Havanese History

According to the American Kennel Club

HIGHLIGHTS: These little dogs are alert and are quickly trained to do what they are expected. From expereince I have found them easy to house train, yard train, "kennel up" and show. They possess a charming and loveable personality,are extremely intelligent,have great stamina and are "little clowns". They have an alert and lively expression that tells you that they miss nothing going on about them. These soft but sturdy dogs quickly become devoted members of the family. They will often guard small children instinctively though fully socialized and stories have been told of them rescuing the elderly or those in peril and performing circus acts.These dogs are terrific companion dogs, excellent agility trainers, and superior in giving affection to the sick and needy -- many serve very well as Therapy dogs. Havanese love to be loved and are just as happy in one's lap as they are on a nice long walk or run.

The breed is non-shedding, odorless and hypoallergenic with a long coat. The standard is long in the body as compared to height. The legs should be straight and well muscled, and not overly short. They stand from eight to ten and one-half inches at the shoulder. The tail is well plumed and carried curved over the back. Their gait is quick and springy. The head should not be too long,  too narrow, or overly large and round in the skull. The nose should be neither too long nor blunt. The stop is well defined and the eyes are round and dark, but not prominent nor buldging. The ears should be long, well feathered and hanging close to the head. The nails are preferred black, but lighter are permissible on the lighter colored dogs. Chocolate colored dogs are allowed to have Chocolate pigmentation but all other dogs for show purposes, must have dark pigmentation fully on the nose, around the eyes and on the lips.

For more information two good books to read are: "The Havanese", By Diane Klumb, and "Havanese" by Kennel Club Books.

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Although it is new to the AKC, the Havanese is quite an old breed in "dog years". Its history is fascinating and important to defining type, as it is unique in many respects. The Havanese is the National dog of Cuba and its only native breed. The flag of Spain was first raised over Cuba by Christopher Columbus in November of 1492. In the ten years following, colonization was begun on the island by Spain, who owned it for the better part of the next four hundred years.

The first settlers came from two distinct classes- farmers primarily from the island of Tenerife, and the "segundos", or second sons of the Spanish aristocracy. Ship's logs of the early sixteenth century reveal that dogs were brought along on these early colonists' voyages, and logic tells us they were most likely the dog of Tenerife, common ancestor to all the Bichon family. Because of the draconian trade restrictions imposed on its colonies by Spain, Tenerife remained one of the only ports open to Cuba for trade, and it would appear these little dogs, who soon found their way into the homes of the resident Spanish aristocracy, developed without much outside influence. They did, however, develop in response to the climate of this tropical island. The Havanese of today is still a remarkably heat-tolerant little dog, due in no small part to the unique coat. Once called the Havana Silk Dog, or the Spanish Silk Poodle, the coat is like raw silk floss, profuse, but extremely light and soft, and insulating against the tropical rays in much the same way that yards of silk sari protect the women of India. In its native country, the coat was never clipped for this reason, and the hair never tied into a topknot, as the Cubans believe it protects the eyes from the harsh sun.

In spite of the trade restrictions, Colonial Cuba developed and prospered. By the 18th Century, it was the cultural center of the New World, with an elegance that surpassed anything the British had managed in ITS colonies! The aristocracy of Europe found the city of Havana to be a great vacation spot, with its operas, theatres and palacios. On their return to Europe, they brought back the little Dog of Havannah, which found favor in the courts of Spain, France and England. In both Spain and in the court of Louis XVI, they were shorn in the manner of poodles, and were much admired for their diminutive size. The English, on the other hand, appeared to leave them au natural, and called them the white Cuban, although they were as often found in parti-colors and shades of fawn.

By the mid-eighteenth century, they were downright trendy in Europe. Queen Victoria owned two and Charles Dickens had one, beloved of his seven children and named Tim. They were exhibited in the early European dog shows and type was well-established. In Cuba meanwhile, the times were changing. The aristocracy of the sugar barons was dying out and a new class was emerging, the bourgeoisie, and the little dog of Havana, adaptable as always, became a family dog extraordinaire, playmate of children, watchdog, and herder of the family poultry flock. It is a position he has held there for the past hundred and fifty years.

With the advent of the Cuban revolution, the class of Cubans who owned Havanese was the first to leave. A handful of them found their way to this country, and by the end of the 70s a gene pool was being rebuilt. All the Havanese in the world today, save those from the "iron curtain" countries and those remaining in Cuba, stem from those 11 little immigrants. Remarkably, through all their travels, Havanese type has remained virtually unchanged from that of the dogs painted in the eighteenth century. To preserve it now and for the future is the challenge.