Bernedoodle vs Havanese: Which Suits Your Home?

A Havanese is a toy breed through and through -- 7 to 13 pounds, 8 to 11 inches tall, small enough to travel in a bag. A Bernedoodle, even on the small end of its 20-to-90-pound range, is a considerably bigger animal, and its 12-to-23-inch height range puts it well above the Havanese at every size line. If you want a lap dog you can carry through an airport, the Havanese is built for that; the Bernedoodle isn't.

Exercise need splits clearly here -- low (2/5) for the Havanese versus high (4/5) for the Bernedoodle. Energy level tells a similar story, moderate (3/5) against high (4/5). A Havanese is content with modest daily activity and indoor play; a Bernedoodle wants a real walk and something to do, and will get restless without it.

Grooming ties at high (4/5) for both -- the Havanese's long, silky coat needs about as much brushing as the Bernedoodle's wavy-curly one, just for different reasons: mats versus tangles. Shedding also ties, low (2/5) for both, so neither breed is going to leave much hair behind despite the grooming demands.

This is where the Havanese pulls ahead decisively: very high (5/5) on apartment suitability against the Bernedoodle's low (2/5). Barking runs the other way, though -- moderate (3/5) for the Havanese versus low (2/5) for the Bernedoodle, so a small unit with thin walls might still hear more from the smaller dog. Alone-time tolerance favors the Bernedoodle slightly, low (2/5) versus the Havanese's very low (1/5) -- Havanese are known for struggling when left by themselves.

Trainability favors the Bernedoodle, very high (5/5) against the Havanese's high (4/5), but the first-time-owner rating flips the other way -- very high (5/5) for the Havanese versus high (4/5) for the Bernedoodle. Both train well; the Havanese's smaller size and lower exercise demands just make it a slightly easier fit for someone new to dog ownership.

The Bernedoodle edges ahead with kids, very high (5/5) versus high (4/5) for the Havanese, though a 4 is still a solid score. Other dogs and strangers both tie -- very high (5/5) with other dogs, high (4/5) with strangers -- so neither breed has a clear social advantage there.

Lifespan favors the Bernedoodle at the top end, 12-18 years versus the Havanese's 13-16, though the ranges overlap substantially -- both are long-lived breeds compared to larger dogs. Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia appear on both lists. The Havanese's list adds patellar luxation, deafness, and liver shunts, conditions tied to its small size rather than anything shared with the Bernedoodle.

Cost level is rated the same, high (4/5), for both breeds, but the actual dollar ranges tell a different story: $80-160 a month for the Havanese versus $120-220 for the Bernedoodle, and $1,200-2,300 versus $1,800-3,200 in the first year. Smaller doesn't always mean cheaper category-wise, but here it does show up in the numbers -- budget roughly a third less for the Havanese.