Havanese (a bichon type dog) is the national dog of Cuba, developed from the now extinct Blanquito de la Habana ('little white dog of Havana'). The top of the skull is rather flat and the back skull is rounded. The top of the skull is rather flat and the back skull is rounded. The coat is shown naturally brushed out, or in some countries it may be corded, a technique which turns the long coat into cords of hair, similar to dreadlocks in humans. This corded look may be difficult to achieve for the first timer, so it is always recommended that someone interested in cording their Havanese consults someone who has done it before. Brushing out their fur is essential. With dedicated breeding, and the acquisition of some new dogs internationally, the Havanese has made a huge comeback and is one of the fastest growing breeds of dogs in the AKC. The 2013 AKC statistics rank the Havanese as the 25th most popular pure-breed in the United States, a rise in popularity from 28th place in 2012.