Let us introduce the Havapoo, also known as the Havadoodle or the Havanoodle.
This adorable little ball of fluff is the result of cross-breeding a miniature or toy poodle with a Havanese. A designer crossbreed that is becoming more and more popular.
This charming and friendly pooch is well-suited to most families and due to its small size and is more than happy dwelling in an apartment.
Energetic and playful, lets see what we’ve ended up with now we’ve mixed the Poodle (National Dog of France) and the Havanese (National Lapdog of Cuba).
| Breed Type | Mixes and More |
| Purpose | Companionship and Designer |
| Suitable For | All families. Small homes, apartments and condos |
| Size | Between 8-15” in height, females are generally smaller |
| Weight | 7 to 20 pounds |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years |
| Color Variations | Brown, grey, tan, white and black |
| Temperament | Friendly, Sociable, Gentle, Sensitive, Charming and Outgoing |
| Activity Level | Medium – Between 30 – 60 minutes of walking daily |
| Daily Food Consumption | Between 1/2 and 1 cup of high quality kibble depending upon their size |
| Known Health issues | Cataracts, Hypothyroidism, Patella Luxation and Hip dysplasia |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is a Havapoo?
Despite interest in the Havapoo only peaking in the first half of 2018 these adorable hybrids have been registered as a breed by the International Designer Canine Association since 2009.
They are also registered with the American Canine Hybrid Club under the name “Poovanese”. Originating in the US, these guys were bred to be faithful friends to many a family.
When looking for a Havapoo Puppy, ensure you are purchasing from a reputable breeder. Rescuing a dog is also an option – as their popularity increases, so will their numbers in shelters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Havadoodle Lifespan
Like other toy designer dogs this dog can live anywhere from 10 to 15 years of age.
Havapoo Full Grown
Depending on whether the poodle parent is a miniature or toy poodle, Havapoos range in height from 8-15 inches tall and can weigh anywhere between 7-20 pounds.
Havapoo Puppy
You can pay anywhere between $800 to $1,800 per puppy. Price tags have sometimes exceeded the $4,500 mark too.
These charming pooches are perfect lap dogs, not surprisingly so when the one purebred parent is the National Lapdog of Cuba. In order to understand this Havanese Miniature Poodle Mix in more detail, let’s have a look at the parents in a little more detail.
Poodle and Havanese Purebred Parents
| Poodle | Havenese |
| An active, smart and energetic worker, the poodle loves being in a busy household. Highly trainable, these guys do not suffer fools. | This smart, trainable and friendly companion spent it's time in the laps of Cuban Aristocracy. |
| Poodles excel in water fowl hunting and retrieving. If you have the chance, look at their paws, you will notice they have webbed feet! Perfect tools for swimming. | Despite the fact they served no working purpose, these lapdogs were seen as a status symbol; a mere possession. |
| Despite being the National Dog of France, Poodle's don't actually exist there! They are called “duck dogs!” | From the same lines as the Bichon Frise and the Maltese, it is believed that this cheeky chap found it's way to Havana with the Spaniards during the 1600's |
Just like other toy breeds crossed with a toy or miniature poodle, not surprisingly, when you mix these two purebreds, you end up with a trainable, friendly and charming companion in the Havapoo.
Havapoo Temperament
So pretty much full marks across the board for their temperament. There isn’t much of a downside to these Havanese Miniature Poodle Hybrids. However, their friendly nature means they are also rubbish watch dogs!
The Havapoo dog is not a renowned barker, as long as they have their daily exercise and stimulation and have a lap or sofa to curl up on, they are in their element.
They suit most families – singles, couples, retirees, families with kids… Everyone! Their high intelligence means they thrive on brain games which are great for families to play with puppies.
Due to their small size they are pretty well suited in most homes too. A house with a yard, great! An apartment or Condo; they can thrive there too!
They are pretty high energy, not surprisingly when you look at their poodle parent’s working history, so expect to exercise for between 30 to 60 minutes per day.
Top-Tip
The Havanese’s history as a lap dog gives them their sociable nature, but it does mean they don’t tolerate being left alone for long periods. They can suffer with separation anxiety which can cause chewing, digging, urinating and defecation if left for long periods
Make sure you get into a routine with this happy Havapoo and keep his time alone to a minimum. You can expect to be spending around one hour each day when you get your puppy to train, socialize, groom and bond during the first six months.
Speaking of routines, let’s have a look at how to care for a Havadoodle.
How to Care for this Breed
Apart from their high exercise requirements, these dogs are pretty low maintenance when it comes to grooming. Their high intelligence makes them easy to train; they pick up potty training quickly and will learn a consistent routine within a few weeks.
Food and Diet Requirements
As we’ve mentioned, this designer dog is a small breed dog.
It’s overall size will depend on the size of its parents – specifically the poodle parent and whether it is a toy or miniature.
All dogs are fed based on their overall weight.
This is where it becomes tricky with a hybrid dog. You will notice many puppy foods suggest feeding amounts based on predicted adult size. In discussion with your veterinarian, consider the weight of your puppy in comparison with both Toy/Miniature Poodles and Havanese dogs using the table below:
Havapoo Growth Chart
| 8 weeks | 1.5 | 2 | 2.5 |
| 10 weeks | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| 12 weeks | 2.3 | 3 | 3.8 |
| 14 weeks | 2.6 | 3.5 | 4.4 |
| 16 weeks | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 months | 4.9 | 6.5 | 8.1 |
| 8 months | 6.6 | 8.8 | 10.9 |
| 10 months | 8..1 | 10.8 | 13.4 |
| 12 months | 9.8 | 13 | 16 |
When you have an Adult Havapoo (i.e. matured dog), you would expect him to consume around 40 calories per lb of body weight.
So if your dog weighs in at 15lbs, he would consume around 600 calories per day, split between 2 or 3 meals.
He will require 1.6g of fat per kg of body weight and 2.62g of protein per kg of body weight.
Ensure you are feeding a high quality dog food which meets his daily nutritional requirements; for a small dog you can get specific small breed formula too.
Exercising Your Dog
Expect to walk upwards of 60 minutes per day.
If trained successfully, their recall is usually pretty good so off leash walking in dog parks usually causes few problems.
Just remember their sociable nature – they may get a little too friendly, wanting to meet everyone, humans and animals alike.
Not everyone is as friendly as they are. Weigh their temperament up, you may find you need to keep them close just to keep them out of people’s hair.
Their high intelligence makes them perfect candidates for brain games! Try labelling her toys to keep her mind active:
- Working with one toy at a time, when ever she is playing with it or showing an interest, label it (ball, rope, chew etc).
- When you are sure she associates the label with the toy, start creating small toy lineups of 2/3/4 toys. Ask for one toy specifically. Whenever she succeeds, praise her, or maybe a give her a small tasty snack! Did you know dogs can eat pineapple?
- Repeat the exercise until you can build up to 8-10 toys in a lineup.
Whilst being high energy, they do remember their lap dog heritage. If they’ve had their exercise and played a few games, they love nothing more than chilling on the sofa.
Training a Havanese Miniature Poodle Mix
Start young and you will have them eating out of the palm of your hand.
They thrive with positive reinforcement and reward based training. We know that dogs learn through operant conditioning – if a behavior causes a positive outcome, they are more likely to repeat it.
So if she’s doing what you want her to do, reward her… praise her, treat her or give her a toy to play with. If you’ve trained toy names you even even reward her by asking her to fetch her favourite toy.
To ensure she is this sociable, friendly Havapoo that everyone raves about, start socialization from a young age too:
- Introduce her to what the world has to offer, in a safe and controlled way.
- Introduce her to people, animals, equipment, everything!
Your Havadoodle needs to learn that she experienced it and survived; without any sustained problems. We know that early socialization in puppys is associated with more resilience and less problematic behaviors as they grow.
Havapoos are generally quite outgoing and inquisitive, so she will likely be dragging you around the block to explore the next thing.
Ask the breeder what socialization programme they have in place and continue from there!
Known Health Problems
Despite the hope to breed healthier dogs, we know that like pure-bred dogs, hybrids can also suffer with health issues. Hybrids can develop their own health issues or inherit conditions from either parent.
In this case, we know that one parent, the Havanese, can suffer with cataracts, deafness, hip dysplasia, liver shunt and patella luxation. In addition the Poodle parent can suffer with Cushing’s Disease, diabetes, eye and skin problems and many joint issues.
Considering the range of health issues prevalent in the parents, we know there are common issues to be watchful of in the Havapoo:
- Cataracts – common in Poodles, this is an eye condition where the lens gets progressively cloudier resulting in loss of vision and eventually blindness. Surgery can often treat cataracts, but, this can be expensive.
- Hypothyroidism – common in the Havanese this is where the thyroid is not producing enough hormones reducing metabolic rate. It can often be treated with medication.
- Patella Luxation – common in small breed dogs this is when the kneecap doesn’t sit in the trochlear groove. It results in lameness and abnormal gait. Surgery is often an option.
- Hip dysplasia – this is when there is abnormal development in the hip joint. This results in lameness, abnormal gait, pain and stiffness. Surgery is often an option, or more mild cases can be managed through medication.
Appearance of a Havapoo (Coat and Color)
The Havanese is a long, silky coated dog. The Poodle is a tight curly coated breed. So what do we end up with? Well, as with all designer and hybrid dogs, it varies, dramatically.
Some Havadoodles have long and wavy coats, taking on more of a Havenese coats. Some have thick, curly coats like their poodle parents.
Generally high on the grooming requirements, daily brushing is a must for these guys unless you keep their coat clipped short. If you do, 2-3 brushes a week will keep their coat in tip top condition.
Havapoos can come in a range of colors, most commonly brown, grey, tan, white or black. Again this depends largely on their parent colorings. They can be solid in color, or have a mix of markings.
Pay attention to their parents, but as with all hybrids, it’s always a bit of a gamble knowing how your puppy will look!
Regularly check their ears and eyes and take some time to brush their teeth.
Top-Tip
Raw carrots are a brilliant treat to keep a fully grown dog’s teeth sparkling.
Summary
If you’re looking for a charming, friendly and energetic family dog; the Havapoo should certainly be towards the top of your list.
Thanking its Poodle parent for its intelligence and Havanese heritage for its obedience, your Havadoodle will be a dream to train; they will pick up potty training in no time.
A consistent routine with early socialization will ensure you have the sociable pooch you always wanted.
Relatively high energy, they love their walks. Through the park or in the woods – they’re easily pleased.
Just make sure there’s enough room on the sofa at the end of the day for them to curl up next to you or on you! Do you have a Havapoo in your family? Let us know in the comment field below.
Other Miniature or Toy Poodle Mixes
If you’re interested in learning about other Miniature or Toy Poodle mixes, check out the hybrid dog breeds below.
What’s the best way to find a reputable Havapoo breeder? We live in Houston, TX. This seems like a “breed” ripe for abuse in regards to puppy mill type breeders. Our other dog is a well bred GSD but my wife prefers a personal lap dog. The GSD previously got along well wit her 8 pound Schnoodle who recently died at age 17.
Hi Gary,
You are right, with mixed/designer breeds comes an increased chance of puppy mill type breeders due to lack of paperwork. If purchasing a mixed breed, I would go for a F1 with two purebred parents (with documentation). You can also start by reading our article on tips for finding a reputable breeder.
Gary, I recently purchased a havapoo from an amazing lady in Savannah, Georgia. Her site is gapkennels and she has been a breeder for many years and is not a puppy mill. I highly recommend her.
Can you tell me the name of the breeder in savannah
Hi Adriane, we are currently putting together a list of reputable breeders, we will be in touch with you once the list is complete. In the meantime, I have shared your comment so our readers can also share their breeder recommendations with you.
I am also looking for a reputable breeder of Havapoos. I have come across Farms or Mills or just Havanese Breeders who are not happy when I ask for a Havapoo.
Are there any reputable Havapoo breeders in the Seattle area? I am greatly interested in the breed and I do not know where to find a good breeder.
Thank you so much for this great article. I’m looking for a havapoo in or around Rochester MN. I would be really greatful for any breeder information
Hi Leah, I’ve shared your comment with the community. Hopefully someone can provide you with a breeder they know is reputable.
I’m interested in buying a Havapoo. I live in Morayshire Scotland, but willing to travel… any reputable breeders please do get in touch with me.
My little Havapoo sweetie Lola (well, she IS half Cuban!) is almost 2 years old now and we couldn’t love her more. She adores every pup, cat and human she meets.
Hello John, I am interested in getting a Havapoo and would be grateful if u would share your completed list of breeders
specifically in the south and north Carolina area and Georgia.
Hi Ann, Good luck on your search for a Havapoo, I have shared your comment with the community. We will also be in-touch when the breeder list is ready.
My havapoo Kayla is the cutest and sweetest dog I have ever met. She loves other dogs and is a pleasure in our home. We were lucky to find her near us. She is only 5.4 pounds at 11 months old and her father was a 5 pound toy poodle, her mother an 11.5 pound Havanese. She is a beautiful mix.
Do you know a Havapoo breeder in NY, NJ or Connecticut?
Hi Toni, I’m sharing your comment to see if someone can give you some advice.
Meet Ellie May, our 3 yr old Havapoo. We got her from breeder in Central Missouri. She is super laid back but super dependent on you. Make sure you or your household has someone to give attention to your puppy a lot! Ellie is happiest being held or on my lap while sitting. She loves being on the back on the couch or up high where she can she what’s going on. Did I mention she does NOT like being ignored? Again make sure you can give more attention than normal. Almost can be irritating if you’re busy or trying to get something done. But I soon forget when she cuddles up under my chin and gives me small kisses and lil grunts of contentment! Never had a breed that was this cuddly, smart and loving!
Thank you for your article. I have a 6 month little girl. I couldn’t love her more! I do have a question. We were planning on getting her spayed next week. I’ve been doing some reading and keep seeing conflicting opinions about spaying. I would really appreciate it if you would share your thoughts. Thank you again.
Hi Annie, you are correct. Any research will flag up both sides of the argument for spaying. It often comes down to individual choice. A consultation with your veterinarian would also help you make your decision.
Spaying can prevent a range of health issues in a female dog, specifically certain cancers of the reproductive system. It also prevents the infection pyometra which can be fatal.
If you choose to spay your female, they can gain weight afterwards, but this is easily managed through controlling her diet.
There are studies which suggest neutered dogs live longer than non-neutered, but neutered dogs are more likely to die from cancer or autoimmune disease and in-tact dogs are more likely to die from infection and trauma.
Other owners find it difficult managing an in-tact female. Not being able to walk her in populated areas when she’s in heat, having the mess around the house. Having male dogs paying a lot of attention to her. Nesting behaviour, false pregnancies. Accidental pregnancies. It can also be difficult organising dog care/daycare/kennelling for a female who is in heat. Many providers won’t accept them.
It does come down to individual choice, but a discussion with your Vet will certainly help.
Great and helpful article. I’d love to see that list of reputable breeders if you have it. I’m in Tampa FL
Hi there! Thanks for all the insightful info. We are looking for reputable havapoo breeders in Canada specifically Ontario or Quebec provinces. Does anyone have some advice?
Did you find one? I am also looking in Ontario.
Thanks so much for your great article. I’ve owned a purebred miniature poodle, bichon and most recently two Havanese at the same time (now in doggie heaven). I’m considering a Havapoo since I wanted a healthier breed, but now I’m not so sure. Our beloved Havanese had so many serious health issues:(
Hi there. We just got our Havapoo and wondering what’s the best sleeping arrangements for him? He’s 8 weeks old.
Hi Teri,
You should research crate training your Havapoo.
Found a Havapoo in the rain, freezing and abandoned. We took to vet and checked for chip, posted on every lost pet site and put up flyers locally but no luck – so I kept him. Still losing baby teeth so I put age at 6-7 months. Black with white spot on chin and chest – looks just like the pictures in this article.
I would love to see your list of reputable Havapoo breeders as well.I live in Massachusetts but am willing to travel.
I’m pretty sure we are getting a havapoo puppy in 2 weeks that is an F2 – both parents are Havapoos. I haven’t seen any information on F2’s. Any tips? Is there a reason why I can’t find any info on them? I’m a bit concerned that there will be issues. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, the information in this article is based on all generations F1s, F2s and even F3s! F2s are better than F1s because they should be more predictable with appearance and temperament.
I’m interested in a female. Are you in Texas?
I just adopted a 15 week old Havapoo puppy whom I’ve named Henna Bear. I picked her up in Millersburg Ohio and drove home with her – a 7 hour drive. She was so good. No accidents, or crying. She slept thru the night with no issues. I found your article to be informative and helpful.
We just acquired a havapoo she is now 10 weeks old. We have already taught her to sit. We love her a lot but it nice to know how much we can expect from her