Welcome to Loveable Silky Havanese

About the Havanese Breed

General Appearance- The Havanese is a small sturdy dog of immense charm. He is slightly longer than tall, and covered with a profuse mantle ofuntrimmed long, silky, wavy hair.  A native of Cuba, he has evolved over the centuriesfrom the pampered lap-dog of the aristocracy into what he is today - the quintessential family pet of a people living on a small tropical island. His duties traditionally have been those of companion, watchdog, child’s playmate and herder of the family poultry flock.

While historically always a toy dog and therefore never overly large or coarse, he does not appear so fragile as to make him unsuitable as a child’s pet. His unique coat reflects centuries in the tropics, and protects against heat. It is remarkably soft and light in texture, profuse without being harsh or woolly.

In both structure and gait, the Havanese is not easily mistaken for any other breed.  The resulting springy gait is flashy rather than far-reaching and unique to the breed. The overall impression of the dog on the move is one of agility rather than excessive ability to cover ground. These characteristics of temperament, structure and gait contribute in large part to the character of the breed, and are essential to type.

Size, Proportion, Substance-

The height range is from 8 ½ to 11 ½ inches,  measured at the withers.  The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, and should never appear fragile. A coarse dog with excessive bone is likewise contrary to type and therefore equally undesirable.

Head- 

The expression is soft and intelligent, mischievous rather than cute. 
The eyes are dark brown, large, almond-shaped, and set rather widely apart. Dark eyes are preferred irrespective of coat color, although the chocolate colored dog may have somewhat lighter eyes. The pigment on the eye rims is complete, solid black for all colors except for the chocolate dog which has complete solid, dark chocolate pigment. No other dilution of pigment is acceptable.   The pigment on the nose and lips is complete, solid black for all colors except for the chocolate dog which has complete solid, dark chocolate brown pigment. No other dilution of pigment is acceptable.

Neck, Topline and Body- 

The neck is of moderate length, in balance with the height and length of the dog. It carries a slight arch and blends smoothly into the shoulders. 

The topline is straight but not level, rising slightly from withers to 
rump.  The body, measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, is slightly longer than the height at the withers.  The tail is high-set and plumed with long, silky hair. It arcs forward over the back, but neither lies flat on the back nor is tightly curled.

Forequarters-Hindquarters- 

The tops of the shoulder blades lie in at the withers, allowing the neck to merge smoothly into the back. The elbows turn neither in nor out, and are tight to the body. Forelegs are well-boned and straight when viewed from any angle.  The pasterns are short, strong and flexible, very slightly sloping. Dewclaws may be removed. The feet are round, with well arched toes, and turn neither in nor out. Pads and nails may be black, white, pink, or a combination of these colors. Chocolate dogs may also have brown pads and nails.

The hind legs are well-boned and muscular through the thigh, with 
moderate angulation. The hocks are short and turn neither in nor out. The rear assembly, in which the rump is slightly higher than the withers, contributes to the breed’s unique, springy gait. Dewclaws should be removed.  Hind feet have well arched toes and turn neither in nor out. Pads and nails may be black, white, pink or a combination of these colors. Chocolate dogs may also have brown pads and nails.

Coat- 

The coat is double,  it is soft and light in texture throughout, though the outer coat carries slightly more weight. The long hair is abundant and, ideally, wavy. Puppies may have a shorter coat. A single, flat coat or an excessively curly coat are equally contrary to type and should be faulted.

Color-

All colors are acceptable; single or in any combination. No preference is given to one color over another. The skin may be freckled or particolored.

Gait- 

The Havanese gait is lively, elegant, resilient, and unique, contributing greatly to the breed’s overall essential typiness. The characteristic "spring" is caused by the strong rear drive combined with a "flashy" front action effected by the short upper arm. The topline holds under movement, neither flattening nor roaching. Head carriage is typically high, even on the move.

Temperament- 

Playful and alert. The Havanese is both trainable and intelligent with a sweet, non-quarrelsome disposition.  Most people claim they have a "clown like" behavior.

Show Presentation-

The dog should be shown as naturally as is consistent with good 
grooming. He may be shown either brushed or corded. His coat should be clean and well conditioned. In mature specimens, the length of the coat may cause it to fall to either side down the back but it should not appear to be artificially parted. The long, untrimmed head furnishings may fall forward over the eyes, naturally and gracefully to either side of the skull, or be held in two small braids beginning above the outer corner of the eyes, secured with plain elastic bands. (No ribbons or bows are permitted.) Corded coats will naturally separate into wavy sections in young dogs and will in time develop into cords. Adult corded dogs will be completely covered with a full coat of tassel-like cords. In either coat, minimal trimming of the hair at the inside corner of the eye is allowed for hygienic purposes only, not an attempt to resculpt the planes of the head. Minimal trimming around the anal and genital areas, for hygienic purposes only, is permissible but should not be noticeable on presentation. The hair on the feet and between the pads should be neatly trimmed for the express purpose of a tidy presentation.