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SmallToy Group

Havanese

The Havanese is the national dog of Cuba, descended from Mediterranean Bichon-type dogs brought by Spanish settlers and refined in Cuban colonial society.

Calculate Havanese age
Lifespan14.5 yrrange 14–15
SizeSmallToy Group
Weight7–13 lb3.2–5.9 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Havanese

The Havanese is the national dog of Cuba, descended from Mediterranean Bichon-type dogs brought by Spanish settlers and refined in Cuban colonial society. The 1959 revolution nearly eliminated the breed; modern stock descends from 11 dogs brought to the US by exiles.

Aging

How Havaneses age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 14.5 years (n=437) — among the longest-lived breeds. Chondrodysplasia, Legg-Calvé-Perthes, and patellar luxation are the defining orthopedic concerns; hereditary cataracts round out eye issues.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 14.5 yr · range 14–15Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues11 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
7–13 lb(3.2–5.9 kg)
Height
8.5–11.5 in(21.6–29.2 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
WhiteBlackBlack BrindleBlueBlue BrindleChocolateCreamFawnGoldGold BrindleGold SableRed
Temperament

Temperament

How Havaneses tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

intelligentoutgoingfunnyadaptable
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • High prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~6 yr

    Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram)

    Description and veterinary guidance for Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram) land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Havaneses are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.