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Havapoo Dog Breed Introduction
A Havapoo ( also known as Havanoodle, Havadoodle, or Poovanese) is a crossbreed dog developed by crossing a Havanese with a miniature or Toy-sized Poodle. It is popular for its charming personality and a low-allergen coat. Although, there is no crossbreed or pure breed that is truly hypoallergenic. Havapoos make great watchdogs that will bark to alert the owner when someone new is approaching.
Havapoo Origin | History
The precise history of the development of Havapoo is a mystery at the moment. However, it is clear they were created when Poodle mixes were becoming popular. Maltipoos were created by crossing a Poodle with a Havanese in the United States in the 1990s and 2000s. Most likely the breeders crossed the two pure breeds in an effort to create an intelligent and low-shedding pet like the Poodle as well as the lively, affectionate, and comic personality of a Havanese.
Havapoo Lifespan
A Havapoo has a lifespan of 14 to 16 years. According to a study conducted in 2006, a hybrid tends to live longer as compared to the purebred dogs for a year or two. Havanese and Toy Or Miniature Poodles have a lifespan of 14 to 16 years. Therefore, Havapoos may live up to the age of 17 or 18 years.
Havapoo Grooming
Prepare your Havapoo for a positive grooming process by getting it accustomed to touch on the paws, feet, tail, ears, and body. Grooming offers an opportunity for the owner to bond with the pet. A Havapoo may either have a wavy or curly coat. The wavy coat is inherited from the Havanese while the curly coat is inherited from the Poodle. Some Havapoos may have a wavy coat that is double layered. Therefore, they will tend to shed a bit more as compared to single layered wavy coat or the curly coat.
Although, they will shed less as compared to the Havanese parent. Both wavy and curly coated Havapoos should be brushed on a daily basis to prevent matting and tangling. If not daily, at least thrice a week. Before brushing the coat, spritz it with a detangling spray or a water conditioner solution to prevent hair breakage. Regular grooming removes dirt and loose hair. It also prevents mats and tangles.
Havapoos need a bath every 3 to 4 weeks unless they roll into something stinky. Before bathing the pet, brush the coat to remove tangles and mats. Use a shampoo to wash the coat and a conditioner to nourish each individual strand of hair. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the bathing products from the coat to prevent skin irritation. Wipe the eye corners with a clean damp washcloth or unscented canine wipes to remove tear stains on a daily basis.
Trim the nails every 3 to 5 weeks using nail clippers to prevent overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Brush Havapoos teeth at least twice a week if not daily using a tasty canine toothpaste and a toothbrush. Wipe the ears once a week using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess wax, dirt, or debris. While cleaning the ears, check out for signs of dog’s ear infection such as redness, odor, and dark discharge.
Havapoo Haircuts
For easy maintenance of the coat, Havapoo owners may opt to trim the coat. The type of haircut that this hybrid has depends on the coat texture, the climate it lives in, and the type of coat. Some of the haircuts that are suitable for Havapoos include:
Natural coat – This is a haircut that is especially suitable for wavy-coated Havapoos. The coat is left to grow to its natural length of about 6 inches. Although, slight trimming is done around the feet. The long hair on the head is held into small braids tied with plastic bands.
Teddy bear cut – The hair on the head and face is left a little longer where it is trimmed in a circular shape to attain the teddy bear look. Whereas the body fur is trimmed to a length of 2 inches.
Puppy Cut – This is the simplest haircut that the owners can maintain at home. The body fur is trimmed to a length of one inch while the fur on the face and tail is left a little longer.
Havapoo Shedding
Generally, Havapoo are considered low-shedding dogs since the parent breeds shed minimally all-year round. This is especially true to curly and wavy coated Havapoos. Although, some wavy-coated Havapoos may have a double-layered coat that will tend to shed a bit more.
Havapoo Hypoallergenic
Havapoos are regarded as hypoallergenic breeds. They tend to shed less all-year round releasing little dander and hair into the environment. Both the Poodle and Havanese parents are also considered as nearly hypoallergenic breeds. Although, there is no 100% truly hypoallergenic crossbreed or pure breed. Therefore, pet parents should try to spend lots of time with a particular Havapoo before adopting to ensure the dog does not aggravate their allergies.
Havapoo Training
A Havapoo is an intelligent dog that is eager to please which makes it easily trainable. It is also a fast learner of new tricks and command words. To raise a well-adjusted, friendly, playful, and gentle Havapoo start socialization training immediately the pup comes home. This training starts from the age of 3 weeks when the pup is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after it has already settled in its new home. Normally, parents take their puppies home from the age of 8 weeks.
To socialize a Havapoo expose it to a wide variety of people, animals, surfaces, sight, situations, smell, places, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, lawn mowers, sirens, vacuum cleaners, whistles, and washing machines. Enrolling a Havapoo in a puppy class also serves as a form of socialization. These classes ensure canine pets interact in a controlled environment. Puppy classes not only enable the pet parent to identify and correct bad behaviors but also have access to training information and assistance.
Havapoos respond well to positive reinforcements methods such as the use of treats, playtime, verbal praise, petting, and toys. Avoid use of harsh correction methods such as yelling while training. Keep the training sessions short for a period 5 to 10 minutes distributed throughout the day to prevent distraction and boredom. The training sessions should be fun, challenging, and short. Start teaching a Havapoo basic commands words from the age of 8 weeks immediately the pup comes home.
Some of the command words that a parent can teach Havapoos include come, stay, sit, lie down, leave it, heel, etc. Teach one command word at a time until the pup is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Avoid issuing a command word while too excited or frustrated to prevent confusing your pet. Effectively housebreak a Havapoo by creating a feeding schedule, crate training, and potty training. A crate is an indispensable device that allows the Havapoo parent to monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate such as whining, circling, sniffing, squatting, lifting a leg against the crate wall, and restlessness.
To get positive outcomes when potty training a Havapoo, take the pooch to the designated toilet area immediately you get home from the breeder, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, immediately it wakes up in the morning, every 1 to 2 hours, after naptime, following an exciting activity such as car ride and playtime, and before bed time. After the age of 6 months, a Havapoo should go for potty breaks every 6 to 8 hours. This is because the bladder and bowel muscles of a pup strengthens as it matures.
Havapoo Temperament | Personality | Traits
- Affectionate.
- Gentle.
- Intelligent.
- Lively.
- Playful.
- Loyal.
- Loving.
- Alert.
- Highly-trainable.
- Calm.
- Versatile.
- Outgoing.
- Eager to learn.
Havapoo Exercise
A Havapoo has moderate energy levels that require daily exercise in form of indoor playtime, running in a secured yard, or daily walks to stay happy and healthy.
Havapoo Barking
A Havapoo is not a vocal breed. However, it will bark to notify the owner when someone new is approaching.
Havapoo Height
A Havapoo has a height of 8 to 15 inches ( approx. 20 to 38 cm ).
Havapoo Weight
An adult Havapoo has a weight of between 7 to 30 pounds ( 3.2 to 14 kg ) depending on whether the Poodle parent was a toy or a miniature.
Havapoo Size
Havapoos are toy-sized to small-sized dogs that have a height of 8 to 15 inches ( approx. 20 to 38 cm ) and a weight of 7 to 30 pounds ( 3.2 to 14 kg ).
Havapoo Health Issues
A Havapoo is a crossbreed dog that benefits from the hybrid viguor that reduces the risk of inbreeding depression and lowers the chances of susceptibility to diseases. However, a Havapoo may suffer from certain health issues such as luxating patella, dental problems, Addison’s disease, deafness, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, heart murmurs, hypothyroidism, and eye disorders.
Apart from Havapoos, other crossbreeds include:
Havapoo Names
A Havapoo owner may decide to get a name for the Havapoo pet before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pet has joined them home understand more about the personality of the particular dog. Pet parents may get name inspirations from the coat color, personality, celebrity Havapoos, music, books, movies, nature, food, and historical figures.
Regardless of where the pet owner will source the name, he or she should ensure that the name chosen freely rolls off his or her tongue and will not make them embarrassed when uttered out loud in the public places. Havapoos and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels.
If a pet has a long name, the owner should find a cute nickname for the pooch. Avoid giving a Havapoo a name that rhymes with the command words to avoid confusion. If a Havapoo shares a name with any household member or guest who frequent your home, it may result to unnecessary confusion. Some of the names that Havapoo owners give to their pets include Gizmo, Graham, Sonny, Miles, Iggy, Mya, Lia, Edith, Koko, Diva, Christy, Pauline, Kelley, etc.
Havapoo Food
The amount of food that a Havapoo feeds on depends on its size, age, metabolism, and activity level. Havapoos Puppies tend to have a high metabolism rate as compared to adult and senior dogs. Therefore, a pup should eat 3 or 4 meals a day until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Havapoos should feed twice a day for the rest of their lives.
For optimal health, a Havapoo should feed on vitamins, proteins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and water. This breed may feed on dry, wet, home-made or raw food depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. For commercial food, ensure the first three listed ingredients are proteins from a known source. Avoid purchasing dog food that has fillers, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, preservatives, and chemicals. Once the Havapoo comes home, chances are that the owner will want to switch to another quality food than the one it was previously feeding on.
They should gradually do this by mixing 3/4 old food with 1/4 new food during the first week. On the second week, the dog should feed same amount of old and new food. During the third week, the pet will feed on 3/4 new food and 1/4 old food. On the fourth week, totally switch to new food. Feed a Havapoo food formulated for toy-sized puppies, adults, and seniors depending on the age of your pet.
Havapoo Colors
A Havapoo may either have a solid color, parti colors( two colors), or tricolor( three colors). Some of the colors that Havapoo have include white, black, grey, brown, silver, Havana brown, apricot, and mahogany.
Are Havapoos Hypoallergenic
Yes. Havapoos are considered hypoallergenic. They shed and low levels all-year round releasing few allergens such as dander and hair into the environment which aggravate allergies. Although, there is no 100% hypoallergenic dog. Therefore, parents should spare some time to spend with the dog before the adoption to determine whether the dog triggers their allergies.
Are Havapoos Easy To Train
Yes. Havapoos are intelligent dogs that are eager to please making them highly trainable.
Do Havapoos Shed
Yes. However, Havapoos shed little hair that is barely noticeable unless while brushing the coat.
Do Havapoos Bark A Lot
No. Havapoos are not vocal breeds. They only bark when alerting the owner of new people.
Havapoos Quick Facts
- They are hybrid dogs that were created by crossing a Havanese with a miniature or toy poodle.
- Havapoos are playful, calm, and gentle which makes them versatile companion pets for all ages.
- They have a low-shedding coat hence considered allergy friendly.
