Havanese Puppies: Pictures, Adoption Tips, and More!

Havanese puppies are known for their adorable appearance. You can’t get more adorable than their big puppy eyes and silky coats. However, before you rush out and purchase one of these adorable dogs, you must know exactly what you’re getting into!

We’ll review the cost of these puppies, their temperament, and what you need to know to raise them right.

What to Expect from a Havanese Puppy

Havenese are some of the sturdiest toy dogs, but they are still extremely small as puppies. You have to be cautious with them to avoid injury. Dropping or stepping on a puppy can be life-threatening. Be particularly careful with them around children, which tend to be more prone to accidents.

These dogs are very people-oriented. They love to snuggle, but they can be prone to being over-dependent. Crate training is important to prevent separation anxiety and similar problems from occurring later on.

If you work for much of the day, these dogs may not be your best option. As puppies, they need plenty of attention and time commitment, making them better choices for families that are home much of the time.

Socialization is essential to ensure these dogs remain as friendly as they’re often made out to be. This socialization occurs when they’re puppies, so plan on taking your puppy to as many pet-friendly places as you can when they are very young. Puppy classes are highly recommended.

Socializing these dogs isn’t hard, but you should take it seriously.

The most problematic behavior with Havanese puppies is housetraining. They’re very small, so their bladders are also very small. Therefore, they need to be taken outside a lot. For many dog owners, this can be very challenging.

Barking may need some extra training as well. These dogs have a tendency to watch out the window and bark at anything that comes by, which can be a serious problem in apartments and similar living situations.

Cost and Care Considerations of Havanese Puppies

Before adopting any puppy, it’s important to understand exactly what you’re getting yourself into. These dogs are pretty long-lived, so you’ll be dedicating over a decade of your life to caring for them. Puppies can also be relatively expensive, costing as much as $1,500 in many cases.

Their rarity and high demand drives their price up. These breeds are one of the few smaller, fluffy toy dogs that aren’t ticking time bombs of health.

That said, finding a reputable breeder is vital. These dogs can still develop health issues, many of which stem from poor breeding. For instance, joint and back issues are common, but proper testing before breeding can help prevent them.

Choosing a good breeder may cost you more upfront. However, the potential of vet bills is much higher if you purchase from a poorer breeder.

Havanese Milestones

Your puppy will go through a lot of milestones in the first year. Havenses grow up pretty fast, so many dogs will go from being a puppy to an adult within their first year of life. Expect a lot of changes.

Most Havenese puppies go to their forever home around 8 to 12 weeks. If your breeder says your puppy can go home earlier, be very cautious. Puppies need to stay with their siblings and mother for socialization purposes, even after they wean.

Around three to six months, your puppy will be teething. Provide lots of safe chew toys and teach your dog to use them. Many puppies will start by chewing on other things, so needing to redirect them back to their toys is normal.

Socialization is key up until your dog is a year old. Enroll your puppy into puppy classes and expose them to as many new sights and sounds as possible during this first year. Of course, these experiences should be as positive as possible, which is why puppy classes are such a great option.

By a year of age, your dog will be fully mature. However, most dogs reach puberty sometime before that. Therefore, you should consider getting your Havanese puppy fixed relatively early to avoid accidental litters (and the behavioral problems that come along with puberty).

Of course, you may want to wait to spay or neuter your Havanese puppy. Speak to your vet if you have any questions about timing.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Wirestock/iStock via Getty Images