# Is a Havanese right for me?



## charmante (Feb 19, 2012)

Hi there!

Okay, so I joined this site because you all seem to know a lot about this breed, so I figured you would give me honest answers.  Sorry that this is so long, but I didn't want to leave anything out!

My family and I really want a new dog. We had a pug when I was younger, and she died a few years back of old age. We wanted a new dog after that, but my mom and I are both somewhat allergic to dogs and I have asthma so my doctor advised us not to get a new dog.

It's been quite a few years since then and while I'm still allergic to dogs, it's definitely not as bad as it used to be. Still, we're looking for hypoallergenic dogs just in case. We found out about the Havanese and we like them, but we want to know the ups and downs of the breed. 

Here are my questions! You don't have to answer all of them if you don't know some of the answers.

- How are they around people with allergies?
- Is the separation anxiety bad? Because of work and school, it would be left alone for around 5-6 hours each day
- What is your favorite thing about owning a Havanese?
- What do you not like about them?

If you have any advice or other info please let me know! Thanks 
-


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I am older, no children. Bringing a Hav into your family is like bringing a new baby home, then a toddler. The first two years are busy.

Potty training is long............. Blowing coat is terrible unless you keep a short coat all the time. Havs are a companion dog, so they WILL be right with you ALL the time. 

Havs are comical, loving and they are so stinky cute! Puppies are work!!!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

There are a lot of people on the forum with allergies who live happily with their Havanese. I'm sure some of them will chime in. 

Positives: They're adorable, comical, loving, sweet

Negatives: They can take longer than larger breeds to potty train unless you're vigilant. They go through coat blowing stage, when they mat from one moment to the last. They require a lot of grooming unless you keep them in a puppy cut (and even then). Some of them have separation anxiety, though none of mine ever did.

In the end, most of us who have them, when adding a dog to the pack, get another Havanese (or two).


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## wynne (Apr 30, 2011)

Havanese are little clowns on four feet. They love to be by your side always and will do anything to please you. 
I personally did not have a problem potty training Maya. She picked up on it quick as well as with her baic training. I have two cats so seperation anixiety was never a problem. If you do not have another pet, this might be a problem. They only problem I have had with her is the matting of her fur. I keep her fur long in the winter months so it requires constant brushing. Unless you know how to do groom your hav, grooming can be quite expensive. I am happy Maya is part of the family and I wouldn't have it any other way! :whoo:


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

I have dog allergies so I can chime in with a few thoughts.

- Like you I have dog allergies and asthma. Even though Havs are "hypoallergenic" dogs I did have a significant reaction that requires medical treatement. My asthma was dormant for over 20 years and kicked in like crazy almost immediately after I got Eli. It's the saliva and dander (even though it's very low it does build over time in your home). I am working with an allergist to control my symptoms, and hopefully address the allergy longer term. There are long term consequences to the medicine so I hope to get off soon but so far no luck. If you have any concerns about how your asthma or allergies will be affected, try to visit someone with a Hav and see how you respond. If you don't have the means to deal with expense of medical treatment or are unwilling to live with the symptoms, please consider very, very carefully if any dog is for you because it can have a very negative impact on your quality of life. Please understand I'm not trying to disuade you from getting a Hav or any dog, I'm just trying to be truthful.

- I work from home most of the time so I think my Hav never developed separation anxiety. However, he needs to be with me all the time when I'm home so if I lock a door behind me he will scratch to be let in. If you want company in the bathroom then a Hav is for you! He is fine when left home by himself for the day.

- There are so many things I love about. He's so easy going, sweet and funny and cute and irresistable. The list goes on and on. They're lovely dogs.

- What I dislike the most is the expense and time it takes for grooming. Even with a puppy cut, they need to be bathed and brushed often. Also the potty training. It takes a very long time (small bladders 

Hope this has been helpful. Good luck with your choice.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

My whole family has allergies but it never stopped us from having pets. I have found that we get used to our own furbabies. At first, you will have to be careful. Frequent bathing is vital. You may have to wear a mask while grooming and immediately shower afterwards.

You probably would need to keep your Hav in a puppy cut. Since they are "lowriders", they drag all sorts of things (leaves, grass, pollen) into the house.

My sis had a pug. I found that I reacted more to him than I do to my Jack. Short-haired dogs seem to be oiler or something. Do you have a friend with a Hav that you could test-drive?


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Oh Lord! I forgot about all the leaves and twigs dragged in the house! Low riders for sure if the hair is longer. You have to have lots of patience, if you don't you will soon learn patience. You have to a relaxed housekeeping style due to these low riders!

And, there is NO privacy in the bathroom!


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## charmante (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank you all so much for the answers! 

I will definitely try finding someone with a Havanese that I can hang around for a bit to see if the allergies are bad. I don't think they'll be awful- I only get bad allergies around dogs who shed a lot. With most dogs it's just fine, and we are definitely planning to keep it in a puppy cut if we got one.

The breeder we're looking at potty trains their dogs, so that probably wouldn't be an issue. But we'd be willing to put up with it if we needed to train them to go outside. We have a doggy door into our backyard, too 

I have just a few more questions, if you guys don't mind...

- *How do they get on with other breeds?* My doctor said that over time allergies can get worse with a dog, so we should have a back-up plan in case we couldn't keep it. My grandma said she would love to take in a Havanese if we couldn't keep one but she has a dachshund, so we would want to make sure they would get along.

- *Where do they sleep in your house?* Ours wouldn't be allowed in bedrooms, once again going back to the allergy thing, so would it be okay if it slept in a bed in the kitchen by itself?

- *How often do they need to be groomed? * We'd probably be keeping it in a puppy cut, and we don't know how to groom ourselves. We just want to know how often we'd have to take it in in get groomed.

Thanks guys!


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## El Bueno Habanero (Oct 20, 2009)

charmante said:


> Hi there!
> 
> Okay, so I joined this site because you all seem to know a lot about this breed, so I figured you would give me honest answers.
> 
> ...


Hi there to you too ;-)
You'll sure get honest answers, but maybe little biased , it's a havanese forum after all lol. 
Here are my answers, except for allergies, happy to say i don't know what that is .
My boy does have SA issues. Someone said her dog didn't developed it because she is almost always home, or something like that..I too am always at home, and I on the contrary believe that's the very reason my hava did developed SA. He is just so used to me being together with him, that leaving him suddenly gets him upset. Its' not bad case of SA, he is not a barker or destroyer if I leave him alone at home, but he gets very stresses (web-cam evidence) and then I get stressed. He only cries from time to time and that's it. I almost never leave him alone because of this. I have two cats so he is not all alone (and since 2 weeks a second hav), but the cats are of no help. In the beginning he even cried when he stayed with other people. It's me that he wants at home. There are other hav's that don't have any SA issues, but I'm not that lucky with mine. So you have to decide what would you do if you do get one who has this issue later on?

Favorite things about havs...they are gentle, responsive, sensitive, they naturally smell like heaven, have the most beautiful eyes in the whole doggy world :biggrin1:, playful, in general not a barky breed, also not a dominant breed, small enough to take anywhere with you, they adore their people, and I could go on and on, but you will find enough of this kind of threads here, so I will jump to the things that I like less lol.

In my opinion because of being a sensitive breed they can sometimes be oversensitive. My dog e.g. don't like parties, big crowds, and he hates loud music (begins to tremble, BUT not afraid of fireworks, how crazy is that!). He gets very anxious if I have an argument with my dh (just normal kind of arguments that I think all people have when they live together, so nothing over the top here). 
They can be picky eaters, many are, and this can get you worried. 
Potty training often requires patience and time. 
My boy is reactive to big dogs, and I know few others who are the same way. Not because they are dominant, it's more fear aggression. You have to be careful them being a small dog breed, that they don't encounter a big dog who reacts back. 
Many havs are cuddle bugs, but there're also enough who are absolutely not cuddly and kind of independent. My Fedja is like that. So if you find it important to have a cuddly hav I would advise you to clearly communicate that to the breeder of your choice. 
Many havs grow bigger then what people expect them to become, so if 'portability' is important to you again be clear about that. 
Like all purebred dogs they have their share of health issues, that's why it's so important to choose your breeder wisely. 
Sometimes they can get soft stools and then you have to be willing to give them a butt bath :biggrin1:. 
So, this sounds all so negative lol, BUT i got a second one 2 weeks ago, says enough lol, so my intention is not to be negative but rather honest as you asked for . Havaneses are beautiful dogs, in and out, but in my opinion not for everyone. They require much love and companionship to feel happy. But it you fall in love with one, I'm sure you will feel very blessed to have him/her in your life. For me personally there is no other dog breed. Wishing you luck with what ever choice you make.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

I have pet allergies (and a zillion others) and asthma. I tolerate dogs in this family of dogs (Bichon, Maltese, Havanese, etc) pretty well, but I do get allergies from them. I do notice it a lot while combing him - I always end up with a runny nose and needing to take my inhaler during the grooming process. He does sleep with me though without problems.

Havanese are known as velcro dogs for good reason, they want to be near you. Mine is a total lovebug and is always right there with me. If he's not, invariably it means he's into something he shouldn't be!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Hi and Welcome!

Wanted to answer your question about where they sleep. I have two Havs. Although a lot of forum members' Havs sleep with their humans, mine do not, and it has nothing to do with allergies. I am a light sleeper. Augie slept in the kitchen until Finn came to live. After Finn came, he sleeps in the kitchen and Augie sleeps in his crate in the living room, or a chair, or on the couch. He just kind of roams. 

About grooming - my boys are not bathed as often as some on the forum. I would think that if you have a propensity for allergies, bathing more often would probably be in order. Augie has gone 4-6 weeks between baths. I do comb him out at least every other day, daily when he was going through blowing coat. Finn needs to be bathed more often, his coat gets dirtier feeling faster, and we are combing him often as he is going through the coat blowing process. Both my boys are in full coat. I also wash their faces daily. If you get a good comb and comb or brush them daily, it really doesn't take that long and it will also get them used to human handling so they tolerate it better when you do take them to a groomer. There is also nail trimming to consider and brushing of teeth (where I haven't been the best, I'll admit). Since I bathe the guys myself, and they are in full coat, I have no idea how often others take their Havs in to groomers for baths and haircuts, if they don't do it themselves.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

My Jack loves people. Our house is the midpoint for the family so we end up having a lot of family gatherings. Jack goes from group to group and stands in the middle. Such a social butterfly.  (My Aussie get put in our bedroom. All those people disturbs her sense of order.)

Jack is fear-aggressive to bigger dogs. We are working on it but I think he will always be leery around big dogs. Probably a good thing as long as he doesn't go Napoleonic. 

Jack gets a bath every 7-10 days. I trim him down once a month. It is pretty easy. You make a couple of oopies but the beauty of the breed is that scruffy is good! If you take them to a groomer, it is around $50 plus tip. You don't have to worry about trimming for the first few months. 

Jack has always slept in his crate in the family room. Upstairs is for cats and humans.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

And another thing.....for a breed that does not shed, I sure get enough hair off of them when combing them out.

Yea! Butt baths for sure! The boys sleep with us in the bed. When I am home at night, the boys will stay up with me until I go to bed at night. I do not even notice the boys in the bed during the night, but it does appear that Dexter does like to lay close to husband. 

If you are going to keep your Hav in a short clip, the grooming will be definitively more relaxed compared to a long haired Hav. 

Believe me....once that Hav is in your house, you will not want to give your Hav up to Mom. Can Mom handle a Hav puppy? Puppies are very time consuming...lots of up and down to go potty. That potty door you are talking about sounds like heaven!

I wonder how long my boys would stay outside if we had a potty door? 

As for other breeds, it just depends on how the other dog's temperament is with other dogs. How old is the other dog? You are making a 10-15 year commitment, so make your decision carefully when choosing a Hav.

How old are your children? My boys cannot handle the loudness and sudden burst of noise...maybe because we do not have children around all the time. Just something to think about...


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Welcome. It's great to see you really researching this breed.

I don't have kids, so there is nothing I don't like about the havanese. I groom them myself, so I enjoy the quality time I get combing them daily and cutting them every 4-6 weeks. I can see where it would be a negative to some people. I never really had to deal with blowing coat, because I've always kept them in puppy cuts.

They are hard to housebreak, but I never knew anything else. Bella was my first dog ever! If you prepare for it, you will be ok. They can take a year to housebreak in some cases!

I love this breed. They constantly make me laugh. They are laid back and very devoted. I like their loyalty to me. I also enjoy them following me from room to room. They need to be with me, so they do sleep in my bed. That's all they've even known. 

My guys get along with other dogs, but they do prefer the small ones.

All my guys had separation anxiety. When I got them as pups, I worked with each one for an entire weekend. I had to train it out of them. By the end of the weekend, they didn't have the anxiety anymore. When I leave for work, they get excited because that's when they get their kongs. Then they sleep on the back of the couch and watch for the dog sitter to arrive. I've watched them on video and they seem very content and relaxed when I am gone. 

My guys are very relaxed dogs. This could be because I walk them a lot. It's normal for them to get a 3 mile hike daily. My brother has a Hav that is off the charts with energy. If you do decide on a hav, know that they vary in energy level. I always insisted in the puppies who were laid back and easy going. I knew that would work best with my lifestyle. 

My brothers Hav sleeps in the kitchen. I'm not quite sure why they don't allow him to sleep in their bedroom..... I can tell you his dog is restless and anxious at night. I stayed with him for a few days and that dog was not getting a good night sleep. I felt very sad for him. My guys sleep like babies. They don't get up until they hear their food bowls!



Good luck with your decision!


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## wynne (Apr 30, 2011)

Maya does like to sleep with me, but she sleeps at the foot of the bed. If it is at all possible try letting her sleep with you even if it is in her own bed on the floor. But then, if you get one young, you moght be able to get your hav to sleep in her own area.
Maya does get along with all breeds. It is fun to try and watch her around the neighbors Rott!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

this thread is very interesting!

I will try to stick to the original questions as closely as I can! 

- How are they around people with allergies? Not sure as we don't have allergies, BUT I agree with bathing every week and probably keeping your hav in a shorter cut.

- Is the separation anxiety bad? Because of work and school, it would be left alone for around 5-6 hours each day. I think this depends on the dog and how old they are. BUT on the whole this breed LOVES and longs to be with YOU and they will not be happy left alone for hours on end, every day. Even with my hav, who is 1 1/2 yrs I rarely, if ever would leave her for 5-6 hrs. I know there are LOTS of people who do, but I just couldn't do it, unless it was an emergency situation.
I think you would need to be sure to take some time off to be home and work up to several hours alone over the course of a week or 2 at least. So the puppy learns that you WILL come back. just my advice and experience. I had the leisure to be able to slowly build up the time I was gone, starting at 15-20 minutes and working up to 3-4 hrs over the course of several months.

- What is your favorite thing about owning a Havanese? - 
the pure devotion and love that radiates out of my baby when she looks at me with those eyes! I also secretly love how gorgeous she is and love to talk about her with people when I am out with her!  I love how excited she gets when it is time for a walk. I love how she always without hesitation is happy to see me. I love to see her playing with my kids (6 and 9 yrs old) and knowing that she is safe with them and they are safe with her. She was raised with 2 very active kids and as a result LOVES kids, I mean LOVES kids! The kids can have the radio on, playing Wii, squealing and laughing, screaming and running and Tillie is just in the midst eating it all up! Tillie loves activity and in OUR home is never scared or hesitant in any way. yet, she KNOWS her place, knows that she has to lay down and STAY until I SAY 'yesssss' meaning she can eat. That girl will stay in a 'down-stay' for 15 minutes if we forget to release her! LOL (note, this has never happened, but it COULD. LOL) Our hav was also VERY easy to potty train, with bells so she had a WAY to tell us she needed to go out! She was potty trained by the time she was 4 1/2 months old. Hasn't had an accident since.
This breed is smart, cunning, charming, gorgeous, funny, fun, loving, typically easy going and LIVES to please you.

What do you not like about them? - in a word. GROOMING. LOL seriously. I TOTALLY under-estimated this one. Tillie grew out until 'blowing coat' happened. After a week of 3 hr grooming sessions where I would spend an hr combing and de-matting only to turn around and find silver dollar size matts AGAIN, I 'gave up' and had her shaved down. She was about 9 mos old. SHe has been growing out since then and I have also taken over ALL of her grooming. I constantly have a list going on in my head, as to what needs to be done. BUT i do enjoy it, it isn't a hardship or anything, BUT it is a reality. I am at the point where I might cut her down again because she is just looking ragged to me lately ... and we really haven't had winter, so she doesn't need her coat for warmth!
If you get a hav, your comb will become your best friend... 
I have always combed Tillie out once a day (at least) and she gets a bath every 7-10 days. I love the $$ I save doing all of her grooming myself and I know she is MUCH happier and safer with me than with any of the groomers around here! 

hmmmm... did I stay on topic? LOL
Any other questions that we haven't answered yet?


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

Hey there,
you came to the right place.

1) allergies - I'm uber allergic to almost all things environmental. I'm batting 1000 at the allergist's office so far. allergic to cats and dogs. I have a 1/2 hav 1/2 shih tzu. I can rub my face in his coat. not allergic to him.

2) what do I love about the breed? I'm big dog person, but I'm totally enamored with the havs. and I'll always have one in my life. they are entertaining, clowns, super smart (mine knows over 30 tricks and is a certified therapy dog, and comes to work with me), sweet, funny, everything you'd want in a little dog, if you raise them right.
I'm single, but my 6 nieces and nephews all under at 10, are in love with Ollie my little guy. 

3) there is nothing I dislike about the breed. I did my homework, and knew grooming would be in the mix. If you don't like the brush or the straight comb, don't get a hav. I keep his coat pretty short, no longer than 6 inches, but I still comb him out every other day, if not more, and I'm always finger combing him.

4) separation anxiety and how well the dog gets along with other dogs is dependent very much on how you raise the puppy. SA I believe the pup is born with, but how severe depends on how you raise them. my little does have it, but I have other dogs, so he's never alone.

He sleeps where ever he wants. I'm not a crate household. I will say, little dogs have BIG personalities. and yes, companion dogs LOVE their people, so it will be tough on them to be away from you.

I work at a public elementary school. 2 yrs ago I was talking to a parent, and she swore she'd never get a dog. 3 months later, by circumstance she got a 7 month old hav male. JJ. just talked to her yesterday, and it's the same as the 1st wk she had him, she's so in love. will never have another breed. Her husband said he never thought he'd lose his wife to a dog :suspicious: :biggrin1:.

My little guy is always up for anything. from starbucks to off leash romp to watching TV, he is one of the best dogs I've ever had. did I mention he's very very cute! good luck.


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## Sheila (Sep 17, 2011)

I think it depends on how bad your asthma or allergies are?I have asthma & allergies to dust,and most all types of animals except for the havanese?I have 4 fur babies and they all sleep with i and my hub? for training they need positive training.I think that they are are very smart breed .just depends on the training & how you treat your fur kid?and that they are a social dog.so i think they get along with other breeds?I know mine do.?they are a Velcro dog,everything sticks to them&they stick to you?lol?for my allergies&asthma i have been taking 2 to 3 tea spoons of organic virgin coconut oil a day and sometimes at night a cup or 2 of chamomile tea? it seems to be working for me?


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## maya1 (Feb 17, 2011)

I love my havs but agree that not all of them are overly affectionate. I have three and the leader is only affectionate on her own terms. Then she licks. The other one, both ex show dogs adopted is very affectionate. Both sleep in my bed since I lost a family member. The boy who has a heart condition was adopted at 4 months and he is really not affectionate yet they all want to be around me all the time especially if I have food. I love them all but the boy who can't be fixed because of his heart, is sometimes "overly humpy on me" Aloha


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