small Breed Dogs
Your Subtitle text
Bolognese Dog
Toy Breed Dogs
Small Breed Dogs






Manufactured Dog Food VS Home Cooked Food
The food that you feed to your dog will have a direct impact on their health. Whether a young puppy who needs great nutrient to properly grow, an adult who needs to maintain weight and energy levels or a senior who can has a sensitive digestive system. In addition, the choice you make can directly impact behavioral issues, such as eating grass or feces.
Read More

What you MUST Know Before Getting a Puppy
Forget about the normal list that everyone writes about..."puppy proof your home", "choose the right breed".  The information you must know, goes MUCH deeper than that. This is information that no one talks about, the behind-the-scenes info you really must know before you make your choice....Click to Read More
Average Weight: 3-5 pounds (1.36 - 2.27 kg) 
Average Height:  Males: 10.5 - 12  inches (26.67 – 30.48 cm)
Average Height:  Females: 10 -12  inches (25.4 – 30.48 cm)
Pronounced: Boh-LUH-neez (The "g" is silent)
Group:  Toy
Life Span: 15 Years
Average Litter:3
Origin: Italy

Description

 This is a very tiny dog, one of the smallest toy dog breeds that there is. Bolognese dogs are small, squarely built and compact.  This breed has a long, pure white flocked coat. The lips, eye rims and nose are always black and the eyes are large, round and dark.

The ears are set high and are rather long, giving a broad appearance to the head.  The tail is carried over the back, but often does drop when the this small dog is at rest.

The fur falls in loose open ringlets all over the body when allowed to grow long and shorter hair on the face can be seen. The hair’s texture is woolly, as opposed to silky and is never trimmed or clipped.  There is only 1 coat (no undercoat).

Colors

 Bolognese dogs are white.  This can be pure white or an ivory white.  In show, champagne color is permissible on puppies, as this indicates strong pigmentation in the genes that will help produce a solid, pure white adult. 

A reliable method to identify the nature of the markings is to thin out the coat and look at the base.  If the base is marked too, it is very likely to be a permanent marking.  If it is not and the marking only involves the tips, then this points to a quality marking that shows strong white pigmentation for the adult dog.

The adult dog is not to be faulted for small touches of champagne on the ears and occasionally on the back, but as an adult must give the overall appearance of a white dog.

Pet owners will often find that this small dog will have reddish/ rust color around or under the eyes. This is not the color of the fur, it is staining due to normal eye discharge. Offering bottled water can help in the long term, as tap water often has a high mineral content.  Canine tear staining removal products should be used when grooming so that this dog can have the appearance it was meant to have.

Personality

Most often described as being delightful and an excellent companion, this dog is vivacious and playful.  An intelligent breed, he usually gets along very well with children and people of all ages; although apprehension may set in when in the presence of strangers.  This small dog tends to mimic the mood of its owner, and can be jaunty & happy one day and calm and melancholy the next.  Although this is not a "yappy" breed, because their hearing is so acute, they will bark at strange or unfamiliar sounds that their owner often is not capable of hearing.


Origin & History

Often referred to as the Bichon Bolognese, this dog was valued in Italy as early as the 11th and 12th centuries, becoming a favorite companion of royalty and the upper class.  The breed was refined in the city of Bologna, hence the name.  In 1668, Cosimo de Medici sent 8 Bolognese to Belgium where they were to be given as gifts to several of the wealthy ad influential families of Brussels.  Many well known rulers of the past have owned a Bolognese dog including Catherine the Great of Russia and Empress Maria Therese of Austria.

This dog is rather new to show recognition in comparison to many others, as England began showing the Bolognese in 1990 and America since 1999.

Health

This is an extremely healthy breed with no major heredity disease. With an average life span of 15, there are many dogs who live past 20.  Due to its very small stature, one must just keep an eye out for luxating patella and hip dysplasia.

Exercise

Always enjoying human companionship, a good walk of 20 -30 minutes each day is sufficient to maintain health.

Grooming

The coat does not shed and for that reason, brushing and combing must be done on a regular basis to avoid hairs from tangling and matting together.  It is recommended to groom every other day.  The fur is first spritzed with a 3:1 water to conditioner ratio and then brushed in sections, dampening the sections as you go along.  The final step is a careful combing to check for any tangles that the brush may have missed. 

The coat should be tidied up with a professional clipping every few months.

As with any dog, nail trimming is done approximately every 6 weeks and dental brushings are done each day, with professional cleanings once per year.

Shedding

The hair is non-shedding, but requires regular brushing and combing to prevent it from matting.

Care & Training

Due to its size, owners of Bolognese dogs should be aware of all issues that tiny dogs can have, including hypoglycemia, Separation Anxiety, shyness and phobias (such as showing fear of thunder storms)  Good feeding, grooming and proper training will ensure a healthy and well balanced dog.  

If you are thinking about getting a puppy, you may wish to read some important information about purchasing a puppy. Just click here.

If you already own a Bolognese or other toy dog, you may wish to click here for more detailed are information.


                 
Content copyright 1997 -  . SmallBark. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Contact Us |
Web Hosting Companies