The Havanese dog, better known as the Havanese Bichon, is a small breed of pet dog and is considered the national dog of Cuba. This dog is distinguished by its soft, fine and silky coat, as well as its playful character.
Origin of the Havanese
Although it is considered the national dog of Cuba, in reality, this breed of dog originates from the coasts of Spain and Italy. And why do we say that it is Cuban? It is believed that the Bichon was brought to Cuba very early, which led to the adoption of the legend that the Bichon originated in Havanese.
Types of Havanese
Color
Today, it is possible to find white bichons, black bichons, brown bichons and black and white bichons. It is precisely because of the brown tone that the bichon is called havanese, because the color of this dog is quite close to the shades of habano (reddish brown).
Some specimens have spots on the coat in different shades of brown, but it is also possible that they have black spots on their hair.
Type and Hair Length
Although this breed is characterized by a long coat, it is possible to find adult Havanese with short hair, black, brown and white or a mixture of these colors. The size of this breed is small, but there are some specimens of Havanese toy, that is to say smaller in size and called mini Havanese.
Character and Behavior of the Havanese
The Havanese is a dog with a very alert temperament, which facilitates its education as an alert dog. It has a cheerful nature, is very affectionate and playful. If trained in time, the adult Havanese can become a very sociable dog and not at all aggressive, shy or nervous with strangers.
Due to their special and docile nature, Havanese have been trained as therapy or service dogs.
Havanese Puppy
Havanese puppies are very restless, playful and curious. The Havanese puppy is endearing for its small physique and fluffy coat, plus it’s very funny and sweet. Getting a Havanese puppy can be a wise bet if you are looking for a pet: it is ideal for children and also for elderly people.
Training is recommended because of the behavioral problems that the adult Havanese could present: excessive barking and anxiety.
How to Feed a Havanese According to Its Age?
Havanese Puppy
Havanese puppies should be fed three to four meals a day when they are between two and six months old; between six months and one year old, meals should be reduced to two. The diet should be balanced and rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins that provide the necessary nutrients for growth.
Adult Havanese
Thanks to its size, the Havanese does not need much food, however, it must be of good quality. To cover the energy needs of this animal, it will be enough to give him between 100 and 150 grams of food per day. There is no need to worry about overweight pets, as they are pets that do not consume large amounts of food. It is important that the food is for small breeds.
Senior Havanese
When the animal reaches the age of seven years, it is time to feed it with special food for senior dogs, which are not very difficult to chew, or offer wet food.
Typical Health Pathologies of This Breed
This breed is quite healthy and the most common pathology it suffers from is the luxation of the patella. In addition, it can present diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and otitis externa.
How to Prevent the Above Conditions
It is important to take the animal to the veterinarian for periodic check-ups and to provide it with the necessary and appropriate food for its age and size.
Care of the Havanese Breed
Hair
It is necessary to brush it constantly every day or two to avoid the formation of knots.
Skin
It is important to bathe the animal once a week so that the skin is well moisturized and avoids the dog scratching and having knots in the hair.
Other
Excessive hair growing in the ears should be removed and cleaned regularly to avoid problems such as ear infections. Nails are trimmed every three to four weeks and should be about one centimeter long.
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