“My Bolonka doesn’t have an undercoat.” I hear this sentence often, sometimes even at the dog salon. It’s not true. Every Bolonka has wool. You just have to learn how to recognize it.
“Undercoat” is the wrong word
The term is misleading because the wool in a Bolonka is not located just beneath the long hair. A Bolonka coat always has two hair types: wool hair and guard hair.
Except for a few exceptions, the wool hair also grows long if the coat is never trimmed. Just not quite as long as the guard hair.
How to tell them apart
| Feature | Wool hair | Guard hair |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | very fine, usually noticeably softer | stronger, soft to coarse depending on the dog |
| Color | less pigment, lighter, grayer on dark dogs | stronger in color |
| Growth | grows faster | grows slower |
| Lifespan | shorter lifespan and becomes lighter or grayer as it dies | longer lifespan |
| Length with untrimmed coat | long, but shorter than the guard hair | longest |
| Where it is particularly abundant | under the ears | on the ears and tail |
| In the brush | almost everything you comb out | hardly anything |
| Does it mat? | yes, felt is dead wool hair | can only become slightly matted |
One more detail: curls need soft wool. Guard hair can hardly form curls.
Why the Bolonka does not shed
The reason a Bolonka does not shed normally is due to the so-called furnishing mutation in the RSPO2 gene. It has nothing to do with a lack of wool. For you, this means: dead wool hair remains in the coat until you brush it out.
What shaving does to the coat
Wool hair grows faster than guard hair. Anyone who regularly trims or shaves the coat gives the wool a head start every time. The guard hair is gradually displaced until the dog is almost entirely covered in wool. You can see it in the coat:
- It looks soft and plush.
- If the dog has the curl mutation, it becomes noticeably curlier.
- The color becomes lighter, grayer on dark dogs.
A permanent puppy look is created. And that is exactly where the misconception about the lack of an undercoat comes from. Anyone who only sees wool hair can no longer distinguish between the two hair types and thinks the wool is guard hair.
A short coat is still an honest decision. Overall, grooming becomes easier. But there is one thing you need to know: cutting it off does not remove the dead wool. You can only do that with a brush and comb, no matter how long the coat is.
If you want to let the coat grow
If you no longer trim the coat, or only very occasionally trim the ends, the guard hair will gradually gain the upper hand. The color will become stronger again, and on black dogs, it will look more black than gray. Less gets caught in the coat, and grooming becomes easier.
This takes patience. At first, the wool will grow long, along with some rather coarse guard hair. At a length of 6 to 7 cm, the wool will still clearly be the majority because it grows faster and there is more of it. It can take a good two years for the normal coat structure to return. It is slightly different for every dog.
What helps is regularly and carefully removing the dead wool. Then the guard hair can grow back. Over time, you will see and feel the difference between the two hair types yourself.
A word about the dog salon
Shaving is quick. Removing wool and detangling, on the other hand, is hours of manual work, and hardly anyone wants to pay for it. That is why Bolonkas and other Bichon breeds are often shaved, and the myth of the Bolonka without wool persists.
There are dog groomers who know this coat very well. Simply ask at your next appointment whether they also remove wool and how long it takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Bolonka have an undercoat?
Yes. Every Bolonka has two hair types: wool hair and guard hair. How much wool it has varies from dog to dog.
What mats on a Bolonka?
Almost always the dead wool hair. Guard hair can only become slightly matted.
Why does a Bolonka not shed?
Because of the furnishing mutation in the RSPO2 gene. Dead hair does not fall out; instead, it gets caught in the coat and must be brushed out.
Should a Bolonka be shaved?
A short coat makes grooming easier. However, with frequent shaving, the coat will eventually be almost entirely covered in wool and become lighter and plushier. You have to brush out the dead wool either way.