Portraits of popular breeds at home and abroad: The Bolognese

These brothers of the Bichon are great companions for everyone. They are easy to handle even by someone who has no experience with dogs. They have a great personality, they require almost no care, they are easy to train and have good health. All they need to be happy is companionship and a bit of exercise.

The Bolognese is the brother of the Bichon. For a long time these two breeds were mixed up until the Bolognese dogs assumed their definite appearance in Italy near Bologna. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale FCI recognized the breed in 1934. 

Their life's purpose has not changed over the years. They have always been pets and companions. They were particularly popular with the nobility and the upper class in the 11th and 12th century. In fact, throughout the Renaissance they were considered the most popular gift among the nobility. Even Maria Theresa, Madame de Pompadour and Empress Catherine II owned a Bolognese. 

However, their popularity did not last long. It slowly declined, and after World War II there was only one breeder remaining in Italy; the breed found itself on the verge of extinction. In the 1980s, when only seven Bolognese dogs were registered in the breed registry, the Bonanno couple decided to try to save the breed. However, most of the registered dogs had a serious defect, so they decided to include dogs without a pedigree that corresponded to the breed standard in the breeding process. 

These little, three to four kilo dogs came to us at the turn of the millennium, and today it is a common urban dog in the Czech Republic that is perfectly suited for apartments. It gained popularity thanks to its mild nature. It's a carefree, cheerful dog that loves its family boundlessly and is strongly attached to it. It shows no signs of aggressive behavior, which makes it a great companion and friend for children. Although they are very vital, they adapt well to a slow lifestyle. What they hate, however, is being alone. They easily learn new things thanks to their intelligence, but sometimes they can be stubborn. Positive motivation is best with these dogs, using force won't work. 

The Bolognese will easily adapt to anyone. All they need is long walks, so they'll even be happy with the elderly. But they are also full of energy, so even athletes will have fun with them.

Their stocky, compact body is covered with white hair without an undercoat that resembles hair. They therefore don't shed, which can be a great advantage. They need to get rid of dead hair with combing. Otherwise, they are usually healthy dogs that are not susceptible to diseases. They don't suffer from any of the common small breed diseases.

 

Related articles

Crate for an indoor dog kennel. When to get one?

Crates or transport boxes provide your pet with safety and comfort not only during car journeys. You can see them more and more often in households with dogs. What can be the reasons for buying a crate for a dog living in a flat? What doesn't belong...

International Homeless Animal Day in August

Recent estimates indicate that every third dog in the world is homeless. Some estimates go even further and state that it's half of all dogs. It is a relatively high number but the situation varies in different continents. This is one of the reasons...

Wet fur care, as advised by Klára Miketová

Summer is a time of joy. The warm weather encourages trips and having fun in the water. However, summer may not be as great for our dogs as it may seem. We fur may sometimes do more harm than good. How to take care of wet fur and how to prevent any...

Cat scratching

Cats scratch, everybody knows that. But have you ever wondered why that is? If you have a feline companion at home, you might have thought it would be a good idea to break her habit of scratching. Especially if your cat has ruined your furniture with...

The ideal dog summer

Some love it, some hardly tolerate it. We are, of course, talking about summer and the hot weather that comes with it. Hot weather can become rather unpleasant for our canine companions. While cats usually tolerate heat without any major problems,...

Tips and recommendations: Preventing tick bites

Pet owners know that summer doesn't only bring warmth, sunshine and late sunsets. It's also the time of ticks, who know how to torment our four-legged friends. Unfortunately, it's very difficult, or even almost impossible, to prevent our pet from...

Pet grooming: When (not)to clip your dog's hair

The summer season calls for hair cuts. And not only yours but also your pets'. But a shorter coat doesn't always mean lower body temperature. On the contrary, sometimes it could be the other way round. How and when to clip our four-legged friends'...