Havanese Temperament

"The Havanese is truly one of the most delightful of the small breeds. They are exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted. Their love of attention comes from their adorable little "show-off" natures. They are curious and busy constantly. They are natural clowns and enjoy interludes of rowdy, madcap play.

"The Havanese's expression tells you that they miss nothing going on around them; they love to sit somewhere high - especially on the back of sofas and chairs. They never let strangers approach unwelcomed. They thrive on human companionship, and are at their best as a participating member of the family. They love children and will play tirelessly with them at any game in which children delight."

The Havanese is a good breed for first-time dog owners and for families with young children, and he is smart and agile enough for those who want a small dog for obedience or agility competitions. He does well in multiple-dog households, for he is not a scrapper, and he's a delightful apartment dog because he's easy to train and not noisy.

Should you get a male? or a female?
Which makes the better pet? How do you decide?

When people talk about gender variations, generally they are talking about intact dogs. In the Havanese, many people find intact males easier to live with than intact females as the males are generally more easygoing, mellow and laid back as well as gentler, calmer, and more patient than their intact female counterparts. Some people find males to be better with children as they may also be more tolerant, affectionate and playful. Some males also have a higher will to please which in turn may make them easier to train.

Though many people think that sexual behavior is exclusively male domain, in reality, intact females often mount and mark much more than the males do. Intact females are generally more moody and emotional than the males, and also more dominant and demanding of time and attention but they can also be quick-witted and sassy with a quirky sense of humor which some individuals find very endearing. In intact females, heat cycles will be a regular issue to deal with. Fluctuating hormone levels contribute to mood swings and emotional ups and downs following heat cycles, breeding, pregnancies, or whelping. These same hormone fluctuations can cause significant coat loss so the females at these times may not appear their best. Some show enthusiasts prefer intact males as they are always in-coat and more predictably even tempered (unless one of the lovelies nearby is in season). Size wise, both are about the same though males may be slightly larger and sturdier built than females

If your Havanese is to be a family pet or companion dog then in all likelihood it will be spayed or neutered which removes many of the above behaviors associated with hormones in both genders. In altered Havanese, the differences tend to be much less pronounced. Spayed and neutered Havanese make the best family companions. Overall, whether altered or not, Havanese males may be more loving and easy going while females may be more demanding and temperamental. This is not to say that one makes a better pet than the other but simply that this is a generality and something to keep in mind when evaluating puppies for a suitable family companion, particularly if children are involved. Of course, individual differences within a litter or between breedlines may also contribute to temperament variations in both sexes. Some people have a personal preference and gravitate towards one sex over the other for assorted reasons. Havanese are all very sweet but also very individual. Each is precious and wonderful and deserves the best home possible.

Pet Store Puppies

Holiday shopping looms and pet stores are ready with a supply of puppies. Prices may seem a bit high, but plastic money is accepted at the check-out counter. The puppies are playful, have quick tongues that lavish kisses on happy faces, and are AKC registered.

The staff is eager to put a wiggly bundle of fur into a customer's arms. The customer is reluctant to put that squirmy, loving puppy back into that tiny display cage with the wire bottom.

So the puppy goes home with the happy family. All may be well; the puppy may grow into just the dog the customer wanted -- easily housetrained, gentle with the baby, playful with the older children, a quiet companion for the adults, a healthy, easily-trained pooch that readily fits family and lifestyle.

Or all may not be well; the pup may be high-strung, destructive, impossible to housetrain, disobedient, nippy, and unhealthy.

Although many people get good pets from pet stores, chances are that the puppy will have one or more problems caused by poor breeding practices and the pet store will have no answers for customers seeking to solve those problems.

Most pet stores have some kind of guarantee or warranty under which they'll take the puppy back if certain conditions are met within a specified time. They are not equipped to handle training problems, behavior problems, or decisions about whether to breed a particular animal or to spay or neuter it. And the pet store staff generally knows little or nothing about the temperament, care, health problems, or behavior of the breeds they sell.

The source of pet store puppies

Commercial kennels often produce many breeds of dogs. They are required to be licensed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and must provide facilities and a plan for veterinary care that meet the guidelines of the federal Animal Welfare Act. However, a shortage of inspectors, protection by local authorities, and the difficulty of making a legal case against violators makes adherence to the AWA dependent more on the ethics of the kennel owner than on the fear of reprisals for defying the law.

Brokers buy dogs from large and small breeders who also must be licensed by USDA and meet the AWA criteria. Missouri, known as a "puppy mill state," has more licensed USDA kennels and brokers than any other state. Brokers advertise for puppies. They promise top prices, breeder programs, breeder appreciation events, veterinary exams, breeder education, loyalty, courtesy, and careful transportation to entice breeders into the fold. The puppies are a commodity to them.

Chances are slim that puppies from these sources come from dogs that have been tested for the genetic diseases common to their breeds. Hip x-rays, blood tests, and eye certifications cost money, and those costs could not be passed through the chain to the pet store without adding considerably to the cost. The breeders are also unlikely to either know or care about the breed standard, that set of guidelines that describes each breed and maintains its integrity; to carefully choose breeding stock for sound temperament; to use AKC's limited registration and require sterilization of pet quality puppies; or to consider the reproductive health of their dogs when making breeding decisions.

Some pet stores buy puppies locally from breeders who produce a few litters from one or more breeds each year. These people supplement their income by selling puppies and are spared the difficulties of interviewing prospective buyers or keeping unsold puppies. In all likelihood, these breeders do not test for genetic diseases, place no limits on puppy registrations, have a marginal health program, know little about the breed standard, and have poor quality breeding stock.

Pet quality puppies

Many customers look for a pet in a pet shop because "I'm looking for a family pet, not a show dog." They buy a pretty puppy that doesn't meet the breed standard in some way, and base their impressions of the breed on an animal that may be over or under-sized, have a poor temperament or crazy behavior patterns, or exhibit one or more physical attributes that violate the breed standard. Often, these dogs are not spayed or neutered, and they wind up producing puppies that are even further from the standard.

Today we have Labrador Retrievers with legs that belong on Great Danes; American Eskimos that look like Samoyeds with snipy heads; light-boned Akitas; Shetland Sheepdogs as big as Collies; Dalmatians and Airedales with screwy personalities; aggressive Old English Sheepdogs; neurotic Poodles; unsocialized Chow Chows; and dysplastic dogs of all breeds sold in pet stores. The buyer cannot visit the facility that produced the puppies and talk to the breeder; ask about genetic clearances, parent-dog temperaments, or breed characteristics; see the quality of adult dogs produced by the kennel; be reimbursed if the dog develops a genetic disease two or three years down the road; get help with training or behavior problems; ask for local references to contact about previous puppy sales; be assured that someone feels responsible for bringing that particular puppy into the world and will take it back if the family falls on hard times.

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