What's A Havanese?
The Havanese is the AKC's 142nd breed.
The Havanese is the National Dog of Cuba and that country's only native breed. Despite being a newer breed to the AKC, the Havanese has been around for centuries. It is descended from dogs brought to Cuba by Spanish settlers, notably the Dog of Tenerife, the same ancestor as the entire Bichon family of dogs.
At various times in its history, the Havanese was known as the Spanish Silk Poodle or the Havana Silk Dog. Today, however, the AKC breed is simply called "the Havanese."