Everything about your Bolognese

  The Bolognese dog was prized in its early existence in Italy, and has always been regarded as a great companion to people. This small Bichon type breed is calm and known to be very intelligent and playful, but is still a rare breed in the United States.

Overview

  Looking out of a fluffy ringletted body are round dark eyes that draw you in with their sweet expressiveness. Beneath that cloud of curls, the Bolognese is a sturdy little dog who loves to have fun. He doesn’t need long walks every day, but if that’s what you want to do, he’s right there with you, willing and able. If being a couch potato is more your style, he’s good with that, too. He is curious, comical, devoted and smart.
  The Bolognese, sometimes known as the Bichon Bolognese, is one of several little white dogs that have been known in the Mediterranean for at least 2,000 years. You may be familiar with his cousins: the Bichon Frise, the Coton de Tulear, the Maltese, the Havanese. The dog was popular at ducal courts in Italy, in particular, Bologna, from where he takes his name.

Other Quick Facts

• Works of art that feature the Bolognese include a Titian portrait of Federico Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, which hangs in Madrid’s Prado Museum; paintings by Goya and Watteau; and 17th-century Flemish tapestries.
• When you look at a Bolognese, you should see a small, stocky dog with a squarish body covered in a long, fluffy white coat. He has a large black nose, dark round eyes and long ears that hang down. His tail curves over his back.
• Comparable Breeds: Bichon Frise, Maltese

  They belong to the Bichon family group, which includes the Bichon Frise, Maltese, Lowchen, Havanese and Coton de Tulear. Although there are some similarities, the Bolognese are a distinctive breed in their own right. The Bolognese is an ancient breed of noble origins, and has its roots with Italian aristocracy.

  The precise ancestry of the Bolognese is unknown. Its closest relative within the Bichon group is the Maltese but it is unclear as to whether the Maltese is its direct ancestor or descendant. The Bolognese are named after Bologna, a city in northern Italy, thought to be the place of the breed’s establishment. The existence of the Bolognese has been recorded since the year 1200.

  Bolognese dogs may be seen in tapestry work produced by Flemish craftsmen dating as far back as the 17th century. The Venetian painter Titian painted the Duke Frederico Gonzaga with his Bolognese. The breed is also seen in paintings by Goya, Gosse and Watteau. Other notable owners of the breed include Catherine the Great of Russia (1729-1796), Madame De Pompadour (1721-1764) and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

  The breed was brought into England in 1990 by Liz Stannard and is first shown during that year in the breed registry. In 2001 the breed was able to be shown at all shows with their own classes. They were at Crufts, an annual international dog show, for the first time in 2002.

Temperament 

  Cute bolognese dogs Entertaining and affectionate, the Bolognese makes a wonderful companion dog. As well as being playful and inquisitive, he’ll want to be the center of attention whenever he as an audience. Don’t be fooled by his small size – the Bolo will impress you with his tenacity.

  The most important thing to a Bolognese is to be with you and make you happy. What noble employment! He loves to be by your side and on your lap. But because he is so devoted, he won’t like being without you for too long. This may lead to separation anxiety, which brings out behaviors such as barking, chewing and using the living room as a bathroom.

  Even though the Bolognese likes children, he needs to be with older kids due to his small size, As well, he may get irritated when smaller children push him or pull him, and may nip to protect himself.

Health Problems
  For the most part, Bologneses are a typically healthy breed. But with most purebred dogs, there are some issues that may occur. These include hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease and periodontal disease due to the small size of their mouth.

Living Conditions
  The Bolognese is a good dog for apartment life. It will do okay without a yard.

Training
  You’ll be glad to hear that the Bolognese is an intelligent and highly trainable dog. He takes well to obedience training, especially when you’re using positive feedback, praise, petting and treats. If you don’t take the lead and treat your Bolo like a dog, you run the risk of promoting small dog syndrome. This is when your small dog picks up human induced behaviors and believes he is pack leader. Make sure your dog knows the rules, and enforce them gently and consistently.

Exercise

  These are active little dogs that need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds it will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off-lead, such as a large, fenced-in yard.

Care
  This toy dog breed does not require an excessive amount of exercise, but should you be the exercising type, the Bolognese is likely to be able to keep up with you. The breed hardly sheds, but brushing its coat daily or a few times a week will keep the coat healthy and tangle free. The Bolognese can be an ideal apartment dog as it will do fine without a yard.

Grooming
  When it comes to grooming, the Bolognese is a high-maintenance breed. He requires considerable time for grooming and bathing to keep his white, curly locks looking their best. You should brush your Bolognese at least three times a week — daily is best — to keep the coat in good condition. To keep the coat bright white, bathe him whenever he gets dirty in a whitening shampoo. Some owners trim the coat short for easier care or take the dog to a groomer for a professional coif.
  If you fell in love with the Bolognese because of the way the pure white coat sets off those dark eyes, you’d better be prepared to spend a lot of time cleaning away tear stains, which cause a rust discoloration that most people find unsightly.Wipe around the eyes daily with a soft cloth dampened in warm water to clean and prevent tear stains.
  The rest is basic care. Trim the toenails at least once or twice a month. Check the ears every week to make sure they are clean and odor free. If they look dirty, wipe them out using a cotton ball dampened with a mild ear cleaner recommended by your veterinarian. Sometimes, it is necessary to pluck out the hair that grows in the ear canal to allow for better air circulation inside the ear. Eye discharge tends to accumulate in the hair that grows around the eyes and if not cleaned regularly, can even lead to eye problems.

Did You Know?
  You may have heard these dogs’ non-shedding coats make them a “non-allergenic” breed, but that’s not true. It’s a dog’s dander – flakes of skin – that triggers allergic reactions, not the coat. The non-shedding coat means less dander in the environment and sometimes fewer allergic reactions. But they still produce dander, and can still cause an allergic reaction.