Boloñés Bichón - A dog with a look that captivates
The Boloñés bichon is one of those dog breeds that dazzles us when we see it, since Your white fur is spectacular And he has a look that captivates, of those that tells us that we are facing a very awake dog.
- Weight: Around 5 kilos
- Hair type: With wool -like texture and curly
- Character: intelligent and very sociable, but distrustful of strangers
- Health: Very good, although with some genetic diseases
- Life expectancy: between 12 and 14 years
Origins
Although it is one of the dog breeds that was recognized late, The FCI did not do it until 1989, the truth is that its story is much older.
Animals of a similar typology are already known in Roman times, and it seems that Aristotle already referred to them as "Melitenses dogs", a name that was used when defining companion dogs in ancient times.
As always happens, these ancient origins are not too clear, because there is no reliable way to verify that it is so, but there are less doubts that The Boloñés bichon, or very similar dogs, were highly appreciated in the European Courts of the 11th century.
Later, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the popularity of these dogs continued at their peak, and in fact even Felipe II thanked the Duke d’E east for giving him two of them.
We can see it in paintings from the Renaissance
At this time of the Renaissance, there is a record that a dog like this bichon exis Goya painted him in the portrait of "The Duchess of Alba de Blanco".
A white dog and very similar to the Boloñés bichon appears to the right of the Duchess (on the left according to our perspective) with a red bow in a leg.
He is not the only famous character that had some of these white fur dogs, but others such as Catalina La Grande de Russia also possessed some specimens of the race.
Despite the popularity that this dog has had for centuries, after the great war was on the verge of disappearance. So much so, that if it were not for a group of Italian breeders, the Boloñés bichon would have disappeared, this being the reason for its inclusion as a race in such a late time.
Main characteristics
Its main characteristic, and What distinguishes it from other companion dog breeds, is its white mantle, very compact and that is the result of the selection, since it was originally brown. Right now, the standard only accepts the white color.
It has a unique layer, without a subpelo and is very curly, with a very soft texture that reminds us of wool when we touch it, which gives a very pleasant sensation and makes it look like cotton or a cloud.
The hair falls like all dogs, even though they put it in lists in which they say it does not lose hair. It is true that it loses less than other races, since its growth cycle is very slow.
The height does not usually exceed the maximum of 30 cm or the weight of the 4 or 5 kilos, although there are specimens that can weigh around 2 kg, of which it is better to flee, as they are a safe source of medium -term health problems.
They highlight their black eyes, very salts, more with that immaculate white mantle, creating a contrast along with the truffle that make them even more striking, which is pink when they are born and darkens around three months of age.
Boloñes bichon character
It is a family dog and one of the best for people without experience, since because of its size it is easy to handle, being very attached to its owner and those who live with it.
He loves being with his master and does not like to separate from him, so it may not be the best dog if we are not going to be at home, since he will not be happy if we stay separated from him for many hours a day.
In fact, those who live with the race talk about the fact that it is a bit heavy because the mimos of its owner is always looking for with whom they try to sleep in bed, get on the couch, etc., so that we may have to put some limits.
By this character you can live with other dogs, provided they are not aggressive, and It is an ideal race when living with other pets, as with most bichones.
Intelligent and good guardian despite its size
Another characteristic of its character is intelligence, so this added to the fact that it always wants to please its owner, makes training it very simple, and hence it is a recommended race for rookies.
This intelligence is one of the "dangers" of the race, since if we do not show him that we are the leader (what with these dogs is not complicated) will soon discover our weak points and will serve them when he believes it convenient.
With the strangers, the character of the Boloñés bichon completely changes. It is usually reserved and distrustful to such an extent that it is said of it that It is a good guard dog, not because of its size or because it intimidates, but because it immediately bark and alerts us to the presence of Intruders.
Boloñes bichon care
Its appearance of cotton cloud or teddy bear has a price to pay and that is that of work that we are going to have to do in order to always keep your hair in perfect condition.
For this, we will have to Brush it daily with an adequate comb, which can be quite open metal spikes, always thought for soft hairs and in which some money will have to be invest in order to be quality, since we will be using it every day of the life of our dog.
It is important not to set aside the brushing, since if we do it, the hair will become a tangle of knots impossible to unravel, something that will lead to having to shave and take away its essence.
We will also have to visit the hairdressing several times a year and there we must ask about a good shampoo, since many of those in the market (especially the cheapest ones) can yellow their hair, which is a shame.
As for exercise, like all dogs, He needs to go out several times a day, but he will not ask us to be out or it is a dog with which to do sports. In fact, it is an ideal breed for older people, who walk at the soft rate every day.
Finishing this section, we must take into account that it is not a dog that can be alone. Nothing happens because one day we have to go and leave it at home, but if we absent a lot, we will have to look for a more independent breed.
Feeding
With the feeding of the Boloñés bichon you have to be careful, since we tend to give everything we eat and that makes you fat, something we should avoid.
The best way to hit with the feed is ask the breeder That the dog sells us, which will know the race well and can make a recommendation based on your experience of years feeding them.
Anyway, it is enough to buy a feed of good quality, with natural ingredients and without preservatives or dyes, which we will find in any specialized store or in the veterinary clinics.
It is very important that in this case the feed does not have artificial dyes, since otherwise it is possible that white hair begins to get yellow, what can also happen with quality if they carry corn or carrot.
The feed must have the small croquette, adapted to their mouth, and in the end the choice is made by trial and error, testing several brands until we find the one that best goes to our bichon.
Boloñes bichon health
Here is an inconvenience that has to do with the almost disappearance of the race, and that is that the breeders had to recover it with what there was, which meant many problems derived from consanguinity.
In fact, any breeder who has been with the Boloñés bichon can tell us that they have been working to improve aspects such as the longevity of the race, which was not the best, although that has already been overcome.
Among hereditary diseases we can appoint the luxation of a bruise and eye problems such as retinal atrophy, both very common in the bichones and here perhaps a little more frequent for the problems we have named before.
They also have another disease called White Dog Shaker syndrome. This consists of a tremor that is annoying, but does not harm the animal's health and that seems to have to do with stress situations.
Obesity is another pathology that has more to do with us than with the dog, because with these breeds we always tend to give whims and extra foods that should not be included in their diet, although luckily it is simple to stop.
If we see that it fattens, it is best to talk to the veterinarian and use a light left feed, always avoiding giving him whims that do not do any good.
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