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What Is A Havapoo?
Havapoo, also known as Poovanese, Havadoodle, is a cute and cuddly designer dog. The Havapoo is a cross between a purebred Havanese and a purebred miniature Poodle. Some breeders deliberately produce multi-generation Havapoos using a 50% Havanese and a 50% Puddle to establish a more uniform look.
You may have guessed by now that the Havapoo is not a purebred dog. Even though these designer dogs inherit many traits from their parents, they are unique, beautiful, and have delightful personalities.
Just like their parents, Havapoos are intelligent, easy to train, and very affectionate. These charming qualities make this hybrid desirable to most potential canine owners.
So, let’s find out some Havapoo facts and see if it’s the right dog for you.
Havapoo Origin
Poodles are from Germany, and Havanese are from Cuba. There are not many documents available about this designer breed. So, it is hard to determine when or who intentionally combined these two breeds to create the hybrid Havapoo. This first pairing likely took place in North America, after the massive success of Labradoodle (a Labrador and Poodle mix) in the 1980s.
Havapoos are happy, spirited, and affectionate dogs that love to play and cuddle. They are entertaining companions and are not overly needy. The amusing antics of these sweet, outgoing, and loyal dogs will make you smile and laugh.
Other than this information, there are not many details about this furball. However, its parents have a long history we can use as a reference.
Havanese
Originally from Cuba and the Mediterranean region, the Havanese is a lovable, intelligent, and entertaining small dog who enjoys meeting new people and considers everyone they meet as friends. This is a dog that will bond closely with its human companions.
The Havanese generally stands between 9 and 10.5 inches (23 and 27 centimeters) and will usually weigh between 10 and 16 pounds (4.5 grams and 7.3 kilograms).
People love them for their puppy-like expressions, playful temperaments. They are mischievous, energetic, and active and enjoy daily outings and running free in a supervised situation.
Miniature Poodle
The highly intelligent Poodle is one of the oldest breeds of canine known to man, appearing on ancient Greek and Roman coins during the time of Emperor Augustus in 30 A.D.
As water retrieving hunting dogs, the Standard Poodles were bred down in size. There are now three different sizes (Standard, Miniature, and Toy). People used them for a variety of jobs throughout history. They are well known as circus dogs in traveling gypsy shows and companions and court dogs for the rich and powerful.
Highly intelligent and energetic Poodles excel at any performance sport such as rally, obedience, or agility. They are always eager to learn whatever their guardians may be willing to teach them.
Miniature Poodles generally weigh between 15 and 17 pounds (7 to 8 kilograms) and stand between 11 and 15 inches (28 to 38 centimeters) when measured at the withers (top of the shoulder).
Havapoo Temperament
No matter what side of the family the puppy comes from, a Havapoo puppy is sure to be a fun-loving, intelligent dog that enjoys playing and learning new tricks, commands, or dog sports.
Havapoos are friendly, energetic, playful, loving, intelligent, and outgoing. They want to spend all of their time with their humans. Although Havapoos may form a particularly close bond with one person or family, they will also be affectionate, friendly, and enjoy being around people in general.
This intelligent hybrid also enjoys learning tricks or participating in canine sports.
Havapoo is the perfect dog for seniors, families, and children of all ages. They will be entertaining and loving companions, always eager for the next adventure.
If you ignore this dog and do not provide regular daily exercise and mental stimulation, they will create their own entertainment, such as destroying your property or barking excessively.
Living Conditions
Havapoos adapt well to smaller living conditions, such as an apartment or condo, as long as they can get out every day to walk around their neighborhood.
The Havapoo combines two energetic breeds of dog in one body, which means it will need both mental and physical stimulation from daily walks and physical activity outside the home to maintain a healthy weight.
Full-grown Havapoos will need at least two or three good walks of 30 minutes to an hour each every day, as well as the opportunity to play with their human companions, chase a ball, or take part in some canine sport.
Dogs are pack animals, which means that they are not used to being alone. Leaving them alone for many hours with nothing to do will cause them to become depressed or unhappy will make them destructive, extremely noisy, or attempting to escape so they can roam the neighborhood.
Havapoo Size (Height & Weight)
The Havapoo’s size can vary quite a bit depending on the size of the Poodle parent (Standard, Miniature, or Toy) used in the breeding. Typically, breeders use miniature or toy Poodles. So, you will likely have a small dog, as Havanese parents are also tiny.
A Havapoo can stand between 9 and 12 inches (22.8 and 30.4 centimeters) tall and weigh between 7 and 15 pounds (3.1 and 6.8 kilograms), depending on the size of its parents.
Havapoo Lifespan
The average life expectancy of a Havapoo is between 12 and 15 years, although some live even longer.
Havapoo Coat Types & Colors
Havapoos can have curly or wavy coats. The strength of their Poodle or Havanese gene determines their exact appearance. Poodles are hypoallergenic so that a Havapoo won’t shed much.
They generally have a medium to long coat. Usually, the double coat will be thick, curly or wavy, high maintenance, and soft to the touch.
The coat color for the Havapoo can be any variety of solid or mixed colors, including black, brown, copper, grey, tan, white, and more.
Around nine months of age, the adult coat will begin to grow. The entire process of changing to the adult coat usually takes 3 or 4 months or more.
As the new coat grows in, it is important that you thoroughly brush or rake out your pup’s coat a few times a week to help remove dead hair, mats, and tangles. You will also need to bathe them every month or two to keep their coat looking shiny and clean.
Grooming
You will want to get your puppy used to grooming early on. Havapoos are relatively easy to groom.
Havapoo Poodle mix does not smell quickly. Bathe them once a month with a good dog shampoo. If they start to smell or get dirty, you can do this, too. Remember that washing your dog every day can remove its natural oil making its coat dull.
You will also need to brush your puppy’s teeth a few times a week and trim his nails regularly to keep them from getting too long. Overgrown nails can make walking painful for dogs.
You should also regularly check your Havapoo’s ears. Clean them if they are dirty to prevent ear infections.
It’s easy to fall into the “my dog doesn’t like it” trap, which many owners will use as an excuse to avoid regular grooming sessions. As soon as you bring your puppy home, commit to a regular grooming routine.
A few minutes of grooming each day is also a fantastic opportunity to bond closely with your Havapoo.
Feeding
In general, puppies should be fed 10% of their current body weight or between 2% and 3% of their projected adult weight per day.
It is important to remember that high-energy puppies will require more protein to grow and develop into healthy adult dogs, especially during their first two years.
Many supermarkets sell dog foods designed for dogs of all ages, including puppies. If you choose one of these food options, you should feed your puppy smaller meals more frequently throughout the day (3 or 4 times) until they are at least one year old.
In general, an adult dog will need food between 2% and 3% of its body weight per day. You should avoid foods that contain a lot of grains and fillers. Look for foods that contain high-quality meat protein as the main ingredient.
Training
Havapoos are intelligent dogs who love to please their owners. Because of this personality combination, they are usually easy to train. Dogs like this are good at reading minds and are sensitive to voice inflections, so they need to be taught by a calm yet confident trainer.
Havanese and Poodles are intelligent, quick-to-learn dogs who love learning tricks and possibly engaging in fun dog sports like agility. These activities are great fun for dogs and would give the curious and energetic Havapoo the workout they need to remain a healthy weight.
Positive reinforcement will encourage the dog to be an eager learner who will quickly excel at any skill you choose to teach it. The more you can teach it, the better.
Dogs are opportunists, which means that training sessions need to benefit them somehow. When they learn that doing specific tasks will lead to rewards or benefits, they will want to participate more. Give treats to your Havapoo when they obey your commands or act appropriately.
How much you can teach them depends entirely upon the amount of time and patience you have. Whatever you decide to teach your dog, always train with patience and kindness, and NEVER yell, hit, or punish them during training or at any other time.
Havapoo Health Issues
If you wonder what sort of health problems a designer or cross-breed dog may be prone to, you should first consider the health issues associated with its parents individually.
A hybrid puppy usually benefits physically and mentally from having a more varied genetic makeup than a 100% purebred puppy, which may suffer from or be susceptible to health problems shared by the same purebred parents.
Although Havapoo is a healthy cross-breed, they inherited some health issues from their fur parents. As a result, owners must keep an eye on the following:
- Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
- Legg-Perthes Disease
- Luxating Patella
- Cataracts
- Heart Disease
- Chondrodysplasia
- Dental Disease
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Retinal Dysplasia
- Corneal Ulcers
Cost
The cost of owning a Havapoo may be difficult to estimate because there are too many variables and unexpected medical problems that might arise. For instance, you may like to buy fancy clothes, collars, and leashes, toys, or the most expensive food for your dog, which might also not be considered average.
You need to consider more than just the cost of feeding your Havapoo when considering sharing your life with one.
Most people don’t think about whether they can afford to feed and care for a dog before buying one, and this lack of preparation can lead to stress and problems later on. Being financially responsible for your dog is a big part of being a good guardian.
In addition, you will also have to consider the following costs: food, treats, travel bags, leashes, toys, grooming products, vet bills, etc., besides purchasing your puppy from a reputable breeder.
A Havapoo can cost anywhere from $700 to $3,000 per year, depending on where you shop, what type of food you feed, the veterinarian or grooming you choose, and the items you buy for your dog.
Pros and Cons
Is Havapoo the right dog for you? Let’s check out some of their pros and cons.
Pros
The Havapoo has many good qualities to consider, including:
- Fun, energetic, and loving
- Willing to please
- High life expectancy
- Easy to train
- Good with children of all ages and the elderly
- Good with other pets and dogs
Cons
Regardless of the breed you choose, there will always be some downsides to consider, including:
- Requires daily exercise
- It can become snappy due to a lack of socializing
- Lack of exercise may cause them to become destructive
- They do not like to be left alone for long periods of time
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