Standard
Federation Cycologique Internationale - Standard No. 250 of January 6, 1997
General Appearance: The Bichon Havanese is a small dog, vigorous, with short legs, and abundant, soft, long hair, preferably softly wavy. Its movements are lively and flexible.
Important Proportions: The length of the muzzle is equal to the distance between the frontal depression and the occipital protuberance. The relationship between the length of the body (measured between the withers and the croup) and the height of the cross is 4/3.
Temperament and Behavior: Exceptionally alive, easy to educate as guard dog. Affectionate, happy natured, loving, sociable, playful and even a jester. Loves children and pays endlessly with them.
Head: Of medium length, the relationship between the length of the head and the length of the body (measured from the cross to the end of the tail) is 3/7.
Cranial Region: Flat, even a little convert; the forehead a little elevated; seen from above, it is rounded in the back side and almost straight in the other three sides.
Frontal Nasal Depression: Moderately marked.
Muzzle: It diminishes progressively and slightly in the direction of the snout, not pointy nor truncated.
Lips: Slim, unadulterated, tight.
Jaw - Teeth: The jaw is in form of a scissor. A full set of teeth is preferable, but the absence of the premolar (PM1) and the molars (3M) is tolerated.
Cheeks: Very flat, not prominent.
Eyes: Large, almond shaped. The most common is brown colored. Noble expression. Around the eye there is a brown to black coloring.
Ears: Relatively high on the head, the fall along the cheeks forming a discreet fold that elevates them slightly. Covered with long hairs, they are moderately pointed.
Neck: The medium length.
Body: The body is slightly higher at the withers.
Loins: Straight with slight rise over the croup.
Rib cage: Well arched.
Belly: Very flat.
Tail: Set high and carried over the back, preferably rolled, but also in the form of pastoral cane. It has long silky hair.
Extremities:
Back Legs: Good bones structure, moderate angulation.
Feet: Small, elongated and compact.
Movement: The Bichon Havanese has a light and flexible walk, sufficiently agile and delightful to underscore its happy nature. Free movement of the front legs, which are straight forward, while the posterior legs give a push in straight line.
Hair: The interior layer is wooly, but not very developed, and at time totally absent. The top layer is long, about 12 to 18 cm in an adult dog, soft, straight or wavy; the curly hair is allowed to cord. Any fixings to the hair are prohibited, like even it out by cutting it with scissors. Exception: cleaning the hairs of the feet; the hair on the forehead can be cut as to not be covering the eyes; and the hairs on the snout can be slightly cut, but it is preferable to have then at natural length.
Color: There are two colors: 1) Completely pure white, which is rare, colored at the ends in different shades of white to reddish brown; spots of these colors on the loins; it is admissible to have the hair be slightly grayish. 2). Colors on the loins and spots as mentioned previously, or black spots or loins.
Size: Height at the withers: 23 to 27 cm. Tolerance : 21 to 29 cm.
Defects: Any deviation of the criteria previously mention is considered a defect and the degree is proportionate to the degree of deviation of from the standard.
Grave Defects: General aspect with out looks. Muzzle truncated to pointy, if the length is not identical to the length of the head. Eyes shaped as those of a bird. Eyes very depressed or prominent; spots on the eye lids. Body too long or too short. Front legs leaning to the outside. Deformed feet. Straight tail that is not carried elevated. Hair that is coarse, hair that is sparse; hair that is short, except for the puppies; hair that has been fixed.
Eliminating Defects: Overbite or underbite. Snout with uneven pigmentation. Entropion or ectropion of the yes lids. Border of eyes totally lacking pigmentation. Size that is greater of smaller that the indicated standard.
Sexual organs: The males should have both testicles of normal appearance and completely descendent in the scrotum.