Do Havanese Puppies Change Color?

The Havanese breed is full of love and happiness. 

They are super affectionate and they are always changing throughout their life.

These dogs have a unique look with their small bodies and very long fur.

Their fur can come in all sorts of colors from black to white to interesting patterns. 

Do Havanese Puppies Change Color?

Havanese dogs are known for their “ever-changing” coats, meaning that their coats are always changing in color. A puppy Havanese can have a very different look than the coat that they have as an adult. Their coats can either get lighter or darker as they age.

When Will a Havanese Puppy’s Coat Change Color?

The coats of Havanese puppies are always changing and will continue to change for a long time. 

Usually, the coats of Havanese puppies won’t change after they have gotten their second coat or adult coat. 

This happens when your Havanese dog reaches around 2 years old. 

You might first start noticing changes in your puppy’s coat as soon as they are a few weeks old. 

Every few months your puppy may seem to be a completely different shade until they reach their permanent color. 

Now, Havanese dogs won’t go from black to crème or any other extreme color change. 

Most Havanese dogs stay in the same color range, but their coats will either get lighter or darker over time.

You won’t wake up to find that your dog is a completely different color. 

Why Do Havanese Coats Chane Color?

Most breeds of puppies keep the same shade of their coat throughout their life. 

If any changes do take place, they are usually very minimal.

That’s not the case for the Havanese breed whose coats change a lot throughout their puppy years. 

But why does this happen?

Sadly, there is not a sure answer to why their coats change color

Scientists have been able to figure out that there are specific genes that are causing these changes, such as a softening gene and a darkening gene. 

All dogs have a set of genes that control how their coats end up looking from length to color to thickness. 

However, they don’t have genes that change the color of their coats over time

They don’t fully know why these genes activate when they do and then why they stop when the adult coat grows in.

Right now, all they know is that one of these genes will activate throughout time, either making the puppy’s coat lighter or darker. 

What Else Can Change a Havanese Puppy’s Coat?

For any dog, some factors can influence how its coat looks. 

Much of it is genetics, but some external factors can be at play as well.

Grooming

Proper grooming can make your Havanese puppy’s coat look great. 

Grooming can add wanted shine and make the coat look neat. 

Improper grooming can cause their fur to tangle and appear dull. 

Along with shine, grooming can enhance the color of their coat, making it appear brighter and healthier. 

Diet

Your puppy’s diet can also play a role in how its coat looks. 

With a well-balanced diet, your Havanese puppy will have a bright, shiny, and overall healthy-looking coat. 

This is because your puppy will be getting the proper nutrition and that nutrition will create strong and healthy fur. 

If your puppy has a poor diet with low-quality dog food and low-quality treats, its fur can lose its shine and appear dull.

The fur can also become brittle and damaged from lack of proper nutrition. 

These consequences are worse for puppies who are malnourished and don’t get the food or nutrition that they need at all. 

Overall Care

Keeping your Havanese puppy happy and healthy is the best way in keeping their coats looking healthy. 

With many factors going into how their coat looks throughout their life, many of them being genetic factors, it is good to make sure that their coat is getting the nutrients and care that it needs.

Keeping their fur clean, brushing out any tangles, and keeping their fur properly trimmed are all ways in keeping their coats neat and tidy. 

The grooming needs of these dogs are more extensive than some other breeds, but all the work is worth it when you see how amazing they look with it all done. 

How to Properly Groom a Havanese Coat?

Again, there is more work that goes into keeping these coats properly cared for than the short-haired dogs out in the world. 

Bathing

As an adult, these dogs have a double coat that can attract a lot of dust and dirt as they walk around.

Regular bathing is a must. 

While many breeds of dogs only need to be bathed every 1.5 months to 3 months, Havanese dogs need to be bathed every 3 weeks.

For some Havanese dogs, they can be bathed every week which is a lot more than many other dogs need. 

Puppies definitely need to be bathed every week.

Bathing your Havanese promotes proper fur growth and keeps their coats healthy. 

Using quality dog shampoo and conditioner keeps their coat clean and soft. 

If your Havanese has some tangles in their coat, take the time to comb/brush them out. 

Removing the tangles from their coat keeps their coats soft and also helps promote growth. 

Leaving tangles can break down the shaft of the hair, causing unnecessary damage. 

Since Havanese dogs have longer coats, they also take a longer time to dry. 

Blot their coat with a towel and squeeze out any extra water that you can.

If their coat is still really wet, you can use a stand dryer or a normal hairdryer on cool to dry their coat further.

After this, you should comb/brush through their coat again to remove any tangles that have appeared in the drying process. 

Managing Fur Length

The coat of a Havanese dog can get pretty long. 

This breed of dog requires regular trimming, especially around the face, ears, and legs.

If their coats get too long, they will not be able to see as well, move as well, and the fur can irritate their ears. 

Their whole coat should be regularly trimmed every other week to both be practical and to look good as well.

Some owners are a big fan of the long coats that these dogs have and that they can braid the bit of hair that is on top of their heads. 

Take the section of hair at the top of their head and then the section that is over their eye and make a small braid, securing it with an elastic band.

When done drying and combing out your Havanese’s coat, spray their coat down with a hydrating mist.

This will add to the color enhancement and shine of their coat. 

Cleaning Their Ears

These dogs can face an assortment of ear problems if their ears aren’t properly taken care of. 

When bathing your Havanese dog, make sure to clean their ears and check for any pests. 

Small pests can hide in their long fur which can cause more problems later in time.

Doing routine checks can prevent many of these health problems and keep your dog happy and healthy. 

Are Havanese Dogs Hypoallergenic?

While some might think that the insanely long coats that these dogs have aren’t hypoallergenic, those with dog allergies will be happy to know that these dogs are hypoallergenic. 

This is from a combination of the lack of shedding that Havanese dogs experience and that they don’t produce that much dandruff. 

Of course, always spend some time around this breed of dog before adopting if you do suffer from allergies.

Spending general time will allow you to figure out if you react around the breed or not. 

Final Thoughts

Even though the grooming needs of Havanese dogs are super high, it is worth it to watch as their coats change colors throughout time. 

Many owners get Havanese dogs without knowing that the coats change colors. 

They can be concerned by this at first, but eventually, many owners learn to embrace these changes and think that they are cool.

Havanese puppies can start changing color as soon as a few weeks old and won’t stop until they are an adult and have gotten their second coat layer. 

However, some Havanese dogs never stop changing color, their coats always getting lighter or darker.

No one knows the full reason why Havanese puppies have changing-color coats. 

It is only known that there is a softening and darkening gene that gets activated, making their coats either lighter or darker. 

Havanese dogs have many grooming needs from frequent baths to frequent trimmings. 

All of these tasks are needed in keeping your Havanese’s coat like silk. 

It can be difficult to make sure that your Havanese dog has a clean and untangled coat. 

This isn’t a dog to have if you can’t spend lots of time giving them love and caring for their super cool coats. 

However, if you have the time, these dogs are one-of-a-kind and amazing to have.