About Havana Silk Havanese Puppies #1 Southern California

Let me first say what a privilege and honor it is that you are visiting my website. It means the world to me, and I sincerely thank you for it.

I am Robin Madrigal, passionate owner of Havana Silk Havanese, a small dog hobbyist, and an exhibitor. With a solid dedication to advancing outstanding Havanese, I have been deeply involved with this breed even before they gained recognition from the AKC. My contribution to the responsible development of dark chocolate Havanese, known for maintaining their richly-colored coats throughout their lives, is noteworthy and significant.

Havana Silk Havanese is a program that focuses on producing healthy AKC Champion-titled dogs by carefully planning a restricted number of litters from Champion and health-tested Havanese. Each puppy I bring into the world was bred to create the ideal Havanese—a potential show dog, a loving pet, and a brilliant companion that will happily curl up on your lap. I aim to ensure that every Havana Silk Havanese puppy finds a forever-loving home where they can experience a life brimming with joy alongside caring individuals.

My passion for dogs stems from my upbringing in a family with a deep love for canines. My journey began when I was born, and my father brought home a purebred Boxer named Sam. Growing up together, Sam and I embarked on countless adventures. In addition, my maternal grandfather and mother raised dogs as a hobby. My grandfather specialized in working breeds, and my mother raised Cocker Spaniels for hunt and companionship. At 14, I acquired my first show dog, a purebred Toy Poodle, which sparked my fascination with grooming soft-coated dogs. I even apprenticed under a professional groomer, marking the beginning of my career in the field. In the late 1970s, my experience with grooming and handling dogs led me to work for a busy veterinarian in Montclair, California.

As the years passed, my path led me to show and breed purebred Arabian horses, earning champion titles for many of these magnificent animals. I remained dedicated to dogs throughout this time, never straying from my love for them. I have always had dogs, and I have cherished every single one of them.

When I encountered my first Havanese in 1998, it was a life-changing moment. Instantly captivated by their enchanting, brilliant, and unique nature, I knew I would devote the rest of my life to this remarkable breed.

The gentle personality and beauty of Havanese so struck me that I immediately set out to find one for myself. However, with less than four thousand Havanese residing in the USA at the time and with the AKC yet to recognize them, acquiring a Havanese proved challenging. Puppies were scarce, and the few breeders available were altering the pups before placement.

While searching, I crossed paths with Jane Falkenstein of R’Gang Havanese, a highly recognized breeder in Mesa, Arizona. Jane refused to sell me a show prospect puppy as she was concerned about the future of Havanese and wanted to ensure the bloodlines would be cared for responsibly. This was a typical response from breeders of rare dogs. However, the trust between Jane and me has grown over time, and we developed a close friendship. Today, we collaborate to ensure that Havanese puppies are placed in appropriate, loving homes.

After facing difficulties obtaining a potential show puppy in the US, I had to look beyond the country’s borders. Finally, in 2001, I imported an exceptional Havanese female named Tita from a renowned breeder in Hungary. To my astonishment, Tita boasted an ultra-rare, pure Cuban pedigree.

Tita possessed stunning features, including a glistening pearl-white silky coat, big dark eyes, and darkly pigmented eyeliner. However, she was tiny, weighing barely seven pounds as a fully grown dog. Despite her efforts, Tita didn’t enjoy the show ring, and her diminutive size posed a challenge in conformation competitions. Nevertheless, she excelled in AKC Rally, a venue highlighting her intelligence and fostering a strong bond between us. Inspired by Tita’s beauty and brilliance, I imported a few more Havanese dogs and began to gain recognition in AKC conformation competitions.

From there, I began collaborating with several reputable show breeders, including Susan Nelson (may she rest in peace) of ShaggyLuv Havanese in Anaheim, California, and Elaine Cirimele of Lil Pawz Havanese in Orangevale, California. Through Sue Nelson, an exceptional trainer, breeder, and dog whisperer, I acquired my dear ‘Flash,’ pictured above, a male Havanese who earned his Championship title. Flash lived a healthy life for 18 years, sleeping by my side every night.

From Elaine, I welcomed my second Champion, ‘Saucy,’ shown in the photo below; she also earned her Grand Champion. Saucy was a special dog that deeply touched my heart. These three extraordinary dogs—Tita, Flash, and Saucy—became the foundation of my breeding program, producing numerous titled champions and passing on their robust health and beautiful Havanese genetics to future generations.