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A Havanese is a strong lifestyle match if you want a cheerful, trainable, low-shedding companion and someone is usually home It is a tougher fit if the home is empty most days — this is a true companion breed that suffers alone
If a family asks us for one small-dog recommendation that is hard to get wrong, the Havanese is usually it. Temperament is the breed's masterpiece: sunny, sturdy-for-a-toy, clever, eager to perform, gentle with polite children, sociable with dogs and cats, and portable enough for any city life. They are healthier than most toys in our records and routinely reach the mid-teens. The costs of all this are two. First, the coat: silky, continuously growing, low-shedding — which allergy households appreciate — but quick to mat without several brushings weekly or a standing grooming appointment; many pet homes sensibly keep a short puppy cut. Second, the attachment: Havanese were bred for centuries to be with their people, and they mean it — long empty-house days produce genuine distress, and we counsel against the breed for full-time-office households with no midday plan. Watch the kneecaps (patellar luxation is the standard toy-breed note), keep the teeth brushed, and expect house-training to take toy-breed months. Otherwise: one of the easiest yeses in the toy group.
— Dr. Rosemary Stolzer-Bolton, DVM, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
One of the best toy-breed choices — forgiving, eager, trainable, and free of the sharpness some small breeds carry. Their demands are companionship and coat care rather than handling skill.
No dog truly is, but the Havanese coat sheds minimally and releases less dander into the home, making them one of the commonly tolerated breeds for allergy sufferers. Trial exposure before committing remains the honest test.
This is the breed's genuine weakness — bred purely for companionship, they do poorly with long daily solitude and it shows as barking, distress, and house-training regression. Plan midday company or choose a more independent breed.
The silky coat wants brushing several times weekly and professional grooming every 4 to 6 weeks — or a short pet trim that halves the workload. Ears and tear-stained faces appreciate routine attention as well.
Delightfully — they are circus-dog descendants who live for applause, and they learn tricks and manners fast with positive methods. House-training is the slow exception, as with most toys: months of consistency, not weeks.
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This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian with any questions about your pet's health.
| Condition | Prevalence | Typical onset | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congenital Portosystemic Shunt | Over-represented | Under 1 year, often under 6 months | SEVERE |
| Patellar Luxation | Elevated | 4-6 months | MODERATE RISK |
| Cataracts (Hereditary) | Elevated | 1-5 years | MODERATE RISK |
| Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease | Elevated (toy-breed pattern) | 4-11 months | MODERATE RISK |
| Congenital Deafness | Elevated | Congenital | MODERATE RISK |
| Chondrodysplasia (Short-Limbed Conformation) | Breed-typical conformation | Congenital | MILD |
Our clinical database also lists 1 anesthesia consideration for this breed — details your veterinary team should know before prescribing or sedating.
See the full clinical risk profile (for veterinary professionals) →