Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
As you can tell from the name, the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka is a dog breed from Russia. The first ancestors of Bolonka got into Russia most likely in 18th century, when King Louis IV of France presented a small Maltese-type dog as a gift to the Russian nobility. The breed was developed during the Soviet era, most likely in 1960s. During this time, small toy dogs were viewed as unnecessary and no small dogs were imported into the country. But people in Russia wanted a toy sized lap dog with a mild mannered temperament for apartment living, which is why new dog breed was developed from breeds that were already in Russia, such as Maltese, Bolognese, Toy Poodle or Bichon Frisé.
2) Companion
The only true purpose and utilization of Russian Bolonka is companionship. They were bred for being great loveling, playful and cheerful companions and that is exactly what they are. These dogs should be very people oriented, friendly and always happy. They are typically very good with kids, but of course, the kid should know how to treat small dogs gently. The Russian Bolonka also typically does not have problems with other dogs or pets in the family, especially if they are raised together from the puppyhood.
3) Apartment dog
Russian Bolonka was literally bred to be apartment dog, so its no wonder they will easily adapt to live even in tiny apartment. But even though it is a small lap dog, this is still a playful breed that definitely needs daily outdoor walk or playtime to stay healthy and happy. But this is definitely not a hyperactive dog breed and as i said, these dogs will happily live even in tiny apartments. They will be happy anywhere, if they are with their people.
4) Name
The word Tsvetnaya in the breeds name can be translated into english as „colored“ and indeed, these dogs come in different colors. The word Bolonka means lapdog, so the breeds name can be literally translated as Russian colored lapdog. BTW, the correct plural form of Bolonka is not Bolonkas, but Bolonki.
5) Coat and color
So what are the colors of the Russian Colored Lapdog? The breed comes in variety of colors, including black, brown, gray, red, white and wolf-gray, rarely in blue, fawn or cream. The coat is relatively long and it should have curls or waves. Great fact is, that the Bolonki coat sheds only a very very little.
6) Size
This is a very small lap dog with squared body, meaning that the back should not be longer than the legs. The average height is typically between 9-11 inches, which is 22-28 cm and weight is usually between 5-11 lbs, which is 2-5 kg. There are no extreme size differences between males and females.
7) Rarity
For a long time, this breed could only be found in the area of Soviet Union and it would be impossible to find them anywhere else. Some dogs were imported into other countries since the 1978, but the dogs popularity in other countries truly started in 1990s with the fall of Iron Curtain and Soviet Union. Today, these dogs are still considered as rare, but you can find them in smaller numbers in almost all European countries, but also in many Asian countries or in North America.
8) Other Bichons
Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka is one of the youngest and rarest of all Bichon breeds. All the Bichon breeds have similar characteristics, which is mainly their friendly and affectionate temperament, people oriented personality and almost nonshedding coat. And what are the other members of Bichon family? Those would be Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Havanese, Maltese and Lowchen.
9) Maintenance
The Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka is relatively high maintenance dog breed. The coat must be brushed regularly, even daily, to prevent matting, because the coat does mat quite easily. His entire body must be brushed; a comb may be used on ears, beard and legs. On the other hand, thanks to the fact, that the coat is almost non shedding, this dog can be a great partner for people suffering from allergies, as there is a high chance that they will not trigger the allergies. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
10) Health
The Russian Bolonka is known as healthy and sturdy breed with avearge lifespan around 14 or 15 years, which is very good. Of course, just like any other dog breed, even the Bolonka may suffer from some health issues, which might include patellar luxation and hip dysplasia, liver shunt, hypothyroidism or different allergies.