Havanese dog
| Havanese | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other names | Havanese Cuban Bichon Bichón Havanés Havaneser Havanezer Bichon Habanero | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Cuba (AKC) / Western Mediterranean region (FCI) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||
The Havanese, a bichon-type dog, is the national dog of Cuba, developed from the now extinct Blanquito de la Habana ("little white dog of Havana"). The Blanquito descended from the also now-extinct Bichón Tenerife. It is believed that the Blanquito was eventually cross-bred with other bichon types, including the poodle, to create what is now known as the Havanese. They are sometimes referred to as "Havana Silk Dogs", but this is a separate breed, which has been bred to meet the original Cuban standards.