Havamalt

Characteristics

Health & Longevity

Average Life Span: 12-15 years
The Havamalt is a hybrid breed of the Maltese and the Havanese. This breed has some major health concerns that you need to know about. When it comes down to choosing a puppy, make sure that you work with a breeder that is reputable and screens his or her pups to weed out serious health problems.

Some of the health conditions you need to know about include hypoglycemia, patellar luxation, collapsed trachea, deafness, eye problems, Legg-Perthe’s Disease, joint dysplasia, and White Dog Shaker Syndrome.

Hypoglycemia is a condition that can be fatal if it is not treated correctly. Low blood sugar can cause your pup to become sick and feel faint. You want to make sure that you alert your veterinarian if you think your pup may have hypoglycemia. This condition is often treated with medication and a specialized diet.

Patellar luxation is a knee dislocation. You will find that patellar luxation happens more commonly in small breed dogs and also in females, but males can also experience it. A dislocation is painful for your pup and you may notice that your pup hobbles or holds his or her leg up.

Another common condition that happens in small breeds is a collapsed trachea. When the trachea is collapsed, your pup will have trouble receiving enough air flow and may begin to cough a lot. The key indicator that your Havamalt may have a collapsed trachea is a cough that has a honking sound to it.

Deafness occurs when your pup loses partial or all of his or her hearing. This condition usually occurs over time, but can be present at birth. If you think your pup may be deaf, you should speak with your veterinarian to have him or her screened.

Eye problems are also something to watch out for because they can be present in your pup. Eye conditions may be a simple infection, but your pup may have cataracts or retinal atrophy, which can lead to blindness.

Legg-Perthe’s Disease is a disease passed down to your pup which occurs when the head of the femur degenerates. This will lead to joint and bone inflammation and your Havamalt will experience pain.

Joint dysplasia is common in larger breeds of dogs, but can also occur in the Havamalt. When joint dysplasia is present, your pup may exhibit lameness in one or both of his or her legs. Elbow dysplasia occurs in the front limbs of your pup and hip dysplasia occurs in the back limbs.

White Shaker Dog Syndrome is commonly found in the Maltese and may be passed down to your Havamalt. When this condition is present, your pup’s body will shake.

The Havamalt has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years.

Temperament & Train-ability

The Havamalt is a pup that is full of life. You will find that this pup likes to please you and is loyal to his or her owner. You do not have to worry about a lack of affection here because this breed is known to provide you with more love than you could ever handle.

Many times, you will find your Havamalt close by as he or she is unlikely to leave your side for a long time. In fact, when you curl up on the couch, you can bet that your pup is nearby or touching you in some way.

This breed becomes attached to his or her owner, which also means that you should not be away from your pup for too long as separation anxiety will develop.
One of the best things about the Havamalt is that he or she is very friendly and sociable with a great personality. You will find that your pup gets along with pets and children.

Although your Havamalt may be small, he or she still needs some exercise. You should walk him or her a couple of times per day. You may find that your pup is a bit wound up at times – exercising will help clear their minds.

Your Havamalt is easy to train and will work hard to please you and respond to all of your commands. You want to be firm though and you must remain consistent to ensure your training works.

Grooming

Your Havamalt has pretty easy grooming needs and does not require a ton of attention to his or her coat as this breed does not shed a lot. You should brush your pup’s coat at least once per day to remove any hairs that may have become loose.

Your Havamalt only needs a bath when he or she is dirty or smells bad. You need to clean his or her ears once a week to remove any buildup of dirt and earwax.

Lastly, your pup needs to have his or her nails trimmed every 4 weeks or so. You do not want your pup to have overgrown nails, as this can result in snags, splits, and tears on the nail itself.

Diet

Your Havamalt will consume anywhere between 1/2 a cup and 1 cup of food per day. You should choose dry food that is made with all natural ingredients and no byproducts.

You can feed your pup wet food, but should not rely on it as it will not provide your Havamalt with the nutrients that he or she needs.
 

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Havamalt Puppies For Sale

Adopt A Havamalt

Cost

Your Havamalt puppy will cost you anywhere between $450 and $2,000 depending on the breeder you select and the demand for the puppy at the time you go to purchase one. In addition to the cost of the puppy, make sure you factor in costs for veterinarian care, vaccines, and supplies.

Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking

Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better.

Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. The Havamalt is a good choice for any family and will provide you with a lot of love and play time. You will find that this breed does well with other animals and children. You need to provide your Havamalt with play time and a walk or two per day as well. This breed ranks a 1.5.

 

Havanese

Maltese

Bichon Frise

Shih Tzu