Havanese vs Shih Tzu – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Havanese vs Shih Tzu" Compare Havanese and Shih Tzu. Which is better: Havanese or Shih Tzu?

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

Name	Havanese	Shih Tzu
Origins	Cuba	China
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	23	20
Reviews	1	5
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Other Names	Bichon Havanese, Bichon Habanero, Havanese Cuban Bichon, Bichon Havanais, Bichon Havanês, Havaneser, Havanezer	Chinese Lion Dog, Chrysanthemum Dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1996 as a Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969 as a Toy 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 Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Tibetan breeds 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 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 New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$900-$1200	$800-$1200

General Appearance - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Size	Small	Small
Weight	7-13 pounds (3-6 kg)	9–16 pounds (4-7 kg)
Avg. Weight	10 pounds (4.5 kg)	9–16 pounds (5.5 kg)
Height	8-11 inches (21-29 cm)	8-11 inches (20-28 cm)
Avg. Height	10 inches (25 cm)	9.5 inches (24 cm)

Hair & Care - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Coat	Soft Wavy Woolly Flat Long	Dense
Colors	Black Reddish-Brown Fawn White Havana Brown Tobacco	Brindle Liver Silver Blue Gold Red Black
Grooming	Average: The Havanese requires average grooming effort.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Havaneses shed none to minimal.	Shih Tzus shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Temperament	Affectionate Gentle Playful Companionable Intelligent Responsive Sturdy Lively Amiable Charming	Active Friendly Happy Lively Playful Courageous Gentle Intelligent Outgoing
Intelligent Rank	Average: Havanese's has average obedience intelligence.	Low: The Shih Tzu if one of the dog breeds that have the lowest degree of obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Havaneses are very easy to train.	Shih Tzus are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Havanese is a highly playful breed.	Shih Tzus are not the most playful dog breed.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Shih Tzus have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.
Affection Level	Havaneses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Shih Tzus are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Havaneses need a lot of social interaction.	Shih Tzus need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Low to Average: The Havanese rarely barks.	High: The Shih Tzu is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Havaneses are good watchdogs.	Shih Tzus are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Havaneses strongly protect their territory.	Shih Tzus strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Havanese has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Havaneses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Shih Tzus have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Havaneses tend to escape less than other breeds.	Shih Tzus tend to escape less than other breeds.
Prey Drive	Havaneses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Shih Tzus have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Havaneses are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Havaneses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Shih Tzus 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.	Shih Tzus tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
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.

Good With - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Stranger Friendly	Havaneses are stranger friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Havaneses are very kid-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are not the most kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Havaneses are very cat-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Havaneses are very dog-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Havanese is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Shih Tzu is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Havaneses are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Shih Tzus are not the best breed for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Havaneses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Shih Tzus are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Havaneses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Shih Tzus are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going 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.
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.
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.
Boat Dog	Not really Havanese breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Shih Tzu 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.

Health Factors - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Health Issues	The Havanese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Shih Tzu 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	Allergies Bladder Stones Distichiasis Dry Eye Ear Infections Ectopic Cilia Hip Dysplasia Juvenile Renal Dysplasia Keratitis Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Proptosis Retained Baby Teeth Reverse Sneezing Snuffles Umbilical Hernias
Life Expectancy	14-16 years	10-16 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	Yes
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.	Shih Tzus have a lower energy level than other dogs.
Exercise Need	Havaneses exercise need is very minimal.	Shih Tzus 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.	Shih Tzus like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.
Avg. daily food consumption	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.	Recommended daily amount: 1/2 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Low The Havanese has a low chance of bad smell.	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Havanese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Shih Tzu is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Havanese vs Shih Tzu

Gestation Length	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.
Litter Size	1-9 puppies, average 4	2-5 puppies
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Reviews

Caitlyn
Nov 26, 2019, 6:31:46 PM:
Im a bit confused. You said havanese are very easy to train. Then you said they are not good with first time owners. They are amazing with first time owners. With shih tzus they do good with kids actually.