MAINTENANCE: The coat does not require trimming in the true sense, when it comes to Bolognese. But needs care and attention, with regular combing to prevent tangles from forming. These dogs are shown in their natural state, but sometimes pet dogs are trimmed (scissored), as with the family pet Bichon Frise and Poodle. They are bathed and conditioned frequently, and sometimes put into a “lamb”-type clip. Pet dogs are often trimmed with a snap-on comb for an allover uniform length.

PROCEDURE

Equipment needed: Wide-toothed comb.

Breed tip: Initial thorough combing will save you a lot of hard work.

• Comb the dog through from the roots to the ends with a wide-toothed comb. Then work through the coat with a medium comb to remove dead hair and tangles. All this should be done before you even start to contemplate bathing your Bolognese.
• Bathe the dog with a protein pH-balanced shampoo.
• Rinse thoroughly to ensure all traces of shampoo are removed from the flocks.
• Use a quality antimat conditioner, and rinse if the instructions advise.
• Cage- or lightly blow-dry, using a diffuser. Use your fingertips to help circulate air throughout the coat. Part any hair that may have matted onto the skin, forming a felt. This will not happen if the dog is thoroughly groomed beforehand.
• Check the dog’s nails, ears and teeth.
• Check under the dog’s pads, removing excess or clogged hair.
• Where the dog is trimmed down to a manageable length, use only a coarse blade (such as an Oster No. 7, or a No. 40 with 2-inch/1.25-cm attachment).

GOLDEN RULES

The golden rule when grooming the Bolognese is never to bathe the dog without first giving the coat a thorough combing through, otherwise the coat will become very matted.

The dog is laid flat on its side on a table or towel spread across a lap. A long-toothed wide-spaced comb is worked through the coat, a small section at a time, and care must be taken to groom right down to the skin. The legs, feet, face and ears are groomed with a smaller shorter-toothed comb, as the hair here is shorter and of a finer texture.

After thoroughly combing with a wide comb, follow with a finer comb to ensure all knots are removed. Done gently, dog and owner will enjoy the experience. The dog is now ready for bathing.

BATHING

Using a sprayer to ensure an even distribution of water, wet the dog thoroughly with warm water, and apply a shampoo especially designed for white dogs. To prevent unnecessary matting, try to keep the hand motion straight rather than rubbing in circles. Lather well, smoothing the shampoo through the coat. Rinse thoroughly and apply a conditioner to help stop the coat from knotting. After rinsing, towel-dry.

DRYING

The unique coat will now fall into very loose curls (rather like a shaggy perm). It can be left to dry naturally in a warm room or it can be lightly blow-dried using a hair-dryer with a diffuser.

WEEKLY CARE

The coat needs to be combed twice a week. Some tangles will require extra attention — a touch of hair-dressing cream can help to combat the static that causes this.

PUPPY COAT

A puppy coat needs more attention as it is of a finer texture and changes gradually to an adult coat by the time the dog is about 18 months old. The coat does not molt, but a little hair does come out each time you comb.
No trimming is required for the show ring, but hair can be removed between the pads. Pet dogs are frequently cut down shorter.

Watch this video to learn how to trim your Bolognese’ coat using scissors and clippers.