The Havanese, while a toy dog, is hardy and sturdy for its size, and it does not give the appearance of fragility or of being overly delicate. Weight range is from 10-15 pounds. The height range is from 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches (216 to 292 mm), with the ideal being between 9 and 10.5 inches (229 and 267 mm), measured at the withers, and 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.
The Havanese has a playful, friendly temperament which is unlike many other toy dog breeds. It is at home with well behaved children and most other pets and is rarely shy or nervous around new people. Clever and active, they will often solicit attention by performing tricks, such as running back and forth between two rooms as fast as they can. They are very lovable.
The Havanese is a very people-oriented dog. They often have a habit of following their humans around the house, even to the bathroom, but do not tend to be overly possessive of their people and do not usually suffer aggression or jealousy towards other dogs, other pets, or other humans.
The Havanese's love of children stems back to the days when it was often the playmate of the small children of the households to which it belonged. Unlike most toy dogs, who are too delicate and sometimes too nervous or aggressive to tolerate the often clumsy play of children, the Havanese, with care, is a cheerful companion to even younger children, and this is no small part of its growing popularity around the world.
Havanese have been known to eat only when they have company in the same room. If one is eating and its person leaves the room, it is likely the dog will grab a mouthful of food and follow its "person", dropping the food and consuming it one morsel at a time in the room its person goes to.
Havanese are true "dogs", loving to play in an aggressive manner, not wanting to be the "loser" of whatever game they are playing. That being said, they calm down quickly when prompted to do so by their owners.
Havanese have excellent noses and are easily trained to play "find it," a game in which the owner hides a treat and the Havanese sniffs it out, never giving up until the treat is discovered. This is a highly trainable dog.
Havanese are natural companion dogs: gentle and responsive. They become very attached to their human families and are excellent with children. Very affectionate and playful with a high degree of intelligence, these cheerful little dogs are very sociable and will get along with everyone including people, dogs, cats and other pets. They are easy to obedience train and get along well with other dogs. This curious dog loves to sit up high on a chair to observe what is going on. It is very sensitive to the tone of your voice. Harsh words will only upset the dog and will achieve very little. Generally, harsh punishment is unnecessary. The Havanese have a long reputation of being circus dogs, probably because it learns quickly and enjoys doing things for people. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard notes that "he is easy to train as alarm dog." It is best to teach them not to bark unnecessarily while they are still young to prevent it from becoming a habit. Havanese can be good alarm dogs - making sure to alert you when a visitor arrives, but quick to welcome the guest once it sees you welcome them. Some dogs may exhibit a degree of shyness around strangers, but this is not characteristic of the breed. They are very very attracted to people and will absolutely not serve as a guard dog.
Havanese are generally healthy and sturdy dogs, living between 14 to 16 years. Like other pure breeds, there are a few genetically-linked disorders common to Havanese. This is due to the small genetic pool from which the Havanese breed owes its ancestry. Havanese organizations, such as the Havanese Club of America, regularly monitor the occurrence of genetically linked issues to prevent its propagation within the breed.
The Havanese appear to suffer primarily from liver disease, heart disease, cataracts "Havanese". Canine Inherited Disorders Database. 2004-01-02. Retrieved on 2009-05-21 and retinal dysplasia. Havanese sometimes tear and may develop brown tear stains, which is especially noticeable on those with white or light coats.
