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The Havaton is a mixed breed created by mixing a Havanese with a Coton de Tulear. These small dogs are hard to resist with their soft wavy hair and affectionate personality. It’s a great first pet and is suitable for large and small homes.
Breed Overview
Height:
9 – 12 inches
Weight:
7 – 13 pounds
Lifespan:
10 – 14 years
Colors:
Cream, brown, white, black, silver
Suitable for:
Families, children, small and large homes
Temperament:
Active, playful, affectionate
If you are thinking about getting one of these mixed breeds for your home but want to learn more about it first, keep reading while we discuss temperament, training, grooming, and more to help you make an informed decision.
Havaton Characteristics
Havaton Puppies
Havaton puppies are becoming more popular nowadays. Current demand for the parent breeds and distance to the breeder can affect the cost of your puppy. Luckily, its small size can help keep maintenance costs down. When you have your puppy, you will likely need to get the dog spayed or neutered, and it will need to visit the vet several times in its first few years to get a series of vaccinations. You will also need to buy food, treats, toys, and other items for your pet on an ongoing basis.
Havatons tend to be loyal and playful dogs that will create strong bonds with their families, especially with children. Keep reading the Havaton’s full care guide to know what type of care they need to grow into happy and healthy dogs.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Havaton
The Havaton is a breed that enjoys staying close to its owners, and you will usually find it under your feet or following close behind you. As long as it is in the company of people, it tends to be happy and playful but can quickly suffer from separation anxiety if you spend too much time away from home. When it gets upset, it can bark, dig, and tear up the furniture.
It’s a great choice for children because it enjoys playing and rarely growls or barks.
While not as smart as the Border Collie or German Shepherd, the Havaton should have no trouble learning several tricks and is a great problem solver.
Are These Dogs Good for Families?🏡
Yes, as we’ve already mentioned, the Havaton gets along well with children and likes to be around people. It enjoys being part of family functions and can misbehave and become destructive if left out. Its small size allows it to live comfortably in a small city apartment, but it is just as at home in a large building. Its only downside is that it’s so friendly it is more likely to greet any intruder than scare them off.
Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?🐶 😽
The Havaton gets along well with other pets and can happily cohabitate with other dogs as well as cats. It’s usually more worried about how much attention you and other family members are giving it than what the other pets are doing.
Things to Know When Owning a Havaton:
Food & Diet Requirements🦴
The Havaton is a small breed, but it still requires high-quality food with plenty of protein. The best way to choose high-quality food is to look at the ingredients and choose a brand that lists real meat as the first ingredient. Chicken, turkey, salmon, and beef are great examples, but several others are available. We also recommend looking for brands that contain probiotics to help balance your pet’s sensitive digestive system and omega fats that will help with brain and eye development as well as promote a healthy coat.
We recommend avoiding brands that contain chemical preservatives and artificial colors. Corn is mostly empty calories, and we suggest avoiding it when possible, to help your dog maintain its ideal weight.
Exercise🐕
Your Havaton is an active breed, but thanks to its small size, it will get most of its activity by chasing you and other family members around your home all day. However, we recommend two or three short walks each day to ensure your dog doesn’t get lazy and put on weight, leading to health problems later in life.
Training🦮
Your Havaton is smart enough to learn several tricks, and they are usually interested in learning but can occasionally wander off. We recommend holding short training sessions after one of your walks, preferably at the same time each day to get it into a routine. Positive reinforcement in the form of treats and praise can help keep your dog interested in learning and never let them see you look disappointed, or it will lose interest in the sessions. Patience is critical to success because it can take several weeks for even a smart dog like the Havaton to learn a new trick and commit it to memory.
Grooming ✂️
Unfortunately, the Havaton will require daily brushing to keep its silky hair in top condition. Failing to brush your pet will quickly lead to painful tangles, knots, and mats that you need to cut out to remove. Besides daily brushing, you will need to check the ears frequently to ensure no problems are developing. The ears have poor ventilation, and wax and moisture buildups can occur, leading to ear infections.
Health and Conditions❤️
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Portosystemic Shunt
- Hip Dysplasia
- Mitral Valve Disease – Mitral valve disease is another condition that can affect the heart of your Havaton. Dogs with this disease have weak heart valves that reduce the efficiency of the heart. Symptoms include the appearance of a heart murmur which often slowly transforms into congestive heart failure. Diuretics and other medications can help your dog manage the disease and improve heart function, but most dogs will require continuous treatment once diagnosed.
- Portosystemic Shunt – A portosystemic shunt is a condition where an abnormal connection occurs between a vein and one of its branches in the heart that allows some blood to bypass the liver, causing toxins to build up in the system. Symptoms of this condition include stunted growth, poor muscle development, and strange behavior like staring off into space. The most common treatments include diet control and antibiotics.
- Hip Dysplasia – Hip dysplasia is a condition that causes the hip joint to form incorrectly, and the bones can’t move smoothly within the joint. Most owners consider hip dysplasia a large dog disease, but it can affect any breed, including the Havaton, and its high energy level can wear down the bones of the hip joint just as fast as a heavy dog might. Symptoms of hip dysplasia include difficulty standing up from a resting position and difficulty climbing stairs and hills. Weight management and medication can help slow the progression of the disease, and many dogs can go on to live full lives.
Male vs Female
Since the Havaton is a mixed breed, the parent it takes after more will have a much larger effect on its size, appearance, and temperament than its sex. It’s also a relatively modern mixed breed, and much more information is needed before we will start to see definible differences between males and females.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Havaton
1. The Havanese parent used to be called the Havana Silk Dog due to the length and texture of its fur.
2. The Havanese parent is the official dog of Cuba and is its only native dog breed.
3. The Coton de Tulear gets its name from its strong resemblance to a cotton ball.
Final Thoughts
The Havaton is a small fuzzball that is fun to have around the home. Its small size is well-suited to apartment living, and it doesn’t require a lot of exercise each day to stay healthy. It enjoys being around family members, and it will continuously follow you around seeking attention. It’s a good choice for children because it likes the games and it’s more tolerant than other small breeds of rough play. It doesn’t growl or become aggressive, and it’s usually more than happy to be friends with other pets. It’s intelligent and capable of learning several tricks, and it’s relatively healthy, especially compared to many pure breeds, with a long lifespan that often exceeds 12 years.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this short guide and found the answers to your questions. If we helped you decide to get one of these dogs for your home, please share this guide to the Havaton mixed dog breed on Facebook and Twitter.
See also:
- Coton De Tulear vs Havanese: Which One Is Right For Me?
- Coton de Tulear vs Maltese: The Differences (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Lulub, Shutterstock
