Shih Tzu vs Havanese
Shih Tzu and Havanese are small companion breeds that share many similarities. Both, Havanese and Shih Tzu have silky coat and sweet nature. These natural companion breeds have playful and affectionate temperament and make devoted family dogs. Potential owners for either of these two breeds need to be aware of the extensive grooming needs of these dogs. Shih Tzus and Havanese need to be brushed daily. Many owners choose to clip the coat short during the warm season to keep the dog comfortable and to make grooming less time consuming. A neglected coat will mat and lead to skin problems and extreme discomfort for Shih Tzu or Havanese.
Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds make wonderful family pets for any loving owner, whether a single senior in need of friendship or an active family that has the time for grooming. Companion breeds such as Shih Tzu and Havanese aren't suitable for busy working families that don't have much time to spend with the family pet. Shih Tzus and Havanese are happiest with owners who have plenty of time to dedicate to the small dog.
Differences between Shih Tzus and Havanese include the following:
Havanese Shih Tzu Mix image
Shih Tzu and Havanese mix dogs have traits of the two breeds. The colors of Shih Tzu Havanese cross can vary because Shih Tzus are known to have 19 color combinations acceptable for the breed and Havanese dogs can be of any color or combination of colors, including black, white, chocolate, gray, silver, apricot, gold, champagne, sable, particolor and tricolor. Physical traits of Shih Tzu Havanese mix dogs can resemble either a Havanese or Shih Tzu, or a bit of both of these lap dog breeds.
Image of Havanese Shih Tzu mix.
Half Havanese half Shih Tzu dogs can reach a size of up to 16 pounds in weight and up to 11 inches in height.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Grooming
Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds have maximum grooming needs. Daily brushing is necessary to maintain healthy skin and coat. A neglected Shih Tzu or Havanese coat will quickly turn into a disastrous mess and either of the dogs will experience extreme discomfort from the matted coat. Keep Shih Tzu's or Havanese's coat away from the dog's eyes to prevent eye issues.
Grooming a Shih Tzu or Havanese includes nail trimming, teeth brushing and eye stain removal. Shih Tzu and Havanese dogs need their nails trimmed once a month. Daily grooming for both of these breeds includes daily teeth brushing. Eye stains should be removed because both Shih Tzu and Havanese often develop dark brown or reddish stains around their eye area.
Havanese grooming includes a thorough brushing two or three times each week.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Lifespan
Havanese and Shih Tzu are hardy small dogs and they live on average from 11 to 16 years. Many factors can affect a Havanese or Shih Tzu's lifespan. Factors such as overall health of the dog, how well the dog is cared for, diet and lifestyle affect a dog's longevity.
Shih Tzu vs Havanese: Size
Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds are almost the same size. Havanese may be a bit taller than Shih Tzu. Shih Tzus can be slightly heavier and shorter than Havanese. Compare Shih Tzu and Havanese dog sizes.
Havanese male weight: 7 to 13 lb (3 to 6 kg)
Shih Tzu male weight: 8.8 to 16 lb (4 to 7.25 kg)
Havanese male height: 8.5 to 11.5 in (22 to 28 cm)
Shih Tzu male height: 7.9 to 11 in (20 to 28 cm)
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Shedding
Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds are known as low shedding dogs. Both breeds lose a few hairs each day and if not regularly brushed, the dead hair may cause mats and tangles to form if not promptly brushed out. Shih Tzu's hair constantly grows, just like the human hair.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Price
An average Shih Tzu puppy price is about $500 while a Havanese dog can start at $850 per puppy on average. The difference in price is a result of Shih Tzu being a more popular dog that is easier to acquire.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Temperament
Although both, Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds are sociable companion dogs that enjoy the company of people, Havanese may be easier to socialize because of the very friendly temperament. Shih Tzu and Havanese are playful and enjoy the company of sensible children who can treat the small pet with respect the dog deserves. Very young children need to be supervised around either of the small breeds to prevent any accidents.
Shih Tzu versus Havanese: Country of breed origin
Shih Tzu breed was developed in Tibet as a companion dog.
Havanese breed was developed on the Island of Cuba. Havanese is considered to be the national dog of Cuba.
Good with kids: Havanese vs Shih Tzu
Havanese and Shih Tzu dogs are small and their size makes these breeds prone to accidents when playing with very young kids or toddlers. Children need to be taught to properly handle a small dog. Teach your kids to not pick up a dog and only play with the dog by sitting next to the pet. Kids should not pick up a small dog as many small dogs get seriously hurt from being accidentally dropped. Havanese and Shih Tzus can get along with older kids but because of the high grooming needs, these small dogs make great companions for households with older owners who have the time and desire to take care of and give plenty of attention to the small dog.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Companion dogs
Havanese and Shih Tzu were developed to be superb companion dogs that would spend most of the time with their human families. These lap dog breeds need plenty of attention from the owners. Both breeds tend to follow the owner around the house and enjoy being close to their families. If you are planning to get either a Shih Tzu or Havanese, be sure that you can spend most of the time with your pet. These breeds are not recommended for working families or for families with very young kids that don't have the time that either of these companion breeds requires on a daily basis. Companion dogs especially are sensitive to being left alone for long periods and can develop behavior and psychological problems if left alone often. Shih Tzu breed owners just like Havanese breed owners report that these breeds make loving companion dogs that easily pick up on the owner's mood.
Good with other dogs: Shih Tzu vs Havanese
Shih Tzu and Havanese breeds are both good with other dogs with supervision. Level of socialization depends of each individual dog (how much time the owner spent getting the puppy comfortable around other dogs) determines how good the dog is around other dogs. Both, Shih Tzu and Havanese tend to be friendly towards other dogs.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Intelligence
Havanese and Shih Tzu are both intelligent breeds. Havanese were popular circus dogs in the past because they enjoy learning and showing off what they have learned. Shih Tzu and Havanese enjoy playing with interactive dog toys that can stimulate a dog's mind and help develop Shih Tzu's or Havanese's intelligence. Not all Havanese are equal in terms of intelligence, just like not all Shih Tzus are equal in intelligence when compared to other dogs of the same breed. Due to these variations within each breed, intelligence level needs to be tested on individual dogs to make a reasonable estimation.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Trainability
Differences between Shih Tzu and Havanese breeds include trainability. Havanese are easier to train than Shih Tzu. The Havanese are among the easiest toy group members to housetrain because these smart dogs enjoy pleasing their owners. In contrast, Shih Tzu breed is among the most difficult breeds to housetrain. Shih Tzu owners can improve their pet's chance of success by maintaining a strict schedule. Although both breeds can be successfully trained, Shih Tzus are more strong minded and willful than Havanese and can be more challenging to train. Havanese, on the other hand live to please the owner and are less stubborn than Shih Tzu when it comes to learning new commands. Obedience at an early age is recommended for both of these breeds. Consistent approach and positive training techniques proved to be the most effective ways to get the best training results with either breed.
Havanese versus Shih Tzu: Barking
Havanese dogs are known to be quiet and they don't bark a lot. Shih Tzu, on the contrary is prone to barking, especially when there's an underlying cause. Either of the two breeds, Havanese or Shih Tzu may start barking out of boredom, or when left alone frequently. Dog barking can be addressed with proper training. Some dog behavior specialists advise to first teach the dog to bark on command. Once the dog understands the concept of barking on command, he is ready to learn the "Quiet!" command. Teaching the dog to be quiet on command can be very useful, especially if Shih Tzu or Havanese lives in an apartment building where barking may bother neighbors.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Exercise needs
Shih Tzus and Havanese are active little dogs that enjoy a reasonable amount of exercise every day. A few daily walks combined with some play time is usually enough to keep Shih Tzu or Havanese happy and in good physical shape. About one hour of walking per day that can be split into a few shorter walks is recommended. Daily playtime helps to keep Havanese or Shih Tzu mentally stimulated.
Health issues: Shih Tzu versus Havanese
Havanese and Shih Tzus are hardy small dogs with few inherited diseases. There are certain genetic diseases associated with each breed but overall both breeds are considered to be relatively healthy. Shih Tzu and Havanese breeds are predisposed for eye problems. Both of these breeds feature a hair that may get into the eyes of the dog. Keep the eye area free from the hair that tends to get into the dog's eyes and cause an infection or irritation.
Shih Tzu may suffer from heart conditions, kidney problems, intervertebral disk disease and certain blood disorders. Havanese health issues include lack of thyroid hormone, kneecap dislocation, and liver shunt.
Difference between Havanese and Shih Tzu: Dog behavior issues
When bored or left alone often, either Havanese or Shih Tzu will exhibit problem behaviors such as barking, chewing on things other than his chewable toys, scratching or ripping furniture and other problem dog behaviors. Most dogs will exhibit destructive behaviors if left alone with nothing to do. Shih Tzu and Havanese are companion breeds and need to spend most of the time with their family. When any companion dog is left alone frequently, the dog may develop depression or other psychological issues as human companionship is very important for both of these small breeds. The Havanese and Shih Tzus were created specifically to be lap dogs that spend lots of time with the owners and leaving the dog unattended will cause the dog to be unhappy, which is a root of destructive dog behavior in many cases.
If you do need to step out and leave either Havanese or Shih Tzu alone for an hour or so, consider providing the dog with a safe, chewable toy that the dog can play with while you are not around. Be sure to check the toy for any small parts that the dog can accidentally bite off and swallow.
Some owners choose to crate train their Havanese or Shih Tzu to keep the pet safe and out of trouble while the owner is not around to supervise the dog.
Havanese vs. Shih Tzu: Popularity
Shih Tzu takes 20th place in popularity ranking in the United States, according to AKC. The Havanese is not far behind and takes 23rd place in popularity ranking in the United States.
Havanese vs Shih Tzu: Loyalty to the owner
The Havanese and Shih Tzu are happiest when spending time with their families. Both of these lap dog breeds are very loyal to their owners.
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