Are Havanese Dogs High Maintenance? 4 Key Grooming Needs
Havanese dogs are cuddly lap dogs with beautiful long fur. However, any dog with a long coat is going to be higher maintenance than a short-coated dog. Long fur can become tangled and matted, something that a dog like a German Shepherd wouldn’t have to deal with.
Are Havanese high-maintenance?
With their long fur, the Havanese dog is a high-maintenance dog. They will require more frequent grooming sessions from more brushing to more baths. Properly taking care of a Havanese dog is important to keep them looking good and staying healthy. There is also much more to a high-maintenance dog than making sure their coat is brushed, stay tuned for all the ways a Havanese dog is high maintenance.
One of the main reasons why Havanese dogs are so high maintenance is because of their long coats. These dogs are able to grow their fur out a whole 8 inches. When unkempt, this fur can matt and can even block the vision of the dog. It doesn’t help that their fur is so thick as well.
Brushing
With how much fur these dogs have, they require a lot of brushing. A good routine is to brush your Havanese dog around 2 to 3 times a week. If your Havanese dog runs around outside often, consider brushing your dog daily as it will keep their fur free from debris and dirt.
Now, this brushing isn’t to control shedding. In fact, these dogs don’t shed that much at all, which can be good for those with dog-dander allergies. For these dogs, brushing is to keep all the debris out of their coat and to make sure that no tangles form in their fur. Once tangles form, their fur can matt and that will require them to be shaven.
Can a Havanese Dog’s Coat Cord?
Cording to a dog coat means allowing the coat to matt into controlled sections. This is a different kind of matting than what can happen from neglect as cording allows smaller sections to matt together instead of their coat matting to their skin.
A Havanese dog with a corded coat won’t need to be brushed, but bathing will be more important than ever.
Bathing
No matter what your Havanese dog’s coat looks like, they all still need to be bathed pretty frequently. You should bathe your Havanese dog every 1 to 3 weeks, though closer to 1 is better. Depending on how much time your Havanese dog spends outside, it can be good to give it a bath every week.
You won’t want to bathe your Havanese dog every day. Even with their frequent bathing needs, this breed can still be bathed too often.
When a dog is bathed too often, their skin and coats will be stripped of their natural oils which will dry out their skin and coat. This will make their coat more brittle, and their skin forms a problem such as itchiness.
These dogs need to be bathed so often because their long fur can get dirty easily. Also, their fur can hide smaller debris, dirt, or even bugs that have gotten close to their skin. Making sure that your Havanese dog is clean will also make sure that they don’t smell or develop a skin condition that can cause discomfort.
Other Grooming Necessities
It is so important to regularly brush your dog’s teeth. Not only do you not want to smell their stinky breath, but brushing will help prevent the many dental hygiene problems that dogs can get. Brush your Havanese dog’s teeth twice a week for proper hygiene.
You also don’t want to be scratched by dog nails that have gotten too long. It’s a good idea to trim your Havanese dog’s nails once a month to prevent them from getting too long. When a dog has super long nails, they can easily scratch you or poke holes in soft furniture.
What Are the Exercise Needs of a Havanese Dog?
Many dogs, both big and small, need to get plenty of exercise every day to stay active and to use up their energy. The Havanese dog is no exception to this.
It is recommended for your Havanese dog to have 45 minutes of exercise per day. For those who like to get most of their dog’s exercise through walks, the Havanese dog should walk 7 miles over the course of a week. That is a mile a day or about 30 minutes of walking.
The Havanese dog can get exercise in many other ways as well. These playful dogs will love to spend time with you in the backyard playing ball or frisbee. As long as they are being active and moving around, they sure love all sorts of activities that can be done inside or outside.
What is the Temperament of Havanese Dogs?
Havanese dogs don’t have problematic temperaments, but there are traits that you should be aware of that can make a Havanese dog seem higher maintenance.
First, Havanese are super loving and affectionate. They love to be around their families playing around or taking a nap alongside them. When it comes to other people, these dogs are kind and affectionate even when they don’t know the person too well. You don’t have to worry about your kids bringing friends over with this dog.
Havanese dogs don’t bark that often, only when they perceive a possible threat at the door. With their limited barking, these dogs will do great living in quiet neighborhoods.
Here is the downside to their personality. These dogs are smart, playful, and have a ton of energy. This combination makes them likely to get into mischief if they think that they can be sneaky enough. You might find parts of your home rummaged through or catch your Havanese dog doing something that it shouldn’t in one of their mischievous moments. This is why it’s so important to make sure that your dog doesn’t become bored from lack of exercise. Otherwise, mischief can ensue.
What Health Problems Can a Havanese Dog Have?
All dogs have certain health problems that they are more prone to. The Havanese dog has the average amount of possible health problems compared to other breeds of dogs. However, that doesn’t make it any less expensive when there’s the possibility of needing to go to the vet and get treatment for one of these problems.
Cataracts
Cataracts are a very common problem for a dog to develop as it gets to its old age. If your Havanese dog develops cataracts, they will slowly go blind over time. There is a surgery for your dog to have them removed, but many dogs adjust to going blind pretty well.
Liver Shunt
This health problem occurs when the liver has a growth that prevents blood flow from properly circulating through the body. This is a serious condition that can cause so many different kinds of health issues from appetite changes to growth stunting.
This condition requires a trip to the vet where they will receive treatment to manage the condition. There isn’t a for-sure cure to this health condition, but antibiotics or a diet change can help manage it.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
This condition is when the head of the femur in your Havanese dog suffers from degeneration. If your Havanese dog has this condition, they will suffer from a lot of pain when they walk and they won’t be able to walk properly.
Treatment for this condition can range anywhere from taking pain medication to manage the condition to needing surgery to correct the problem area.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a possibility for many breeds of dogs to get. This condition is when the hip ball and the hip socket become misaligned or pop out of place. If you’ve ever had a shoulder slip out of the socket, then that pain and discomfort are what’s common for a dog with hip dysplasia to have.
Sometimes this problem will fix itself on its own but many times physical therapy or even surgery is needed to help solve the problem.
Final Thoughts
Havanese dogs have certain needs that make them higher maintenance than many other kinds of dogs. They have a high-maintenance reputation due to their extensive grooming needs, but they are also considered high maintenance for their exercise needs and the famous Havanese mischievous behavior as well.
These dogs need to be brushed and bathed frequently. Their long fur takes a long of work to stay looking good and clean. It’s also so important for them to be clean so nothing can get too close to their skin and cause problems. It’s not fun to have fur that can easily hide bugs which can later cause itchiness and discomfort.
Even though Havanese dogs require a lot of work, they are still amazing dogs to have. With how much love they have to give from wanting to play to wanting to cuddle, it makes all the maintenance worth it.
