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Before you decide

Havanese
by Joanne Baldwin, D.V.M.
Pixie (above), at 9 months of age. She is now 3 years old. She's a wonderful, smart AND trainable, sweet girl who loves performing tricks for strangers. Her favorites are "sit up" and "roll over". I also have her mother, Poppy, who is the most stable, sound little dog I have ever come across. One time, while I was working the veterinary association booth at the state fair, Poppy sat on the table greeting visitors. I'll bet she kissed over 200 people in 4 hours and made each one feel like a special friend.

As Havanese are very recent to AKC. Understandably there is a lot of information about Havanese that is not yet in evidence there. While there may not be a great deal of scientific evidence about the "hypo-allergenic" nature of Havanese, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence of people with dog allergies which tolerate Havanese with no problems. Havanese are members of the Bichon family and probably share this trait with them. I will tell you that I have a friend who has asthma and allergies...when he'd pet my Bull Terrier, he'd break out in a rash and itch. The cats make him sneeze. However, the two Havanese sleep in his bed and do not affect him. I've had many people come to me specifically looking for Havanese because they have allergy problems. Sooner or later, the Havs will make AKC's list...those wheels of bureaucracy move slowly.

The Havanese is part of the Bichon canine family of small breeds which probably originated in the Mediterranean area in pre-Christian times. All Bichons are descended from the same bloodliness that produced the Barbet, or water spaniel; the Poodle; the Portuguese Water Dog; and some others. The Barbet or "Barbichon", later shortened to Bichon canine family, consists of several distinct breeds, including the Havanese.

During the days of Spanish empire, Bichons travelled to Cuba with sea captains who used them as presents for the women of Cuba households. By gaining entry into wealthy Hispanic homes, which were otherwise closed to outsiders, the captains were able to establish lucrative trading relationships with rich Cuban families.

Italian Spinone
by Greg and Amy Bociek, Omaha Nebraska
The Italian Spinone (plural: Spinoni) is truly an ancient breed. The origin of this hunter continues to be debated today, and has been credited as having roots in breeds such as the Spanish Pointer, the Russian Setter, the Mastiff, and the Griffon.

The name apparently has roots in the word "pino" which refers to a particularly thorny bush, which could only be penetrated by a dog with a thick skin/coat when flushing game.

The Spinone, while popular in Europe is comparatively rare in North America. The breed is considered to be a large medium sized dog, with a height standard of between 23 and 27 inches. Its weight is expected to be between 62 and 82 pounds. The tail is docked at approximately half its natural length. The hair is tough and wiry, with a length of between one and one half and two and one half inches. Shedding is variable from mild to extreme, depending on the time of year (and color) to some extent.

The ears are long and lie close to the head. The hair around the eyes and mouth is longer, giving the breed an appearance of eyebrows and a beard. Indeed the appearance lends itself to an image of friendliness and happiness. Regular grooming is helpful to keep the coat from matting.

As a hunter the Spinone has its own unique style, being considered slow or plodding by some, but methodical by others. It hunts close to its owner, with a range of about 100 yards. The natural gait is a trot, with loose wrists which give the dog a proud "pounding" gait. The discovery of a scent is accompanied by very animated tail movement (wiggly butt to some). When stalking (birds, cats, squirrels, rabbits, or inanimate plastic bags), the Spinone points then approaches with caution, slowing to almost a tiptoe, testing each additional step carefully while watching the subject. An extremely robust dog, they are relatively unaffected by inclement weather, and seem to enjoy snow and cold temperatures. They are extremely adaptable to both indoor and outdoor life.

As a family pet, the dog is unparalleled as a companion. Warm, intelligent, occasionally stubborn, playful, extrememly loyal, the Spinone forms an extremely close bond with its owner. They are said to fare extremely badly in the absence of regular human contact. Play can be downright rowdy at times, yet the breed is also notable for its quiet, reserved and gentle nature. Its moods tend to parallel those around it. Except for its somewhat larger size, it is gentle at play with children and smaller animals. It will generally warn of suspicious sounds or intruders with a bark, and thus serves in some ways as a watch dog. The breed does have somewhat pungent odor, which is not necessarily agreeable to everyone, and because of its long hair around the mouth does have a slight excess of saliva at times. Although it does not frankly drool, a towel is a handy item to have around, especially after a drink of water.

Our dog travels extremely well by car (nearly 3000 miles with us last summer!!!) and particularly enjoys camping, but enjoys house living also. In fact the breed can be somewhat presumptive of "places to call its own" (e.g., an owner's bed) if allowed regular access to such places.

Most people who choose to become Spinone owners rave that there will never be another breed for them. We certainly feel that way!!!

Shetland Sheepdog
By Kathy Parsons
Parsons is the coordinator for the Sheltie Rescue in Southern California.
Shetland Sheepdogs (affectionately known as Shelties) ideally weigh from 20 to 25 pounds according to the AKC. One breeders' organization lists the recommended weight at 14 to 16 pounds The reality is a wider range of weight. Some even tip the scales at fifty pounds if you have an oversized dog. They are not a low maintenance dog as far as grooming is concerned. The require lots brushing for their coats and trimming of hair on their paws. They are double-coated and blow coat about twice a year, so if you do not want a fine fuzz all over your house, you must brush them at least three times a week and have them groomed about every three to four months by a groomer. Their coat colors include blue merle, sable, or black; markings include white and or tan.

Shelties are great family dogs, good with kids, cats and other dogs. As they are a true Herding breed, they will "herd" kids and sometimes we find that a few of them will nip occasionally…it's that old herding instinct coming back. They are rabid barkers if left outside by themselves, so for that reason we only place them to homes that will make housedogs of them.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi
by Miranda Prince
Pembrokes are smart, funny little dogs. They can be a real handful, and definitely need obedience training. It's also a good idea to keep them involved in some sort of activity (agility, obedience, flyball, etc.), or they will be bored -- this is a herding breed, and they want to work. At 22-30 pounds, they are suitable apartment dogs as long as they are given plenty of exercise. These charming little guys do tend to shed: they blow coat twice a year, but you should expect some shedding year-round. They make good watchdogs, but tend to take this sort of responsibility very seriously (a Corgi trained to bark at the doorbell will bark at ANY sound that even approximates a doorbell -- the telephone, the TV, the oven timer, etc.)

If you have the time and energy to train your dog and keep him busy, and you don't mind either a lot of dog hair or a lot of vacuuming, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is an excellent choice. Do be careful to buy your pup from a reputable breeder, one whose breeding stock are registered with CERF (eyes), OFA (hips) and checked for Von Willebrand's disease (a bleeding disorder).

Affenpinscher
By Nancy Holmes
Ms. Holmes is a long time and internationally recognized Affenpinscher breeder. Photo courtesy Nancy Holmes (all rights reserved)