Bloodhound vs Havanese: Which Suits Your Home?

There's no subtlety to this comparison: the Bloodhound can outweigh a Havanese by roughly 100 lbs, running 90-110 lbs against the Havanese's 7-13 lbs, and stands close to double its height (23-27 in versus 8-11 in). This isn't a pairing where size is a minor detail - it's the first thing that will shape your decision, from the size of collar you buy to whether the dog can ride in your lap.

The Bloodhound actually needs more exercise here - a 3/5 rating against the Havanese's 2/5 - which runs counter to the usual small-dog-means-more-energy assumption. The Havanese is content with modest activity and indoor play; the Bloodhound, despite its size, isn't a marathon athlete either, but its moderate needs still outpace this particular small breed. Neither breed demands intense daily workouts, but if you're comparing purely on how much walking you'll be doing, the Bloodhound edges it.

The Havanese's long, silky coat needs real upkeep - a 4/5 grooming rating against the Bloodhound's easy 2/5 - though it sheds less, 2/5 versus the Bloodhound's 3/5. Regular brushing and occasional trims are non-negotiable for the Havanese if you don't want mats; the Bloodhound's short coat asks for almost nothing beyond a weekly once-over.

This is the Havanese's strongest category: 5/5 for apartment suitability against the Bloodhound's 2/5, plus matching moderate barking at 3/5 for both. Where the Havanese struggles is being left alone - a very low 1/5, worse even than the Bloodhound's 2/5 - so small-space living works only if someone's usually home. A Havanese left alone for long stretches in a small apartment is a recipe for separation anxiety, regardless of how well it otherwise suits the space.

The Havanese trains more easily, 4/5 versus the Bloodhound's 2/5, and that shows up in the first-time-owner scores too - 5/5 for the Havanese against the Bloodhound's 2/5. Its eagerness to please and smaller size make mistakes far more manageable than they'd be with a stubborn, 100-plus-pound scent hound still learning leash manners. For someone who's never trained a dog before, that difference in scale alone changes what a training mistake actually costs you.

Both score well with kids - 4/5 apiece - and the Havanese slightly edges the Bloodhound with other dogs, 5/5 versus 4/5. Strangers get a friendly reception from both at a matching 4/5. The main household consideration isn't temperament here so much as physical mismatch - a toddler and a 100 lb dog need different supervision than a toddler and a 10 lb one.

Lifespan gap is substantial: 13 to 16 years for the Havanese versus 7 to 10 for the Bloodhound, nearly double at the low end. Their health risks barely overlap - the Bloodhound faces hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, ear infections, eye problems, atopy, gastric issues, bleeding disorders, ectropion and entropion, while the Havanese's risks run to patellar luxation, hypothyroidism, cataracts, ear infections, allergies, deafness, elbow dysplasia, eye problems and liver shunts.

The Havanese is the cheaper dog to keep on paper - $80-160 monthly versus $100-200 for the Bloodhound, and $1,200-2,300 in the first year against $1,500-2,800 - despite carrying a higher 4/5 cost rating against the Bloodhound's 3/5. That rating likely reflects grooming expenses more than raw dollar totals, which still favor the smaller dog.