A Bichon Frise is a little dog breed of the Bichon type. They are well-liked pets, similar in look to, but bigger than, the Maltese. They are a non-shedding dog breed that needs daily grooming.
The Bichon Frise is a petite but sturdy dog that weighs approx. 7-17 lbs and stands 23-30 cm/9-15in at the withers, but slightly larger dogs are not exceptional. It has a black nose and dark round eyes, and its white hair consists of a curly outercoat and a silky-smooth undercoat. A small degree of buff, cream, or apricot shade could be seen around its ears, snout, paws or body, but usually these colors do not exceed 10% of its body. The head and legs are proportionate in size to the body, and ears and tail are natural (not docked or cropped). Often the coat is trimmed to make the hair appear of even length. Bichon Frise's could be medium-high intelligence.
The AKC refers to the Bichon Frise as "merry" and "cheerful", and the breed standard calls for a dog that is "gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate". Bred to be companion dogs, the Bichon Frise tends to get along suitably with both children and other animals. Bichon Frises are incredibly obedient if training is started early and continued constantly.
Bichon Frises are appropriate for people with allergies, as they are bred to be hypoallergenic. Nevertheless, it is significant to note that, human sensitivity to dog fur, dander, and saliva varies a great deal. Though hair, dander, and saliva can be minimized, they are still there and may stick to "clothes and the carpets and furniture in your home"; inhaling the allergens, or being licked by the dog, may prompt a reaction in a sensitive individual.
The Bichon Frise descended from the Barbet or Water Spaniel, from which came the name "Barbichon", later condensed to "Bichon". The Bichons were divided into four categories: the Bichon Malteise, the Bichon Bolognaise, the Bichon Havanese and the Bichon Tenerife. Every one originated in the Mediterranean area.
Because of their merry disposition, they traveled to a large extent and were regularly} used as barter by sailors as they moved from continent to continent. The dogs found early success in Spain and it is ordinarily supposed that Spanish seamen introduced the breed to the Canary Island of Tenerife. In the 1300s, Italian sailors rediscovered the petite dogs on their voyages and are credited with returning them to the continent, where they became fantastic favorites of Italian aristocrats. Often, as was the style of the day with dogs in the courts, they were cut "lion style," like a modern-day Portuguese Water Dog.
While not considered a retriever or water dog, the Bichon, due to its ancestry as a sailor's dog, has an affinity for and enjoys water and retrieving. On the boats however, the dog's duty was that of a companion dog.
The "Tenerife", or "Bichon", had success in France for the period of the Renaissance under Francis I (1515-47), but its popularity skyrocketed in the court of Henry III (1574-89). The breed also enjoyed huge success in Spain as a darling of the Infantas, and painters of the Spanish school regularly} included them in their works. For example, the illustrious artist, Francisco de Goya, included a Bichon in several of his works.
Appeal in the breed was renewed during the reign of Napoleon III, but then waned until the late 1800s when it became the "common dog", running the streets, accompanying the organ grinders of Barbary, leading the blind and doing tricks in circuses and fairs.
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