What is the Havana Silk Dog Association of America
and do they have a new breed?

 

A new organization has recently surfaced.  It is called The Havana Silk Dog Association of America  (HSDAA).  This group claims that dogs registered to the HSDAA are an "elite" registry of Havanese dogs who are appropriately health-screened, free of health problems and who display "true Cuban breed type." Please understand that this organization's use of Havana Silk Dog to describe their "distinct breed" is very misleading.   The term Havana Silk Dog is a historical name for the Havanese.  The Havanese is the native dog of Cuba and there are many reputable Havanese breeders here in the United States .  We are talking about the same breed, not a new, distinct, or designer breed!

 

There are many good breeders who are not members of HSDAA.  They do the recommended health testing,  they breed away from prevalent health issues in our breed, and they also select dogs for their breeding programs that are true to the AKC breed standard.  

 

My caution to you is not to assume that you will be getting a healthier puppy, a better socialized puppy, or a puppy truer to the breed standard if you adopt a HSDAA puppy.   The truth is that a puppy, whether called a Havanese or a Havana Silk dog, is produced from the available gene pool.   There are health issues in the Havanese breed as there are in every breed.  The conformation and health of a puppy is in part due to the skill of the breeder, but it is also dependent on the way genes come together when two dogs with a different set of genes are bred.  If you adopt a puppy and it develops a health issue, then you should expect the breeder to stand behind their health guarantee to you, irregardless of their club affiliation.  DO NOT assume that membership in a club guarantees the integrity of a breeder or their skill in the art of breeding.  What it comes down to is that YOU must take responsibility for asking the right questions when selecting a breeder.  


Finding the Right Puppy

My best advice to you, a person who may be seeking to adopt a new Havanese puppy, is to do your homework!  Read about the breed and the health issues.  Interview prospective breeders and ask to see proof of current health tests on their foundation dogs.  Ask about how their puppies are socialized, about their health warranty, and go visit the breeder to see the environment where the puppies are raised.  Beware of a breeder who has many unkempt, poorly socialized dogs.  Under no circumstances should you consider buying a Havanese puppy from a pet store or a puppy broker.  Your best source for healthy puppies is the hobby breeder who shows their dogs in conformation events, health tests their foundation stock, belongs to breed organizations, and works with other reputable breeders towards the goal of breeding healthy Havanese puppies, bred to the Havanese standard.  Additionally, a reputable breeder will have a health warranty on their puppies which will tell you, the buyer, what they will do if your puppy develops a serious health issue.  Good breeders do not want their puppies to end up in shelters and they require you to give them first option for taking the puppy back if you can no longer care for it.  A good breeder's commitment to you to take a puppy back should be for the life of the dog!