MINI HAVANESE - Are they for real?

Smaller than small

There is a big market for what some people refer to as "designer" dogs. Hand in hand with "designer" dogs come the "itty bitty" dogs. The Havanese has recently fallen prey to the itty bitty craze. "Mini,Teacup and Pocket" are just a few terms used as a sales ploy to sell non-standard representatives of the breed at exaggerated prices to unsuspecting and uneducated puppy buyers.

According to the CKC Havanese breed standard, there is no such thing as a "mini/teacup/pocket" Havanese. The Havanese does not come in size varieties. The CKC standard identifies an accepted height tolerance of 21-29cm (about 8.3-11.4 inches). The Havanese belongs in the Toy Group and is small, but that does not mean he should fit in your pocket. The Havanese is a lap size dog, family companion and children's playmate. He is small but also sturdy.

"Mini/Teacup/Pocket" are terms generally used for puppies/dogs bred specifically smaller than the breed standard to suit a particular style or size demand in the designer pet market. Sellers try to capitalise on the impression the dogs are special or rare and therefore worthy of the exorbitant prices being asked for. When a profiteering breeder decides to breed a new "designer" size, their primary and often only criteria for selecting mates is the size of the dogs. When only one aspect of the dog is looked at, all other parts of the dog can suffer. Quality, temperament and health often go down along with size.

A reputable Havanese breeder breeds to standard and does not deliberately breed for dogs outside accepted ranges. A smaller than usual Havanese can occur occasionally in any breeding program. Sometimes, a puppy may be healthy and strong, but just smaller than usual. Other times, unusually small size results from health issues or underlying organ problems such as heart condition, liver shunt etc. If a Havanese puppy is very small and expected to mature below the lowest limit of the standard, a reputable breeder will explain to you why it is such a small size and if there are any issues of concern. A breeder will not use such a puppy in their breeding program and will usually sell them as pets/companions. So called "Mini, Teacup, Pocket" size Havanese can come with king size unexpected expenses and heartache. Be informed and don't fall prey to a sales ploy!