MyDogBreeds
Havanese is originated from Cuba but Barbet is originated from France. Havanese may grow 39 cm / 15 inches shorter than Barbet. Havanese may weigh 22 kg / 48 pounds lesser than Barbet. Both Havanese and Barbet has almost same life span. Havanese may have more litter size than Barbet. Havanese requires High maintenance. But Barbet requires Moderate maintenance
The only breed of dog that is native to Cuba is the Havanese. These little dogs are great companion animals. Sociable and happy, they are very popular in the United States with urbanites. These happy little pups are a Bichon type of dog which was developed from the “Little White Dog of Havana” or the Blanquito de la Habana which is now extinct.
The Blanquito de la Habana was itself developed from another extinct breed the Bichon Tenerife. Then the Blanquito was bred with the other Bichons and poodles in developing the Havanese. It is believed that some of the first people to settle in Cuba were from Tenerife, an island close to Cuba. In the early part of the sixteenth century, little white dogs were brought to Cuba with these settlers. This dog of Tenerife is believed to be the ancestor of all Bichon breeds.
At that time trade with Cuba was highly restricted by the Spanish and so these dogs developed without any crossing from other breeds from outside the country. They grew to be able to stand hot temperatures and they grew a very unique coat – almost like silk. Their coat is soft and light, while insulating them from the tropical environment.
At this time Cuba was the place to be for Europeans aristocrats on vacation. Unlike the British colonies, Cuba had theatres, operas and palacious. When going back to Europe, many took this little white dog with them to France, Spain and England. The Dog of Havannah was a favorite on European soil as well. Many of these dogs taken to Europe were fawn or parti instead of white. Meanwhile back in Cuba, the bourgeoisie were replacing the aristocracy who themselves would soon be replaced by the Revolution.
During the days of the bourgeoisie, the Havanese became very popular household pets. The breed has been a family pet for the last 150 years. At the same time the breed was very trendy in Europe with Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria owning several. They were by now familiar participants in Europe’s dog shows. Finally, with the Revolution, the bourgeoisie left the country in droves with their little white dogs. A genetic pool was then formed in the US. Gene pool from 11 dogs. All the Havanese in the world are descended from those 11 dogs with the exception of the dogs isolated in Cuba and the US. Today the Havanese is one of the most popular and fastest growing breeds in the world.
The Barbet is an ancient European waterdog, with the first references to it coming way back from 1387. This breed is thought to serve as a common ancestor for several other waterdogs, and these include the poodle. The breed was used to retrieve water fowl from water, and today it is used as a gundog and as a companion.
The name ‘Barbet’ comes from the French word for beard, which is ‘barbe’. The Kennel Club has announced that this dog is to be described as being in a class of its own, and it has become the 220th pedigree breed.
The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, a member of the toy group. They weigh no more than 16 pounds (7.3kg) and his body is longer than it is tall. The breed has a unique topline that is not level, but it is straight. His front legs are longer than his hind legs producing the lively gait everyone is used to seeing with a Havanese. With a full muzzle that tapers to the nose, the Havanese does not seem to be short. The skull’s length is the same as the muzzle’s. The head of the Havanese is round in the back and flat in the front.
They have a deep chest, almond shaped eyes that are dark brown and their ears are about halfway down the nose. The long ears hang down the side od the face. They have a long plumed tail that is held high and upward. The standard for the breed and now the laws of the United Kingdom state that there can be no docking of the tail.
The Barbet is a medium-sized breed of French water dog, measuring anything between 52–66cm in height. The dog is known for his thick, curly textured coat and even the head and tail are covered with this dense hair. His coat is waterproof.
The coat can vary in color and these colors can be brown, grey, white, fawn or black. The dog isn’t a heavy shedder. The Barbet’s tail is long and somewhat raised but not erect. He has long, wide pendant ears set at eye height, the skull is broad and the neck short and strong.
With his kind brown eyes, it simply adds to the kindly expression of this attractive gun dog. He is a friendly, fun-loving dog, and makes a great family pet. He loves to swim and in fact has webbed paws to assist him with his swimming. Some dog owners say that this intelligent active breed can be a great watchdog, while others say the being a guard dog isn’t a particularly strong characteristic.
Havanese are highly intelligent and eager to please, and they are easily trained so long as you use only positive methods. This can be a sensitive breed, so care must be taken to not scold them harshly. Socialization from an early age is very important. Expose them calmly to a wide variety of new places and new people, always ensuring that the experiences are positive and not intimidating. Gentle, patient training will result in a wonderful companion dog. They are affectionate with people and get along with other nonaggressive pets.
The Havanese is the consummate lap dog. Over time they have become the lovable family companion.
The breed is pretty adaptable being able to live as a companion animal in almost any setting. Just don’t expect your Havanese to go hiking or romp with you on 40 acres in the country.
They are intelligent, love to learn but can be a little stubborn. Train them early as they like their habits and its much harder to train an older Havanese.
Most Barbets do superbly well with children and are naturally gentle with them. It is always important to teach children to respect animals and to be kind towards them. Even a gentle dog like the Barbet can turn aggressive if taunted beyond their endurance.
Barbets are social, good mixers and they get on well with other pets in the family, more so when they have been properly socialized. As a Sporting breed, the Barbet is energetic and loves to be involved in games and activities. He is such a versatile dog – gentle and friendly and he makes a wonderful devoted pet. Of course, he is also suited for use as a working dog, after all this breed was originally used for hunting waterfowl.
Treat him well and the thanks you’ll get will is unconditional friendship and loyalty.
A very healthy breed, the Havanese doesn’t have a lot of health issues, but they are not immune to the problems of small breed dogs. The issues they do have are:
The Barbet is a rare breed and therefore not much is known about particular health issues affecting him. Some health issues that you will need to be alert about with your Barbet are ear infections, hernias and hip dysplasia.
A veterinarian should be consulted if your dog shows signs of these ailments. The risk of a Barbet developing any health condition can always be significantly reduced by making sure you buy your Barbet from a reputable breeder. If he is fed well and taken to the vet when he does get sick, he can live to be 13 to 15 years of age.
Feed 3 to 4 times per day a high quality dry puppy food for toy or small dogs. Feed ¼ to ½ cup each time.
Remember these are small dogs and don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality dry food for small or toy dogs. Feed twice a day at about ½ cup each time.
The breed is generally very healthy.
This breed is not an overly active dog, but he does need some exercise. A nice walk once a day or a backyard to play in. They play inside as well as out. Don’t over exercise the Havanese. They do well in obedience and confirmation more so than agility or fly ball
The Barbet’s coat is longish and curly, much like a poodle, and long, wooly coat This being the case, moderate maintenance is required. Brushing and grooming twice a week will be necessary to keep the coat from matting too much. In fact, some Barbet owners prefer to keep their Barbets professionally groomed so that the thick hair is fairly short all over.
The dog’s ears will also need to be kept clean and dry.
If your Barbet is a farm dog, used for hunting or working purposes, make sure to buy dog food formulated for active dogs. Your Barbet puppy up to the age of 3 months will require 4 meals a day. When your Barbet reaches a year of age he can be fed one or two bowls of food. Speak to your veterinarian about top-quality wet- and dry foods. Every dog will require raw meat added into their food once in a while.
Make sure there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water and also wash his food and water bowls regularly.
The Barbet is an intelligent breed and therefore trainable. Dog owners who care for their pets, see to it that they are trained and have been socialized. This makes dogs much nicer to live with as they get on well with children and other pets and they don’t bark incessantly.
The Barbet is a working breed so you can’t just leave him in your back garden day after day. To stay healthy and happy, he will need to be played with, taken for walks and exercised regularly.