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Are Havanese Good For First Time Owners? Must-Read Advice

If you’re interested in owning a Havanese but it’s your first time owning a dog, I’m sure you have a lot of questions. These little fluff balls will certainly add a lot of love to your life, but there are a few things you should know first. This article will explain everything.

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6 Reasons Why Havanese Are Great For First Time Owners

Honestly, Havanese are an excellent choice for first-time dog owners. They have many suitable traits that make having no previous experience irrelevant. As long as you are willing and have enough time to dedicate to your Havanese, you will manage perfectly.

1. Small Dogs Are Easier To Manage

Personally, I’m a lover of big dogs and have mostly owned only large breeds my entire life. However, it’s no secret that owning a small breed like a Havanese is actually much easier due to size.

It may sound silly, but you’d be surprised how big of a difference their size can make. Simply not getting in the way as much is a huge one, you’ll be able to handle them on the leash much easier, you can pick them up easily even as an adult, it’s easier to bathe them, brush them, plus they generally cost a lot less to own as a pet than large dogs.

When you really start thinking about it, smaller dogs are much easier to own.

P.S. smaller poop too. Game-changer.

2. Havanese Are Easy To Get On With

Havanese were originally bred as lap dogs, making them excellent companions that won’t have any issues showing you affection and receiving it.

Why is this such a bonus? Well, surprisingly, not all dogs are like this, and for some breeds, it can be a big challenge even just to establish a bond with them.

Havanese are not like this, and they will take to you like a kid takes to ice cream. This will only make your life easier when trying to train and manage them.

3. Havanese Are Naturally Friendly

Havanese have been voted as one of the world’s friendliest breeds. This is a BIG positive because not all dogs are naturally friendly like Havanese are.

As a first-time dog owner, the last thing you’ll want to deal with is a dog that has aggressive tendencies.

This can even be difficult for experienced dog trainers to deal with.

Thankfully, Havanese are naturally friendly, and although they still need to be socialized from a young age which you will have to facilitate (very important) they are willing to get along with new dogs and strangers without picking fights.

4. Havanese Are Not Working Dogs

Working dogs bring a different set of needs that owners are responsible for satisfying. Breeds like German shepherds, huskies, and border collies will rely heavily on their owners to provide high levels of exercise, training, engagement, and mental stimulation.

This doesn’t mean to say that Havanese don’t need that too, because they certainly do! But due to not having a strong desire to “work” and fulfill roles, they are easier for owners to raise.

You could think of it as that there is less to get wrong, when trying to raise a Havanese, compared to many other working breeds.

5. Havanese Are Relatively Easy To Train

Havanese are willing learners and will likely respond to your training attempts, even if you’ve had no previous experience.

Training is an essential part of raising a puppy into a well-behaved adult, and for some breeds, this can be extremely difficult, to the point where your previous experience could be the deciding factor.

Thankfully, this isn’t the case with Havanese, and so you shouldn’t have any issues teaching basic commands and good behavior.

6. Havanese Have Excellent Temperaments

In general, Havanese have excellent temperaments. They’re friendly, easy-going yet playful, they have an average level of obedience when trained properly and they have a lot of love to give their human family

There are no extreme quirks to Havanese like there are with some breeds and you don’t need to have much experience to successfully raise one into a happy, obedient dog.

Other Popular Havanese Articles:
Stopping Your Havanese From Eating Their Own Poop!
When Will My Havanese Puppy Calm Down? What To Know

Three Things You Must Know About Havanese

As with any dog, it’s not all plain sailing. There are a few things about Havanese you must know beforehand to get the full picture. Let’s get into them!

Havanese Don’t Cope Well When Left Alone

Havanese can sometimes be described as velcro dogs. Although that comes with a lot of love, it also means they really don’t cope well when they are left alone.

Most breeds hate being left alone, so there isn’t much difference in comparison with other breeds. But it’s particularly true for Havanese.

This is a big issue if you work several hours per day and were planning on leaving your Havanese home alone. Staying alone for this long can lead to a range of severe negative effects like stress, depression, aggression, temperament changes, disobedience, and destructive behavior. All of which are hard to overcome once developed.

Havanese Can Be Hyper For a Long Time

I must start by saying this isn’t the case for every Havanese out there, but for many it is. Havanese have a tendency to be very hyper and energetic for the first 2-3 years. This means when you want a nice calm evening, your Havanese may constantly be pestering you to play or zooming around.

If you have young children, this may work out like a dream! And they can keep each other occupied for hours at a time. However, for most new owners, it can become very tiring, especially if you weren’t anticipating this kind of energy.

Fortunately, hyperactivity can be addressed with specific daily routines, sufficient physical and mental exercise, training, and how you interact with your Havanese. So, it can be dealt with.

Havanese Need More Exercise Than You Think

Many first-time dog owners understandably think two things, big dog = a lot of exercise, small dog = little exercise. For Havanese, this is not true.

Adult Havanese that are in their prime require at least 60-90 minutes of dedicated exercise per day on top of playtime. This comes as a shock to most owners because this is usually what medium to large dogs require.

It’s very important that your Havanese receives sufficient exercise every single day throughout their life. Skimping on exercise can lead to many behavioral and physical issues So it’s worth taking a moment to confirm if you’re able to provide this level of exercise for your Havanese.

Recommended: Do Havanese Shed? What Owners Don’t Know

Are You Ready For a Havanese?

Honestly, Havanese are an excellent choice for first-time dog owners. They have many suitable traits that make having no previous experience irrelevant. As long as you are willing and have enough time to dedicate to your Havanese, you will manage perfectly.

So now you’ve confirmed that Havanese are great for first-time owners, you’ve got to ask yourself if you’re great for them?

Deciding To Get a Dog For The First Time

Getting a dog for the first time can be a daunting decision, and to be honest, it should be. Although there are obvious differences, getting a puppy can be compared to having a baby. In short, a lot of responsibility.

Hopefully, that doesn’t put you off. And if it doesn’t then that’s one way to know that you’re ready to own a dog.

It’s important to consider the fact that getting a dog will mean they are going to be dependant on you for the next 12-15 years. So it must naturally fit in with your near and long-term lifestyle. Where you live and your future plans are very important to think about before getting your puppy.

Other Popular Havanese Articles:
How To Keep Your Havanese Cool In Hot Weather: Summer Tips
How To Stop Your Havanese Licking So Much


Thank you for reading! I really hope this has answered your original question. If you have further questions about what Havanese are like, please contact me! I am always happy to respond to my readers.



Disclaimer

Before making any decisions that could affect the health and/or safety of your dog, you should always consult a trained veterinarian in your local area. Even though this content may have been written/reviewed by a trained veterinarian, our advice to you is to always consult your own local veterinarian in person. Please read our full dislcaimer if you have any questions.