Showsight Magazine | August 2026

Meet the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka

THE “ULTIMATE HOUSE PET” WITH A DISHEVELED APPEARANCE

“Steele” GCHB Showboat’s Etched In Steele @SFR CM 34

Small, cheerful, and full of charm, the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka is a rare Toy breed developed in Russia as a loving lapdog. With its soft, wavy coat and bright expression, the Bolonka is affectionate and adaptable. Though small, they are sturdy and often have a comical, endearing personality. Sociable with people and other dogs, they make excellent apartment companions and thrive on interaction and companionship.

Bolonki (plural for Bolonka) are friendly dogs that are willing to please and highly intelligent, so training is not difficult. Their creation goes back to breeds such as the Shih Tzu, Maltese, and Bolognese, among others, to produce this non-shedding breed. Ideally, the size of this lovely little dog will be 7-9 lbs., but they can vary between 5-10 lbs. for males and females. The body is just off-square with a level topline. They should move with good reach in front and strong rear drive. The Bolonka should never be over 11 inches in height at the withers.

A fun fact about the Bolonka: They change colors many times throughout their life. Most are born either black, brown, or gold in color with either black or brown pigment. Chocolates are a prime example of this. Sables come in several different shades of color, which are born brown or black. The most common colors are black, brown, or sable shades.

“What Makes a Bolonka a Bolonka?” by Denise Dang SHOWSIGHT May 2024

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Meet the Shih Tzu

PROUD OF BEARING, TRUSTING TOWARDS ALL

Once the prized lapdog of Chinese emperors, the Shih Tzu remains a royal charmer with a flowing coat, warm expression, and infectious personality. Well known for their affectionate, outgoing nature, the people who know the breed well say they are friendly, trusting, and always playful. While their luxurious coat requires a dedication to grooming, they are adaptable, happy companions that thrive on the attention.

The Shih Tzu head is what makes our breed unique. Think “round” from all sides. As a judge, I like to see the head at least the size of a grapefruit or larger. Today’s exhibitors are, unfortunately, what we refer to as “artists.” Once you learn how to examine the head, you can see beyond all the fuss and grandiose grooming.

Using the method of cupping the head in your hands with fingers behind the ears, you can then use your thumbs to do all the examining of the rest of the head. This allows you to look into their eyes, feel the whole shape of the skull, width of muzzle, amount of stop, and fullness of foreskull, without destroying the grooming.

“Judging the Shih Tzu: More Than Just a Pretty Face” by Wendy Paquette SHOWSIGHT August 2021

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