Havanese Grooming & Coat: An Ottawa Guide

It depends on the coat length you choose, but a Havanese is always a grooming commitment. If you keep the traditional long, flowing coat, expect to brush thoroughly every day (the fine, silky hair tangles quickly) plus professional grooming every four to six weeks. Most pet owners instead keep their Havanese in a shorter "puppy cut," which is far more practical: it still needs brushing a few times a week and professional grooming every six to eight weeks (roughly $50 to $90 a session in Ottawa), but it dramatically reduces the tangling and daily work. Either way, the Havanese coat is a genuine ongoing commitment, low-shedding but high-effort, for the dog’s entire life. Budget the grooming honestly before adopting, because underestimating it is one of the reasons the breed lands in rescue with a badly matted coat. The coat is the single biggest practical consideration in owning the breed.

The Havanese has a distinctive double coat that is soft, light, and silky, described as feeling almost like raw silk, and it is low-shedding, one reason the breed is often suggested for people with mild allergies (though no dog is truly hypoallergenic, and dander can still trigger reactions). Because it is low-shedding, the loose hairs the dog does shed tend to stay caught in the coat rather than falling out, which is exactly what makes the coat mat if it is not brushed regularly. The coat can grow long (a full show coat reaches the ground) or be kept in a short trim. The low-shedding quality makes the Havanese tidier around the house than a shedding breed, but it does not make the coat low-maintenance, the trade-off is frequent brushing and regular grooming. The coat also provides some insulation, though the breed still needs a sweater in Ottawa’s deep winter cold given its small size.

For most pet owners, yes, a shorter trim is the practical choice. The long, flowing show coat is beautiful but demanding, requiring daily brushing and careful maintenance to prevent matting and keep it clean, which is realistic mainly for show dogs or very dedicated owners. A "puppy cut" (a short, even trim all over) or a similar shorter style dramatically reduces the brushing and matting, keeps the dog cleaner (less coat to drag through dirt and collect debris), and is far easier to live with, while still looking adorable. It also makes winter management simpler, though a shorter coat means the dog needs a sweater in the cold even more. You will still need brushing a few times a week and professional grooming every six to eight weeks, but a puppy cut turns an intensive daily commitment into a very manageable one. For a first-time Havanese owner in Ottawa, it is almost always the sensible choice, and many owners alternate a shorter winter cut with a longer summer coat.

The Havanese’s fine, soft, silky coat tangles readily because the hair is delicate and, being low-shedding, the loose hairs stay caught in the coat and knot with the growing hair, forming mats that tighten over time. Friction areas mat first, behind and around the ears, in the armpits and groin, under the collar or harness, on the belly, and around the rear, and the facial hair collects food, eye discharge, and debris. Moisture accelerates it, so a damp Ottawa winter coat mats faster. The only real prevention is frequent, thorough brushing right down to the skin (a quick surface brush misses the mats forming underneath) plus regular professional grooming, and keeping the coat in a shorter cut makes it much easier. Use a detangling spray and work gently in sections. Once a coat is matted to the skin, it usually has to be shaved off, which is uncomfortable for the dog, so consistent brushing (or a short trim) is the whole game, and staying ahead of mats is far kinder and easier than removing them.

A focused kit keeps a Havanese coat between professional grooms. A pin brush or slicker brush works through the coat, a metal greyhound comb checks you have reached the skin (if the comb snags, there is a mat the brush missed) and handles the fine facial and ear hair, a detangling spray eases brushing, and blunt-tipped scissors let you carefully trim around the eyes, paws, and sanitary areas. Line-brush in sections, lifting the coat and brushing from the skin outward, rather than skimming the surface, and pay special attention to the mat-prone friction zones. For a rescue dog who may not be used to handling, introduce the routine gently with treats so grooming becomes tolerable rather than a fight, positive early sessions make a lifetime of grooming far easier. You do not need clippers if a professional does the trims, your main home job is preventing mats through consistent brushing and keeping the face and sanitary areas tidy between appointments.

Winter brings a few specific considerations for a small, coated breed. Whether your Havanese is in a long or short cut, a warm, well-fitted sweater or coat is useful for cold-weather walks (even more so in a puppy cut, given the reduced insulation), and booties protect the paws from salt and ice while keeping snow from balling in the foot hair. If your Havanese is in a longer coat, snow and ice collect and mat in the belly and leg hair, and road salt dries and irritates the skin and coat, so rinse or wipe the legs, belly, and paws after walks and dry the coat thoroughly, because a damp coat mats fastest and chills a small dog. Keep brushing frequent through the cold months. Many Ottawa owners keep a shorter, easy-care winter trim plus a good wardrobe of sweaters. As always, the eye area needs regular attention year-round to prevent tear staining and matting, and keep cold-day outings short for this small breed.

Havanese are low-shedding and often suggested for people with mild dog allergies, but, as with all breeds, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. Their soft, low-shedding coat releases relatively little loose hair (which is why it mats rather than covering your furniture), and many people with mild allergies tolerate the breed better than a heavy shedder, but reactions vary from person to person, and dander, not just hair, triggers allergies, so a Havanese can still provoke a sensitive person, spend real time with the specific dog before committing if allergies are your reason. And crucially, low-shedding is not the same as low-maintenance: the low-shedding coat is genuinely tidier around the house than a shedding breed, but it trades that tidiness for high grooming effort, the loose hair stays in the coat and must be brushed out rather than vacuumed off the floor, so the breed demands frequent brushing and regular professional grooming. Low-shedding is a real perk for cleanliness and mild allergies, but it comes with a genuine grooming commitment.