| Bolognese | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) A Bolognese without a show cut | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Bichon Bolognese Bolognese Toy Dog Bologneser Bolo Botoli Bottolo[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
TheBolognese (pronounced[boloɲˈɲeːze]) is a smalldog breed of thebichon type, originating in Italy. The name refers to the northern Italian city ofBologna. It is part of thetoy dog group and is considered acompanion dog.
.jpg)
They belong to the Bichon family group, which includes theBichon Frisé, Bolognese,Maltese,Löwchen,Havanese andCoton de Tuléar.[2]
The precise ancestry of the Bolognese is unknown.[citation needed]
Bolognese dogs may be seen in tapestry work produced by Flemish craftsmen dating as far back as the 17th century. The Venetian painterTitian painted the Duke Federico Gonzaga with his Bolognese. The breed is also seen in paintings byGoya,Gosse andWatteau. Other notable owners of the breed includeCatherine the Great of Russia (1729–1796),Madame de Pompadour (1721–1764) andEmpress Maria Theresa of Austria.[citation needed]
The breed was brought into England in 1990 by Liz Stannard and is first shown during that year in thebreed registry. In 2001 the breed was able to be shown at all shows with their own classes. They were atCrufts, an annual international dog show, for the first time in 2002.[3]
The fur is always white.[4] The distinctive single coat (i.e., noundercoat) falls in loose open ringlets/flocks all over the body, with shorter hair on the face. The hair's texture is woolly, as opposed to silky, and is never trimmed or clipped unless kept as pets. The hair sheds very little, but requires regular combing to prevent matting.
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14.9 years for the breed with a sample size of 32, compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 forcrossbreeds.[5]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
