History of the breed  -  Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka

 

History of this breed which was bred in Leningrad is tightly connected with genesis and evolution of breeding in this city. At the beginning of fifties of twentieth century the group of fans under leading of past master – Zanetta Augustovna Cesnokovova adopted the idea for breeding of Russian decorative miniature dog breed. In 1951 in one of first litters of black female called Tin-Tin and brown male called Pufik was born beige female called Lu-Lu. In that time there was just a few miniature dogs of  the same phenotype (size, color, hair type etc.) so they decided to import beige female called Trifon fro Hungary and from circus which was on the tour in Leningrad was bought coffee color female called Zu-Zu. Female Lu-Lu had with beige male called Ezik two litters in which were white as well as black puppies. In this phase of breed creation there was actively added blood of foreign miniature breeds like Maltese, Shih-tzu, Lhasa-apso, Bolognese etc.

 

At the end of fifties, also thanks to strict selection according to phenotype, arise a group of homogenous individuals with very similar exterior. In next phase since 1962 they used selection according to selection pointers which was most effective. During realization of such selection there was at the first place necessity to sort animals adequately. Active creation of breeding ancestry allowed realize genealogical grouping of individuals. They also used sorting based on results of complex evaluation according to phenotype and genotype – animal muster.

 

Base milestones in the history:

1951 – first pair of dogs of black and brown color was found

1958 – first record in studbook LOOOiR under name “Bolonka”

1965 – at 50th  anniversary dog show performed 278 dogs of sixteen breeds, including “Cvetna Bolonka”

1966 – standard of “Tsvetnaya Bolonka” was approved by Cynology Council of Soviet Union

1973 – 57th  show of hunting and companion dog. Performed 10 individuals of “Russikaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka”

1974 – 58th show of hunting and companion dog. Performed 43 individuals of “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka”

 

As mentioned above at the beginning of seventies the breed appeared and started to spread also in Moscow and Moscow region. Long time was the basic center of selection and genetics work MGOLS, which was established in autumn 1973. Leader of the section of “Russian Cvetna Bolonka” is till now Tamara Vasiljevna Podacinova.

 

The beginning of eighties is possible to call as favorable time for “Tsvetnaya Bolonka” – abundant, stable breed, wide popularity, devoted leading breeders. In the work of Julia Michailovna Zvonarevova expert of republic format continued: T. Vojevodina, D. A. Ovcarenko, G. A. Isajeva – all of them experts of 2nd class. The last leading breeder in Leningrad was E. F. Kererova.

 

The modern appearance and phenotype specialty has the breed thanks to long lasting and fruitful cooperation of experts – dogmen from Leningrad (next called St. Peterburg) and Moscow who during years since beginning of nineties elevate the breed to higher level of evolution. Thanks to professional breeding work and active popularization of the breed at the end of eighties and the beginning of nineties significantly increased the number of “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka”. In MGOLS emerged abundant ancestry and breeds from which was best known ancestry of dog called Filipka and his descendants called Toto and Vlada Toto.

The beginning of nineties was in Moscow in token of establishing of big amount of breeding kennels and breeder’s clubs which continued in the work of improvement of the breed. Best known are: “Russkaya Istorija” (basic ancestry Terika, Grazdanina Mojej strany), “Iz centra Chakis” (basic ancesrtry Ferdinanda Bibo), “Ruscanis” (basic ancestry Ruscanis Bum-Bum), “S berega Jauzy” (breed – descendants of female Zoltaya Zemcuzinka).

 

Since 2000 the interest about the breed appeared again in St. Peterburg. Lot of breeders and breeding clubs have started to engage of it. Highest number of “Tsvetnaya Bolonka” is concentrated in kennels: “Nevskaya Uslada” (ancestry – Umka, Polnocnyj Perepoloch and Atos), “S volcej Zemli”, “Kolizej” (ancestry – Fortunata Jasnogo).

 

Specialty of exterior which differ our breed from others small companion breeds: Most breeders of “Tsvetnaya Bolonka” in Russian federation along with last approved standard (now the only valid) for the breed “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka” from January 30, 1997 (Bulletin RKF No. 4) appreciate mainly whole single color coating: black, brown, foxy and its shades, for the time being are exceptionally tolerated colors with tan.

 

Next specialty is size and weight. Historically is “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka” miniature breed, so for breeding must be set lower and higher limit of size and weight and desired their optimal values. Most optimal values for this breed are: height 20 – 24 cm, weight 3 – 4 kg for both male and female.

 

And of course at the first sight at “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka“ you can’t blink rich coat. At “Russkaya Tsvetnaya Bolonka” must be long, dense, curly or light crinkly with distinctive undergrowth. Special attention should be paid to hair at the nose. Dogs with most rich ornate beard should be preferably used for breeding.

 

Unfortunately without early knowledge of standard the breeders battle with deficiencies or defects of exterior where the basic are:

  1. exceeding of height limit (individuals higher than 28 cm)
  2. changed head proportion (longer nose, not expressed transition of nose and face)
  3. insufficient amount of hair on the body and mainly on the nose
  4. different color than basic (black, brown, and their attenuated variants beige and gray)
  5. presence of white spots not accepted by standard

 

Still there is lot of problems in breeding but I believe that they will be overcome and the breed will be popularized around the world.

 

Vitaly Kudryavtsev

kennel “Nevskaya Uslada”

 

Thank Mr.Kudryavtsev for article describing the history of the breed, which he wrote me and for a beautiful dog Shokolad.

 

Note:

in Russian language “Bolonka” means the dog from the group of Bichons eg.

Bichon a poil frise = Bolonka Francuskaya

Maltese = Bolonka Maltanskaya

Havanese = Bolonka Gavanskaya

Bolognese = Bolonka Italianskaya