The Havanese is a member of the Barbichone family, a name later shortened to the Bichon Frise.  It is believed that they originated in the Mediterranean region, perhaps on the Island of Malta, where we get the Bolognese and Maltese genetic contributions.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, Spanish and Italian traders seeking to open up trade with Cuba, brought the Bichon to the elite Cuban businessmen’s wives as gifts.  After years of adapting to the Cuban environment, the dog became smaller with a more silky white textured coat.  This new breed of dogs was named the Blanquito de la Habana.  Cubans were so fond of the French and German poodles that they started breeding them with the Blanquito de la Habana.  This gave rise to the Bichon Havanese or the Havanese Silk Dog that we have today.  These dogs rapidly became the symbols of wealth in Cuba, bred only as gifts for the elite ruling class and never being sold.  Even today, the Havanese is still the national dog of Cuba.  The Cuban Revolution drove wealthy class families into exile with many escaping to Florida with their dogs being left behind.  Some of the dogs however, survived relocation to the US and became the breeding foundation of today’s Havanese.