Petzlover
Bichon Bolognese is originated from Spain but Spitz is originated from Russia. Bichon Bolognese may grow 66 cm / 25 inches shorter than Spitz. Bichon Bolognese may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Spitz. Both Bichon Bolognese and Spitz has almost same life span. Bichon Bolognese may have less litter size than Spitz. Bichon Bolognese requires Low Maintenance. But Spitz requires Moderate Maintenance
The Bichon Bolognese is one of 4 types of Bichon breeds the others being the Havense, the Bichon Frise and the Maltese. The Lowchen and the Coton de Tulear are also listed in this grouping at times. The Bolognese was developed in Italy and is a small, companion animal. They are named after the city of Bologna in Northern Italy. The Bichon Bolognese is considered a toy dog and are considered an ancient breed that lived with Italian nobility. Their precise ancestry is not known and the Maltese is considered its closest relative. They have been known to exist since at least 1200.
The Bichon Bolognese is found in many works of art throughout the centuries. They were the favorite of many an Italian artist since the 17th century including Titian, Watteau, Gosse and Goya. They were known to be owned by Duke Frederico Gonzaga, Madame De Pompadour, Catherine the Great of Russia and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Cosimo de Medici gave eight Bolognese to Belgian noblemen. The Duke d’Este was given two as a gift.
Of all the Bichon group – the Bolognese is the hardest to find and the best problem solver. They read body language amazingly well, stick with their owners and are attentive and devoted. Liz Stannard brought them to England in 1990 and they were entered in the breed registry that same year and joined the show ring cycle in 2001. By 2002 they were shown at Crufts, England’s International Dog Show.
A spitz is not a breed of dog, but rather a “group or family” of dogs that has its roots in Germany. Within this family there are a variety of breeds that were bred for very specific purposes by people in many different parts of the world. The spitz family can be toy dog size up to vey large. Examples run from the Pomeranian to the Canadian Eskimo Dog.
The Spitz family dogs share the look of thick, long fur and pointed muzzles, ears and curly tail. Despite their German name, they are thought to originally be of East Asia or Artic descent. Most of today’s spitz are from Siberia’s Artic region, first described in 1788 and in English in 1792. Spitz have been bred for three types of jobs depending upon where they were developed. These jobs included pulling, herding and hunting.
There are very powerful and large Spitz breeds that pull or hunt large game. Examples of these breeds are the Swedish Elkhound, the Akita Inu, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog. The smaller sized breeds like the Samoyed hunted small mammals and birds, while the Finnish Lapphund, Lapponian Herder, and Swedish Lapphund herded, hunted and pulled small sleds.
The three largest spitz also pulled sleds throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In most places the Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Alakan Malamute and the Greenland dog were used in sled racing and fur trapping while in Canada and Alaska the Siberian Husky was used for the same things.
Recently there have been genetic tests that show a large number of dogs that are considered Spitz type so share many strong ancestral ties and DNA similarities with wild wolves. It is now believed that a lot of these breeds were intentionally mated with wolves and some were accidental. Both domestic and wild dogs are included in this history.
Most spitz are made for cold weather, even today’s lapdogs, like the Pomeranian, do not do well in hot climates.
Like the other members of the Bichon group, the Bolognese is a compact, little white dog. It is considered a member of the toy group and is stocky in its build. It is a muscled, square dog of medium length with an ovoid skull and large, square, black muzzle. The jaw is well developed, and they have black lips, black nose and black eyelids. They have a straight muzzle with a strong, aligned bite and its eyes are round and wide. They have long, high set ears that hang down to a rigid base. The coat is white, long and shorter only at the muzzle. The coat is fluffy but not fringed.
Most of the spitz breeds share a “look” that includes erect ears, stocky heavy, usually double coats, a pointed muzzle, thick, fluffy ruffs and a heavy curled tail carried high over the body. Build for northern climates they are insulated by a undercoat that is waterproof and dense and a less dense topcoat. Their ears are small to prevent frostbite and their paws have thick fur to protect them in the frigid, icy terrain.
Many still have wolf-like looks and tendencies. Some are very difficult to train to be companions – the Akita, Chow and especially the Karelian Bear Dog – fall into this category. Many mixed breed dogs are also considered members of the Spitz family. These dogs are easy to recognize as spitz because of these physical characteristics
These little white dogs with the shaggy hair are intelligent, loving, playful, loyal, and happy to do whatever you ask them to. They are more reserved than their relative the Bichon Frise. They are great at obedience training and seem to love it. They learn quickly and love to please you, yet they can also be very stubborn. Like the Bichon Frise, they are difficult to housebreak. They need to be with their people who they will develop bad habits and a bad attitude. They are bred to be companion dogs. If socialized when young they are great with strangers after you have indicated that the strangers are ok. They are barking watchdogs but not continuous barkers. They get along with other dogs but are ok by themselves as well. They do get separation anxiety when their people are gone for extended periods of time. They can be very serious and docile, but they love to be with people. They are very loyal and very bonded to their family.
Be sure you are the pack leader as they can acquire Small Dog Syndrome. With this syndrome the dog comes to believe he is the alpha and the humans are his pack. This causes many kinds of problems with behavior including howling when not getting attention, their separation anxiety and destructiveness can also come from this.
Like others in the Bichon group, they have moving kneecaps (luxating patella’s). They also have some eye conditions. They should be tested for any genetic issues, although the breed is a very healthy one and they do not usually have major health issues.
It is a little harder to characterize the health issues of a family of dogs than it is a .will overheat in hot climates due to their double coats. Here are some propensities of dogs in the Spitz family.
• Thrombopathia bleeding disorder with the risk of a hemorrhage, platets don’t clot.
• Larger breeds are affected by Elbow and Hip dysplasia that can cause arthritis and lameness.
Like other toy breeds do not overfeed the Bolognese. Feed them ¼ of a cup of high quality dry food once a day. Treats are often used for training just be judicious with them.
They are very healthy with a propensity toward: Moving kneecaps (Luxating patella)
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease – This causes the thigh bones to shrink due to a loss of blood supply. It can be repaired surgically.
Periodontal Disease due to their small mouth size.
They need to walk everyday but they can be couch potatoes. One long 20-minute walk will do or a couple 10-minute walks.
While Bolognese are perfectly happy to lounge around the house, they should also have a daily walk.[7] A suitable walk would be around 20–25 minute a couple of times a day or substitute 10-minute walks a few times a day. They love to play off-lead, whether its in the house or in a fenced in yard or dog park.
1Feeding the puppy The Spitz family has high energy needs but in a slow-release so they need protein more than grain. Puppies should be fed 3-4x a day in small meals. Don’t overfeed them.
2.Feeding the adult – The Spitz type dog stores their energy to use in extended periods when working or playing. They will become obese if overfed or if they don’t get enough exercise. Feed 2-3X a day in small or medium sized meals, even the larger breeds because of their storage of calories.
4. Games and Exercises – Having been bred for endurance and stamina most Spritz breed need plenty of exercise, lots of space and lots of play. They love to run, jog, or play games. They are outdoors types who love to hike, and run or walk for long times over long distances. They are great in cold, wet weather but not so good in the heat. How much exercise they need depends on the size and history of the specific breeds. Most love to play with other dogs, so dog parks and dog day care can both be good choices for most of them. Agility, barnhunt, field trials, pulling games are all good choices.
