Havashu Breed Information
The Havashu are charming, lively, playful, and highly affectionate dogs. Their sunny disposition and darling personalities have made them one of the best family companion pets around. They are welcoming towards strangers, they share their toys with furry friends, and they adore kids.
The Havashu is a dog that knows how to have fun. He enjoys swimming during summertime, chasing, playing ball, and jumping in piles of snow during winter. When it comes to his family, the Havashu has nothing but unconditional love to give. His mischievous ways will keep children amused around the clock and his positive mood will light up every room.
The Havashu puppies are a designer hybrid cross between a Havanese and a Shih Tzu.
BREED TYPE / MIX
Hybrid / Havanese crossed with a Shih Tzu
ENERGY
Moderate
SHEDDING
Minimum
TRAINING
Determined
TEMPERAMENT
Cheerful, Playful, Social,Loving
ADULT WEIGHT
7-15 lbs
ADULT HEIGHT
8-12 in
LIFE SPAN
12-16 yrs
Characteristics
- The Havashu benefits from hybrid vigor
- Their lively spirit, outgoing personality, and daring nature make the Havashu dogs fun adventure companions
- The Havashu is not a heavy shedder. He is considered semi-hypoallergenic and is a great choice for those suffering from mild pet-related allergies
- A dog that loves to be groomed and is eager to please - the Havashu is a wonderful first pet for novice owners.These people-pleasers are effortless to care for and make fantastic family dogs
- Havashu dogs love to love. They love their four-legged friends, kids big and small, their pet parents, and even strangers
- The Havashu is great for competitive agility and obedience
- Highly adaptable – the Havashu and Havashu puppies are happy in both large and small living spaces
- The Havashu loves to travel and explore new places
- Havashu dogs make wonderful companion pets for families with children, singles, couples, and active seniors
Appearance
True to their parent breeds, the Havashu are small, gorgeous, happy, and cuddly-looking dogs. They are toy-sized with an average height of 8 to 12 inches and a weight of 7 to 15 pounds. The Havashu sports a long silky coat that sheds very little and has hypoallergenic qualities.
This cute pooch has a sturdy-built body, a short muzzle, a small button nose, dark round expressive eyes, floppy feathered ears, and a fluffy tail worn curled over the back. A full-grown Havachu has a wavy or sometimes curly coat that can be black, white, gray, brown, cream, sable, a combination of these colors with various patterns and markings. The Havachu dog appears strong, happy, confident, and friendly.
Photos
Temperament
The Havashu is a fun-loving, gentle, and affectionate dog. He loves canine games, camping, and hiking trips, swimming, playing in the snow, and spending time with his family. Known as a Velcro dog, the Havashu is completely attached to his favorite humans. Wherever they go, he is there, inquisitive, curious, and ready to cuddle. Kitchen? – present. Bathroom break? – present. Grandma’s house? – present again. The Havashu will never miss out on an opportunity to be near his family whether they are on a plane to the Bahamas, on a road trip to Vegas, or on a ski slope.
The sunny Havashu loves to make new friends. He is highly social, outgoing, and friendly. He gets very enthusiastic about going to the dog park where he can entice his four-legged friends in a playful chase, and he loves his daily walks dearly because they give him the opportunity to turn heads and meet new people.
When it comes to intelligence, the Havashu dogs check the box proudly. They are very smart dogs although not always so easily trainable. Known to have a dash of a stubborn streak, these wonderful dogs need plenty of motivation, delicious dog treats, patience, and praise. Once they figure out they get rewarded for obeying, they become the best students and can be trained quickly in basic commands, and move on to advanced obedience and agility training.
Kids and the Havashu make up the ideal friendship. They are equally energetic, mischievous, and adventurous. They can play for hours on end, wear each other out, keep busy, discover and explore, and learn the art of patience and responsibility together. The Havashu pups are quick to bond with children, and that kind of love is unbreakable.
Ever wondered why dogs exhibit certain behaviors? Learn more about canine behavior, such as why dogs might eat grass, in our dedicated blog post Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? Understanding Canine Behavior
Insights
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Care
Grooming
The Havashu has moderate grooming requirements. Being half Havanese and half Shih Tzu, the Havashu is likely to inherit a medium to long wavy coat. To keep his luxurious coat healthy and shining, he needs to be brushed (a pin brush is recommended) and combed every other day if not daily and bathed once or twice every month with dog shampoo.
Because his coat grows quite long, it is recommended to use a detangling comb to avoid matting of the hair. The Havashu are sometimes prone to dental issues as well as ear infections and require weekly teeth brushing and frequent ear cleaning. It is also recommended to take the Havashu to a professional groomer every few months for coat trimming and nail clipping. The Havashu loves to be groomed and pampered. Daily grooming during puppyhood is a wonderful way to bond with the Havashu puppy, get him used to grooming tools and keep him fluffy and happy.
For guidance on maintaining your Havashu's dental health, delve into our detailed guide on brushing puppy teeth.
To understand more about grooming requirements and how often you should bathe your Havashu, check out our comprehensive guide.
Exercise Needs
The Havashu dogs are active (and sometimes hyperactive). They like to spend their energy by running around, chasing toys, playing ball, and jumping from lap to lap. They also love going on adventures so a hiking trip on a cool day is ideal for them. Because they have a shorter muzzle, these cute dogs don’t endure hot weather too well. They prefer cooler days as opposed to hot ones, and it is imperative not to over-exercise them during hot summer days as they can develop difficulties with breathing.
The ideal amount of exercise a Havashu needs to keep in his great shape and happy state is a combined 60 minutes every day split into two or three walks and some active playtime indoors. A backyard where he can roam freely, or a few minutes off-leash at the dog park are great ways to keep the Havashu exercised and content. If the Havashu shows signs of difficult breathing or exhaustion, it is best to end the walk and take him home to a cooler temperature.
Health
As designer puppies, the Havashu are not prone to many health problems. Their health is improved thanks to hybrid vigor, and they are less likely to inherit the problems that are common in the breeds of their parents. Some minor issues they may suffer from include cataracts during old age, bladder stones, ear infections, and skin or food allergies.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of a Havashu dog is between 12 and 16 years. Like their parents, these dogs live long, healthy lives. Both the Shih Tzu and the Havanese are renowned for their longevity and the Havashu puppies take after them. The oldest Shih Tzu alive is currently 23 years old, while the oldest Havanese to have lived reached over 18 years.
Training
The Havashu dogs are fairly easy to train. Having inherited the eagerness to please from their Havanese parent, these dogs are likely to learn fast and perform well while training. They are sometimes known to be a bit stubborn but with patience, proper motivation, and persistence they can be trained easily. The Havashu respond well to positive reinforcement methods, reward-based motivation, and praise. It is recommended to combine playtime with training, use vet-approved dog treats (or puppy treats), keep sessions short and frequent, and use the puppy’s favorite toy as motivation for best results.
RELATED: 10 Reasons Why Dogs Lose Interest In Training And How To Fix It
The Havashu dog is a family-attached companion pet, and this sometimes translates to a Velcro dog prone to separation anxiety. To avoid separation anxiety and any destructive behavior that comes with it, it is best to help the Havashu puppy gradually adjust to some alone time during puppyhood. He must come to understand that being alone is only a temporary situation and not something to be feared.
For more insights on training dogs effectively, especially breeds like the Havashu, explore our blog titled Easiest Dogs to Train - Top 5 Pups for Effortless Training
History
The Havashu, also known as the Hava-Tzu or Havatzu, are a modern designer crossbreed. Like most designer breeds, the Havashu breed doesn’t have a rich history. The breed originated in the United States during the ’90s and has been one of the most popular designer breeds of the canine world. As a crossbreed between the Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds, the Havashu are 50% Havanese and 50% Shih Tzu.
To gain a better understanding of the Havashu breed, we can look at the Havanese and Shih Tzu parent breeds.
The gorgeous Havanese puppies are sweet, family-oriented, lively, and joyful dogs. These dogs have been the favorite companion pet for high society and wealthy families in Cuba, across Europe, and the United States for centuries. Also known as the “Havana Silk Dog” and the “National Dog of Cuba”, the Havanese were developed and defined in Cuba shortly after Columbus colonized it. The wonderful Havanese pups traveled from Cuba to every corner of the world and were met with instant fame. They are famously known as excellent therapy dogs, affectionate companion pets, and comical stunt artists.
The Shih Tzu, also known as the “small lion dog”, “a dog of royal attitude”, and the “chrysanthemum-faced dog”, is a canine world aristocrat. The Shih Tzu puppies are charming, devoted, and loving dogs. Their fashionable appearance and big personalities have earned them high popularity in both the United States and the United Kingdom in the past 20 years. A dog of grace and kindness, the Shih Tzu is believed to have originated in China many centuries ago. These dogs have lived luxurious lives through many Chinese Empires and have been raised as companion pets on the laps of kings, emperors, noblemen, and high society ladies.
The Havanese Shih Tzu mix breed Havashu puppy is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, the International Designer Canine Registry, and the Dog Registry of America.
