Tag Archives: havanese dogs

Already formally recognized by the Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club, Havanese dogs belong to a breed that makes for excellent companion dogs. The Havanese, in case you didn’t know, is the national dog of Cuba. A Havanese dog is very smart, eager to please its owner, and is naturally affectionate. It’s also great company for kids, unlike other small dog breeds that tend to snap at little children. You should also know that the Havanese can be very reliable watchdogs havanese dogs.

There are some health issues with this breed you should be informed about. You need to know about these problems if you’re seriously thinking of adding this small dog to your family havanese dogs.

Retinal atrophy – a condition that may render the afflicted Havanese blind

This breed is vulnerable to a condition called progressive retinal atrophy. In this condition, the Havanese’s retinas, or the tissue layer behind its eyes, degenerate. This condition, given time, can aggravate into complete blindness – there’s nothing one can do to stop the retinas (blood-rich tissues in the eyes) fro deteriorating havanese dogs.