What to look for in a Havanese breeder...

• How long has the breeder been in business?
• Will the breeder provide references from previous buyers?
• Will the breeder provide proof of tests and vaccines performed by a veterinarian?
• What are the conditions like for the newborns? Are they raised inside the home or outside in kennels?
• Will the breeder help you and answer your questions regarding training, care and health issues after you've taken your new Havanese pup home?
• Will the breeder inform you in advance about potential genetic problems with the Havanese breed.
• Does the breeder specialize in the Havanese and understand and respect the standards of the breed?
• Does the breeder view the process as a labor of love, or as a "puppy mill"?
• Are other dogs on the premises healthy and treated with love and affection?
• Is the price in line with that of other reputable Havanese breeders?

If you want to buy a Havanese puppy from a breeder, do your homework before selecting one. Impulsively selecting a breeder from a website that has puppies available to you just because you want one immediately is not a good idea. Some pointers in selecting a breeder:

Ask friends who have purchased Havanese puppies where they bought the dog, whether they liked the breeder, and why. Also, if the breeder is local you may be able to get information from your local veterinarian.

Many earnest and serious breeders compete in dog shows. This is a positive factor since it shows the breeder's dedication to maintaining the AKC standards of the Havanese breed. (You can find shows in your area on the AKC’s web site at www.akc.org.) You can go to shows and talk with breeders, handlers and owners with Havanese entrants and they can be helpful in answering any questions you have about this wonderful breed. If you are looking on a website, be alert to a breeder’s wording in telling you about the number of champions in the lineage. A champion has “Ch” in front of the dog’s name. It is important to verify that they are AKC champions. Either one or both parents should be champions. You may hear the breeder say the puppies come from “champion lines.” That means that sometime, possibly generations ago, there were one or more champions. This is probably not a top tier breeder. Lastly, you may hear the puppies that are “AKC” registered. This means only that both parents were registered with AKC. That does not guarantee that the puppies are necessarily top of the line Havaneses.

If possible visit the breeder and see what the environment is like. Ask questions. Meet their family of dogs and see if the dogs seem happy, friendly, healthy-looking and well cared for. The puppies should not only physically look like the parents but resemble them in temperament as well. You may not be able to see the father since the breeder may have found a stud in a different part of the country, or even in another country. But the female should be present. Be alert to a breeder who does not allow you to meet their dogs.

I hope I have conveyed the importance of the measures one should consider when selecting this fun, comical, kind, gentle, easy-going dog. I am a bit biased since I have Gracie, one of the sweetest Havanese of them all! But this companion will be with you for a very long time and you want to know that you have done your homework. It's essential to know that the puppy or adult Havanese is healthy, and his temperament is friendly. Of course there are no guarantees with health problems that are undetected or may arise. That is just part of life but life with a Havanese is just such a joy. Good luck.

Havanese breeders near you