Another dog from the bichon family of the Mediterranean, the Havanese was brought to Cuba on merchant ships. Similar in size to the bichon frise, its coat is wavy rather than curly and varies in color from white to beige, brown, and gray. These dogs have a full-flowing coat, a style that requires plenty of upkeep to keep them from tangling.

Happy and lovable, the Havanese are growing in popularity as family pets. They are highly intelligent and will generally do fine in homes with other dogs. They aren't noisy dogs and they are easy to train. Clean and nonshedding, they do well in small spaces, but they crave daily exercise.