Bolonoodle

The Bolonoodle is a fairly recently recognized hybrid, first named around 2005, and is a cross between the Bolognese, a lap dog for royalty, and the Poodle, a small and highly intelligent retriever. The Bolognese breed of dog is a little white bichon type dog that can be traced back to at least the 13th century in Italy. Many of the ruling class prized the little dogs and they were bred by both the Gonzaga and Medici families. Bolognese puppies were sometimes given as cherished gifts to visiting royal families and dignitaries. The breed fell out of favor during the industrial revolution or were killed with their royal families during revolutions, but breed fanciers in Europe began an effort to restore the Bolognese breed in the 1970’s and Bolognese dogs were brought to the United States from Russia in 1986.  The Poodle is more often seen as a companion animal, particularly the miniature and toy varieties, however, the Poodle was originally bred to be a retriever of waterfowl, much like the Labrador or Golden Retrievers, and can still fill that role quite admirably. In fact, their signature haircut reflects that history, with the length of the leg and the body shaved to reduce drag and prevent tangling in the weeds but the vital organs and the joints are still covered by a thick layer of protective hair. They are an ancient breed that was bred originally in Germany, however, they are often associated with France as the standard for the breed was established there. In most cases, the Bolonoodle is a combination of a Bolognese and a Miniature Poodle, but smaller Standard Poodles and Toy Poodles are also occasionally utilized.