They will bark to alert you as they have excellent hearing but are not a yappy breed. They are certainly not a guard dog, once you open the door they are well behind you!

Exercise is whatever you do. These dogs just love being with their owners and so if you hill walk, they will hill walk, if you are a couch potato, they will be a couch potato.

They enjoy the company of children but as with all dogs this needs to be supervised. Remember ‘Toys aren’t us’! They get on well with other dogs especially big dogs who seem to tolerate Bolognese well. Because they are intelligent they are easily trained, but there still needs to be some degree of commitment by the owner. Don’t expect the puppy to do it all himself!

Grooming
They need less grooming than it first appears. As this is a non-shedding coat it requires a good comb, right down to the skin, about twice weekly with a wide toothed comb. This can be hairy, but it can be controlled. Do it in the garage or in the garden. The more you comb, the more coat is removed. Over-grooming leads to a sparse coat.

Appearance
Bolognese give the overall appearance of a square dog. They stand at between 25-30cm at the shoulder. Shading especially on the ears of a puppy is not unusual but this often fades as the pup matures. They should have a large black nose and black rims around the eyes. The tail should be carried across the back when on the move but often falls when the dog is relaxed. This is a relatively rare breed with only just over 200 registered with the Kennel Club. Puppies are sometimes available but anybody wishing to purchase one would be lucky to get one straight away. There is usually up to a four-month wait.

History
This breed goes back to the 14th century and was often owned by the high nobility of Europe. They were highly prized and were often given as gifts. As the nobility fell throughout Europe these dogs were thrown onto the streets and became street dogs, learning to survive. Sailors took them onto ships and they became ratters. This is thought to be the route to other breeds from the Bolognese. It is said that the original breed was the Bolognese and from it came the Maltese, Bichon Frise, Lowchen, Havanese and Coton de Tuleur