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All Dog Breeds >>Appearance of Havanese

The Havanese, while a toy dog, is hardy and sturdy and does not appear fragile or overly delicate. Weight is 8-15 pounds and height 8½ -11½ inches (216 to 292 mm), with the ideal between 9 and 10.5 inches (229 and 267 mm), at the withers. The height is slightly less than the length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, which should give the dog the appearance of being slightly longer than tall. A unique aspect of the breed is the top line, which rises slightly from withers to rump, creating a back that is straight but not level.

This breed is renowned for their unusually small tongue and flashy but not too reaching gait, giving the Havanese a sprightly, agile appearance. Typically, the front legs of the Havanese are shorter in height than the back legs. This gives them the 'hopping' quality to their gait. Havanese usually have dark, almond eyes. The ears are medium length, well feathered and hang down on the sides of their heads. The tail curves over the back at rest and is covered with a long plume of fur. Havanese are non shedding and hypoallergenic, great for people with dog allergies because they have little to no dander. Their coat is actually made of hair instead of the common fur which lets them not be able to shed.

Their coat should be brushed daily with failure to do so resulting in mats which are tough to get out. Many pet owners clip their dogs into a 1-2 inch long "puppy cut" for ease of maintenance. Their hair, designed for Cuban heat, serves no protection during cold weather, so they are dogs for which one would buy a sweater. If they go out in the snow, ice clumps will stick between their paw pads; just rinse off in warm water or buy booties. When you give them a bath, make sure to dry them.

Some in shorter clips can blot and air dry, but most will need to be blown dry. You should also comb their fur out after bathing so as not to dry in mats. Use high air but low heat to protect their sensitive skin. Hot air can damage the skin.

Havanese Training

The Havanese is moderately easy to train. He learns new commands at the average rate. He is neither difficult nor easy to train.

Havanese Shedding

The Havanese sheds practically no hair at all. You'll virtually never find a hair in your home!

Havanese Grooming

Pet coat (less work): Cut his coat short every few months and then it only needs to be brushed every so often. Show coat (more work): Professionally groom his coat to the breed standard. Brush it daily.