Looking to adopt a Havanese? Great choice! These adorable dogs are playful, friendly, and faithful. But, the one feature that stands out about the Havanese is its ability to change colors.
Yep, you heard that right; you can never pick out a Havanese puppy and be sure that when your pup matures, it’ll have the same coat of fur as it did in puppyhood. The Havanese comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and they change over time.
In the genetic pool of the Havanese, there is a dilute gene and a silvering gene. Then, the colors come in black, white, chocolate brown, cream, red, silver, and blue. All of the colors are acceptable in most prestigious Dog Kennel Clubs except for the blue coloring.
So, Havanese color changes – are they normal? Yes, it is normal for your Havanese puppy’s coat to change colors a bit over time as they grow, turning lighter or darker due to modifying genes that can change and influence the tone, pattern, and color of your pup’s coat.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the matter of Havanese dogs and why their colors change so drastically.
Why Do Havanese Dogs Change Color?
Most pet parents looking to adopt a Havanese search for specific colors and patterns when choosing a puppy. Only, when their puppies grow, their coat undergoes dramatic color changes, and pet guardians are left wondering if they’re even the same dog.
The Havanese has ten or more genes that control the shade of their hair. Some genes devise the pattern, other genes determine the hue of the fur, and a few genes, known as the modifying genes, are in charge of how the color of the fur will switch into another shade over a period of time.
The coloring of the fur of a Havanese is dependent not just upon the modifying genes but also on the original color of the Havanese. The modifying gene can lighten or darken the fur.
Which Havanese Dogs Tend To Change Color The Most?
It is impossible to predict with any accuracy what color your Havanese will be when it’s older. Not even the most professional breeders attempt to understand the whims of the modifying gene. Not even if you’ve seen both the parents of the puppy can you make a reasonably accurate estimation about the ultimate coloring of the puppies.
There are a couple of things that, in a very broad generalization, hold true. Light-colored Havanese dogs have the least amount of alteration in colors. If your Havanese pup is white, then they might stay that way as they age.
But, if your puppy is partially white, then all bets are off. The shade of a partially white Havanese usually changes, and the spots that appear in the areas with the original white hair are known as ticking.
In different circumstances, the word “sable” refers to the shade of brown that is lighter at the roots and darker at the tips. But sable when it comes to Havanese dogs refers to the change in their coat. The darker the sable color, the greater the probability that your Havanese puppy will look nothing like it does now when it reaches adulthood.
Does Their Coat Get Lighter Or Darker?
If you think for a moment that your puppy’s fur is getting lighter and will continue only to get lighter, then you might be wrong. Similarly, of the color starts to darken, it may or may not continue to get darker.
The colors of the Havanese are called “ever-changing” for a reason, as a Havanese can go from light to dark to light or vice versa.
This means that if your furbaby was a light shade of brown at four months of age and then has a cream-ish hue at six months of age, it won’t turn white when it is eight months. There is a strong probability that your Havanese might even become darker again.
The modifying gene certainly influences the hues on your Havanese’s fur coat, but at any time, the gene responsible for softening or darkening can come into play.
If the softening gene is in effect, then the fur coat will become lighter. If the darkening gene is working its magic, then your Havanese will go darker in color. It is yet to be discovered by scientists when, why, or how the softening or darkening genes come into play.
When Do Havanese Puppies Begin To Change Color?
With the modifying genes present in the Havanese, one can never make a guesstimate as to how soon they’ll start to change color. But, if you look at a general trend of when most puppies, the coat of fur begins to change color usually a few weeks after birth.
When Do Havanese Stop Changing Color?
The secondary hair of most dog breeds comes in around two years of age. It is generally at this time that most dog breeds get their adult coat. It is also around this time that the coat of your doggo takes on a permanent hue.
When you speak of other dog breeds, the most common cause of color change is age. As most dogs get older, the dog’s coat gets lighter. Dogs also go gray with age.
But, no such rules apply to your Havanese. Havanese dogs change coat color due to their genes, age, and even the quality of grooming they receive. If you take good care of your Havanese, its fur quality and coat color will be enhanced. On the flip side, the less maintenance and grooming your dog gets, the worse the coat quality will be.
But, the one thing that you can never count on when it comes to Havanese dogs is that their coat will stop changing color – it might, but that is purely up to chance.
What Can You Do If You Don’t Want Your Havanese To Change Color?
Well, Havanese dogs are famous for their altering hues when it comes to their coats. However, if you’re picky about the color of your dog and how it will change, then you should first take a good look at the parents of the pup you plan to adopt.
If both parents have more or less the same color coat and are of a much lighter shade, like white, then it is likely that your Havanese’s color will not change much. Even the shade of black in Havanese with no ticking or spots is less likely to change or may change very little, particularly if both parents have similar shades of coat coloring.
There is some safety in taking a look at the parents’ coats before you choose your Havanese pup, but the resulting puppy’s coat isn’t guaranteed to be one shade or another.
However, there is still no guarantee that your Havanese puppy will not change its color as it matures even after taking a look at the family lineage. For true Havanese lovers, these changes are to be appreciated as an exciting and fascinating Havanese trait.
If you are absolutely opposed to change, then maybe a Havanese dog isn’t for you. Although you have to understand that giving up on the chance to bring home a Havanese is unfortunate, as this canine is famous for its mild temperament, affectionate nature, and quick learning skills.
What Can You Do If Your Havanese Doesn’t Stop Changing Colors?
The modifying gene in the Havanese breed is something that isn’t only out of your hands but also the breeder’s. It is one of Nature’s beautiful quirks.
If you happen to bring home a pup that doesn’t stop changing its colors, then the only thing you can do is accept the inevitable. Most pet parents admit that initially, they found the constant change of color in their Havanese to be a bit disconcerting.
However, when they decided to get over their aversion to change, they realized how fun it is to have a color-changing dog around. Many pet guardians are even known to document their doggo’s altering colors and make picture albums to remember all their canine’s favorite outfits.
Final Thoughts
The Havanese dog breed is the National dog of Cuba. It is hypoallergenic, so you don’t have to worry about your allergies if you adopt one. It is well-known for its intelligent, gentle, and affectionate disposition. Most pet parents of Havanese dogs boast that their pup is a ball of love and joy in their homes.
Moreover, it is a canine with special powers that few other dog breeds can brag about – your Havanese can change colors. If you genuinely love and care for your dog, then the shifting hues of its fur coat will surely be a thing of beauty to you.
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