# is your hava sturdy or fragile?



## olivia14 (Dec 6, 2014)

I have read that havaneese bred are sturdy dogs. 
yet mine is small & fragile I rescued her and my vet says she is havaneese.
but I wonder if she may have been bred to be on the smaller fragile side?
I have found the dog of my dreams!! I love this bred if I had known they even existed before I would have hava...knees years ago!! I can't be any happy. 
my baby is fragile and so very sweet she is so in-tuned to me.
others see her and make comments.."she looks like a real person!!"..lol

so I was just wondering if anyone else's hava is on the fragile side.
when I put her little coat on to go outside she rolls on her back and wags her tail so happy for her walks! I pick her up really delicately...she is not sturdy like a shih tzu or type. she is herself and fragile delicate.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The breed standard calls for a sturdy little dog. 

I'm sure your little one is adorable, and the love you your life, but it is not correct for them to be fragile.


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## olivia14 (Dec 6, 2014)

ok maybe I have shy & fragile not right. I will ask my vet.
Since we don't know any of my hava history we have to go by visual & exam.
And vet said she is hava but since she was not taken care of well by the prior owner she cowards away from people very timid. This last month she has made some great improvements by going up to friends and people I know with their permission. She runs and plays more and is even barking! At noise and things it is not excessively.
ty for your response. when I asked my vet if my dog may have another mix in her the vet said it is possible but really too hard to tell. At first I thought she may have a little poodle in her because her legs are a little longer then most photos of havaneese.
Then I watched some videos on here of havaneese playing and one looks just like my dog. So back to square one...guess I will just go with the vet who says she is havaneese and a little shy but coming along good. I will have to take some more photos and put them up on here.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Mi Popi says that I am built like a brick outhouse ound: So I guess you can say I am built mega-sturdy. The other day I was running by mi neighbor peoples front door and noticed it was open, so I wanted to go inside to say "hola". Well I didn't notice that the screen door was closed and I hit it going full tilt RLH! :frusty: There I was, tail over teakettle, flat on my back wondering what the heck hit me! My neighbor peoples came running and said, "Ricky are you okay? You are making one heck of a racket!"  Well other than being a little red-faced, I shook it off and said, "see ya later alligator."

besos, Ricky Ricardo


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

Our Ollie is built like a little tank. He is surprisingly heavy when I pick him up, but he is not fat. Very compact and solid. Nothing delicate or dainty about his look or his attitude.


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## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

We always say that our Henry is built like a little fire hydrant. Short, squat, muscular. Not red though!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

olivia14 said:


> ok maybe I have shy & fragile not right. I will ask my vet.
> Since we don't know any of my hava history we have to go by visual & exam.
> And vet said she is hava but since she was not taken care of well by the prior owner she cowards away from people very timid. This last month she has made some great improvements by going up to friends and people I know with their permission. She runs and plays more and is even barking! At noise and things it is not excessively.
> ty for your response. when I asked my vet if my dog may have another mix in her the vet said it is possible but really too hard to tell. At first I thought she may have a little poodle in her because her legs are a little longer then most photos of havaneese.
> Then I watched some videos on here of havaneese playing and one looks just like my dog. So back to square one...guess I will just go with the vet who says she is havaneese and a little shy but coming along good. I will have to take some more photos and put them up on here.


Shy is not correct for the breed either, but as your vet said, your little one has been through a lot. It sounds like she's making good progress!!!


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## olivia14 (Dec 6, 2014)

My hava is built so compact for being so little! She looks muscular but not fat. I agree that she has gone through alot before I got her...I'm noticing good changes in her as she builds confidence knowing she is safe here. She is becoming much more outgoing and starting to walk with pride now. Not to mention wanting to play now. My neighbors and friends have even commented on this. 
(someone had asked me if my dog was fragile...and that is where I got this term.
perhaps when I first got her she may have appeared that way due to her prior situation)


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Emmie is a smaller Hav (approx. 8.5 lbs) but she’s a little tomboy; likes to mix it up. She’s sturdy and brave and has a lot of fun. Yesterday she tried Flyball for the first time and it was challenging for her to press the spring-loaded pad to release the ball. Her cute LITTLE fluffy paws were not strong enough to do it easily but with treats and persistence she eventually was able to do it twice. She was highly motivated and kept batting at the board with both paws and tried to climb it, but until she put some of her weight behind it, nothing happened. It was adorable to watch her try to figure it out.


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## harmony (Jan 18, 2015)

Kepler is definitely not fragile. He weighs about as much as Luna (poodle/bichon mix), but Luna looks so delicate compared to him! He has larger paws, a stronger jaw, a longer and taller body, more muscle and just seems to take up more space than she does. He also has a much deeper voice, which adds to the perception that he's a much bigger, sturdier dog than she is. Luna has a much rounder rib cage than Kepler, which is (I assume?) where she's keeping that extra weight.


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

Django is a sturdy 10.5 pound Havanese. Everything about his small frame is solid. However, I must admit, when he's soaking wet he looks a little fragile! LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

littlebuddy said:


> Django is a sturdy 10.5 pound Havanese. Everything about his small frame is solid. However, I must admit, when he's soaking wet he looks a little fragile! LOL


Ha! When Kodi is wet, we call him the drowned rat!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

My boys are very sturdy. Scudder is the sturdiest and is built like a linebacker. Bella is only 6.5lbs so she is fragile.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

I guess at 6 lbs. that I can't say that Molly is sturdy. However, she is very agile. She loves to run and jump and wrestle with much bigger Havs.


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## Marbel (May 20, 2014)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Mi Popi says that I am built like a brick outhouse ound: So I guess you can say I am built mega-sturdy. The other day I was running by mi neighbor peoples front door and noticed it was open, so I wanted to go inside to say "hola". Well I didn't notice that the screen door was closed and I hit it going full tilt RLH! :frusty: There I was, tail over teakettle, flat on my back wondering what the heck hit me! My neighbor peoples came running and said, "Ricky are you okay? You are making one heck of a racket!"  Well other than being a little red-faced, I shook it off and said, "see ya later alligator."
> 
> besos, Ricky Ricardo


LOL - I love you Ricky Ricardo


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Marbel said:


> I love you Ricky Ricardo


Ay caramba! Te amo mucho tambien, novia Chloe y tia Marbel :kiss: I don't know what it is with this Cuban magnetism, but I've got to beat the lady doggies off with a bully stick! :biggrin1:

I have a little Chocolate Hav neighbor, Coco, here in Mexico who is 12 weeks old and weighs just about 5 pounds and VERY cute. She takes everything Ricky Ricardo dishes out (which is plenty ruff house) and keeps coming back for more. She is built very sturdy! She thinks of me as her big brother. I am teaching her all my travieso (mischief) tricks. She is a good student and quick learner!

besos, Ricky Ricardo


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## azcolaw (Jul 19, 2013)

My two are very sturdy. Ginny is tall, lean and athletic at 20 pounds. Griffin is smaller (13 plus pounds) but very stout and sturdy. 
My Mom has a little Hav (about 7 pounds at year) and she seems fragile to me, but maybe it is because I am used to mine.


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