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Havanese Club of Great Britain
Welfare
& Emotional Wellbeing
How Your Dog Feels Matters As Much As How They Look
The Havanese was bred to be a companion. Not a working dog, not a guard dog — a companion.
For centuries, these dogs and their ancestors have lived alongside people, slept in their beds, and been carried in their arms. Their entire purpose has been closeness.
That history matters, because it means the Havanese is a dog with deep social needs. They are sensitive, emotionally intelligent, and genuinely oriented towards human connection.
Understanding this is the starting point for understanding their welfare.
The Emotional Life of the Havanese
Havanese are not independent dogs. They thrive on company — human company above all, but also the company of other dogs and animals. They tend to follow their people from room to room, notice moods and changes in routine, and can become distressed when left alone for extended periods.
This is not a fault. It is the breed.
The question is not how to make a Havanese more independent,
but how to meet their social needs in a way that allows them to feel safe and settled.
Content Havanese
- Relaxed body posture, soft eyes, a loose and wagging tail
- Willingness to settle and rest when the household is calm
- Playful and engaged when invited to interact
- Able to be left alone for reasonable periods without distress
Anxious Havanese
- Persistent vocalisation when left alone
- Destructive behaviour, house training regression
- Excessive licking, chewing at paws
- Shadow following, inability to settle even when the owner is present
- Hypervigilance, startling easily, reluctance to explore
Havanese wellbeing
Separation anxiety
Separation-related distress is the most commonly reported behavioural concern in companion breeds, and Havanese are not immune to it. When a dog has been bred for closeness, abrupt or extended alone-time can feel threatening.
Prevention is far easier than treatment. The key is teaching puppies gradually and early that being alone is safe and temporary — and that the person they love will always come back.
What helps:
🐾 Short, positive separations from the very start — minutes, then slowly longer
🐾 A settled routine so the dog learns to predict when the owner returns
🐾 A safe, comfortable space the dog associates with rest, not isolation
🐾 Avoiding over-reliance on constant physical contact, which can make separations harder
If separation anxiety is already established, working with a qualified clinical animal behaviourist (look for ABTC-registered practitioners) gives the best outcomes.
This is a welfare issue, not a training problem, and it responds well to properly guided behaviour work.
Socialisation
the window that cannot be reopened
Between approximately 3 and 12 weeks of age, a puppy's brain is forming its understanding of what is safe in the world.
This is the socialisation window, and what happens during it shapes a dog's emotional responses for life.
A puppy raised in a quiet, isolated environment — hearing few sounds, meeting few people, seeing few places — will tend to find the world frightening as an adult.
A puppy raised with gentle exposure to varied, positive experiences will tend to approach novelty with curiosity rather than fear.
This is why the conditions in which a puppy is born and raised matter so deeply
— and why responsible breeders invest heavily in early stimulation, handling, and gentle environmental enrichment from the very first weeks of life.
What good early socialisation looks like:
- Puppies raised in a home environment, not an isolated kennel or shed
- Regular, calm handling from birth
- Exposure to everyday sounds, surfaces, and experiences
- Meeting a variety of people — including children and men, who are often underrepresented
- Positive introductions to other animals
- Leaving the litter at 8 -10 weeks — not before
A word of caution about the socialisation window:
-The same emotional sensitivity that allows a puppy to accept new experiences so readily in these weeks cuts both ways.
-A frightening or painful experience during the critical period can imprint just as quickly as a positive one, and may shape the dog's responses for life.
-This is why breeders using structured socialisation programmes take such care to ensure every encounter during this window is positive
-Err on the side of caution with anything that might overwhelm a young puppy.
Socialisation after your Puppy comes Home
The socialisation window closes around 12 weeks — but the work of socialisation does not.
The months and years that follow are when the foundations laid by the breeder are either built upon or eroded.
How you handle new experiences with your puppy shapes the dog they become.
Keep it positive — every time
The guiding principle, well supported by the science of early learning, is straightforward: every experience your puppy has should be as positive as possible.
This does not mean wrapping them in cotton wool and avoiding the world.
It means managing each new encounter so that the puppy's emotional state stays calm or curious — not frightened, overwhelmed, or in pain.
A puppy who is flooded with too much, too fast, too loud, or too soon does not become braver.
They become more fearful.
The goal is to expand your puppy's world gradually, at their pace, letting them choose to approach rather than pushing them into things they are not ready for.
Practical principles:
🐾 Always let the puppy approach new things; never push, force, or hold them still while they are scared
🐾 Short outings, not marathon socialisation sessions, especially for young puppies
🐾 Pair new experiences with small, high-value food rewards to build positive associations
🐾 Read your puppy's body language: ears back, tail tucked, trembling, freezing, or trying to retreat are signals to give space, not to push through
🐾 Choose quieter times for firsts — a quiet corner of a café before the lunchtime rush, a park early in the morning before the crowd arrives
Emotional fallout — and how to handle it
Even positive socialisation experiences are a significant stress on a young puppy's system.
After a big outing — a puppy class, a busy walk, a visit to a new place — it is entirely normal for puppies to be unsettled, over-excited, bitey, or vocal for a few hours afterwards.
What to do after a big experience:
🐾 Let them rest. Puppies often sleep unusually deeply after a big outing, and their breathing may be faster than usual while they process.
🐾 Give them a sniffing or chewing project when they wake. Sniffing and chewing are the two main biological routes through which dogs release stress.
🐾 Don't stack experiences. Avoid scheduling another big outing until the puppy has returned to their normal, settled baseline.
🐾 Prepare in advance. Have the snuffle mat, chews, and settling-down routine ready before you go out.
🐾 Don't panic. A puppy who is fractious after a positive outing is not regressing. They are growing.
The teenage phase
Between roughly 6 and 18 months — the adolescent period — many dogs appear to temporarily lose confidence in things they previously handled well.
This is a normal part of neurological maturation, not evidence that socialisation failed. The brain is reorganising. Continue calm, positive, low-pressure exposure through adolescence, keep training sessions short and enjoyable.
Seek professional guidance from an ABTC-registered trainer if specific fears or reactions are causing real difficulty.
Choosing a puppy class
A good puppy class is a significant investment in your dog's future.
Look for:
🐾 A trainer registered with the ABTC, or who holds a recognised qualification (IMDT, APDT, or similar)
🐾 Force-free methods only -no choke chains, prong collars, e-collars, alpha rolls, or shouting
🐾 Small class sizes with careful supervision of puppy interactions
🐾 Emphasis on building positive associations and calm confidence, not just drilling obedience
🐾 Structured, supervised puppy play -not simply letting all puppies loose together, come what may
If a class makes you uncomfortable — if you see anything that frightens the puppies, or a trainer who dismisses your concerns — trust your instincts and find a different one.
The Science of Stress:
what Epigenetics tells us
One of the most important developments in animal welfare science in recent years is our growing understanding of how stress leaves lasting marks on health — not just behaviourally, but biologically.
Epigenetics is the study of how experience and environment affect which genes are read (gene expression — how genes are switched on or off) — without changing the underlying DNA.
It tells us that what happens to a dog (or to its mother) can alter the way its biology functions, often for life.
Maternal stress during pregnancy affects puppies before they are born.
When a pregnant female is stressed — whether through poor living conditions, social isolation, fear, pain, or illness — elevated cortisol and other stress hormones cross the placenta.
This can alter the development of the puppy's stress response system, making them more reactive and more vulnerable to anxiety-related conditions as adults.
The body keeps the score.
Chronic stress is not just a mental state — it has physical consequences.
Sustained elevation of cortisol suppresses immune function, disrupts gut health, affects cardiovascular function, and accelerates cellular ageing.
A dog that has lived with chronic stress is at greater risk of a range of health conditions, not just behavioural ones.
🐾 A puppy from a puppy farm or poor breeding environment may carry biological consequences that no amount of subsequent love and care can fully undo.
This is not the owner's fault — and it is not the dog's fault.
But it is a reason why where a puppy comes from matters profoundly.
🐾 Breeding from fearful, anxious, or highly reactive dogs risks passing on not just genetic predispositions to anxiety, but — if the mother is stressed during pregnancy — wider epigenetic effects on the litter.
🐾 The wellbeing of the stud dog matters too — his experiences and environment may influence his offspring in ways we are only beginning to understand.
🐾 The Annual Health Report records some reports of shyness and fearfulness in Havanese.
This is a reminder that emotional temperament is part of breed health, and that calm, confident parents and well-managed early environments matter.
What this means in practice:
What the evidence shows:
Early life adversity has lasting effects on the brain. Research in dogs — and more extensively in other mammals — shows that early exposure to chronic stress, pain, or social deprivation changes the architecture of stress-regulating systems in the brain.
Dogs raised in adverse conditions (puppy farms, crowded kennels, early separation from the mother) show measurable differences in behaviour and stress reactivity that persist into adulthood, even when they are subsequently placed in loving homes.
Fathers matter too.
While most attention has focused on the mother, emerging research suggests that the experiences and environment of the sire may also leave epigenetic marks on his offspring — and potentially on subsequent generations.
A stud dog's upbringing, stress history, and general wellbeing are not irrelevant to the health of his puppies.
This is an area where the science is still developing, but it underlines that responsible breeding means caring about the wellbeing of both parents.
Grooming & Physical Upkeep
as a Welfare Issue
Caring for a Havanese is not just about love and companionship — it involves a genuine commitment to daily physical maintenance. The Havanese double coat and small-breed physiology create specific welfare needs that owners must understand before they take a puppy home.
The coat
The Havanese has a distinctive double coat: a soft, dense undercoat beneath a long, silky outer coat. It is one of the breed's most beautiful features — and one of its most demanding.
If kept in full coat, daily brushing is not optional — it is a welfare requirement.
The Havanese coat mats rapidly, particularly behind the ears, in the armpits, around the collar, and on the legs.
A matted coat is not merely untidy. Tight mats pull the skin, causing chronic pain and skin irritation.
They trap moisture and warmth, creating ideal conditions for bacterial and fungal infections.
They conceal wounds, parasites, and underlying skin conditions.
In severe cases, mats can restrict movement and cut off circulation.
A dog living with significant matting is a dog in discomfort — and this is preventable.
🐾 Daily brushing should begin at puppyhood, so the dog learns to accept and ideally enjoy the process.
🐾 Line brushing (working through small sections right down to the skin) is the correct technique.
🐾 A pin or bristle brush and a wide-toothed comb are the minimum tools required.
🐾 Puppy cuts or shorter trims significantly reduce maintenance burden while remaining beautiful and is particularly helpful if you are struggling with daily grooming because of physical constraints (arthritis, back pain etc)
What is not acceptable is a long coat that is not being properly maintained.
Blowing coat
Havanese go through one particularly challenging coat transition: the change from puppy coat to adult coat, typically between 6 and 12 months of age.
During this period — sometimes called “blowing coat” — the soft puppy undercoat sheds and is replaced by the adult coat. The two textures can interlock and mat extremely rapidly, sometimes within hours.
This phase requires intensive daily attention. Please seek professional help if you are unable to manage matting, or consider a puppy cut. This is sensible and kind.
Dental hygiene
Small breeds are significantly more prone to periodontal disease than large breeds.
Dental disease is not just a cosmetic concern — untreated periodontal disease causes chronic pain, tooth loss, and has been linked to systemic conditions affecting the heart, kidneys, and liver.
🐾 Daily toothbrushing is the gold standard.
🐾 A dog-safe toothpaste and small soft brush introduced from puppyhood makes this achievable.
🐾 Dental chews and water additives can support but should not replace brushing.
🐾 Annual veterinary dental checks, with professional scaling where needed, are important.
Signs of disease: bad breath, reluctance to eat hard food, pawing at the mouth, or inflamed gums. Speak to your vet if you notice these.
Eyes and ears
Eyes: Tear staining is common. Daily cleaning prevents staining from becoming a skin irritant and allows early detection of conditions.
Ears: The ear canal can harbour excess hair, which traps moisture and contributes to infections. Regular checks for redness, odour, or discharge are important.
Your vet or groomer can advise on whether hair removal from the ear canal is appropriate for your dog.
Welfare-
What you can do
As a breeder:
🐾 Breed from dogs that are calm, confident, and well-adjusted — temperament is heritable
🐾 Manage stress in pregnant females carefully — their wellbeing is the puppy's starting point
🐾 Consider the wellbeing of your stud dogs too — their experiences may matter more than we previously thought
🐾 Raise litters in a home environment
🐾 Educate buyers honestly about the coat maintenance commitment before they take a puppy home — an unprepared owner is a welfare risk
🐾 Begin accustoming puppies to brushing, handling of mouth, ears, and paws before they leave the litter
As an owner:
🐾 Meet your Havanese's social needs — this is not spoiling, it is species-appropriate care
🐾 Teach alone time gently and early
🐾 Provide mental stimulation as well as physical exercise — Havanese enjoy learning and play
🐾 Continue socialisation after your puppy comes home — keep all experiences positive and go at their pace
🐾 Have a snuffle mat and appropriate chews ready after big socialisation outings, and allow rest before the next adventure
🐾 Commit to daily brushing if keeping your dog in full coat — or choose a shorter trim that you can maintain
🐾 Be prepared for the puppy coat transition: extra vigilance during this period prevents serious matting
🐾 Brush teeth daily from puppyhood; attend annual veterinary dental checks
🐾 Clean around the eyes daily and check ears regularly
🐾 Recognise the signs of stress and take them seriously; seek help early if you notice them
🐾 If your dog has come from an uncertain background, be patient — recovery is possible, even if some things are harder
Learn more
Further reading and resources
Trusted programmes, articles and organisations to help you raise a confident, well-adjusted Havanese.