History Of The Havanese

The Havanese is a member of the Bichon family, which also includes the Bichon Frise, the Bolognese, the Coton de Tulear, the Maltese, and the Lowchen. It is believed that these little dogs share a common ancestor, the Barbet, a water spaniel. The Barbet eventually gave rise to the Barbichon, from which the various Bichon breeds descended.

The Havanese and their Bichon cousins, originated in the Mediterranean area and pre-date the time of Christ. The first concrete evidence of these small long-haired dogs is a statue of a Maltese-type of dog which was unearthed near Cairo Egypt. This artifact is dated back to between 600 and 300 B.C.

Many antique portraits, especially from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, include a lap dog that resembles one or another of the Bichon breeds as they are established today. For example, the portrait of Frederico II Gonzaga, the Duke of Mantua, and his small companion was painted by Titian between 1523 and 1525. It now hangs in the Prado in Madrid.

From the original "little white dog of antiquity," as it is commonly referenced by historians, the Bichon breeds of today descended. Through the centuries, variations developed into separate and distinct breeds around major port cities, each with a slightly different appearance and temperament.

Documentation about the development of the Havanese is a combination of fact, historical speculation, and legend. Sources do generally agree that Italy and Spain were both probably instrumental in bringing the Havanese to the new world.

One popular theory is explained by Fiorenzo Fiorone, author of the book, 308 Recognized Breeds, In his book he states that the Havanese was a descendant of the Italian Bolognese. Bolognese, he maintains, were taken by the Italians to Argentina where they were crossed with a small South American Poodle. This resulted in the development of a new member of the Bichon family.

Dechambre proposes a different hypothesis. He writes that the Havanese are probably direct descendents of the Maltese. It is his belief that Spaniards brought the Havanese to the West Indies where they became known as the "Havana Silk Dog."

In their Encyclopedia of Dogs, Jones and Hamilton write that the Havanese originated in the western Mediterranean area. They believe that the breed was taken to Cuba during the days of the Spanish Empire.

Despite these hypotheses, Cuban authorities, when asked, maintain that the Havanese were first brought to their shores by commercial sea captains from Italy. These sea merchants engaged in trade for a living and their financial success depended greatly on the support and business of wealthy Cubans. By presenting the affluent wives with the gift of a small rare dog, the commercial sea captains were
often able to gain entry into the influential Hispanic homes and do business there. It is believed that captains of different vessels traded dogs with each other so that they could return to each port with a spectacular variety of coat colors to please and captivate affluent Cuban families. If true, this extensive trading and color mixing might explain the rich variety of color markings seen in Havanese today.

Zoila Portuendo, Cuban author and founder of the Habanero Club in Cuba, did extensive research on the breed when writing her book, "Bichon Havanese." In her endeavors to sort through fact and fiction, she insists that there have been two Cuban Bichon breeds.

The first of these breeds was the now extinct "Blankito de la Havana." It developed on the island, according to Portuendo, during the days of Spanish colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Blankito, she maintained, was a refinement of small Bichon and lap dogs brought over directly from Spain by colonists as well as by pirates and sea merchants. These pure white little dogs probably weighed only 3 to 6 pounds, were and had silky, long, curly coats.

This original Cuban dog, the Blankito, was the breed that many Spaniards took with them when they returned to their homeland on the continent. Many Cubans referred to this little dog as a "Maltese," although in England it was called the "White Cuban," and in the rest of Europe it was known as the "Havanese." Later Europeans used the name "Havana Silk Dog" because of their profuse soft coats.

During the early 19th century many immigrants from Continental Europe settled in Cuba, bringing with them their own little lap dogs. Most of these were thought to be small colored poodles from Belgium, France, and Germany. When these new little dogs were bred with the Blankito, a new breed evolved. This second native dog of Cuba was slightly larger and had coats of many colors. It is this breed that developed during the 1800s that author and historian Portuendo maintains is the Havanese of today.

The Havanese became a popular and pampered pet of the wealthy residents of Cuba. Exclusive ownership of these little dogs was jealously guarded and maintained by the affluent class. During these days, Havanese were bred, but not sold. Rather, they were presented as highly coveted gifts to close friends and also as tokens of gratitude for special favors.

At the turn of the century, Cuba experienced a time of great turmoil and change. The overthrow of Spanish domination marked the end of the 400 year old of Spanish empire in Cuba. Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders drove the controlling Spanish government from power and The Treaty of Paris which ended that war established Cuba as an independent republic. World War I followed and Cuba joined the allied forces. During these years of government turn-over and war, the Havanese did not enjoy the growth that they had during the "old world" Cuba, when they were viewed as status symbols and seen only in the finest homes and country estates of the elite.

For a time following the war Cuba became a tourist attraction and playground for the rich and famous. However, Cuba was quickly becoming a 2 - class society in which much political unrest was developing. As the time of revolution approached, many of the wealthy class began to flee the island. Expecting to return to their homes when things calmed down, most of them left their Havanese with trusted servants or friends, never suspecting that they would never see their beloved pets again.

One of the prominent ladies among the wealthy families in Cuba at the time was Catalina Lasa. Legend has it that her tremendous devotion to the breed played a key role in its expansion and preservation. She bred her Havanese and gave many to trusted friends. It is believed that her efforts helped save the breed from total extinction during this time of chaos.

The first Havanese on record in the United States were smuggled out of Cuba by 2 of the families fleeing their homeland during this time of great exodus. These were the Fantasio and Perez families who combined their efforts for over a decade to help preserve the breed.

In 1974 Dorothy and Bert Goodale of Colorado embarked on the most exciting search in their 30+ year career of dog breeding. Their quest was to find a hearty little breed with the attributes of a wonderful temperament and high intelligence. Intrigued by references to the Havanese, the Goodales' first purchases resulted serendipitously from an article they found in a Spanish magazine. With the help of the magazine editor, they were able to locate the 2 displaced Cuban families from whom they obtained 6 pedigreed Havanese: a female, her 4 daughters, and an unrelated male. Following a year long advertisement in a Miami newspaper, the Goodales were then able to purchase 6 more unrelated dogs from an elderly Cuban gentleman living in Costa Rica. This group of dogs provided a gene pool of 4 bloodlines from which to begin rebuilding the Havanese, and thus preventing their extinction.

1979 marked the founding year of the Havanese Club of America.

In July of 1991, the UKC recognized the Havanese breed. In that same year the Bichon Habanero Club was established in Cuba to study the island's remaining indigenous dogs and to ascertain their purebred status. After careful study and consideration, a closely supervised breeding program was begun using a foundation stock of about 15 dogs.

In 1992, Cuba paid tribute to its native breed by placing the image of a Havanese on a souvenir issue postage stamp.

In 1996 the Havanese gained recognition by the AKC and was added to the "Toy Group."