Kaikadi vs Bolognese - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Bolognese has already been on record since the 13th century, being particularly popular among the aristocracy during the Renaissance. The breed hails from Italy. He belongs to a family of dogs that include the Maltese and Bichon Frise, all with similar temperaments and looks. Even though there are these similarities the Bolognese is a breed on its own – a distinctive breed.

The exact ancestry of the Bolognese isn’t altogether clear. The dog breed was brought to England in 1990 by Liz Stannard and it was in 2001 that the breed was shown at dog shows. He is classified as a toy companion breed.

The Kaikadi or Kai Kadi is a terrier dog, hailing from India. Not much is available on the history of the dog, but today you won't easily find original Kai Kadi in India. This is because they have essentially been mixed with stray dogs of India as well as Pariah.

It is for this reason that the dog isn't recognized as a standardized breed by any of the leading kennel clubs.

The long, flocked white coat doesn’t have an undercoat and the large, round, dark eyes peer out of a cloud of white hair. His hair sheds very little and some owners of the Bolognese like to keep the woolly hair texture trimmed. He has black nails and a largish black nose. He is a small dog, with the male standing between 27–30cm and the female being slightly smaller.

These little dogs weigh in at about 4kg. A toy breed, he is considered to be a true companion dog. He is compact and squarely built with his floppy ears set high on his head. The long tail is carried curved over the dog’s back.

He is a friendly, social dog and can very easily become a typical lap-dog because he just craves human companionship. He wants to be with you and close to your side, whether you live in the city or in the countryside – he adapts to life wherever you are.

These dog have always been used for hunting, guarding and herding in India and today he makes a good watchdog, watching over his human family.

It's not a large dog though and he stands at roughly 35 to 45cm in height and weighs 17 to 21kg. He is lean and muscular, looking similar to the Italian Greyhound or Whippet.

He has a short smooth coat and the color can be patterned white, tan and black. The head is long and thin, as are the legs, and his tail is long and thin too. The floppy ears stand erect when alert.

Temperament:

The Kaikadi is an affectionate, alert, energetic dog. He won't do well in a city environment with a tiny garden as he requires a large garden to run in.

He is a dog that will need to be trained and socialized if you want him to be obedient and to get on well with children in the home as well as pets.

He can be a fairly quiet, docile dog inside but outside when there is a game to be had, he becomes lively and animated. They are quite sensitive, so while they get on well with children in the home, he won’t respond well to large families with lots of rowdy, undisciplined children as it makes him anxious.

The Bolognese is an easy-going, playful, intelligent little dog who will respond well to training and socialization. He can actually become calm and docile dog, although never dull as he can sometimes act like a clown and be quite entertaining. He makes a wonderful pet and becomes a loyal and devoted companion to adults and children.

Non-aggressive by nature, he will be friends with other pets in the home too. He is a small dog, so he isn’t going to be highly active and therefore won’t need loads of exercise, although he will love to go for a walk with you. He’ll also want to have games with the ball. He is such an amicable little dog and will easily adapt to life in the city or country, so long as he can be loved and cherished by his owners.

Your Kai Kadi loves running and playing outside, after all he has always been a hunting dog. He will love to spend time with you outside playing.

The Kaikadi is a low maintenance dog too. Provide your Kaikadi with everything that makes a dog happy and in exchange you’ll get yourself a loyal, loving pet who wants to be your friend.

Because this particular dog breed is uncommon, you won’t find many details on his health problems. When he is well looked after, he can reach 14 years of age. The Bolognese is from the Bichon Frise family so you can expect similar health problems, and also because he is a pedigree dog.

Skin problems – battling with itchy skin conditions are a typical problem with the Bolognese.

Ear infections are common because of a lot of hair in the ear which can collect dirt.

Eye diseases - cataracts which can eventually lead to blindness.

Other health problems to watch for are heart disease, and epilepsy. Periodontitis is something you want to keep an eye on too because the small jaw is prone to developing periodontal infection which can lead to tooth loss.

Remember if you don’t want your Bolognese to be a parent, neutering and spaying provides major health benefits for your dogs.

When you’ve got a Kai Kadi, make sure you understand some of the health risks that come along. This is a healthy dog breed so you’re not likely to have much going wrong with him, but you need to know that he can get sick and then you need to have the name of a good vet for medical treatment -

Hypoglycemia:

A sudden drop in blood sugar, which is many times brought on by stress, can make your dog lethargic and even have slight tremors in the face. It could be a hypoglycemic attack. See the vet immediately.

Pancreatitis:

The pancreatitis can become inflamed and your dog could be vomiting, have diarrhea and have abdominal pain. There are quite a few things that can cause pancreatitis such as obesity, infection as well as stress.

His Coat

The little Bolognese isn’t a big shedder so he isn’t a high maintenance pet. His long cloud of white hair can’t just be left though, because it will become tangled and dirty. Get the right grooming tools because his hair will require a good brushing every 2nd day or so. Professional grooming will also be required to keep his coat in tip-top condition.

Feeding your Bolognese

You may want to use commercially manufactured dog food from leading brands recommended by your vet for small breed dogs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but just like you want some variety in your diet, so does your pet.

Rice, meat and vegetables can be added into his food now and then as well as ensuring he has some raw meat in his diet. This is important if you want to ensure the health of your dog. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Clean your pet’s ears

You can actually buy pet ear cleaners but you have to very careful not to go too deep into your pet’s ears as this can cause damage.

Teeth

Brush your dog’s teeth a couple of times a week. Never use human toothpaste. You can buy special dog’s toothpaste and toothbrush.

Owning a dog is a responsibility, requiring you to look after a living being just like you would any family member of yours, otherwise why get a dog in the first place?

You may want a dog for watchdog purposes, but as a living creature, it is important to develop a relationship with your pet and to show him that you love and appreciate him.

There are many things to do to ensure you have a healthy, happy 4-legged canine member in your household

Make sure he has fresh, cool water available to him around the clock.

Provide him with a warm, dry place to sleep.

Provide him with wholesome food to maintain health. There are many excellent commercially manufactured foods on the market. Buy one according to the size and energy levels of your pet. Try to sometimes add cooked home-made food into his kibble such as cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables as well as some raw meat from time to time. This diet is guaranteed to keep your pet mentally and physically well.

Check your pets nails, ears and eyes regularly. He should be checked for fleas and ticks when you brush him twice a week. Have him examined by a veterinarian as soon as you suspect something is amiss with him. Keep him up to date with his vaccinations.

The Kaikadi is an energetic dog so make sure that you provide him with the opportunity to be exercised. Take him on walks or hikes, play ball and rope games with him and go swimming with him to ensure he remains lean and muscular.

Have him trained and socialized as it takes off the rough-edges of a dog.