--- title: "Havapoo vs Havanese Puppies: Which Costs More to Buy?" type: "post" slug: "havapoo-vs-havanese-puppies-which-costs-more-to-buy" published_at: "2026-10-30T15:12:29+00:00" modified_at: "2026-10-30T15:12:41+00:00" url: "https://sagepuppies.com/havapoo-vs-havanese-puppies-which-costs-more-to-buy/" markdown_url: "https://sagepuppies.com/havapoo-vs-havanese-puppies-which-costs-more-to-buy.md" taxonomy_category: - "Breed Comparisons" - "Puppy Buyer Guides" - "Utah Puppies" author: "Matt Milar" publisher: "Sage Puppies" --- # Havapoo vs Havanese Puppies: Which Costs More to Buy? > **Quick Summary:** Havanese puppies usually cost more to buy, with typical prices of $1,500 to $3,500 versus $750 to $1,200 for Havapoos, because purebred litters carry testing, registration, and planning costs. The gap narrows once delivery, grooming every 4 to 6 weeks, food, and veterinary care apply to both breeds. Compare itemized quotes and health records rather than headline prices, while noting that Sage Puppies sells both breeds for $3,500 to $4,500. Two quotes land in your inbox on the same afternoon. The Havapoo comes in at one number, the Havanese a few hundred higher. That gap is the easy part of this puppy price comparison. Here is the quick verdict: **Havanese puppies usually cost more to buy**, but at Sage Puppies both breeds sit in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range, so price alone rarely should decide it. Most families are juggling two real quotes without knowing which line items are standard and which are optional, or whether the higher number buys anything they will value. This breeder fee comparison walks through real price ranges, why the purebred premium exists, how to read a price list, and which later costs quietly close the gap in any dog price comparison. ## Havapoo vs Havanese Puppies: Purchase Price at a Glance | | Havapoo puppy | Havanese puppy | | --- | --- | --- | | Typical listing range | Published listings commonly run about $750 to $1,200, with some breeders charging more | Published breeder ranges commonly fall around $1,500 to $3,500, with premium lines higher | | Sage Puppies price | $3,500 to $4,500, same range as Sage Havanese puppies | $3,500 to $4,500, with individual puppy prices published | | Health testing and records | Expect parent screening records plus puppy exam and DNA variant results; no breed club testing program | Havanese Club of America CHIC requires annual eye exam, hip X-ray and patella certification (March 2025 statement) | | Coat and grooming cost | Long, low-shedding coat needing daily brushing; professional trims roughly every 4 to 6 weeks | Silky double coat needing daily brushing and professional trims every 4 to 6 weeks, about $480 to $750 per year | | First-year cost picture | Small-dog food and routine care similar to a Havanese, plus a higher chance of coat surprises later | Predictable coat care, so grooming and supply costs are easier to budget from month one | | Best budget fit | Buyers who want a lower entry price and are comfortable with coat variability | Buyers who prefer a predictable breed standard and steady grooming routine | ## How Havapoo puppy and Havanese puppy Compare This puppy price comparison comes down to two closely related companion breeds. One is a cross, one is a purebred, and that difference shapes both the sticker price and the paperwork you should expect. ### Havapoo puppy A Havanese and Poodle cross sold as a companion puppy, usually listed for about $750 to $1,200, though some breeders charge more. Coat type varies puppy to puppy, which keeps the entry price low but adds some unpredictability. It suits buyers who want a lower starting cost and can live with that variety. - - Published listings commonly run about $750 to $1,200 - - Parent health records plus puppy exam and DNA variant results - - Long, low-shedding coat with trims every 4 to 6 weeks ### Havanese puppy A purebred companion breed from Cuba with a long silky double coat and a documented health program through the Havanese Club of America CHIC requirements. Published breeder ranges commonly fall around $1,500 to $3,500, with premium lines higher. It fits buyers who want a predictable breed standard and steady grooming routine. - - Silky double coat, daily brushing, trims every 4 to 6 weeks - - Annual eye exam, hip X-ray and patella certification expected - - Easier coat costs to budget from month one ## What You Actually Pay for Each Breed Right Now Short answer: most Havapoo puppies are listed for about **$750 to $1,200**, though some breeders charge more: ![Side-by-side puppy price range bar chart](https://sagepuppies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ai-image-1793372951946-zj8abw.webp) Side-by-side puppy price range bar chart - **Havapoo:** roughly $750 to $1,200 in published listings, with premium breeders higher - **Havanese:** commonly $1,500 to $3,500, and well-bred lines can exceed that Here is what those numbers actually buy, and where each breed’s price comes from. ### The Typical Havapoo Puppy Price Range A Havapoo price depends mostly on the breeder, not the cross itself. Small home programs that health test parents and raise litters indoors usually charge more than large listing sites. Expect published listings around $750 to $1,200, with puppies from tested, well-cared-for parents running well past that. The cross itself is common, so the spread is wide. Price tells you about the program behind the puppy more than the breed. ### Where Havanese Puppies Usually Land The Havanese price runs higher for a simple reason: fewer litters. Responsible breeders keep small programs, health test breeding dogs, and often meet breed club screening expectations, which limits supply. Published breeder ranges commonly fall around **$1,500 to $3,500**, and premium lines charge more. You are partly paying for scarce, documented bloodlines rather than a different kind of dog. ### Why the Two Numbers Overlap So Often The gap looks large on paper, but it narrows fast. Add travel, deposits, and first-year vet visits, and either puppy can end up costing several thousand dollars. Any honest puppy price comparison should treat the sticker price as a starting point, not the finish line. At Sage Puppies, both breeds sit in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range, which you can see on the [current pricing and reservation](https://sagepuppies.com/pricing-reservation/) page. ## Why Havanese Puppies Cost More to Buy Havanese puppies cost more because purebred breeding carries fixed costs that many Havapoo programs skip or trim. The main drivers are: ![Breeder reviewing paperwork beside a Havanese puppy at a vet clinic](https://sagepuppies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ai-image-1793372976309-spw9j.webp) Breeder reviewing paperwork beside a Havanese puppy at a vet clinic 1. **Parent health testing** against the Havanese Club of America’s CHIC requirements, which covers eyes, hearing, hips, knees, and cardiac checks 2. **Registration and pedigree work** through the American Kennel Club, plus record keeping for each litter 3. **Longer, more selective planning**, since each breeding pair is chosen to protect the breed standard, not just to produce cute coats Those three costs explain most of the gap between a $1,500 listing and a $3,500 one. They do not explain everything, so it helps to look at each one. ### The Testing Standard Behind a Purebred Price Responsible Havanese breeders screen both parents before every litter. The CHIC program for the breed requires an eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist, a BAER hearing test, hip and patella evaluations, and a cardiac check. Some tests repeat each breeding cycle, so a proven pair carries ongoing costs year after year. Good breeders also share results openly, so ask any breeder for the parents’ test records before you pay a deposit. A breeder who skips testing saves money, but the puppy’s price was never the only cost to weigh. ### Pedigree, Registration and Litter Planning Costs Purebred litters come with paperwork. AKC registration fees apply to each puppy, and keeping a documented pedigree costs time as well as money. Breeders who plan around bloodlines often wait longer between litters, which raises the price of each puppy they do place. Havanese litters are also small, often three to five puppies, so the litter must cover the same fixed costs a larger litter would spread out. ### What the Premium Does Not Buy A higher price is not a health guarantee, a trained puppy, or proof of careful breeding on its own. Some breeders charge premium prices and still skip CHIC testing or early socialization. Judge every quoted price by what it includes: parent health records, registration papers, vaccination and deworming records, and a written contract. Breeders who price transparently, as Sage Puppies does with published individual puppy prices, make that check easy. ## What Separates a $900 Quote From a $4,000 Quote Two breeders can name very different prices for puppies that look similar. The gap usually comes down to three things: what the breeder spent before the litter was born, what the puppy receives in its first eight weeks, and what support comes after you drive home. ### Health Testing and Veterinary Work in the Price Screening breeding dogs costs real money. Havanese CHIC certification requires annual eye exams plus hip and patella certification, so reputable Havanese breeders keep those costs in every litter, as the [Havanese Club of America explains](https://havaneseclubofamerica.org/hca-leads-the-way/) . Add in prenatal vet care, whelping support and the puppy’s first exams and vaccines, and a well-bred Havanese reaches its common $1,500 to $3,500 range for reasons you can verify in writing. ![Havanese mother rests with litter during veterinary check](https://sagepuppies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ai-image-1793373014325-aychzj.webp) Havanese mother rests with litter during veterinary check ### Early Care, Socialization and What Happens at Eight Weeks A $900 quote often reflects a puppy raised with minimal handling and one round of shots. Higher prices typically cover daily human contact, early exposure to household sounds and surfaces, litter training starts, and multiple dewormings and vaccinations. That groundwork shapes how a puppy settles into your home, though it never guarantees a fixed adult temperament. ### Paperwork, Registration and Lifetime Support The last difference shows up after purchase. Stronger quotes include a written contract, health records, breeding or spay-neuter terms, and a breeder who answers questions for years. Boutique programs such as Sage Puppies price both breeds in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range because that support is built in. A cheap quote with no contract can cost far more later. ## The Costs That Quietly Close the Price Gap The sticker price is only the start. Deposit, delivery, grooming and first-year vet care hit both breeds, and they can shrink a $2,000 purchase difference faster than most buyers expect. The point is not that cheap puppies cost more overall. It is that ongoing costs apply to both, so buy on the puppy, not the price gap. ### Deposits, Delivery and the Real First Payment Your first payment usually includes more than the puppy price. Most breeders ask a deposit toward the total, and if you live outside Utah, delivery or flight-nanny fees add several hundred dollars. Pickup families pay travel costs instead. Budget the full amount, not just the listing figure. Sage Puppies handles both local Utah pickup and nationwide delivery, and the same care rules apply either way. ### Grooming as a Recurring Line Item Both coats need professional help. Plan on a full groom every 4 to 6 weeks for life, because both the Havapoo’s low-shedding coat and the Havanese’s silky double coat mat without it. Small-dog grooms commonly run $40 to $150 depending on size, coat condition and location, and chains like Petco list breed-based pricing that varies by store ([Petco’s grooming page](https://www.petco.com/s/dog-grooming) ). At roughly eight grooms a year, grooming can pass $1,000 annually for either breed. That cost is a wash between them, so it does not favor the cheaper puppy. ### The First-Year Total Add it up and the gap narrows again. Vaccines, spay or neuter, gear, food and training classes are nearly identical for both breeds. A realistic example (not an average): a $4,000 puppy plus $1,200 in grooming, $600 in first-year vet care and $500 in gear lands near $6,300. Whichever breed you pick, most of that number is the same. ## How to Read a Breeder’s Price List Without Guessing A price list only helps if each quote covers the same things. One breeder’s $1,200 figure may include vaccines, a starter kit and lifetime support. Another’s may cover nothing past the puppy. Before comparing a Havapoo price to a Havanese price, rebuild each quote in the same format. ### Pull Both Quotes Into the Same Format Ask each breeder for an itemized total: purchase price, deposit, sales tax, delivery or pickup, microchip, first vaccines, vet exam, registration papers, and any spay or neuter requirement. Then list what happens *after* pickup, such as a health guarantee window, a return policy, and breeder support. Two columns, same line items, side by side. That’s the only version of the numbers worth comparing. ![Buyer compares breeder sheets beside a puppy](https://sagepuppies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ai-image-1793373100379-8kwcql.webp) Buyer compares breeder sheets beside a puppy ### Questions That Reveal What the Price Covers Ask these directly, and note which answers are vague: - **What does the guarantee cover, and for how long?** - **Which vaccines and exams has the puppy had?** - **Have the parents been health tested, and can I see results?** - **Is the deposit refundable, and what does delivery cost?** - **What support do you offer after I take the puppy home?** A breeder who answers quickly with records usually earns the higher price. ### Where Sage Puppies Fits in the Comparison This format is why single-number comparisons mislead. Sage Puppies lists both breeds in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range, with prices and reservation terms published, so you can check the math instead of guessing. Build the same itemized column for any breeder you consider, then compare totals rather than headline prices. ## Which Should You Choose: Havapoo or Havanese? Choose the Havapoo if you want a slightly larger, often wavier-coated companion with a playful, people-first nature, and you like the idea of a first cross with hybrid vigor in its background. Choose the Havanese if you want the purebred’s long history as a housedog, a predictable adult size and coat type, and the chance to meet relatives and health-tested lines on record. Both fit apartments and families, and both need daily brushing. ### Choose a Havapoo When - You want a sturdier, slightly bigger lap dog than a pure Havanese - You like the coat variety of a Havanese and Poodle cross - You’re comfortable with a first-generation puppy whose adult coat can vary - You still want a low-shedding companion, not a guaranteed non-shedder If that coat variety is part of the appeal, our page on [Havapoo temperament, size, and care basics](https://sagepuppies.com/havapoo-puppies-temperament-size-and-care-basics/) walks through what to expect. ### Choose a Havanese When - You want a purebred with documented ancestry and health testing on both parents - Predictable adult size, around 7 to 13 pounds, matters to you - You love the silky double coat and don’t mind daily brushing - You may want to show or compete later ### Pause and Ask More Questions If - A breeder quotes a price well below local norms and can’t explain what’s included - Health records for the parents are “coming soon” - The puppy must ship before eight weeks of age - Nobody will answer questions about temperament or grooming - You feel rushed toward a deposit Those signs matter more than a few hundred dollars either way. ### Next Steps If You Are Ready Decide which coat and size fit your home, then compare actual listings rather than asking prices. Request the health records listed above, confirm what the quoted price covers, and ask how the puppy has been raised. At Sage Puppies, both breeds sit in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range, so the real decision is which puppy fits your family, not which one stretches the budget less. ![Sage Puppies homepage](https://sagepuppies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/sagepuppies.com-1781544698129.png) Sage Puppies homepage Still weighing the two breeds? Check Sage Puppies’ current [available puppies](https://sagepuppies.com/available-puppies/) to see each Havapoo and Havanese with its published price, then start the application. Cassie will help you match the right puppy to your family and budget, either way. Wisely bred, beautifully loved, at the same $3,500 to $4,500 range. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Q1: What is the typical price range for a Havapoo puppy? Published listings commonly run about $750 to $1,200, though breeders who health test parents and raise puppies indoors charge more. At Sage Puppies, a Havapoo costs $3,500 to $4,500, the same range as its Havanese puppies. ### Q2: Why do Havanese puppies cost more than Havapoos? Fewer litters and fixed purebred costs: CHIC health testing, AKC registration, pedigree record keeping, and small litters of three to five puppies that must cover the same breeder expenses. ### Q3: Is a Havapoo cheaper than a Havanese to buy and maintain? Often cheaper to buy, but not to keep. Grooming every 4 to 6 weeks, food, and vet care cost about the same for both, so ongoing expenses quickly narrow the purchase-price gap. ### Q4: How much should I budget beyond the purchase price? Add a deposit, delivery or flight-nanny fees if you live outside Utah, and first-year costs such as vaccines, spay or neuter, gear, and grooming. One example totaled roughly $6,300 for the first year. ### Q5: Are cheaper Havapoo listings a red flag? Not always, but ask what the price includes. Vague health records, no written contract, or shipping before eight weeks suggest the savings may cost you more later. ### Q6: What records should I request before paying a deposit? Ask for parent health test results, the puppy’s vaccination and deworming records, a vet exam, and a written contract covering guarantee terms and breeder support after pickup. ## Wrapping Up Your Price Comparison Havanese puppies usually cost more to buy because purebred programs carry fixed costs: CHIC health testing, AKC registration and small, carefully planned litters. But the sticker price is a starting point, not the finish. Deposits, delivery, grooming every 4 to 6 weeks and first-year vet care hit both breeds, so ongoing costs narrow a $2,000 gap fast. Judge every quote by what it includes: parent health records, a written contract, and support after pickup. At Sage Puppies, both breeds sit in the same $3,500 to $4,500 range, so the honest comparison isn’t Havapoo price versus Havanese price. It’s which puppy, raised well and priced transparently, fits your family and your budget.