The Bolonka coat is not as difficult as it would appear. Below are a few suggestions if you would like to maintain a beautiful coat on your Bolonka.
Step One- Keep the coat clean. A weekly bath is not as much work as it would seem although some prefer their companions to be kept in a teddy bear cut. However, this does take away from the distinctive look of the breed.
Before the Bath
- Completely brush out all mats gently, with a pin brush, using a leave-in conditioning spray as you brush. If you find a mat, use some spray and your fingers to separate the mat. Then use the brush again to complete the coat.
- Be sure all mats are out prior to getting your Bolonka wet. Do not attempt to bathe prior to getting the mats out as it will just deepen the mat and make it even more difficult to remove.
- Trim the hair between the pads of the feet. If the dog has a long coat and they are walking on it, cut and round off the hair on the feet to prevent matting on the feet.
- Trim nails as needed. Nails should not touch the ground. Bi-monthly nail trimming is recommended as a minimum.
- Trim hair around the anal area to keep it debris free.
Shampooing the Bolonka
- Dampen the coat with tepid water [lukewarm]. Using a paraben-free/sulfate-free shampoo, dilute in a separate 16-20 oz. bottle 1-part of shampoo to 4-parts water. Shake well, and apply shampoo to the wet coat. Do not rub the coat, but work the shampoo from the skin to the ends of the hair, getting the coat clean. RINSE WELL. When you hear squeaking, you have all the shampoo out.
- Dilute the conditioner 3:1 in a separate bottle. [Only use conditioner straight when the coat is especially dry or needs a little more conditioner]. RINSE WELL.
- Blot coat with a towel. Never rub or fluff coat with a towel since that can cause matting.
- Using a quality leave-in spray conditioner, gently brush through the coat. You may go back through the coat with a comb to make sure you do not have any matting in the wet coat.
- Place the dog in a crate or allow it with NO bedding or allow it to run free without laying on any TOWELS or other things until they are dry. Leaving your Bolonka on a towel while wet can and most of the time will, cause a severely matted coat.
After the Bath:
- Once the dog is dry, line-brush the coat to make sure there are no mats or tangles. Split the coat into small sections so you can reach the skin and brush the coat. It is suggested to go back through the coat with a light mist of spray conditioner and a comb to check your work.
- You may pull the hair on top of the head with a non-rubber band into one or two ponytails to keep the coat out of the eyes. This is to prevent eye ulcers and debris from entering the eyes.
These steps are done once a week for long-coated dogs and twice monthly for dogs that are cut down. If you do a thorough brushing/comb out mid-week it will shorten your time before the bath. It is recommended that the bands on the ponytail should be changed daily to prevent breakage of the coat on the top of the head.