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Havanese Club of Great Britain
History of the Havanese Breed
Origins in Cuba
The Havanese is a member of the Bichon family of breeds, which includes the Bichon Frisé, Bolognese, Coton de Tuléar, Löwchen, and Maltese. Some of these breeds originated in the Mediterranean region.
The Havanese breed was established in Cuba, probably from two populations of ancestral breeds. The first was a small, white Bichon-type breed imported into Cuba in the 16th and 17th centuries, possibly similar to the now-extinct Bichon Teneriffe. The second group was a colourful selection of poodle-type breeds, brought into Cuba in the early 19th century by European immigrants.
The Havanese was created as a companion dog and was, even then, an expensive lapdog owned predominantly by the wealthy.
The Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution in 1959 had a major impact on the breed. Many wealthy Cuban families left the country, with some taking their dogs with them. However, many Havanese were left behind with servants or friendly families.
It is not entirely clear what happened to the Havanese as a breed in Cuba following the revolution; their numbers were probably severely diminished, but it is unlikely that they came close to extinction, given that they were kept by people across different social classes.
Survival and Revival
The Havanese breed survived and was revived largely thanks to the dogs that had left Cuba with emigrant families, particularly those who settled in the United States. Dedicated breeders worked to restore and develop the breed from this small founding population. The American Kennel Club recognised the Havanese in 1996.
The Havanese in the UK
The Havanese first arrived in the United Kingdom in 1992, imported by a small number of dedicated enthusiasts. The Havanese Club of Great Britain was founded in 1994, and the breed was placed on the Kennel Club's Imported Breeds register.
Havanese competed at Crufts for the first time in 2001, and were granted Challenge Certificate status by the Kennel Club in 2015 — the highest level of recognition for a pedigree breed at Championship Shows in the UK.