Best dog food for a Havanese
A Havanese is a small toy breed, typically weighing 3 to 6kg with a lifespan often stretching to 13 or even 16 years, so the food you choose is one they may well eat for well over a decade. Getting the size and the dental angle right matters more here than chasing any single 'best' brand.
Feeding a Havanese
A toy breed
An adult Havanese typically weighs 3–6 kg, so a healthy Havanese eats a small amount — often under 100g of dry food a day compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A toy breed is usually done growing at 10–12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 13–16 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Small mouths, crowded teeth
Smaller breeds get dental disease more often than big ones, largely because the same number of teeth are packed into a shorter jaw. Kibble size is worth checking, and a dental chew counts towards the daily 10% of calories from treats.
How much should a Havanese weigh?
Adult 3–6 kgfully grown at 10–12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 0.5–1.1 kg | 18% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 0.9–1.8 kg | 30% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 1.8–3.5 kg | 59% |
| 10–12 months | Fully grown | 3–6 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a toy breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Havanese
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Havanese's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Pedigree Can in Jelly Puppy 6 Pack
Complete Pedigree puppy food in jelly with chicken, lamb and poultry recipes
£10.15
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
A small dog with a long life ahead
At 3 to 6kg fully grown, a Havanese is one of the smaller companion breeds, and their long expected lifespan means the quality and consistency of their food is something you're choosing for the long haul rather than a single life stage. A food that suits them well as an adult is worth sticking with rather than chopping and changing.
Their small size also means portion accuracy matters more than it would for a bigger dog — a small measuring error is a much bigger percentage of a 4kg dog's daily calories than it would be for a Labrador.
Small mouth, small kibble
A toy-breed formula, with kibble pieces sized for a small jaw, is generally easier for a Havanese to eat comfortably than a standard-sized kibble, and these recipes tend to be more energy-dense to suit a small dog's faster metabolism relative to its size.
This isn't just about comfort at mealtimes — a kibble that's genuinely too large for a toy breed to chew properly is often swallowed in bigger pieces than ideal, which can affect digestion over time.
The dental angle worth knowing about
Toy breeds including the Havanese are, as a group, more prone to dental crowding and a build-up of tartar than larger dogs, largely because their teeth are a similar number and size crammed into a much smaller jaw. This is a well recognised toy-breed trait rather than something specific to any one dog.
Alongside regular brushing, some owners choose a kibble or dental chew designed to help scrape plaque as the dog chews, as one part of managing this known risk. It supports dental care rather than replacing brushing or a vet's dental check-ups.
Watching the scales
It's easy to overfeed a dog this small without realising, because the visual difference between the right amount and slightly too much looks tiny in a bowl. Using a proper measuring cup or kitchen scale, rather than judging by eye, catches this before it becomes a habit.
Treats count too — a couple of extra biscuits a day is a much bigger share of a 4kg dog's calories than it would be for a larger breed, so it's worth factoring them into the day's total rather than treating them as free extras.
Common questions
- Are Havanese prone to dental problems?
- As a toy breed, yes, they're more prone than average to dental crowding and tartar build-up, simply because their teeth are packed into a small jaw. Regular brushing, alongside a dental-support kibble or chew if you choose one, helps manage this known toy-breed risk.
- How much should I feed a Havanese?
- Follow the feeding guide on your specific food, matched to your dog's current weight, and use a measuring cup or scale rather than guessing. Their small size means a small error makes up a bigger share of their daily calories than it would for a larger breed.
- Do Havanese need grain-free food?
- Not automatically — grain-free just means no cereal grains, and there's no general reason a healthy Havanese needs to avoid grains specifically. A toy-breed formula sized and balanced for a small dog matters more than whether it contains grain.
- What size kibble is best for a Havanese?
- A small, toy-breed-sized kibble is generally easier for a Havanese to chew and eat comfortably than a standard-sized piece. It also tends to be more energy-dense, suited to a small dog's faster metabolism.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.