Bolognese History

The Bolognese was developed centuries ago in Bologna Italy and it is written that they were already valued in Italy as early as the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Because of its beauty, grace and charm it became a favourite of the nobility during the Renaissance.

King Umberto of Italy/Savoyen gave a beautiful little Bolognese to Princess Jose of Belgium on her birthday. Also, in 1668 Cosimo de Medici sent eight Bolognese by royal courier and asked his friend Colonel Alamanni in Belgium that these be given as gifts to several of the wealthy and influential families of Brussels.

As time passed and the nobility as such passed also, the Bolognese became an almost extinct breed. However, a few breeders in Europe and especially one man in Italy, Gian Franco Giannelli, who loved the breed, have restored it to its present day popularity.

The breed was brought into England by Liz Stannard in 1990 and first shown that year in Imported Register classes. In 2001 the breed was able to be shown at all shows with their own classes and they were at Crufts for the first time in 2002.