Before you start shopping, read our complete Havashu Dog Breed Guide so you understand the adult dog’s likely size, temperament, grooming requirements and health considerations. A puppy lasts a few months. The dog you are choosing may be your companion for well over a decade.
Havashu Puppy Buyer Quick Checklist
Before sending a deposit for any Havashu puppy, you should be able to answer yes to most or all of these questions:
- Do I know who bred this puppy and where the litter was raised?
- Can I identify the puppy’s Havanese mother and Shih Tzu father, or vice versa?
- Have I seen meaningful health-screening documentation for both parents?
- Can I verify important results rather than relying on “trust me”?
- Can I see the mother with the puppies, preferably where they were raised?
- Do the puppies appear clean, curious, comfortable and appropriately social?
- Does the breeder know the puppies individually?
- Has the breeder asked whether my home is suitable for a Havashu?
- Will I receive veterinary and parasite-control records?
- Is there a written contract?
- Does the contract explain what happens if I can no longer keep the dog?
- Do I know exactly who receives my deposit and under what refund terms?
- Am I choosing based on health and temperament rather than color, extreme tininess or convenience?
- Have I resisted pressure to “pay today before someone else gets the puppy”?
If several answers are no, stop and investigate. There will be other puppies.
What Should a Healthy Havashu Puppy Look & Act Like?
A healthy-looking puppy should generally be bright, responsive and interested in its surroundings when awake. Eyes should look comfortable rather than red, cloudy or tightly squinted. The nose may be moist or dry at different times; what matters more is comfortable breathing without persistent respiratory effort. The coat and skin should be reasonably clean, the puppy should move comfortably, and its body condition should look appropriate rather than painfully thin or pot-bellied.
Behavior matters too. Puppies differ naturally—one may charge over to investigate while another watches for a moment before joining in—but chronic shutdown, extreme fear, lethargy or frantic behavior deserves attention. A puppy that has spent its first weeks in a stimulating home environment usually has some experience with people, household sounds, handling and ordinary novelty.
Pay Special Attention to Eyes, Knees and Breathing
Havashus combine two small companion breeds with relevant eye and patellar concerns, and Shih Tzu ancestry can also bring a shortened muzzle. Watch the parents as well as the puppy. Comfortable movement and breathing are important. A parent who struggles for air during ordinary activity, has chronically irritated eyes, or moves poorly should not be dismissed because “that’s just how the breed is.”
A puppy can look wonderful on the day you visit and still carry inherited risk. That is why appearance is only the beginning; parent health screening matters.
Before You Start Looking for a Havashu Puppy
Decide whether the adult Havashu actually suits your household before allowing puppy photographs to make the decision for you. Havashus are usually small, people-oriented companion dogs with substantial coat-care needs. Many are low shedding, but no puppy can be guaranteed allergy-proof. They often thrive on company and may need deliberate independence training so that attachment does not become distress when left alone.
Ask yourself whether you are prepared for regular brushing and professional grooming, dental care, house-training a very small puppy, daily walks and enrichment, veterinary expenses, training and a potentially long commitment.
Read the complete Havashu Breed Guide first. If you still find yourself thinking, “Yes, that sounds like my dog,” then start breeder research.
How to Find a Responsible Havashu Breeder
A responsible Havashu breeder is not simply someone who owns a Havanese and a Shih Tzu. Breeding should be a planned attempt to produce healthy, temperamentally stable companions. That requires knowledge of both breeds, their health risks, their pedigrees and the individual dogs being bred.
A good breeder should be able to explain why the two parents were paired. “They make cute puppies” is not much of a breeding program. More useful answers discuss temperament, health, structure, genetic diversity, previous offspring and the qualities the breeder hopes to preserve or improve.
Responsible breeders normally know their puppies as individuals. They can tell you which puppy is bold, thoughtful, busy, cuddly, independent or especially people-focused, and they will care whether that personality suits your household.
What Responsible Breeding Looks Like
- Health and temperament take priority over trendy colors and extreme size.
- Breed-appropriate screening is completed before breeding.
- The breeder provides documentation, not merely verbal assurances.
- Breeding dogs receive good veterinary care, nutrition, grooming, exercise and companionship.
- Puppies are raised in clean, enriched surroundings.
- Early handling and socialization are deliberate.
- The breeder screens buyers rather than selling to anyone who can pay.
- A written contract and lifetime return policy are provided.
- The breeder remains a resource after the puppy goes home.
Dogs Central’s Small Dog Breeders Directory can be one starting point for your research, but inclusion in any directory should never replace your own investigation.
What Health Testing Should Havashu Puppy Parents Have?
This is one of the most important sections of the entire guide because a Havashu has two parent breeds. A breeder should not select whichever parent breed has the shorter testing list and call the job finished. The Havanese should receive screening appropriate for Havanese; the Shih Tzu should receive screening appropriate for Shih Tzu.
Havanese Parent
The Havanese Club of America’s current Code of Ethics says dogs should not be bred before passing the HCA’s expected health tests, which include eyes, patellas and hips, and recommends posting results to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). The club also specifically says Havanese used for breeding should be examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist to rule out known or suspected hereditary eye disease.
For a Havanese parent, therefore, ask for:
- OFA or equivalent hip evaluation.
- Patellar luxation evaluation.
- Current eye examination by an appropriate veterinary ophthalmologist.
- Any additional screening recommended because of the dog’s pedigree or family history.
Shih Tzu Parent
The American Shih Tzu Club’s 2024 Health Statement says it does not require specific testing of every breeder, but explains that a Shih Tzu seeking a CHIC number needs an ACVO eye examination and a veterinary patellar-luxation evaluation, both registered with OFA. Optional tests include OFA hip and cardiac evaluation. The statement also asks breeders to be aware of conditions in their lines including renal dysplasia, portosystemic shunt, patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, genetic eye problems and cardiac issues.
For a Shih Tzu parent, ask about:
- Eye examination.
- Patellar evaluation.
- Hip evaluation, even though it is optional in the parent-club CHIC pathway.
- Cardiac evaluation, particularly when family history makes it relevant.
- Known renal, liver-shunt, eye, orthopedic or cardiac issues in the pedigree.
And What About Breathing?
Shih Tzu are brachycephalic—short-muzzled—and a Havashu can inherit varying degrees of that facial structure. Ask to see the Shih Tzu parent moving and breathing normally. A dog should be able to participate in ordinary life without obvious respiratory distress. Do not let exaggerated flat-faced appearance become a substitute for functional health.
Verify, Don’t Merely Admire the Certificate
Ask for the parents’ registered names and look up public results where possible through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Learn what each test actually evaluated and when it was performed.
No testing program guarantees a perfectly healthy puppy. It does, however, show that the breeder is using available information to reduce avoidable risk rather than breeding blindly.
Why “Vet Checked” or “DNA Tested” Is Not Enough
“Vet checked” sounds reassuring, but it usually means a veterinarian examined the puppy or adult dog at a particular point in time. That is valuable. It is not the same as evaluating the parents for inherited orthopedic and eye problems before breeding.
Similarly, a commercial DNA panel can identify certain genetic variants, but it cannot replace a hip radiograph, hands-on patellar examination, specialist eye examination or evaluation of breathing and structure.
A breeder who says “our dogs are completely health tested” should be comfortable answering the next question: Which tests, on which dogs, performed when, and where can I see the results?
A health guarantee is also not a substitute for prevention. A contract promising another puppy after a devastating inherited diagnosis does not make the original disease disappear. Screening before breeding is the more meaningful first step.
Questions to Ask a Havashu Breeder
You do not need to conduct an interrogation under a swinging lamp, but you do need useful answers. Ask:
- Why did you choose this Havanese and this Shih Tzu for the breeding?
- How old are the parents?
- What are their adult weights and heights?
- What health screening has each parent completed?
- May I have their registered names and copies or links to results?
- Have either parent or close relatives had patellar, hip, eye, heart, kidney, liver or breathing problems?
- How do the parents behave with strangers, children and other dogs?
- Does either parent show separation distress, severe fear or problematic aggression?
- Where are the puppies born and raised?
- What socialization do they receive?
- How are puppies introduced to brushing, combing, face handling, feet and nail care?
- How do you decide which puppy goes to which home?
- At what age do puppies leave?
- What veterinary care, vaccinations and parasite prevention will they have?
- What food are they eating?
- What does your contract cover?
- What happens if I cannot keep the dog five years from now?
- May I speak with previous puppy owners?
The breeder does not have to answer every question exactly the way you hoped. What matters is knowledgeable, transparent discussion rather than irritation, evasion or sales pressure.
Questions a Good Havashu Breeder Should Ask You
One of the strangest red flags in puppy shopping is a seller who knows virtually nothing about you and does not care. A responsible breeder has invested months or years in the parents and weeks of nearly round-the-clock work in the litter. They should care where the puppy goes.
Expect questions about your household, work schedule, children, other pets, previous dog experience, grooming plans, housing, exercise expectations and how long the puppy will normally be alone.
A breeder may decide that a particular puppy—or even the Havashu cross itself—is not a good fit for you. That can be disappointing, but it can also be evidence that the breeder is thinking beyond the transaction.
Conversely, “Which color do you want and where should we send the payment link?” is not much of an adoption interview.
Meet the Mother and See Where the Havashu Puppies Are Raised
Whenever reasonably possible, meet the puppy’s mother where the litter is being raised. The father may belong to another breeder, so his absence is not inherently suspicious. The mother, however, normally lives with or is in the care of the person raising her litter.
Look beyond whether the room has been tidied for visitors. Does the mother appear healthy, comfortable and appropriately cared for? How does she move and breathe? Is she reasonably comfortable with the breeder? Are other dogs clean and socially engaged?
Observe the puppies where they actually spend time. Do they have opportunities to move, play, explore and rest? Are they accustomed to normal human activity? Does the breeder handle them comfortably?
The ASPCA specifically recommends meeting breeders on their turf, meeting parent dogs and seeing how the animals live because online presentation alone cannot show the conditions behind the photographs.
If an in-person visit is genuinely impossible, live video can provide useful information—but it should be interactive. Ask to see the mother, the puppy with littermates, and the surrounding environment in real time rather than accepting another beautifully edited video.
Choosing a Havashu Puppy for Temperament
Choose the puppy who fits your life, not necessarily the one who climbs into your lap first. The boldest puppy may be delightful but more demanding. The quiet puppy may be wonderfully thoughtful—or may be tired, unwell or genuinely fearful. One brief visit is only a snapshot.
This is where a breeder who lives with the litter has an enormous advantage. Ask which puppy recovers fastest from surprises, which seeks people, which persists at solving problems, which is most independent and which becomes frustrated easily.
For a busy family, a resilient, sociable puppy may be ideal. Someone wanting a quieter companion may prefer a less intense individual. Homes with young children need a puppy sturdy and confident enough for family life, along with adults committed to supervising gentle interactions.
Avoid choosing solely by sex or coat color before temperament is considered.
When Should a Havashu Puppy Go to Its New Home?
A breeder should not rush tiny puppies out simply because buyers are eager. Puppies benefit from time with their mother, littermates and breeder while they develop physically and behaviorally. In the United States, laws concerning minimum transfer age vary, but around eight weeks is a commonly recognized minimum for many puppies; some toy-dog breeders keep small puppies longer depending on maturity and individual needs.
For a very small Havashu puppy, readiness matters more than a birthday on the calendar. The puppy should be eating reliably, gaining appropriately, socially ready for transition and healthy enough to leave according to the breeder and veterinarian.
Be cautious of sellers eager to hand over unusually young puppies or who seem unsure of the actual birth date.
Vaccinations, Deworming, Microchips & Veterinary Records
Your Havashu puppy should come with a written health history rather than a vague statement that “all shots are done.” At puppy age, vaccinations are normally a series, so a young puppy is unlikely to have completed every vaccine it will need.
Records should identify what was given, the date, and when follow-up is due. Ask about parasite screening or deworming and any illness, medication or veterinary treatment the puppy has received.
If the puppy is microchipped, make sure you receive the chip number and instructions for transferring registration. A microchip only helps reunite a lost dog with you when the associated contact information is current.
Arrange your own veterinary examination soon after bringing the puppy home, according to the contract and your veterinarian’s recommendation. Bring every record the breeder supplied.
Havashu Puppy Contracts & Health Guarantees
Read the contract before pickup day, when an adorable puppy is already in your arms and your ability to analyze legal language has mysteriously evaporated.
A useful contract should identify the buyer, seller and puppy; explain the purchase price and deposit; describe known health information; state any spay/neuter or breeding terms; explain what the health guarantee does and does not cover; and specify what happens if you can no longer keep the dog.
The Lifetime Return Clause Matters
Responsible breeders generally want dogs they produced returned to them, or want to participate in arranging a safe alternative, rather than having those dogs passed through classifieds or shelters. That responsibility may extend throughout the dog’s life.
Read requirements carefully. Some guarantees require a veterinary examination within a particular number of days. Some specify what documentation is required if an inherited condition is diagnosed. Understand the remedy being offered before you sign.
A contract is not proof that a breeder is responsible, but a breeder unwilling to put important promises in writing deserves extra scrutiny.
Havashu Puppy Deposits & Payment Safety
A deposit can be a normal part of reserving a puppy. It is also the point at which a fictional puppy advertisement becomes a real financial loss.
Before paying:
- Verify the breeder’s identity and contact information.
- Understand whether the deposit is refundable and under what conditions.
- Read the contract or written deposit terms.
- Confirm which puppy or litter the payment concerns.
- Keep invoices, messages and receipts.
- Do not let artificial urgency prevent basic verification.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission warns that pet scammers often demand difficult-to-recover payment methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or certain payment apps. A seller insisting on an unusual irreversible method should stop the transaction, not speed it up.
Never send additional “shipping insurance,” “special crate,” “refundable customs,” or surprise delivery fees simply because someone claims the puppy is already in transit. Verify independently.
Online Havashu Puppy Scams: How to Protect Yourself
Havashu puppy search terms include “for sale” and “near me,” which are precisely the kinds of commercial-intent searches scammers can target. A scam site can be assembled quickly using stolen puppy photographs, invented testimonials and copied breeder language.
Common Puppy Scam Warning Signs
- The price is unusually low and the seller says you must act immediately.
- The puppy can supposedly be shipped anywhere almost instantly.
- The seller will not arrange a meaningful live video call.
- They refuse to show the mother or puppy-raising environment.
- Their answers are generic and do not match your questions.
- They have numerous breeds or designer mixes continuously available.
- The same photographs appear elsewhere online under different names.
- They demand gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or other difficult-to-reverse payment.
- New fees suddenly appear after your initial payment.
- The seller asks virtually nothing about your home.
- The website is polished but the breeder’s real-world identity is difficult to verify.
Do a Simple Seller Search
The FTC recommends searching the seller or business name with terms such as “review,” “scam” or “complaint.” Also search phone numbers and distinctive phrases from the advertisement. Reverse-image searching puppy photographs can sometimes reveal that an image was copied from another breeder or an old social-media post.
Do not allow embarrassment to keep you in a suspicious transaction. Scammers deliberately create emotional pressure. Walking away after spending two days researching is much better than continuing because you already spent two days researching.
Havashu Puppies, Puppy Mills & Animal Welfare
A puppy mill is not simply “a breeder I don’t like.” The central problem is commercial breeding in which producing puppies and profit take priority over the physical and behavioral welfare of breeding dogs and their offspring.
Dogs in irresponsible high-volume facilities may spend their lives with inadequate veterinary care, limited social contact, insufficient exercise, poor sanitation and repeated breeding. Puppies can move into a distribution chain through brokers, websites or retail sellers while buyers never see the conditions in which the parent dogs live.
This is why Dogs Central treats puppy sourcing as an animal-welfare issue. The puppy in front of you may be clean, fluffy and irresistible while its mother remains hundreds of miles away in circumstances you would never willingly support.
The ASPCA describes puppy mills as commercial breeding operations that prioritize profit and notes that brokers and online storefronts can separate the retail puppy from the breeding facility. Humane and consumer organizations repeatedly advise buyers to investigate the actual source rather than trusting claims such as “family raised,” registration papers or a professional website.
Why “Rescuing” a Puppy by Buying It Can Perpetuate the System
Seeing a puppy in poor circumstances creates a powerful urge to get that individual dog out. Unfortunately, paying the seller also rewards the sale and can create demand for another litter. If you encounter suspected cruelty or illegal conditions, document what you can safely document and contact the appropriate animal-welfare or law-enforcement authority rather than assuming purchase is the only way to help.
Why Dogs Central Does Not Recommend Buying Havashu Puppies From Pet Stores
Dogs Central does not recommend buying puppies from pet stores because the retail setting separates the buyer from the most important evidence: the breeding dogs and the environment where the litter originated.
A store employee may sincerely believe a supplier is responsible, but you still may not be able to meet the mother, see how she lives, evaluate her temperament, watch her breathe and move, or independently discuss the breeding decision with the person who made it.
Commercial breeding pipelines can include breeders, transporters and brokers before a puppy reaches a storefront. Registration papers or licensing do not, by themselves, demonstrate the kind of health screening, socialization and lifetime responsibility we want readers to seek.
If you previously purchased a puppy from a pet store, this information is not a judgment of you or your dog. Love the dog in front of you. The purpose of buyer education is to help future purchasing decisions support better breeding and welfare practices.
Puppy Brokers & High-Volume Havashu Sellers
The person advertising a Havashu may not be the person who bred it. Brokers purchase or place puppies from breeders and sell them onward. Online storefronts can make that chain difficult for buyers to see.
Ask directly:
- Did you breed this puppy?
- Do you own the mother?
- Where was the litter born?
- Who has cared for the puppies since birth?
- Can I speak directly with the breeder?
- Can I see the mother and where she lives?
A seller with dozens of breeds and mixes available year-round deserves particular scrutiny. Responsible breeding is labor intensive. A seemingly endless inventory raises reasonable questions about where all those puppies originate.
Backyard Breeders: What Does the Term Actually Mean?
Not every small breeder is irresponsible, and size alone does not define quality. A knowledgeable breeder with one carefully planned litter in a home can do an excellent job.
When Dogs Central uses “backyard breeder,” we mean someone producing puppies without the knowledge, screening, planning and long-term responsibility good breeding requires.
Warning signs include breeding because two pets happen to be available, no breed-specific health screening, little understanding of hereditary disease, no meaningful socialization program, no buyer screening, no written contract and no willingness to take responsibility for dogs produced.
A loving household is wonderful. “Raised in our home” is not a substitute for health testing or breeding knowledge.
Havashu Puppy Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
You do not need absolute proof of wrongdoing to decide that a transaction is too risky. Walk away when the overall picture does not make sense.
- The breeder refuses to identify the parents.
- Health testing is claimed but documentation never materializes.
- The mother is always mysteriously unavailable.
- You cannot see where the litter is raised.
- Puppies appear sick, extremely fearful, dirty or poorly cared for.
- Adult dogs show obvious untreated health or welfare problems.
- The seller advertises many breeds continuously.
- Every puppy is described with identical superlatives.
- Exact adult weight is “guaranteed” for a tiny puppy.
- “Teacup” or rare color is treated as more important than health.
- The breeder will sell immediately without learning anything about you.
- You are pressured to pay before receiving information.
- The seller changes the story about location, parentage, age or availability.
- Payment must be made through a suspicious or irreversible method.
- Surprise shipping or insurance fees appear after payment.
- The breeder becomes hostile when you ask reasonable health questions.
The hardest puppy-buying skill is sometimes the ability to walk away from a puppy you already feel attached to. That is also one of the most important.
“Teacup Havashu,” Extra-Tiny Puppies & Rare-Color Marketing
The supplied search data shows interest in appearance and size-related Havashu terms, including black-and-white dogs and full-grown size. Color and size are legitimate preferences. They become a problem when marketing encourages buyers to put novelty ahead of health.
Is There a Teacup Havashu?
There is no standardized Havashu breed with an officially recognized “teacup” variety. Both Havanese and Shih Tzu are already small dogs. Sellers may use “teacup,” “micro” or similar language for particularly small puppies, but those terms do not create a separate recognized breed.
Be especially skeptical of guaranteed extremely tiny adult weights. Breeders can estimate adult size using parents, relatives and previous litters, but a very young puppy is not a mathematical promise.
Black-and-White and Other Havashu Colors
Havashus can inherit a wide range of colors and markings from their parents, and black-and-white Havanese Shih Tzu mixes receive specific search interest. Enjoy the colors—but do not pay a large “rare” premium without asking what makes the color rare, whether it is expected from the documented parents, and whether any health implications are associated with the genetics involved.
The best color for a Havashu puppy is the one attached to the healthiest, best-tempered puppy for your home. Conveniently, dogs are remarkably unconcerned about matching the sofa.
Havashu Puppy Price: How Much Should a Havanese Shih Tzu Mix Cost?
“Havanese Shih Tzu price” and “Havashu price” are meaningful searches in the supplied U.S. data, but there is no official national price for this designer cross. Asking prices vary by location, breeder, demand, parent dogs, health screening and marketing.
Do not use price as a shortcut for quality. An expensive puppy can come from an irresponsible breeder, and an unusually cheap puppy can be poorly bred, poorly raised—or nonexistent.
What Are You Actually Paying For?
Responsible puppy raising has genuine costs: appropriate parent health screening, reproductive and routine veterinary care, high-quality nutrition, safe facilities, supplies, parasite control, puppy veterinary care, socialization and enormous amounts of time.
Ask what is included rather than assuming a high price represents those things.
The Purchase Price Is the Beginning
Budget for professional grooming, food, veterinary preventive care, emergency treatment, dental care, training, equipment, pet sitting or boarding, and insurance or an emergency fund. A Havashu’s lifetime expenses will dwarf the original puppy price.
What About “Havashu Puppies for Sale Under $500”?
Low-price searches are common across designer breeds. A bargain price should trigger more research, not immediate payment. It may reflect a genuine private circumstance, but it can also signal inadequate breeding investment or a scam. Evaluate the source exactly as carefully as you would an expensive puppy.
Finding Havashu Puppies for Sale Near Me—Without Letting “Near Me” Make the Decision
“Havashu puppies near me” and “Havashu puppies for sale near me” appear in the U.S. data, and the desire is perfectly understandable. Meeting a breeder and puppy is easier when they are nearby.
But geography should be a filter, not your primary quality standard. A responsible breeder a few hours away may be a much better choice than an irresponsible seller fifteen minutes from your house.
Where to Begin
- Explore the Dogs Central Small Dog Breeders Directory.
- Ask Havanese and Shih Tzu breed communities for referrals and questions to ask.
- Ask experienced local veterinarians, trainers and groomers if they know breeders with strong reputations.
- Search the breeder’s name, kennel name, phone number and reviews independently.
- Verify health testing yourself.
- Be willing to widen your driving radius for the right breeder.
Do not confuse the first Google result with the best breeder. Search visibility is a marketing achievement; responsible breeding is an animal-care achievement.
Travel, Shipping & Long-Distance Havashu Puppy Purchases
Sometimes the breeder who best matches your standards is not local. Distance does not automatically make a breeder irresponsible, but it removes some of the easiest ways to verify what you are being told.
If you are considering a long-distance breeder, arrange live video conversations, verify identity and health records, speak with previous owners and ask to see the puppy with its mother in the actual environment. When practical, traveling to meet the breeder and bring the puppy home yourself provides far more information than having a puppy shipped sight unseen.
Be cautious when shipping is presented as frictionless: “Pay now and the puppy will be on tomorrow’s flight.” Moving a living animal requires planning, appropriate age and health, weather consideration and legitimate transportation arrangements.
Unexpected demands for refundable shipping insurance, special climate-controlled crates or other escalating fees are classic reasons to stop and verify independently.
How to Choose Between Havashu Puppies in a Litter
Once you have found a responsible breeder, choosing among several lovely puppies becomes the pleasant problem.
Start with temperament and fit. Ask the breeder which puppy would suit your activity level, children, other pets, work schedule and experience. Observe how puppies respond to people and recover from ordinary mild novelty.
Do not deliberately frighten puppies to “test” them. Internet temperament tests performed by inexperienced buyers can create stress without telling you much. The breeder’s observations over weeks are usually more valuable than a five-minute test.
Consider Adult Size Realistically
Searchers are interested in full-grown Havashu size. Ask for the actual weights of both parents and, if available, previous adult offspring. Those data points are more useful than labels such as “tiny,” “mini” or “teacup.”
Then Choose the Pretty One
Once health, breeder quality and temperament fit are established, by all means enjoy choosing a coat and face you adore. We are not monsters. Puppy cuteness is allowed to have a vote; it just shouldn’t chair the committee.
Male vs. Female Havashu Puppies
Individual temperament usually matters more than sex for a companion Havashu. You may hear sweeping claims that males are always cuddlier or females are always easier to train, but individual dogs do not reliably obey those stereotypes.
Discuss your household with the breeder and choose the puppy whose temperament fits best. If you already have another dog, sex may be one factor in compatibility, but personality, social history, age and management matter too.
Ask your veterinarian about the timing and health considerations of spaying or neutering for your individual puppy rather than relying on a universal internet timetable.
Preparing Your Home for a Havashu Puppy
Have the basics ready before pickup day so the first evening is about helping your puppy settle rather than discovering at 9:47 p.m. that the only leash in the house belongs to a Labrador.
- Secure crate, pen or puppy-safe resting area.
- Small, well-fitting harness and lightweight leash.
- Food the breeder is currently feeding.
- Small food and water bowls.
- Comfortable washable bedding.
- Safe chew and enrichment toys sized for a small puppy.
- Brush and metal comb appropriate for a long coat.
- Dog toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste for gradual introduction.
- Enzymatic cleaner for house-training accidents.
- Baby gates or other barriers.
- Identification tag and microchip transfer information.
- Veterinary appointment arranged.
Puppy-Proof at Havashu Height
Get down near floor level and look for electrical cords, medications, dropped food, small objects, toxic plants, gaps behind furniture and anything a curious puppy could swallow. Secure balconies and stairs where appropriate.
Tiny puppies can also be injured by jumping from furniture. Decide from the beginning whether the dog will be allowed on beds and sofas, and provide safe access or prevent unsupervised jumping.
Your First Week With a Havashu Puppy
The first week should be calm, predictable and pleasantly boring. Your puppy has just lost the familiar smells, dogs, people and routine it has known since birth. It does not need to meet the entire extended family by Tuesday.
Keep the Diet Familiar
Use the breeder’s current food initially unless your veterinarian recommends otherwise. If you want to change foods, transition gradually.
Start House Training Immediately
Take the puppy to the chosen toilet area after waking, eating, drinking and play, plus frequently between those events. Reward success immediately. A small puppy has a small bladder and very little experience; accidents are information, not insubordination.
Book the Veterinary Check
Follow your contract and veterinarian’s recommendation for the initial examination. Bring all breeder records and discuss the vaccination schedule, parasites, feeding, growth, microchip and any breed-specific concerns.
Begin Grooming Practice
One minute of pleasant combing is enough at first. Touch feet, ears and face gently while feeding tiny treats. You are teaching emotional comfort, not trying to create a show coat during breakfast.
Teach Tiny Bits of Independence
Allow the puppy to rest safely without being held constantly. Use food toys and naps in a comfortable puppy area. Very short, successful separations can begin building the ability to cope when humans inevitably leave the room.
Protect Sleep
Puppies need enormous amounts of sleep. An overtired puppy can become bitey, frantic and seemingly incapable of remembering anything it learned thirty minutes earlier. Often the answer is not more entertainment. It is a nap.
Havashu Puppy Adoption & Rehoming
The U.S. data includes searches for Havashu puppies for adoption. Because Havashu is a less-common designer cross, dogs needing homes may be advertised simply as Havanese mixes, Shih Tzu mixes or small mixed-breed dogs.
Dogs Central routes breed-specific adoption and rehoming intent to our companion site, Pet Rehoming Network. Visit Havashu Adoption & Rehoming on Pet Rehoming Network.
Do not assume that every organization using the word “rescue” is automatically legitimate. The ASPCA has documented “puppy laundering,” in which commercially bred puppies can be presented through organizations or sellers as rescued/adoptable animals. Apply sensible verification to any source, particularly when “adoption fees” approach commercial puppy prices and a constant supply of young designer puppies is available.
An adult rehomed Havashu can be an excellent alternative to a puppy. Adult size, coat, energy and much of the dog’s temperament are already visible, which can make matching easier.
Frequently Asked Questions About Havashu Puppies
What is a Havashu puppy?
A Havashu is a Havanese-Shih Tzu cross. You may also see the same cross advertised as a Havanese Shih Tzu mix or Shih Tzu Havanese mix.
Where can I find Havashu puppies for sale?
Start by researching breeders rather than advertisements. Use the Dogs Central Small Dog Breeders Directory as one research starting point, ask breed communities for referrals, verify parent health screening and meet the breeder and mother whenever possible.
How do I find Havashu puppies for sale near me?
Search locally, but do not make distance your main criterion. A responsible breeder farther away is preferable to a convenient breeder who cannot document health testing or show how puppies are raised.
How much does a Havashu puppy cost?
There is no standardized national price. Prices vary with region, breeder, parent dogs, health screening, demand and marketing. Price alone does not establish breeder quality.
What health tests should Havashu parents have?
The Havanese parent should have the Havanese Club of America’s expected screening for eyes, patellas and hips. For the Shih Tzu parent, the American Shih Tzu Club’s CHIC pathway uses an ACVO eye exam and patellar evaluation registered with OFA, with hip and cardiac testing optional. Ask about family history and additional testing relevant to the individual dogs.
Is “DNA tested” enough for a Havashu breeder?
No. DNA testing can be useful but cannot replace physical orthopedic screening, specialist eye exams and other phenotype-based health evaluations.
Should I buy a Havashu puppy from a pet store?
Dogs Central does not recommend it. The retail setting can prevent you from seeing the breeding environment, meeting the mother and directly evaluating the breeder’s health and welfare practices.
What is a teacup Havashu?
“Teacup” is not an official Havashu variety. It is generally a marketing description for an especially small puppy or predicted adult. Be cautious of extreme-size claims and guaranteed tiny adult weights.
Can a breeder guarantee my Havashu’s adult size?
A breeder can estimate using the parents, relatives and previous litters, but cannot promise an exact adult weight for a young mixed-breed puppy.
Are black-and-white Havashu puppies rare?
Black-and-white coats are possible from the parent breeds. Whether a particular pattern is common in a breeder’s lines varies. Color should not take priority over health, temperament and responsible breeding.
How old should a Havashu puppy be when it comes home?
Around eight weeks is a common minimum for many puppies, but very small toy-breed puppies may remain with a breeder longer depending on maturity, health and local law. The puppy should be eating reliably and ready for the transition.
Should I meet the Havashu puppy’s mother?
Yes, whenever reasonably possible. Seeing the mother and the environment where puppies are raised provides important information about health, temperament and welfare.
What if a Havashu breeder won’t let me visit?
Ask why. There can be legitimate biosecurity or personal-safety limitations, but complete refusal to provide meaningful transparency should concern you. At minimum, request interactive live video showing the puppy, mother and environment and independently verify the breeder.
Are Havashu puppies hypoallergenic?
No puppy can be guaranteed hypoallergenic. Havashus are often low shedding because of their parent breeds, but allergy-triggering proteins occur in dander, saliva and other secretions as well as hair.
Can I adopt a Havashu instead of buying a puppy?
Yes. Check Havashu Adoption & Rehoming through Pet Rehoming Network and also watch legitimate shelters and rescue organizations for Havanese mixes, Shih Tzu mixes and small companion-dog mixes.
Trusted Puppy-Buyer & Animal-Welfare Resources
- Havanese Club of America — Code of Ethics & Breeder Health Expectations
- Havanese Club of America — Health Resources
- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals — Health-Test Database
- ASPCA — Responsible Breeder or Puppy Mill? Shopping for a Pet Online
- ASPCA — Puppy Mills 101
- Federal Trade Commission — Getting a Pet? Avoid Scams
Note: The American Shih Tzu Club health information used for this guide comes from its April 19, 2024 Health Statement, which describes the club’s CHIC testing pathway and health concerns breeders should consider.
About This Guide: Building a Better Havashu Puppy Resource
This page is part of Dogs Central’s growing Havashu breed silo. Its purpose is not to persuade you to buy a puppy. It is to make the process safer for puppies, breeding dogs and the people hoping to welcome a dog into their lives.
As the Havashu resource grows, this page can be expanded with puppy-development photographs, a healthy-puppy checklist, breeder-interview worksheet, scam-warning infographic, first-week schedule and additional guidance based on the questions Havashu buyers actually ask.
If one principle from this guide sticks with you, make it this: you are not merely choosing a puppy; you are choosing which breeding practices your money supports. Take your time, verify what you are told, and choose the source as carefully as you choose the dog.
How Havashu Puppies Should Be Raised & Socialized
Good puppy raising is more than keeping the litter fed and clean. Puppies are developing at remarkable speed, and their early experiences help shape how they cope with the world later.
A thoughtfully raised Havashu puppy can be introduced gradually and positively to normal household sounds, people of different appearances, safe surfaces, toys, gentle restraint, short separations, carriers or crates, car travel and appropriate grooming procedures.
Grooming Socialization Is Especially Important
A Havashu is likely to require lifelong coat care. A breeder has an excellent opportunity to make brushing and handling ordinary before the puppy ever reaches your house.
Puppies can learn that having their face touched, paws held, ears examined and coat gently combed predicts tiny treats and calm attention. Clippers and dryers can be introduced from a comfortable distance. The goal is not to perform elaborate grooming on an eight-week-old puppy; it is to prevent grooming equipment and handling from becoming frightening mysteries.
Socialization Is Not Flooding
More exposure is not automatically better. A puppy should not be overwhelmed, passed among dozens of strangers or thrown into chaotic interactions with unfamiliar dogs. Good socialization builds confidence through manageable, positive experiences.
Ask the breeder to describe what the litter actually experienced last week. Specific answers are much more informative than “our puppies are very socialized.”
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