Breeding purebred dogs can be many things to many people. It can be a rewarding hobby, or it
can be a full-time occupation, and both of those are perfectly acceptable as long as one does it
well . Or it can be, as it is at Bydand, a lifelong, overriding passion.

We believe that breeding dogs is both an art and a science that one can spend one's entire life
studying. It is no more nor less than the pursuit of perfection.

We have been breeding dogs for three decades at Bydand, and over the years, Group- winning
dogs in three different breeds have carried the Bydand kennel name and bloodlines. More
importantly, many more Bydand dogs have simply been well-loved family members and fulfilled
the purposes for which they were bred most admirably.

We believe in breeding only typey, sound, healthy animals with proper temperaments, no matter
what the breed. Now, this certainly means different things in different breeds, so let us explain
what that means to us in regard to the Havanese.

Breed type is defined as that particular set of qualities that sets one breed apart from all others, and
is paramount because, without breed type, you simply do not have a breed. (A mongrel can be a
perfectly sound animal, and indeed, many of them surpass their purebred cousins in that
department!)

In Havanese, breed type is defined by:

Proper outline - slightly longer than tall, topline rising slightly from withers to rump, with high
head carriage and a plumed tail carried over the back.
Springy gait - lively, elegant, resilient and unique, all of which qualities should be immediately
apparent at any distance, and upon closer examination, by
Proper expression -soft and intelligent, with a large almond eye and a broad backskull
The unique coat - untrimmed, long, silky, and wavy, soft and light in texture.

A Havanese of proper breed type simply cannot be mistaken for any other breed. If it looks like
a Maltese, or a Lhasa, it is because it is lacking one or more of the critical elements of Havanese
breed type, plain and simple. These are the qualities that together set the Havanese physically
apart from all other breeds, and without them, no dog or bitch is considered by us to be of
sufficient quality to be used in the Bydand breeding program. Period.

Soundness is defined as fitness for function, and deserves equally serious consideration when
selecting breeding stock. The Havanese is a companion dog that excels at Obedience, Agility
and Therapy work. His character, as described by the Standard, is playful rather than decorative,
and we firmly believe soundness of structure is as every bit as essential to him as it is to any
Sporting dog we ever produced. What defines soundness? Years of training gun dogs in the field
has taught us that:

Overall balance, with moderate angulation both front and rear,
Straight forelegs, comprising half the height of the dog at the shoulder, with elbows tight to
the body, no deviation or weakness at the carpus, and
Sound rear assemblies with hip, stifle and tarsus in line when viewed from the rear all increase a dog's endurance and decrease the odds of injury at work or play.

Again, we select only as breeding stock those animals that conform to these stringent standards
of balance and soundness, without exception. A good companion dog is a healthy dog, and we
firmly believe it is every breeder's responsibility to do all in their power to produce puppies that
will not ultimately break their owners' hearts.

Life does not come with guarantees, unfortunately, but when the risk of producing unhealthy
puppies can be reduced by screening breeding animals for hip dysplasia, patellar luxation,
deafness, or hereditary eye disease, all of which have been reported with increasing frequency
in this breed, it is incumbent upon a breeder to perform those tests. Without health screening, a
breeder has no ability to make informed breeding decisions to improve his line.

The screening tests for all these diseases can be performed on a Havanese for a total cost of
well under $500, and with the exception of eye exams, which are performed annually, they are
performed once in the dog's life. This is a small percentage of the price of one single Havanese
puppy sold.

Needless to say, all our breeding stock is health-screened for hip dysplasia, patellar luxation,
deafness and hereditary eye disease, and we cannot recommend purchasing a pup from parents
who are not.

A sound and stable temperament is critical to a Companion dog- in fact, it is every bit as critical
as is bird sense to a Sporting dog or herding instinct to a Herding dog, because it reflects his
function, and we believe in breeding for function. There is simply no excuse for a companion
dog with a less-than-desirable temperament, and it is our strong belief that they should not be
used in a breeding program, as behavioral characteristics are every bit as heritable as physical
ones, in our experience.

A Havanese should be intelligent, charming, fun loving and cheerfully adaptable to any
situation- their character is essentially Cuban, and, like many breeds, reflective of the culture
that created them. No matter how the dog may excel in type and soundness, we will only
consider those dogs for breeding who display the correct “bulletproof” temperament of this
breed, with no allowances made for early socialization or possible lack thereof.

At Bydand, we believe that carefully selecting only the best dogs ( in breed type, soundness,
health, and temperament ) as breeding stock is the shortest and surest route to consistently
producing the best dogs.

Are we willing to put our money where our mouth is? Absolutely! Each dog we own has
a separate page on this website- each one is presented soaped, from the front and the side, as
well as brushed out, so that what is under the coat is clearly visible. Each dog 's measurements
and weight, as well as production record, where applicable, are provided.

You are cordially invited to browse.