History

A Bichon Frise is a small breed of dog. Other names are Bichon Tenerife, Tenerife Dog, Bichon a Poil Frise. This breed belongs to the toy group and is used as companions and obedience dogs. Bichons are long living dogs, averaging 15 to 17 years of age.

The Bichon Frise descended from the Barbet or Water Spaniel, from which came the name "Barbichon", later shortened to "Bichon". Centuries ago the Bichon Frise was popular in France (during the Renaissance under Francis I 1515-47). Its popularity skyrocketed in the court of Henry III (1574-89). The breed also enjoyed considerable success in Spain as a favorite of the Infantas, and painters of the Spanish school often included them in their works. They were divided into four categories: the Bichon Maltais, the Bichon Bolognais, the Bichon Havanais and the Bichon Teneriffe. The Bichon was brought to the United States in 1955 and was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1973.

General Appearance and Temperament

This breed is a little white dog that loves human company. It’s a sensitive, playful and affectionate dog. It has an independent spirit and is intelligent. This little dog is not a yapper! Bichons enjoy socializing with people and other dogs and they love it when there is a lot of activity around them. Owners should know that this breed requires a great amount of human attention. They always want to be the center of attention! These are bright little dogs who quickly catch on to what you want them to do therefore there is no real problem training them. As with many small breeds of dog the Bichon may be difficult to housebreak. The Bichon is an excellent dog for children.

The head should be slightly rounded with a moderate but definite stop. The eyes are round, black or dark brown and are set in the skull to look directly forward.The eye rims themselves must be black. The ears should hang closely to the head and be well-covered with flowing hair and set on slightly higher than eye level. The nose is prominent and always black. Lips are black, fine and never drooping. The neck should be arched and fairly long, being carried high and proudly. The chest is well developed and wide enough to allow free and unrestricted movement of the front legs. The lowest point of the chest extends at least to the elbow. The tail should be well plumed, set on level with the topline and curved gracefully over the back so that the hair of the tail rests on the back. The front legs should be straight and not too fine-boned, the feet should be tight, rounded and well-knuckled up. The texture of the coat is of utmost importance.

The undercoat is soft and dense, the outercoat of a coarser and curlier texture. The coat is long enough to maintain the powder puff look which is characteristic of the breed. Height/Weight:

Height Dogs 9-12 inches (23-30cm.) Bitches 9-11 inches (23-28cm.) Weight: 7-12 pounds (3-5kg). This breed can live in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard. The Bichon Frise has a life span of 15 years ore more.

Care/Grooming

Owning a Bichon means spending a lot of time on grooming because this breed should be groomed frequently. It should take a bath every month. Care must be taken to keep the face of a Bichon Frisé clean and trimmed, as eye discharge and mucus tend to accumulate in the hair that grows in front of their eyes, which can lead to serious problems. Their hair must be brushed daily. As this breed does not shed hair, it is important to remove dead hairs with a brush. Health Problems: They prone to bladder infections, bladder stones, and subluxating kneecaps. Especially they prone to allergies and ear infections.

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