Havanese is originated from Cuba but Standard Schnauzer is originated from Germany. Havanese may grow 24 cm / 9 inches shorter than Standard Schnauzer. Havanese may weigh 20 kg / 44 pounds lesser than Standard Schnauzer. Both Havanese and Standard Schnauzer has same life span. Havanese may have less litter size than Standard Schnauzer. Both Havanese and Standard Schnauzer requires High 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.
Coming out of Germany in the 14th and 15th century is the Standard Schnauzer or Mittelschnauzer. Both the Giant Schnauzer and Miniature Schnauzer are descendants of the Standard Schnauzer. The first name for this breed was the Wire-haired Pinscher until 1879. The breed is a working breed that is popular in Europe and was first in a dog show in 1879 in Hanover, Germany. In 1997 they won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club in New York.
These medium size Schnauzers were bred in the Middle Ages to be versatile in working and herding in Germany. There seems to be artwork from the 14th through the 16th centuries featuring this breed of dog as a hunter. It is believed that the common ancestors of the Standard Schnauzer is the German Pinscher and the gray Wolf Spitz, along with the black German Poodle and the Bolognese.
It was 1850 when the breed gained recognition as a purebred with distinct and recognizable features. Those are not all the same features that the dogs of today show. These dogs had thick hair on their face, a double coat that is wiry, and their tails were cropped. These dogs were initially Wire-haired German Pinscher then in 1879, a dog named Schnauzer won Best in Show in Hanover. By 1900, the breed was being called Schnauzer everywhere.
The first breed standard was written under the Wire-haired German Pinscher name in the early 1880’s. This standard allowed for a lot of different colors, but the salt and pepper of today was not introduced until the late 1800’s. Then the standard was rewritten in 1907 for the Standard Schnauzer with this as the dominant color.
The first official Standard Schnauzer imported to the United States came in 1905 even though there is a claim that one competed in the 1899 Westminster Kennel Club in the Miscellaneous Class. Following the first World War, the breed became increasingly popular in the States. At that time the US club was called the Wire-haired Pinscher Club of America in 1925. Both standard and miniature sized schnauzer are included in this club.
The breeds were separated in 1933 and became the Standard Schnauzer Club of America and classified by the American Kennel Club as part of the Working Group. In 1926 they moved the Standard Schnauzer to the Terrier Group. By 1926 the Schnauzer Club of Great Britain was formed.
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.
Today’s Standard Schnauzer is a square, robust, medium sized dog. The breed boasts heavy eyebrows and thick beards. They are salt and pepper or black and their coat is wiry and stiff. The breed have excellent muscle tone and a body in proportion height to length. Their build is rugged, and coat is dense.
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.
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:
There are a couple of major hereditary health issues faced by the Standard Schnauzer.
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
1Feeding the puppy: At 8-12 weeks feed four times a day. At 3 to 6 months feed three times a day. At 6 to 12 months feed twice a day.
4. Games and Exercises – The breed is extremely athletic and needs daily exercise. They are playful with dogs and people and they are family dogs. They want to go wherever you go. Hiking, running, jogging and organized activities.
They are great at obedience, agility, flyball, disc dog, herding and tracking. They have also been involved in search and rescue, bomb detection, and cancer detection.