What Is the Havanese Club of America?

Updated

The Havanese Club of America (HCA) is the official American Kennel Club (AKC) parent breed club for the Havanese. It was established in 1979 to encourage and promote quality in breeding purebred Havanese. If you are looking for an authoritative starting point on the breed, reputable breeders, club events, or educational material, this site is built for that purpose. It is a breed club and information resource, not a marketplace or a puppy-selling platform.

What the HCA is and who it serves

The HCA describes itself as the AKC parent breed club for the Havanese, and its community of members agrees to act as thoughtful stewards of the purebred Havanese as defined in the breed standard approved by the HCA and AKC.

That means the organization sits at the breed level rather than the individual-dog level. Its stated focus is well-considered breeding for true breed type, good health, and sound temperament. The site addresses two broad audiences:

  • Members and owners — people who own or co-own an AKC registered Havanese and participate in club activities.
  • Visitors and prospective owners — people researching the breed, looking for a puppy, or wanting to understand what the breed is like.

What you can find on the site

Section What it offers
Breed education Materials suitable for all levels of interest, covering breeding practice, breed type, health, and temperament
Breeder listings A way to find reputable Havanese breeders
Events Upcoming club events and activities, including the 2027 HCA National Specialty
Activities Information on what fun activities Havanese can do
Community content Features such as "Over the Xpen," spotlight pieces, and member stories

The homepage also presents a breed traits and characteristics chart, which gives a quick sense of the breed's profile:

  • Affectionate with family: 100
  • Good with children: 100
  • Good with other dogs: 100
  • Trainability: 80
  • Barking: 80
  • Protective nature: 60
  • Shedding: 25

These figures are the club's own presentation of breed tendencies. They describe general breed character, not a guarantee about any individual dog.

How to use the site

  1. If you want to understand the breed, start with the educational materials. They are written for all levels of interest and cover breeding, health, and temperament.
  2. If you are looking for a puppy, use the "Find A Breeder" path rather than treating the site as a sales listing. The HCA positions itself as a route to reputable breeders.
  3. If you already own a Havanese, look at events and club activities, including the national specialty, and the community features where members share stories and tips.
  4. If you want to gauge whether the breed fits you, read the traits chart alongside the education pages, since the chart alone is a summary rather than a full picture.

What the site is not

The HCA is a breed club, so it is not a veterinary service, a rescue directory, or a general dog-care site. Its content is oriented toward the purebred Havanese and the club's own standards and events. The site also does not present pricing information for puppies or memberships in the material available, so you should not assume any cost or free access from the homepage alone.

If your goal is to confirm the organization's authority, find breeder resources, or learn about the breed from its AKC parent club, the Havanese Club of America is the relevant destination.