Havanese: Size, Coat, Colours, Lifespan and Genetics
The Havanese is a small, sturdy Cuban companion dog in the Bichon family, and Canada's No. 7 breed. Here's its size, its long, silky coat and many colours, what a 2020 study of 355 Havanese found about the short-leg gene, and what to know about lifespan.
By PuppyGenes · How we research and write our guides
The Havanese is a small, sturdy companion dog from Cuba, part of the Bichon family that also includes the Maltese and the Bichon Frise. It stands 22 to 29 cm and weighs 3 to 6 kg, with a long, soft coat in almost any colour. It was Canada's seventh most popular breed in 2025 and made the top five in five of the CKC's 12 regions. A 2020 Norwegian study found the gene variant behind the short legs of breeds such as the Dachshund in every Havanese it tested.
At a glance
| Trait | Havanese |
|---|---|
| Size | 22 to 29 cm and 3 to 6 kg |
| Coat | Long, soft and wispy, with curls or tufts at the ends |
| Colours | White, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver, chocolate, or any combination |
| CKC group | Toy |
| Origin | Cuba; a member of the Bichon family |
| Life expectancy | 14 to 16 years, according to the AKC |
| Popularity | No. 7 in Canada; top five in five CKC regions |
A Cuban Bichon
The CKC's breed page places the Havanese in the Bichon family, which originated around the Mediterranean, and suggests its ancestors may have reached Cuba with Spanish explorers. It was bred mainly as a companion, and its outgoing personality has carried it a long way: in 2025 it ranked fourth or fifth in western, northern and eastern Ontario, Saskatchewan and the B.C. Interior and Yukon, as our list of the most popular dog breeds in Canada shows.
Coat and shedding
The Havanese coat is long, soft and wispy, with curls or tufts at the ends. Long hair in most long-coated breeds comes from recessive variants of the FGF5 gene, as our guide to long coats explains. The CKC describes the coat as non-shedding, but every dog sheds some hair: a long coat catches loose hair instead of dropping it, which is why it mats without regular brushing. Our guide to the genetics of shedding explains the difference.
Low shedding isn't the same as low allergen. A study of the main dog allergen found higher levels in the coats of so-called hypoallergenic breeds, including Poodles and Labradoodles, than in other dogs, though airborne levels in their homes were no different. Our guide to hypoallergenic dogs covers the evidence.
Colours
The CKC lists white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver and chocolate, or any combination of them, so a Havanese litter can look very varied. Those colours come from the same handful of genes as in other dogs: whether the coat can make dark pigment, whether that pigment is black or brown, how strong the red-yellow pigment is, dilution, and white markings. Our coat colour hub explains each one.
The short-leg gene
The Havanese is a sturdy, short-legged little dog, and research suggests one reason. A 2009 study linked an extra copy of the FGF4 gene, called a retrogene, to the short-legged build of at least 19 breeds, including the Dachshund, Corgi and Basset Hound.
A 2020 Norwegian study of 355 Havanese found the retrogene in every dog tested: based on a linked marker, about 95% carried two copies and the rest one. The few dogs with one copy without it were taller, averaging 31.3 cm against 26.4 cm, and that copy had become rarer over the previous two decades. Some Havanese have shortened, bowed forelegs, and the researchers concluded that the retrogene may contribute to them.
That's breed research, not a test result for one dog. The PuppyGenes report doesn't include genetic disease or health screening, so talk to your vet about your dog's legs, joints and back.
Lifespan
The American Kennel Club lists a life expectancy of 14 to 16 years. Small breeds tend to live longer than large ones, as our guide to why big dogs have shorter lifespans explains.
Temperament
The CKC describes the Havanese as happy, outgoing and quite trainable, a pleasant and affectionate companion whose exercise needs are easily met, which suits it to city or suburban life. Breed is a loose guide to any one dog, though: a 2022 study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9% of behavioural differences between individual dogs.
Havanese mixes and DNA tests
The PuppyGenes breed ancestry section estimates a dog's breed mix as percentages, including any ancestry that couldn't be resolved. If you're weighing a test, our guides to whether dog DNA tests are legit and dog DNA testing in Canada cover what to check before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
- How big do Havanese get?
- Havanese stand 22 to 29 cm at the shoulder and weigh 3 to 6 kg, according to the CKC. They're small but sturdy dogs.
- Do Havanese shed?
- Every dog sheds some hair, but the Havanese's long coat catches loose hair instead of dropping it, so less ends up on the floor. The trade-off is that the coat mats without regular brushing.
- How long do Havanese live?
- The American Kennel Club lists a life expectancy of 14 to 16 years. Small breeds generally live longer than large ones.
- Why do Havanese have short legs?
- A 2020 Norwegian study found an extra copy of the FGF4 gene in every Havanese it tested, the same variant linked to the short legs of breeds such as the Dachshund and Corgi. The few dogs with one copy that lacked it were taller.
- What colours do Havanese come in?
- Almost any: the CKC lists white, cream, champagne, gold, blue, black, silver and chocolate, or any combination of them.
From general to personal
See how this applies to your dog specifically.
Our at-home Complete Dog DNA Test adds your dog's own results to these tips across six report sections: breed ancestry, coat colour, physical appearance, temperament and size predictions, genetic diversity and oral microbiome. The report does not include genetic disease or health screening.