The Club | Havanese-club-gb

Founded in 1994, the Havanese Club of Great Britain is proud to be the original Royal Kennel Club recognised breed club dedicated to the Havanese in the UK.

Established by the pioneering breeders and enthusiasts who first introduced the breed to this country, the Club has remained at the heart of its development—providing continuity, experience, and careful stewardship as the Havanese has become a well-established breed in Britain.

Today, the Club continues to uphold the principles established by its founders—serving as a trusted and experienced community, welcoming and supportive of owners and breeders alike, and a reliable source of guidance for anyone wishing to learn more about this wonderful breed.

Whether you are discovering the Havanese for the first time or have many years of experience, we invite you to explore our resources and share in our commitment to the preservation, health, and integrity of the breed, now and for generations to come.

From the very beginning, the Club has placed the highest importance on the health and welfare of the Havanese.

We work in close support of the Royal Kennel Club and its initiatives, while also maintaining a long-standing and proactive commitment to advancing breed health.

Over many years, we have developed and refined health testing recommendations that reflect both emerging research and the depth of knowledge gained through decades of dedicated involvement with the breed.

Our approach is informed by a broad and responsible evidence base, including internationally available health data, the findings of our own health surveys, and conditions reported to us by the Havanese community here in the UK.

This enables us to respond to emerging trends, share meaningful insight, and offer guidance that is both practical and forward-looking.

These recommendations supplement (and go beyond) the requirements of the RKC Breed Health Standard, and are shared openly through our Health pages, alongside the guidance we provide to breeders in our annual Breed Health Reports.

By encouraging informed, responsible breeding and promoting openness around health, we aim to safeguard not only the wellbeing of individual dogs, but also the long-term future and stability of the breed in the UK.