Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka Breed Magazine - Showsight

THE RUSSIAN TSVETNAYA BOLONKA COAT

(COLORED BICHON)

BY DENISE DANG, RTBCA SECRETARY

T he coat of the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka is one of the main characteristics of the breed that distin- guishes it from other Toy breeds. The coat has a nat- ural curl, and the head has a beard and moustache which create the breed’s charming appearance. To achieve and maintain the curl in the coat, it is recommended by breeders that the Bolonkas are allowed to dry naturally, allowing the natural oils to remain. From the Standard: “The coat is long, dense, thick, soft, and supple, with a well-developed undercoat. The coat forms large curls (preferred) or may be very wavy. The head has a well- developed beard and moustache. The coat is never deliberately parted.” The coat should not be straight.

BIO Denise Dang has been showing dogs since she was about 12 years old. She started with her parents’ Schnauzer. In 1992, after getting married and settling down a bit, Denise decided she wanted to get into showing dogs. She started with a German Shepherd Dog, but soon learned that this breed was a bit more competitive than she needed. In 1999, Denise’s daughter found a Redbone Coonhound pup, and as they say, the rest was history. She has bred several champions and was given the honor of an invitation to the 2016 and 2018 Westminster KC Dog Show. But, Denise noted that as we The coat comes in any color “except solid white, spotted, par- ti-color or merle.” A small amount of white on toes and forechest is permitted. Puppies will begin to change coat gradually over time, starting at about six months. Some puppies do not have an abundant curl prior to this change, but it forms as they get older. By the age of 12 months, most Bolonka have a completely changed coat and have their full curls. There are various levels of curl; large and small ringlets or just big waves. The coat should never be straight or lack undercoat. If a judge cannot tell if an exhibit has the correct coat due to being blown dry or straightened, it is lacking a key characteristic of the breed and must be faulted for that.

age, the larger dogs are a bit more than we can handle. So, in 2017, she decided to start looking for a smaller breed. After more than a year of research, Denise narrowed it down to a couple of breeds; however, to her surprise, she was introduced to the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka at a dog show. She was immediately smitten. Asking a lot of questions and doing months of research, Denise found the perfect girl for herself. She traveled to Belarus and imported her first Bolonka. Denise is devoted to the preservation of this breed. In 2018, after having imported her girl, Denise joined the RTBCA and was elected Secretary in 2021.

266 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022

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