Content
- Origin of the Havanês Bichon
- Bichon Havanês: features
- Bichon Havanês Personality
- Bichon Havanês: care
- Bichon Havanês Education
- Bichon Havanês: health
O Havanese Bichon or Havanese is a small, adorable dog with long, soft fur. The breed's origins lie between Spain and Italy, the Mediterranean basin, but the breed eventually developed in Cuba, where it coexisted with the nineteenth-century aristocracy. It is a jovial, active and happy dog, perfect for very distinguished families looking for a loving companion.
In this PeritoAnimal sheet, we will share with you some details about the personality and care required by the dog Bichon Havanês, an excellent companion dog. If you are thinking of adopting a pet of this breed, you cannot miss this complete sheet, in which you will find out if it is the perfect companion for you:
Source
- Europe
- Spain
- Italy
- Group IX
- Slender
- Extended
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
Origin of the Havanês Bichon
This breed shares its origin with all other Bichons, who descend from barbet crosses (an old dog, now extinct) with lap dogs from the Mediterranean basin. Other breeds that descend from this same lineage are: Bichon Frisé, Bichon Maltese, Bichon Bolognese and, a little farther phylogenetically, the Poodle.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Spanish sailors took some of these Bichons to Cuba, where they gained the Cuban aristocracy's preference of the time. At that time, these Bichons were known as "Havana Whites" because they were exclusively white dogs.
It wasn't until the 19th century that the modern Havanese Bichon appeared, thanks to the blood contribution of Poodles and German Poodles. However, the breed lost popularity at the beginning of the 20th century, and all the original Cuban bloodlines disappeared, leaving the Havanese Bichon virtually extinct. Fortunately for dog lovers, the breed was rescued in the United States by Cuban breeders who had migrated to that country with some of their dogs.
According to the International Federation of Cynology (FCI), the name Bichon Havanês does not come from the development of the breed in Havana, but from the predominant color in the breed, which is havana-brown. Currently, Bichon Havanês is a unusual dog, but is not at risk of extinction.
Bichon Havanês: features
this dog's body is small and a little longer than tall. The topline is straight but arches slightly in the lower back and the back is sloping. The bottom row has a well-retracted belly.
The head of the Havanês Bichon is wide and the top is flattened or slightly convex. The stop on the muzzle is moderately marked, and the nose is black or brown. The eyes, with a friendly expression, are large, almond-shaped and dark brown. This dog's ears are set high and fall to the sides of the cheeks. Its end forms a slightly marked tip.
The tail is shaped like a pastoral staff (the distal end is curved) or, preferably, is draped over the back. It has a characteristic fringe of long silky hairs.
As with other Bichons, the Havanês' coat has a single layer or an underdeveloped inner layer. The covering mantle is very long, between 12 and 18 centimeters, soft, smooth or wavy, and can form curly strands. According to the International Federation of Cinology (FCI) standard, the following coat colors are accepted: pure white, brown in its different shades, black, havana brown, tobacco color, reddish brown. Spots in the listed colors are also allowed. The FCI standard does not indicate an ideal weight for the breed, but the height at the withers varies from 23 to 27 centimeters.
Bichon Havanês Personality
In general, these dogs are very playful, active, animated and even a little clowns. Because they are so happy and sociable, they need a lot of company and a lot of mental stimulation.
Havanese Bichons tend to be sociable with people, dogs and other animals. Also, despite their small size, they are often very child-friendly. However, they can become aggressive or shy if their socialization has been inadequate. Therefore, it is important to socialize them from their puppies.
They are also very intelligent and easy to train dogs, so they were used in circuses in the past. Currently, they are not employed in any specialty of canine dressage and, luckily, not even in circuses, but they can practice competitive obedience, canine freestyle and agility, and make excellent pets. The training style used should be based on positive reinforcement, such as clicker training.
Among the most frequent behavioral problems of Bichon Havanês are excessive barking, separation anxiety and the destruction of things. Obviously, these problems mostly occur when the dog doesn't get the companionship, exercise, and mental stimulation it needs.
However, in most cases, these behavioral problems do not occur, and the Havenese Bichons become excellent pets, whether for families with children or without children. They also make great pets for inexperienced owners.
Bichon Havanês: care
This dog's fur tends to tangle easily, so it's necessary to brush and comb it at least once every other day. However, and unlike many of the longhaired dog breeds, the Havanês Bichon does not need a canine hairdresser. You should only shower when dirty, and you should avoid showering too often (no more than once a month). An advantage of this dog's coat is that it doesn't shed fur, which makes this Bichon a hypoallergenic dog.
Compared to other dog breeds, the Bichon Havanês has little need to exercise. Moderate exercise is usually sufficient, and can consist of daily walks, not-too-rough games, and obedience training. Also notable is these dogs' love of swimming, so it's a good idea to give them the opportunity to swim in a safe place whenever possible.
Anyway, due to their size, Havanese Bichons can do most of the exercises they need indoors. They adapt very well to apartment life and densely populated cities.
On the other hand, your company needs are very high. These dogs need to be accompanied most of the time, and should not live isolated in a yard or garden. Nor are they dogs that can be left alone all day while the family is working.
Bichon Havanês Education
As with all dogs, in its puppy stage the Bichon Havanês will need to go through the usual socialization process, which will allow it to learn to relate with other dogs, pets, children, adults and objects. The purpose of socialization is basically to prevent the development of fear-motivated behavior problems. It is understandable that, if the Bichon Havanês does not know an urban environment, they feel insecure and afraid.
Later, you can teach him the basic obedience commands to ensure good communication between you. It is important to know that Bichon Havanês' natural predisposition will give you the opportunity to teach him very different tricks, which both will enjoy. All your education should be based on positive reinforcement, which will bring you good results and strengthen your relationship with the dog.
Bichon Havanês: health
The Havanese Bichon tends to be a healthy breed, but can have some canine diseases with some frequency. Patellar dislocation is perhaps the most common disease in the breed. Other common diseases, although not as frequent as the previous one, are progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and external otitis.