Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond" Compare Havanese and Japanese Spitz. Which is better: Havanese or Japanese Spitz or Keeshond?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Havanese	Japanese Spitz	Keeshond
Origins	Cuba	Japan	Germany Netherlands
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs	Sled Dogs
Popularity Rank	23	229	87
Reviews	3	4	1
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Other Names	Bichon Havanese, Bichon Habanero, Havanese Cuban Bichon, Bichon Havanais, Bichon Havanês, Havaneser, Havanezer	Nihon Supittsu	Dutch Barge Dog, Smiling Dutchman, Chien Loup, German Spitz, Deutscher Wolfsspitz, Wolfsspitz, Kees
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1996 as a Toy breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930 as a Non-Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Bichons and related breeds section.	Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the Asian Spitz and related breeds section.	Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the European Spitz section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club United Kennel Club Havanese Club of America	American Canine Registry America's Pet Registry Continental Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain National Kennel Club American Canine Association, Inc.	No set
Price	$900-$1200	$500-$800	$800-$1000

General Appearance - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Size	Small	Small	Medium
Weight	7-13 pounds (3-6 kg)	11-20 pounds (5-10 kg)	35-45 pounds (15-20 kg)
Avg. Weight	10 pounds (4.5 kg)	15.5 pounds (7.5 kg)	40 pounds (17.5 kg)
Height	8-11 inches (21-29 cm)	12-15 inches (30-38 cm)	Male: 17-19 inches (44-48 cm), Female: 16-18 inches (40-46 cm)
Avg. Height	10 inches (25 cm)	13.5 inches (34 cm)	Male: 18 inches (46 cm), Female: 17 inches (43 cm)

Hair & Care - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Coat	Soft Wavy Woolly Flat Long	Thick	Fluffy Dense
Colors	Black Reddish-Brown Fawn White Havana Brown Tobacco	White	Silver Gray Cream Black
Grooming	Average: The Havanese requires average grooming effort.	Advanced: The Japanese Spitz requires a lot of grooming.	Advanced: The Keeshond requires a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Havaneses shed none to minimal.	Japanese Spitzs shed moderately.	Keeshonds are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Temperament	Affectionate Gentle Playful Companionable Intelligent Responsive Sturdy Lively Amiable Charming	Affectionate Proud Intelligent Companionable Playful Loyal	Agile Obedient Quick Intelligent Bright Playful Sturdy
Intelligent Rank	Average: Havanese's has average obedience intelligence.	Average: Japanese Spitz's has average obedience intelligence.	Very smart: Keeshond is an excellent dog breed.
Trainability	Havaneses are very easy to train.	Japanese Spitzs are quite easy to train.	Keeshonds are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Havanese is a highly playful breed.	The Japanese Spitz is a highly playful breed.	Keeshonds, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Japanese Spitzs have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Keeshonds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Havaneses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Japanese Spitzs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Keeshonds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Havaneses need a lot of social interaction.	Japanese Spitzs need a lot of social interaction.	Keeshonds are a social breed.
Barking	Low to Average: The Havanese rarely barks.	High: The Japanese Spitz is a very vocal breed.	High: The Keeshond is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Havaneses are good watchdogs.	Japanese Spitzs are average watchdogs.	Keeshonds are good watchdogs.
Territorial	Havaneses strongly protect their territory.	Japanese Spitzs are extremely protective guard dogs.	Keeshonds are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Low The Havanese has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Japanese Spitz has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Keeshond has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Havaneses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Japanese Spitzs have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Keeshonds have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Havaneses tend to escape less than other breeds.	Japanese Spitzs tend to escape less than other breeds.	Keeshonds tend to escape less than other breeds.
Prey Drive	Havaneses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Japanese Spitzs have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Keeshonds have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.
Apartment Friendly	Havaneses are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Japanese Spitzs are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Keeshonds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Havaneses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Japanese Spitzs adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Keeshonds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Havaneses tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Japanese Spitzs tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Keeshonds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Stranger Friendly	Havaneses are stranger friendly dogs.	Japanese Spitzs are average friendly towards strangers.	Keeshonds are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Havaneses are very kid-friendly dogs.	Japanese Spitzs are very kid-friendly dogs.	Keeshonds are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Havaneses are very cat-friendly dogs.	Japanese Spitzs are cat-friendly dogs.	Keeshonds are cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Havaneses are very dog-friendly dogs.	Japanese Spitzs are dog-friendly dogs.	Keeshonds are dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Havanese is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Japanese Spitz is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Keeshond is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Havaneses are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Japanese Spitzs are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Keeshonds are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Havaneses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Japanese Spitzs are usually friendly towards other pets.	Keeshonds are usually friendly towards other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Havaneses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Japanese Spitzs are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No Keeshonds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Havanese breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Japanese Spitz breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Keeshond breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Health Issues	The Havanese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Japanese Spitz is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Keeshond is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Cataracts Chondrodysplasia Deafness Elbow Dysplasia Heart Murmurs Hip Dysplasia Legg-perthes Disease Mitral Valve Disease Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt	Patellar Luxation Runny Eyes	No set
Life Expectancy	14-16 years	10-16 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	No	No
Energy Level	Havaneses have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Japanese Spitzs have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Keeshonds have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.
Exercise Need	Havaneses exercise need is very minimal.	Japanese Spitzs have an average exercise need.	Keeshonds exercise need is minimal.
Sleeping Need	Havaneses sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Japanese Spitzs sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Keeshonds are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.
Avg. daily food consumption	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.	2 to 2.5 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Low to Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Japanese Spitz can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers cold weather The Keeshond can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Low The Havanese has a low chance of bad smell.	Medium The Japanese Spitz has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Keeshond has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Havanese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Japanese Spitz is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Keeshond is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Havanese vs Japanese Spitz vs Keeshond

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	1-9 puppies, average 4	1-6 puppies	3-8 puppies
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