American Standard	Canadian Standard
Canadian Standard
ORIGIN & PURPOSE:
The breed comes from the Western Mediterranean region and has developed along the Spanish and Italian costal region. It would seem that these dogs were imported early to Cuba by Sea Captains. Erroneously, the most frequent brown colour of these dogs (tobacco) gave birth to the legend which would mean it to be a breed originating from Havana, capital of Cuba. Political events led to the total disappearance of the old bloodlines of the Havanese in Cuba; apparently a few dogs were successfully smuggled out of Cuba whose descendants have survived in the USA. GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, low on his legs, with long abundant hair, soft and preferably wavy. His movement is lively and elastic. TEMPERAMENT: Exceptionally bright, he is easy to train as a watchdog dog. Affectionate, of a happy nature, he is amiable, a charmer, playful and even a bit of a clown. He loves children and plays endlessly with them. SIZE: Height at the withers from 23-27cm. Tolerance from 21-29cm. COAT & COLOUR: Hair: undercoat wooly and not very developed, it is often totally absent. The topcoat is very long(12-18cm in an adult dog, soft, flat or wavy and may form curly strands. The usage of scissors to cut the length of the coat and all trimming is forbidden. Exception: tidying up the hair on the feet is permitted, the hair on the forehead may be slightly shortened so that it does not cover the eyes and the hair on the muzzle may be slightly tidied up, but it is preferable to leave it in natural length. Colour: there are two varieties of colour. Rarely completely pure white, fawn in different shades of light fawn to Havana brown ( tobacco colour, reddish brown; patches of those colours in the coat; slight blackened overlay admitted. Permissible colours and patches ( white, light fawn to Havana brown) with black markings. Black coat. HEAD: Of medium length, the relation between the length of the head and that of the trunk ( measured from the withers to the base of the tail is 3/7. Skull:: flat to very slightly rounded, broad, forehead rising; seen from above it is rounded at the back and almost straight and square on the other three sides. Stop : moderately marked. Nose: black Muzzle:: narrowing progressively and slightly towards the nose but neither snipey nor truncated. Lips: fine, lean, tight Jaws/Teeth: scissors bite. A complete dentition is desirable. The absence of premolars (PM1) and molars (M3) is tolerated. Cheeks: very flat, not prominent. Eyes: quite big, almond shape, of brown colour as dark as possible. Kind expression. The eye rims must be dark brown to black. Ears: set relatively high; they fall along the cheeks forming a discreet fold which raises them slightly. Their extremity is in a lightly rounded point. They are covered in hair in long fringes. Neither propeller ears ( sticking sideways) nor stuck to the cheeks. NECK:: of medium length FOREQUARTERS: Forelegs straight and parallel, lean, good bone structure. The distance from the ground to the elbow must not be greater than that between the elbow and the withers. BODY The length of the body is slightly superior to that of the height at the withers. Topline is straight, slightly arched over the loin. Croup noticeably inclined. Ribs well sprung. Belly well tucked up. HINDQUARTERS: : Good bone structure, moderate angulation. Feet of slightly elongated shape; small tight toes. TAIL: Carried high, either in the shape of a crozier or preferably rolled over the back; it is furnished with feathering of long silky hair. GAIT: According to his happy nature, the Havanese has a strikingly light-footed and elastic gait; forelegs with free stride and pointing straight forward, the hindlegs giving them the impulsion and moving in a straight line. FAULTS: Any departure from the forgoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. General appearance lacking in type Truncated or snipey-- muzzle, length not identical to that of the skull Bird of Prey eyes, eyes too deep set or prominent; rims of eyelids partially depigmented Body too long or too short Straight tail, not carried high French front ( pasterns too close, feet turned outwards) Deformed hind feet Coat harsh, not abundant; hair short except on puppies, trimmed coat DISQUALIFICATIONS: Depigmented nose Upper or lower prognathism Ectropion, Entropion; rim of eyelids of one or both eyes depigmented size over or under the indicated norms of the standard N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum
American Standard
General Appearance: The Havanese is a small sturdy dog of immense charm. He is slightly longer than tall, and covered with a profuse mantle of untrimmed long, silky, wavy hair. His plumed tail is carried loosely curled over his rump. A native of Cuba, he has evolved over the centuries from the pampered lapdog of the aristocracy into what he is today - the quintessential family pet of a people living on a small tropical island. His duties traditionally have been those of companion, watchdog, child's playmate and herder of the family poultry flock. His presentation in the show ring should reflect his function - always in excellent condition but never so elaborately coifed as to preclude an impromptu romp in the leaves, as his character is essentially playful rather than decorative. While historically always a toy dog and therefore never overly large or coarse, he does not appear so fragile as to make him unsuitable as a child's pet. His unique coat reflects centuries in the tropics, and protects against the heat. It is remarkably soft and light in texture, profuse without being harsh or woolly. Likewise, the furnishings of the head are believed to protect the eyes from the harsh tropical sun, and have traditionally never been gathered in a topknot for this reason. In both structure and gait, the Havanese is not easily mistaken for any other breed. His characteristic topline, rising slightly from withers to rump is a result of moderate angulation both fore and aft combined with a typically short upper arm. The resulting springy gait is flashy rather than far-reaching and unique to the breed. The overall impression of the dog on the move is one of agility rather than excessive ability to cover ground. These characteristics of erament, structure and gait contribute in large part to the character of the breed, and are essential to type. Size, Proportion, and Substance: The height range is from 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches, with the ideal being between 9 and 10 1/2 inches, measured at the withers, and is slightly less than the length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, creating a rectangular outline rather than a square one. The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, and should never appear fragile. A coarse dog with excessive bone is likewise contrary to type and therefore equally undesirable. The minimum height ranges set forth in the description above shall not apply to dogs or bitches under twelve months of age. Disqualification: Height at withers under 8 1/2 inches or over 11 1/2 inches, except that the minimum height ranges set forth in the description above shall not apply to dogs or bitches under twelve months of age. Head: The expression is soft and intelligent, mischievous rather than cute. The eyes are dark brown, large, almond-shaped, and set rather widely apart. Dark eyes are preferred irrespective of coat color, although the chocolate colored dog may have somewhat lighter eyes. The pigment on the eyerims is complete, solid black for all colors except for the chocolate dog which has complete solid, dark chocolate brown pigment No other dilution of pigment is acceptable. Ears are of medium length; the leather, when extended, reaches halfway to the nose. They are set high on the skull, slightly above the endpoint of the zygomatic arch, and are broad at the base, showing a distinct fold. When the dog is alert, the ears lift at the base, producing an unbroken shallow arc from the outer edge of each ear across the backskull. The backskull is broad and slightly rounded. The stop is moderate. Length of muzzle is slightly less than length of backskull measured from stop to point of occiput and the planes are level. The nose is broad and squarish, fitting a full and rectangular muzzle, with no indication of snipiness. The pigment on the nose and lips is complete, solid black for all colors except for the chocolate dog which has complete solid, dark chocolate brown pigment No other dilution of pigment is acceptable. A scissors bite is ideal. Full complement of incisors preferred. Disqualifications: Complete absence of black (or chocolate in the chocolate dog) pigmentation on the eyerims, nose or lips. Neck, Topline and Body: The neck is of moderate length, in balance with the height and length of the dog. It carries a slight arch and blends smoothly into the shoulders. The topline is straight but not level, rising slightly from withers to rump. There is no indication of a roach back. The body, measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, is slightly longer than the height at the withers. This length comes from the ribcage and not from the short, well-muscled loin. The chest is deep, rather broad in front, and reaches the elbow. The ribs are well sprung. There is a moderate tuck-up. The tail is high-set and plumed with long, silky hair. It arcs forward over the back, but neither lies flat on the back nor is tightly curled. On the move the tail is carried loosely curled over the rump. The long plume of hair may fall straight forward or to either side of the body. The tail may not be docked. Forequarters: Shoulder layback is moderate, lying not more than 40 degrees off vertical. Extreme shoulder layback will negatively affect proper gait, and should be faulted. The tops of the shoulder blades lie in at the withers, allowing the neck to merge smoothly into the back. The upper arm is relatively short, but there is sufficient angle between the shoulder and upper arm to set the legs well under the body with a pronounced forechest. The elbows turn neither in nor out, and are tight to the body. Forelegs are well-boned and straight when viewed from any angle. The distance from the foot to the elbow is equal to the distance from elbow to withers. The pasterns are short, strong and flexible, very slightly sloping. Dewclaws may be removed. The feet are round, with well arched toes, and turn neither in nor out. Pads and nails may be black, white, pink or a combination of these colors. Chocolate dogs may also have brown pads and nails. Hindquarters: The hind legs are well-boned and muscular through the thigh, with moderate angulation. The hocks are short and turn neither in nor out. In normal stance, the hind legs are parallel to each other from hock to heel and all the joints are in line when viewed from the rear. The rear assembly, in which the rump is slightly higher than the withers, contributes to the breed's unique, springy gait. Dewclaws should be removed. The hind feet fall slightly behind a perpendicular line from the point of buttock when viewed from the side. Hind feet have well arched toes and turn neither in nor out. Pads and nails may be black, white, pink or a combination of these colors. Chocolate dogs may also have brown pads and nails. Coat: The coat is double, but without the harsh standoff guard hair and woolly undercoat usually associated with double coats. Rather, it is soft and light in texture throughout, though the outer coat carries slightly more weight. The long hair is abundant and, ideally, wavy. An ideal coat will not be so profuse nor overly long as to obscure the natural lines of the dog. Puppies may have a shorter coat. A single, flat coat or an excessively curly coat are equally contrary to type and should be faulted. Disqualifications: A coarse, wiry coat. An atypical short coat on an adult dog (atypical would be a smooth, flat coat with, or without furnishings.) Color: All colors are acceptable, singly or in any combination. No preference is given to one color over another. The skin may be freckled or parti-colored. Gait: The Havanese gait is lively, elegant, resilient, and unique, contributing greatly to the breed's overall essential typiness. The characteristic "spring" is caused by the strong rear drive combined with a "flashy" front action effected by the short upper arm. While a truly typey dog is incapable of exaggerated reach and drive, the action does not appear stilted or hackneyed. The slightly higher rear may cause a correctly built specimen to show a flash of pad coming and going. The front legs reach forward freely. There is good extension in the rear and no tendency toward sickle hocks. The topline holds under movement, neither flattening nor roaching. Head carriage is typically high, even on the move. Temperament: Playful and alert. The Havanese is both trainable and intelligent with a sweet, non-quarrelsome disposition. Presentation: The dog should be shown as naturally as is consistent with good grooming. He may be shown either brushed or corded. His coat should be clean and well conditioned. In mature specimens, the length of the coat may cause it to fall to either side down the back but it should not appear to be artificially parted. The long, untrimmed head furnishings may fall forward over the eyes, naturally and gracefully to either side of the skull, or held in two small braids beginning above the eyes, secured with plain elastic bands. (No ribbons or bows are permitted.) Corded coats will naturally separate into wavy sections in young dogs and will in time develop into cords. Adult corded dogs will be completely covered with a full coat of tassle-like cords. In either coat, minimal trimming of the hair at the inside corner of the eye is allowed for hygienic purposes only, not in an attempt to resculpt the planes of the head. Minimal trimming around the anal and genital areas, for hygienic purposes only, is permissible but should not be noticeable on presentation. The hair on the feet and between the pads should be neatly trimmed for the express purpose of a tidy presentation. Any other trimming or sculpting of the coat is to be so severely penalized as to preclude placement. Because correct gait is essential to breed type, the Havanese should be presented at natural speed on a loose lead. Faults: The foregoing description is that of the ideal Havanese. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation keeping in mind the importance of the contribution of the various features toward the "original purpose of the breed." Disqualifications: · Height at withers under 8 ½ or over 11 ½ inches except that the minimum height range shall not apply to dogs or bitches under twelve months of age. · Complete absence of black (or chocolate in the chocolate dog) pigmentation on the eyerims, nose or lips · Coarse, wiry coat. · An atypical short coat on an adult. (Atypical refers to a smooth, flat coat with, or without furnishings.)

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