MyDogBreedsRussian Harlequin Hound is originated from Russia but Bichon Bolognese is originated from Spain. Russian Harlequin Hound may grow 64 cm / 26 inches higher than Bichon Bolognese. Both Russian Harlequin Hound and Bichon Bolognese are having almost same weight. Russian Harlequin Hound may live 3 years less than Bichon Bolognese. Russian Harlequin Hound may have more litter size than Bichon Bolognese. Both Russian Harlequin Hound and Bichon Bolognese requires Low maintenance.
The origins of the Russian Harlequin Hound are somewhat vague as there are many Russian hunting hounds and many of them have a similar ancestry.
The Russian Harlequin Hound is an indigenous hound whose origins go back to the 18th century. The first breed standard was published in 1925.
The breed was then developed during the early 1900s – being a mix of Russian Hound and English Foxhound. The Russian Harlequin Hound is a rare dog breed and you will find it almost exclusively in Russia.
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.
The Russian Harlequin Hound is a medium to large sized dog that stands between 55 – 68cm in height and weighs between 18 – 31kg.
He has a solid build with long, straight legs with a long tail that can be slightly curved. The head is broad and square with medium sized ears which are floppy. The short coat is essentially white with tri-colored markings of white, tan and black.
The Russian Harlequin Hound has an amicable expression to his face and is a friendly social dog breed. He is lively and energetic, and with his hunting background will required a good deal of exercise.
They make great family pets, getting on well with children in the home and making friends with any other pets in the family. He is a gentle dog and with training and socialization is well mannered and obedient.
He loves his human family and wants to spend time with them in their company. He isn't suited to life in the city and a small property, but will require a home with bigger grounds.
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.
The Russian Harlequin Hound has always been a hunting dog, known for his excellent hunting skills. He isn’t only a good hunting dog, but he makes a good family pet too.
If you’re looking for an unusual dog breed that is also intelligent, loyal and loving, then you might want to consider this Russian Harlequin Hound.
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.
Your Russian Harlequin Hound is a rare dog breed that can reach 12 years of age if well cared for. There are some dog ailments that must be watched for. Cancer, ear infections and skin allergies can be problems to look out for. Other troublesome ailments can be -
This is a more common disease with deep-chested dogs, and the deep chested Russian Harlequin Hound is prone to bloat. Gas is trapped in the stomach and the stomach can actually twist. It can be life threatening. Your pet will have a hard, swollen belly and will be restless and salivating. Get him to the vet immediately. He may well require immediate surgery.
This condition is all about problems with the hip joints. It is sad for any dog with this disease as it can be painful for your pet to walk. Inflammation and arthritis can mean your pet being in pain. He can become lame too.
There are anti-inflammatory medications and your vet will suggest other treatments to make sure your pet is as comfortable as can be.
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.
The Russian Harlequin Hound needs both mental and physical stimulation. He is a curious dog and wants to be out and about sniffing around and exploring. He will need to have a walk every day as well as lots of ball- and rope games. He will suit being the pet of a busy, outdoorsy family as opposed to a family of couch potatoes.
The Russian Harlequin Hound is looked upon as a low maintenance dog breed, and with his short, dense coat you can get by with just brushing him twice a week. Because he is such a lover of the outdoors check him over for ticks and fleas when you brush him.
Check inside his ears for redness and infection.
Open his mouth and look for bad, rotting teeth.
Check him over for any unusual lumps.
Make sure his eyes are clear and free of discharge.
Trim his nails.
Every dog should be fed excellent food as this encourages good health. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be wonderfully convenient and nutritious if you get the better quality ones.
Try and include some simple, tasty home-made food to his diet . High-quality dry dog food will provide a balanced diet, but you want to make it a little more tasty for him by giving him some chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. This can be added into the dry kibble twice a week.
Try and include some raw meat occasionally. Fresh, cool water should always be available around the clock.
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.