50 Fun Facts About Havanese

The Havanese is the national dog of which country?

It takes its name from Havana, where it was the companion of colonial nobility.

The Havanese developed from which now-extinct dog?

The name means little white dog of Havana; it in turn descended from the extinct Bichon Tenerife.

The Blanquito is thought to have been crossed with which breed to make the Havanese?

Other bichon types were involved too, according to the breed's accepted history.

What is the "Silk Dog" in relation to the Havanese?

It was bred to meet the original Cuban standards rather than the modern AKC one.

The Havanese's progenitors are believed to have sailed to Cuba from which island?

Ship manifests bound for Cuba list dogs among the passengers brought aboard.

Which ancient writer is cited by those who trace the bichon family to Malta?

Others believe the whole family descends from the Tenerife dog instead.

Which event nearly wiped out the Havanese in its homeland?

Communists saw the dogs as property of the old elite, and few fleeing families could bring theirs.

How many dogs made up the American Havanese gene pool in the 1970s?

Dedicated breeding and imports later made it one of the AKC's fastest-growing breeds.

In which year did the American Kennel Club officially recognise the Havanese?

Recognition came more than two decades after American breeders took an interest.

Where did the Havanese rank in AKC popularity in 2013?

It had climbed from 28th place the year before.

What is the ideal height range for a Havanese at the withers?

The full allowed range runs from 8.5 to 11.5 inches.

What is unusual about the Havanese topline?

The result is a topline that is straight but not level, and the angle does not change at a natural gait.

How is the Havanese gait described?

Strong rear drive and a slightly shorter upper arm produce the springy motion.

Which Havanese colour is allowed to have brown rather than black eyes?

Chocolate dogs may also have dark brown rather than black nose pigment.

How far should a Havanese's extended ears reach?

They arc slightly upward at the base and hang without touching the face.

How is the Havanese tail carried?

The plume of hair falls on the body but the tail itself never touches the back.

What kind of coat does the Havanese have?

Unlike most double coats, the outer layer is soft and light, and the undercoat is sometimes absent.

The Havanese coat is said to feel almost cool to the touch, like what?

Breeders describe it as slightly wavy, profuse and undulating.

What grooming technique turns the long Havanese coat into rope-like locks?

The coat may be shown either naturally brushed out or in cords.

Which coats are acceptable in the modern Havanese standard?

There is still debate over whether the original dogs were all white.

What life expectancy did a 2024 UK study find for Havanese?

That compared with 12.7 years for purebreds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Which knee problem is among the Havanese's primary health concerns?

Liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia are the others listed.

A UC Davis study found what share of Havanese had a portosystemic shunt?

Mixed-breed dogs in the same sample of 90,000 ran at 0.35%.

Which skin disease is the Havanese predisposed to?

It is an inflammatory attack on the sebaceous glands, first described in the 1980s.

Which unusual sniffing job is listed among Havanese working roles?

They also work as signal dogs for the hearing impaired and as therapy dogs.

How much trimming does the Havanese breed standard allow for the show ring?

Back-combing or other fussing is against type and can cost the dog a placement.

What does the AKC standard allow for the head furnishings above each eye?

The standard also specifies that the tail may not be docked.

Which dog sport is listed among those Havanese compete in?

Agility, musical canine freestyle and obedience are the others mentioned.

The bichon type is believed to descend from which French water dog?

The name bichon is thought to be a contraction of barbichon, meaning little barbet.

In which century were bichon-type dogs already common as pets of French royalty?

From France they spread to the courts of Germany, Portugal and Spain.

By which other name is the Havanese known in the bichon family?

Bichon Havanais, Havana Spaniel and Havana Bichon are other aliases.

In which century were bichon-type dogs imported to Cuba by Europeans?

They thrived there until the revolution of the 1950s.

Which bichon breed's name means "little lion dog" in German?

By the 1970s only about 70 were thought to remain.

Where did the Bichon Frise find work during a dip in its popularity?

Belgian and French enthusiasts rescued it from extinction in the 1930s.

The Bichon Frise is recognised as a breed of which two nations?

Enthusiasts in both countries saved it in the 1930s.

The Coton de Tulear takes its name from a port in which country?

Laws were once passed there to stop commoners owning the dogs.

Which Italian family reputedly gave Bolognese dogs as gifts to win favour?

Louis XIV, Philip II of Spain and Catherine the Great are all said to have kept them.

What does the French phrase bichon a poil frise mean?

The word bichon is attested from 1588, earlier than barbichon.

In which year did the FCI definitively accept the Bichon Frise?

France's Societe Centrale Canine had recognised it in 1933.

What colour must an adult Bichon Frise coat be?

Only dogs under a year may show a slight beige tinge on up to 10% of the body.

Who brought the Bolognese to England in 1990?

The breed first appeared at Crufts in 2002.

How is the Bolognese hair described?

It is pure white or pale ivory and never trimmed unless kept as a pet.

Legend says the Coton de Tulear descends from dogs that survived what?

The little white dogs supposedly swam across the Malagasy channel.

According to Stanley Coren, the Maltese may have been the first dogs used for what?

Small dogs labelled melitaie appear on Attic pottery from about 500 BC.

Which philosopher reportedly called himself a "Maltese dog"?

The Cynic's nickname fits: kyon, the Greek for dog, is the root of the word Cynic.

Besides company, tiny dogs were once kept for what health function?

They were also status symbols and watchdogs.

Since 2008 the AKC has debated renaming its Toy group to what?

Supporters wanted to stress that dogs are not playthings; traditionalists resisted.

Which ancient lapdog was bred to fit inside the sleeve of a Chinese robe?

For centuries it could be owned only by members of the Imperial Palace.

In which kennel-club size group does the Havanese sit?

The breed stands only 8.5 to 11.5 inches at the withers.

Which city gives the breed its name?

Bichon Havanais and Havana Spaniel are among its other names.