Havana Bichon - breed description and dog character

The Havana Bichon breed is very popular. Many people dream of acquiring this friendly and cheerful dog, which attracts with its curiosity. She has a beautiful long coat, and is small in size. But still, many questions arise. How to care for her? What are the features of the breed? Their types, care, nutrition and much more, but first things first!

Delve into history

Companion dogs of Spanish settlers in Cuba became the ancestors of the breed we are familiar with. The dog was very fond of the Cuban aristocracy and with pleasure people bought it for home maintenance. The main feature of the breed was a silky and beautiful coat. Among the fans of Havana Bichon were many famous personalities, such as the writer Charles Dickens. Despite such a demand, the breed suffered a period of "calm" when they practically forgot about it. Havana Bichon almost disappeared, this did not happen thanks to loyal fans. They, in turn, did not stop keeping and raising dogs.

A new peak in popularity began in the late 20th century. One pair was conquered by these cute miniature animals with long and silky hair. Therefore, they decided to “revive” this breed. Now the Havana Bichon has conquered the hearts of many people and is as demanded as it was many years ago. This breed is an indispensable guest at exhibitions, where he shows his goodwill.

Character Details

• They are very open minded.
• Easy to train.
• They love to play with kids.
• They love to frolic and swim.
• This is a very friendly and funny dog.
• He loves to "communicate" with people and spends a lot of time with them.
• They really like when the owners affectionately treat them.
• Will be uncomfortable if left alone.
• A smart and curious breed, can just sit and watch what is happening around.

A lot depends on the upbringing, but basically all the dogs have exactly these characteristics. Thus, we can conclude that the Havana Bichon breed is more suitable for family people or children who are ready to pay a lot of attention to it and spend time with it, playing and “talking”. She should not be left alone for long, because of this, a little friend will feel bad. Therefore, people who are constantly at work and busy with other things, it is better not to buy a pet that needs a lot of affection and love.

Appearance description

The breed has a characteristic feature - a “proud” and funny gait, which often makes them even more cute and laid-back. This is due to the fact that the front legs are slightly shorter than the hind legs. But this does not spoil them, not even the opposite. Their growth is from 20 to 27 centimeters. Weight - 3-6 kilograms. They are very tiny. The eyes are dark, the head is small. As mentioned earlier, they have a very beautiful coat. It is thick, shiny and long. The ears hang and are well covered with wool. They live on average from 14 to 15 years.

Deviations that may occur:

• bite problems;
• eyes at different levels;
• tough coat;
• insufficient pigmentation at the edges of the eyelids;
• protruding tail (upward).

Essential care

In fact, any dog ​​needs to be well looked after and done regularly, follow all recommendations and take into account the characteristics of the breed so as not to harm your beloved pet with your actions.

What should be done to care for the coat and keep it in order?

• firstly, comb it regularly;
• mandatory stage - swimming;
• use good and high-quality products (shampoos, balms).

Havana Bichon has no unpleasant odor, which is common to many dogs. And in the winter cold periods, the dog needs warm clothes.

What else needs to be done?

1. Be sure to clean the ears, remove the coat. For this procedure, you can use special lotions.
2. Once a month, cut the claws, but you need to do this very carefully.

If everything is done correctly, the dog will be happy, and the coat will be beautiful and clean. Havana Bichon simply can not do without the attention of his master, his care and departure. The main thing is regularity and consistency, and you also need to adhere to all the features of the breed. It is not at all difficult to carry out these measures, but still necessary. You should also conduct examinations at the veterinarian, which allow you to better monitor the health of Bichon.

No need to leave the dog alone, it can become a lot of stress for her, anxiety and excessive excitement. It is better to completely exclude such situations. Although it is quite difficult due to the modern rhythm of life, work and responsibilities.

Despite the fact that this cute and pretty breed, you don’t need to patronize them excessively, feed them “from the spoon” or keep them constantly on hand. Such care will lead to not the most pleasant consequences. The animal will be very dependent on the owner. In addition, fullness may appear.

A great way to spend time is training. They allow you to have fun with your favorite pet, and also positively affect the dog.

Diseases

This breed is prone to various diseases, like all others. When buying a puppy, specify all the problems that his parents had, ask about vaccinations, certificates.

And now in more detail about the diseases themselves:

1. Cataract. This is a visual impairment, which in the future may result in its loss. This is a hereditary disease, most often does not appear immediately. You can cure it with surgery.
2. Deafness. It brings maximum problems, many owners cannot find it and think that the dog simply has such a closed character or simply does not respond. In some cases, it is treated with various medications, or with surgery. But she, more often than not, is incurable. A dog suffering from such an ailment should be treated even more gently and as patiently as possible, buy the necessary equipment for it and take good care of it.
3. Dysplasia of the hip or elbow. It occurs quite often. This is a weakening of the joint due to abnormal growth. The disease is genetic.
4. Chondrodysplasia Or, in simple terms, "dwarfism." In a dog with such a deviation, the limbs are too short. However, there are several degrees of development of this disease. There are times when this does not cause discomfort to the pet and the disease is practically not noticeable to others.
5. Dislocations. Also quite common. Occur due to the fact that the patella is improperly formed. Lameness or gait appears. It can be cured by surgery.

Food

Nutrition is a very important component of grooming and caring for a dog. The appearance of the pet as a whole, and the type of its coat, and the state of health depend on it. Nutrition should be balanced and proper, include all necessary elements. It should not be overloaded. The following products should be present in the diet:

1. Sweet foods, various sweets, cookies, pies, which the owners love so much - they do not bring any benefit and can even badly affect the dog's body.
2. Sausages. Often you want to treat your beloved dog with some delicious product. But such breeds may experience allergic reactions to this type of treat, so you should refrain.
3. No need to give food from the table, as many owners often do. The animal may have digestive problems.

As mentioned earlier, proper nutrition helps maintain the appearance of the dog, which is very important at exhibitions. It is also directly related to the mood of the pet.

For food, dry food is acceptable, a combination of dry food and natural products (combined method of nutrition). Feeding should be done 2 or 3 times a day. Be sure to always have a bowl of water.

Some important rules:

1. During the period of intensive growth, puppies should consume high-quality and high-calorie food for proper development; if there is a lack of calcium, then there will be difficulties with the formation of the skeleton.
2. In the first months (1 to 6) you need to feed Bichon 6 times a day.
3. When the period of intensive growth and development ends, it is better to feed the dog 3 times a day with balanced foods.

Adhering to the rules and recommendations, your dog will feel good, she will not have problems with digestion, fullness. She will be active, beautiful and friendly.

Training

The dog lends itself well to training, it will unquestioningly carry out all the commands that the owner will give. It is also a great active pastime, which is useful not only for the dog, but also for the person.

Havana Bichon dogs are very smart and cunning. If the owner shows weakness, they will immediately notice it and will use it. These are little tricks for yourself.

Havana Bichon does not like long walks, in some cases likes to stay at home. But, if the family decides to take a walk, the dog will happily support this idea and go with everyone.

She treats children very well and loves to play, run and frolic with them for a long time. Therefore, you can safely get a dog for your child and not worry that they will not make friends.

With such a dog you can have fun, walk, "chat", and also train her. She is very smart and agile. Children will definitely be happy with such a pet.

Havana Bichon is a wonderful option for family people who love the dog with all their heart and will carefully look after it. To do this, you need to pay special attention to beautiful shiny coat, cleaning the ears, proper nutrition, as well as active pastime. You will have to buy high-quality toys, specialized feed. But at the same time, the dog will bring a lot of positive emotions and happiness!

Video: Havana Bichon