Havanese vs Lowchen
Side by side
Havanese
Lowchen
Adult weight
3.2–5.9 kg (7–13 lb) (breed club figure)1
5.4–6.6 kg (12–15 lb) (estimated: ±10% around FCI 233's approximate weight of 6 kg, one range for both sexes)
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Daily brushing
Exercise
A modest amount
Class
Lap dog
Lap dog
Which suits you
Size
The Lowchen is larger on average: about 6 kg (13 lb) as an adult, against 4.6 kg (10 lb) for the Havanese.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (Havanese: sticks close to its people; Lowchen: bonded to its family) and on sensitivity (Havanese: needs a calm, predictable home; Lowchen: average).
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Havanese
Companion & toy · Toy
In temperament the Havanese is lively, playful and affectionate, and closely attached to its household. It learns quickly and readily picks up tricks, which may explain its old circus work.
Lowchen
Companion & toy · Small
In temperament the Lowchen is lively, affectionate and alert. It is outgoing with people, quick to learn and inclined to bark at visitors, and it keeps a playful, inquisitive manner into adulthood.
Breed traits
Day to day
Havanese
Lowchen
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Suits a first-time owner
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Havanese
Lowchen
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Keen to work with you
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Havanese
Lowchen
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Lowchen grows to the heavier adult, about 6 kg against the Havanese's 4.6 kg. The Lowchen's weight is not a published figure.
Havanese
Lowchen
More comparisons
Compare the Havanese with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Havanese breed page. ↑
- 2
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 7Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 8American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 9
Parts of this page were written by AI ·