Meet the Havanese

We Havanese are an old breed, but we’ve always been popular with humans (especially the rich and famous). We’re named after Havana (the capital city of Cuba) and I’m part of the Bichon family of breeds, so the Bichon Frise, Maltese, Coton de Tulear, and Bolognese breeds are all my close cousins! Spanish sailors brought my earliest ancestors to Cuba from Tenerife, which is one of the Canary Islands off the coast of North Africa. Some humans think that the Havanese breed is a mix of two breeds that are now extinct: the Bichon Tenerife and the Blanquito de la Habana.

We were a smash hit with the Cuban elite and quickly became their favorite lap dog (and a symbol of wealth and status). We are the only native Cuban breed, so obviously we were named the national dog of Cuba! We’ve had a few names over the years, including “Havana Silk Dog” and “Spanish Silk Poodle” (because of our silky coats) and “Habanero” (after the city of Havana, not the chili pepper – although we do have spicy personalities)!

Our double coats evolved to be long and light, helping to protect us from the tropical Cuban sunshine – the same sun that would bring European aristocrats to Cuba for vacations. When they showed up and met us, they fell hard for our charms. The Havanese became a popular breed among European royalty in Spain, France, and England. By the 18th century, we were a hot-ticket dog breed in England, due partly to dog-lover Queen Victoria (who had two of us).

By the 1950s, purebred Havanese were almost all gone! Luckily, three Cuban families who left for America during the Cuban Revolution brought their beloved companions, and almost all of today’s Havanese are related to those 11 dogs! American dog fanciers helped to bring us back to life, and we were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1996.