One of the most appreciated family dogs, the Bichon Havanais of today, is the direct descendent of the Tenerife Bichon, which is now extinct. People who have researched the history of this breed say that, in the sixtieth century, during the Spanish occupation of Cuba, which lasted for about four hundred years, the seamen brought this breed to the island. Being so friendly and gentle, this little dog quickly made its way to the hearts of the rich people. They welcomed it into their homes, and soon it became part of the Cuban culture.
When the Europeans rediscovered the Havanais, it rapidly became popular in the Old World. Again, nobles and aristocrats offered it a home. In the meanwhile, back in Cuba, as a result of the civil revolution, the middle class replaced the aristocrats, who were forced to immigrate to the United States. But they did not forget about their little silky friends, and they managed to bring eleven dogs with them. They started breeding them, and now it is said that all the Bichon Havanais dogs that exist in the world today are the descendants of those eleven dogs.
Nowadays, the popularity of this breed has rocketed. People are simply falling in love with its looks and personality. Used to be referred to as the clown, this dog has a lively gait. It is not to be considered a fragile animal, despite being so small. It weighs about 4.5 kg. Having a height of 25 cm on average, it has a slightly longer body, compared to its height. Another distinctive characteristic is that its front legs are shorter than its rear ones, giving it its springy motion.
It has big round eyes, colored in black, and medium sized ears, droopy and fold. The head is well proportioned, the muzzle and the skull having similar dimensions. The dog carries its tail high on its back. The most frequent color of the coat is solid white, but sometimes it can have markings colored in black, tan or brindle. Due to the tropical climate in Cuba, the Bichon Havanais had to adapt to it, and now its coat, despite being long and dense, is lightweight and designed to act as a cooling agent uring hot days.
The personality of the Bichon Havanais is yet another strong point of the breed. It makes a perfect companion because it is not only highly sociable with people, but it also obeys its owners every command. Consequently, these dogs can be easily trained at a young age. Probably their inborn capacity for quick learning made the Bichon Havanais a common appearance in circus shows. Another interesting aspect of this dog's personality is that it likes having a good vantage point, giving it the possibility of observing everything. It does not bark at unknown people, and it reacts impressively well to its owners attitude towards the guests.
It is a lively dog, with a life expectancy of up to fifteen years. Although, for centuries, it has been a pet for aristocrats, it does not require some extraordinary living conditions. It does just fine in an apartment, and it needs moderate exercise.
Its most important need is human attention. It loves playing with children, with other pets and toys. It is sensitive to your feelings about it, and will seek to please you no matter what. You will see it showing off in front of you, doing the best it can to be considered worthy of your attention. So, the least you can do is to treat it with respect and show it that, although you have other things on your mind, there is always room for your little Bichon Havanais in your heart.
