Recognized as the national dog of Cuba, the Havanese was originally bred from the now extinct Blanquito de la Habana in the 1500s. The Blanquito descended from the also now-extinct Bichón Tenerife. The Blanquito was eventually cross-bred with other types of Bichons to create what is now known as the Havanese. This breed is known as “silk dogs” due to this its soft-coated ancestors that were sought after by historical figures such as Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens.