The Havachon: A Happy-Go-Lucky Companion 101 Guide
If you’re looking for an always-happy, energetic little friend, look no further than the Havachon! As a mix between the Havanese and a Bichon Frise, the Havachone brings together two unique breeds – with an original intent to create a “designer” dog breed. But, this dog has quickly become a favorite for families because of its small size and happy, playful personality.
The History of the Havachon
Bred from the Havanese and Bichon Frise breeds, the Havachon gained popularity in the 1970s in the United States. But, before we highlight this crossbreed, it’s important to look at the traits and history of each of the breeds that make up the Havachon.
The Havanese are thought to be a dog breed that has existed for more than five centuries, finding its start in the Canary Islands. Over the time, the Havanese became popular with royalty – including Britain’s Queen Anne in the late 1600s. Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway were both known to have Havenese dogs as well.
In North America, the Havenese were a highly popular family dog in Cuba – until Cubans fled for their lives under Castro’s control in the late 1950s. At this time, many dogs were left behind. The Perez and Fantasio families escaped Cuba with their dogs and became the first breeders of the Havanese breed in the United States.
Much like the Haveaese, Bichon Frise were known to be royal dogs – with France’s King Henry III reported to “carry a few” with him, wherever he went. Their popularity shifted, and soon they became a favored circus dog. It wasn’t until the 1950s when a couple brought the first Bichon Frise to the United States.
As a cross-breed, the Havachone is not recognized as a breed. However, it’s believed that these came about in the late 20th century – bred because of their ideal temperament and quest for finding a family-friendly small dog. With the affectionate and merry personality of the Bichon Frise with the loyal and playful demeanor of the Havenese, the Havachon has quickly become a favorite for many families – including those with young children.
Havachon: A Joyful, Affectionate Dog
There are a few things to know about a Havachon prior to bringing one into your family. Let’s talk about how amazing their temperament is first! The Havachon has a happy, playful energy – they are joyful with everything that comes there way. This can be a downside in that it can be challenging to get them to settle down, because they are always ready to go!
Havachons also LOVE getting attention! They are loyal to their owners and some people say that a Havachon doesn’t see people as strangers – simply people they haven’t met yet. However, this can mean that they may experience separation anxiety when their owners aren’t around. Because of this, it’s not a breed that’s typically recommended for people who spend a great deal of time away from home.
They are curious dogs. This, combined with their alertness to sounds that they aren’t used to, means they can be a good watchdog. This curiosity can lead to an independent streak (read: chasing after a squirrel!) and may also create challenges because they typically are a little stubborn.
Overall, Havachons are a wonderful companion and can work well for everyone from families with small children to elderly people seeking a companion.
Breed Overview
The Havachon typically weighs between 9-17 pounds and measures up to 14 pounds. Males may be a bit larger than females, but not by much. Because of its mix between the Bichone Frise and Havanese, the dog’s fur can vary greatly – it may be curly, long, short, or dense. No matter what its fur turns out as, it will by hypoallergenic. They may shed a bit, but it won’t be much.
In terms of colors, the Havachon has several different coat colors:
- White or cream
- Gray or black
- Brown
- Silver
- Blue
Typically, they will have a black nose and brown eyes. Despite having varying types of fur, you will always find that your Havachon has a curly tail, which adds to their adorable stature.
Havachon Health & Wellness
The Havachon has a medium-high activity level, meaning that they do need exercise – and probably more than what would be expected for a small dog. Taking them for walks and playing with toys with them will make them quite happy.
Because of their intelligence, this breed will do well in learning tricks – and because they want to make you smile, they will love to see your reaction as they master these tricks! You could even consider agility training or frisbee for this breed, which would help them meet exercise requirements.
One thing to note – given their intelligence, if they are not getting the level of activity required, you will see bad habits form – like chewing or getting into things. This is a good measure to see if your Havachon needs more activity or exercise!
Grooming & Training for Your Havachon
When it comes to grooming your Havachon, it’s important to clip their hair on a regular basis so it does not become overgrown or get mats. On their face, their hair will grow to cover their eyes. Most groomers are familiar with the Havachon and the ideal haircut for this breed.
Outside of getting groomed, giving regular baths and using brushes to care for their double coat will be important. This breed may have issues with tear staining, and there are wipes and treats that you can give to help prevent these stains on their fur.
To get your Havachon used to grooming, it should be done on a regular basis – and you may see that they start to enjoy the process.
Because of their personalities, Havachons do well with training. They are smart, so they catch on early. They enjoy doing tricks. Regular training will help you keep your Havachon focused, even in times when they are excited about life.
How to Care For a Havachon
Caring for a Havachon should be focused on a few key areas to ensure that they live a happy and healthy life:
- Food and Nutrition: Their small size means that they don’t need a lot of food or treats for the day. It’s important to keep an eye out on their weight so that they don’t overeat, which can lead to weight issues.
- Grooming: Clipping the Havachon’s fur will be important to ensure that mats don’t develop. It is recommended that they are brushed a few times a week. They have a double coat, so make sure the right tools are used to keep both layers of fur healthy.
- Exercise: As stated previously, focusing on daily exercise around 30 minutes will be enough to keep your Havachon healthy and happy. This includes taking them for walks, playing with them in the yard or with toys, or practicing agility skills (or training them to do tricks).
- Attention: Your Havachon will LOVE any and all attention that you give them! They will do well with other animals and kids in the home, because that means more attention for them.
In Conclusion: Is a Havachon Right for You?
When thinking about the Havachon breed and whether it makes sense for you, think about your lifestyle and what you want your relationship to look like with a dog.
- Will you be gone a lot? If you are gone a lot, this can lead to issues with a Havachon due to their separation anxiety.
- Do you have time to exercise the dog? A Havachon will have the need to be exercised on a daily basis, whether through a walk or play. This is important to have time for this in your day.
- Can you support its grooming needs? Its fur is a bit high maintenance than other dogs, and brushing will not be enough. Make sure you can support its need to get clipped and groomed on a regular basis.
- Do you want a small dog? Small dogs can be beneficial for city dwellers, and the Havachon in particular, makes a great family dog. But, small dogs do require a different type of focus than a large dog, so that’s important to note.
Like adopting any dog, it’s important to think about what works best for you and your lifestyle. From there, you can determine if that pup is a fit for your lifestyle – but you’ll find that a Havachon will bring a lot of love, energy, and playfulness to your life.
