When Do Havanese Stop Growing?
A Havanese dog is a toy breed, so it does not grow to be too large. Instead, the Havanese is the perfect pint sized companion dog. Due to its small size, this breed is well suited to living in an apartment or a condo. It does not require as much space as a larger breed of dog would need to thrive at home.
Keep reading to learn more about the Havanese breed, as well as how large you can expect the dog to get and when your puppy will stop growing!
What Is a Havanese Dog?
The Havanese is a toy breed of dog. It is well known for being sweet, and playful, and for being a cuddly companion dog! It is also easily identifiable by its long coat of silky hair and bright, dark eyes that are full of expression. A Havanese has drop ears and also has a tail that curves around over its back.
While the Havanese was only bred to be a companion dog, not a working dog, this is a very intelligent breed. They are also eager to please, so can do very well in agility training or with obedience training and learning special tricks.
It is important not to leave a Havanese on its own for long periods of time because this is a dog that will easily develop separation anxiety. It may then exhibit destructive behavior or excessive barking–typically, without the separation anxiety, the Havanese is a quiet breed of dog.
Havanese Breed History
The Havanese breed originated in Cuba, where it is still the country’s national dog. Spanish settlers brought dogs to Cuba in the 1500s, and these dogs were the ancestors of the Havanese we know today.
The settlers bred the Blanquito dog–or the Havanese Silk Dog–with dogs from the Bichon family such as the poodle to create a new breed, which we know as the Havanese. The Havanese became popular with the wealthy and aristocratic families of Cuba, who adopted the dogs as companion dogs.
When these families escaped to America during the Cuban Revolution, they brought their dogs with them. American breeders fell in love with the Havanese and began to breed them, too, from the ones that were brought over from Cuba. In 1996, the AKC recognized them as an official breed.
Havanese Breed Size Expectations
As mentioned above, the Havanese is a toy breed. This means that the dog does not grow to be very big at all. You can expect your Havanese dog to average between 8 and 12 inches tall at the shoulder. When it comes to the weight of your Havanese, the breed will usually grow to be anywhere from 7 to 13 pounds heavy.
Of course, these are only averages, so your Havanese may end up outside of this range, either being smaller or larger than these projected heights and weights.
Male and female Havanese grow to be about the same size, as there is no difference in size between the sexes of this breed.
Also Read – Which is better a male or female Havanese
When Do Havanese Stop Growing?
Most puppies are fully grown by the time they are 1 year old. Smaller dogs generally mature faster than larger breeds, so the Havanese is one such breed that does mature more quickly.
By the time a Havanese is 1 year old, it should be at its full adult size. However, the Havanese typically finishes growing between 6 and 8 months of age.
This can vary slightly depending upon the individual puppy and factors such as its genetics and how well it is being cared for–a puppy that does not receive the proper nutrition will not grow the same way a puppy that is getting more nutrients will.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age is a Havanese fully grown?
Smaller dogs usually take less time to grow than larger breeds do.
The Havanese is one such breed–the Havanese is typically fully grown between 6 and 8 months of age. Sometimes, a puppy may take longer to grow, but it should still be fully grown by the time that they are 1 year old.
How big will my Havanese puppy get?
If you are thinking of adopting a Havanese puppy, one of the things that you may be wondering about is how large the dog will be once it has reached its full size! Havanese dogs are small breed dogs, so they do not get too big–which makes them great apartment dogs!
A Havanese will typically average between 8 to 12 inches high at the shoulder. For weight, a Havanese puppy will get to be between 7 and 13 pounds when full grown. This applies to both male and female Havanese, as there is no size difference between the two sexes for this breed.
At what age do Havanese Puppies calm down?
If you have had a dog before and have raised it from a puppy, you certainly know something about puppy energy! Puppies usually require a lot more exercise, attention, and mental stimulation because they have so much boundless energy.
Some dogs never truly lose this puppy energy, while others do calm down or mellow out. By the time a Havanese dog is 8 to 10 months, it will begin to mature and calm down.
Once the dog is 2 to 3 years old, it should have settled into its adult personality and temperament.
Can a Havanese be 20 pounds?
On average, a Havanese weighs in between 7 to 13 pounds heavy.
That being said, this is only an average and the weight–and height–of a Havanese can still fluctuate and be outside of this estimate. So, it is possible for a Havanese to weigh in at 20 pounds, though this is uncommon!
The Havanese, like many other toy breeds and small dogs, can be prone to obesity, so it is important to be aware of this and keep an eye on your dog’s weight. A 20 pound Havanese may be obese and unhealthy, which can also set the dig up for more health issues down the road.