The name tells a misleading story. The FCI standard says the Havana tobacco-brown colour of many dogs led people to assume origins in Cuba’s capital. The family actually developed around the western Mediterranean. Cuba remains the official country of origin, and the breed ultimately survived in the USA.
| FCI | Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs), Section 1 Bichons and related breeds, Standard No. 250, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Cuba |
| Size (height at the withers) | 23 to 27 cm, tolerance 21 to 29 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 14.5 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024); sample included only 56 deceased Havanese |
| Coat | very long, soft outer coat (12 to 18 cm), straight or wavy, with little or no undercoat |
| Colours in the standard | rarely pure white, fawn in various shades, black, Havana brown, tobacco or reddish brown; spots and tan markings in these colours permitted |
Origins
The standard describes development along the Spanish and Italian coasts. Italian captains apparently brought the dogs to Cuba early on. Old Cuban bloodlines later died out, but some dogs were taken abroad and descendants survive in the USA. The FCI lists the breed as Bichon Havanais, known in English as Havanese.
Temperament
The standard describes exceptional liveliness, affection, cheerfulness, playfulness and even a little foolishness. The breed loves children, plays endlessly with them and readily learns to announce visitors. A Havanese wants to be at the centre of family life. Teach time alone step by step.
Exercise and activity
Long outings are unnecessary, but daily walks, play and small mental challenges matter. Tricks, searching games or some dog sports are enjoyable. Beginner-friendly does not mean self-entertaining.
Grooming
The long hair is the real task. The standard prohibits trimming and any scissor shortening for show dogs, allowing only slight tidying of feet, forehead and muzzle. For a family pet, brush down to the skin several times weekly to prevent matting.
Health
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences has published several Havanese studies. Among 1,156 Norwegian dogs, 14.5 percent had distichiasis, misplaced eyelashes, usually mild (Bellamy et al. 2021). A second study of 355 dogs found the chondrodystrophy variant, potentially associated with shortened, bowed forelegs, almost everywhere; the healthier wild type had an allele frequency of only 2.5 percent (Bellamy and Lingaas 2020). An older US university-hospital analysis diagnosed congenital liver shunts in 3.2 percent of Havanese (Tobias and Rohrbach 2003). Ask for the parents’ eye findings.
Who is a Havanese right for?
First-time owners, families with children and people often at home who enjoy grooming and playing together.
Who should look elsewhere?
Anyone seeking a low-maintenance dog or regularly needing many hours alone.
Read what the Havanese really needs day to day in the detailed Havanese breed profile. Assess suitability with our breed quiz or our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German). New to puppyhood? The free Puppy Starter Pack helps. Bring your Havanese to the wall through dog portraits from your own photo or a magazine-cover canvas.
Further reading
- Havanese: beginner-friendly does not mean undemanding
- Maltese: lovely character, but grooming is the full-time job
- Housetraining your puppy: the first 4-week plan
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 250 Bichon Havanais (Havaneser) (fci.be, version dated 12.12.2016); Bellamy KKL et al., Heritability of distichiasis in Havanese dogs in Norway, Canine Medicine and Genetics 2021; Bellamy KKL, Lingaas F, Short and sweet: foreleg abnormalities in Havanese and the role of the FGF4 retrogene, Canine Medicine and Genetics 2020; Tobias KM, Rohrbach BW, Association of breed with the diagnosis of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs: 2,400 cases (1980-2002), JAVMA 2003; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
Links to our books are affiliate links. Buying through them supports us at no extra cost to you.
