.
Their love of attention comes from their adorable little "show-off" natures. They are curious and busy constantly. They are natural clowns and enjoy interludes of rowdy, madcap play.
"The Havanese's expression tells you that they miss nothing going on around them; they love to sit somewhere high - especially on the back of sofas and chairs. They never let strangers approach unwelcomed. They thrive on human companionship, and are at their best as a participating member of the family. They love children and will play tirelessly with them at any game in which children delight."
The Havanese is a good breed for first-time dog owners and for families with young children, and he is smart and agile enough for those who want a small dog for obedience or agility competitions. He does well in multiple-dog households, for he is not a scrapper, and he's a delightful apartment dog because he's easy to train and not noisy.
Havanese Appearance
General Appearance:
The Havanese is a small sturdy dog of immense charm. He is slightly longer than tall, and covered with a profuse mantle of untrimmed long, silky, wavy hair. His plumed tail is carried loosely curled over his rump. A native of Cuba, he has evolved over the centuries from the pampered lap-dog of the aristocracy into what he is today - the quintessential family pet of a people living on a small tropical island. His duties traditionally have been those of companion, watchdog, child's playmate and herder of the family poultry flock. His presentation in the show ring should reflect his function - always in excellent condition but never so elaborately coifed as to preclude an impromptu romp in the leaves, as his character is essentially playful rather than decorative.
· A small rectangular-shaped dog.
· Ideal shoulder height: 23-27 cm.
· Skull: Flat and wide. Stop: Moderately marked.
· Muzzle: Narrowing progressively and slightly towards the nose.
· Eyes: Quite big, almond-shaped, and of brown colour as dark as possible. Kind expression.
· Ears: Set relatively high; they fall along the cheeks forming a discreet fold, which raised them slightly.
· Tail: Carried high, either in the shape of a crosier or preferably rolled over the back;
it is furnished with long silk hair.
· Hair: Soft, flat or wavy and may form a curvy strands.
· The usage of scissors to even out the length of the coat and all trimming is forbidden
(exception: The hair on the feet).
· The long and silky coat gives the Havanese elegance and distinction.
· Rarely completely pure white fawn in different shades of light-fawn to havana-brown;
patches in those colours of coat.
· All colors are allowed http://www.fci.be/circulaires/14-2009.pdf
http://www.mts.net/~mckay55/rainbow.html
Havanese History
The Havanese dog is part of the Bichon canine family of small breeds which probably originated in the Mediterranean area in pre-Christian times.
All Bichons are descended from the same bloodlines that produced the Barbet, or water spaniel; the Poodle; the Portuguese Water Dog; and others. The Barbet or "Barbichon" - later shortened to Bichon canine family - consists of several distinct breeds, including the Havanese. In order of popularity in the U.S., these breeds are: Maltese, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Lowchen, Coton de Tulear, and Bolognese
During the days of the Spanish empire, Bichons traveled to Cuba with sea captains who used them as presents for the women of Cuban households. By gaining entry into wealthy Hispanic homes, which were otherwise closed to outsiders, the captains were able to establish lucrative trading relationships with rich Cuban families.
Once in Cuba, the Havanese dogs (Habeneros in Spanish) lived exclusively in the mansions of the highest social class of people. Havanese dogs were never raised commercially or sold, but were sometimes given as precious gifts to a friend or someone who had performed a valuable service. Like the Victorian-age wealthy Hispanic women who owned them, the dogs were not seen in the streets or public areas. They lived in the rooms and interior courtyards of their tropical homes and occasionally rode in carriages with their owners
The Havanese dog found its way to Europe where it became very popular and was recognized by the European Kennel Club. It was known in England as the "White Cuban". Queen Anne is said to have admired a troupe of performing Havanese dogs that danced to music in almost human fashion.
As happened to many other dog breeds, the Havanese' popularity waned over the course of time. For awhile they were used in circuses as trick dogs throughout Europe, but eventually they became almost extinct - even in their native Cuba. Only three families were known to have left Cuba with their Havanese dogs during the political turmoil of the 1950s and 1960s. It is assumed that by that time there might not have been very many of these dogs kept by anyone. These three exiled families worked alone in Florida and in Costa Rica for over a decade to preserve the breed.
After raising Irish Wolfhounds and Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers for many years, Dorothy and Bert Goodale of Colorado began looking for a small breed to raise which would have the calm temperament and intelligence they cherished in the larger breeds.
After a few years of investigation, elusive references to the Havanese dog had drawn their attention, but no one knew where the Goodales might obtain them.
In the mid 1970s, they chanced upon an advertisement which resulted in the purchase of six pedigreed Havanese dogs; a mother, four daughters, and an unrelated young male. Completely enchanted with the outgoing, intelligent, and affectionate nature of the breed, they endeavored to locate more of the little exiles.
Mrs. Goodale placed advertisements in Latin papers in Miami offering to purchase Havanese. After several months, she had received only one response. A Florida man wrote to say that a friend of his had five Havanese dogs that he wished to sell. Mr. Eziekiel Barba had fled Cuba and settled in Costa Rica. Because of failing health, he had decided to move to Texas to live with his daughter and could no longer care for his "brood" of Havanese.
The Goodales arranged to purchase Mr. Barba's five dogs. This second Group had the same look and gentle temperament as the first. This gave the Goodales two new bloodlines to work with. Both the first and second group of dogs displayed the same look; sweet gentle temperament and were of similar size (as adults, averaging 10 to 12 lbs and 9 to 10 inches tall). Using the 1963 FCI Breed Standard (the only standard available), Mrs. Goodale began a breeding program to prevent the extinction of this breed. We who have come to know and love the Havanese breed, will be ever grateful to Dorothy Goodale for her efforts.
Havanese dogs are also making a comeback in its native Cuba. The Bichon Habanero Club is working from a foundation stock of approximately 15 dogs and is closely supervising the breeding program. In 1997 the first Havanese dog was exported from Cuba to the Netherlands.
Grooming and Showing the Havanese
Grooming
Non-shedding does NOT mean no-maintenance. Your Havanese dog will benefit from frequent grooming sessions several times a week. Routine grooming helps to keep your dog's skin, coat, teeth, gums and nails in peak condition. As well as general improving your pet's overall appearance, grooming also provides you with an excellent opportunity to examine the skin and coat for early signs of problems such as parasites, foreign bodies, skin disorders, mats, growths and wounds.
Good grooming behaviors should start at an early age, as soon as you acquire your Havanese puppy. Begin by getting it used to being placed on a steady table for grooming. Use a rubber backed mat, small carpet or towel to prevent slipping. Teach your puppy to lie down and/or stand quietly and to relax and enjoy your attention. Scratching the ears or chest may help to sooth an anxious pet, while a hand under a young puppy's stomach provides support and promotes confidence as you gently brush through the coat. This early training taught by repetition, correction and praise is important to ensure that your Havanese dog learns to accept grooming and thinks of it as a pleasant experience.
Showing
the Havanese Since the first standard was approved, Havanese dog breeders and exhibitors have preserved the "natural" appearance of the breed. Havanese dogs are exhibited in a completely natural state, clean and freshly brushed out. The only trimming that is permitted is the tidying up of the feet. This trimming is limited to the feet only, and should never extend up the leg of the dog. While there should not be any groomed-in parting of the coat on the neck or back of the dog, a natural parting of the coat while the dog is moving is permissible. The exhibitor would usually brush the "parting" out when setting the dog up during judging.
The individual examination of the Havanese dog is done on the table. While being judged in the classes, the dogs may either be set up by the handler or free stacked. The dog's ring attitude should reflect the breed's happy character. When gaiting, the Havanese dog should be on a loose lead and moved at a moderate rate of speed. Their typical "springy" gait may be observed by an occasional "bounce" as they move.