Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise: Temperament

The Bichon Frise may be small in size, but he is sturdy and also white in color (in most cases) and it is a powder puff of a dog. Its merry temperament is easy to see when you look into its inquisitive eyes and also observe the jaunty manner with which he carries his plumed tail. What’s more, the Bichon Frise standard does not reveal any great exaggerations or faults in the breed and thus you will normally find the Bichon Frise to be free from imbalances or unsound movements. Though there are many deviations from the Bichon Frise standard, these are no more or no less than what is common among most breeds. Though if a fault is noticed in the Bichon Frise, it must be penalized to no more than the amount of deviation from the standard. In addition, as far as the height mentioned in the standard goes, you should not expect the Bichon Frise to be more than nine and a half inches to eleven and a half inches in either gender. The Bichon Frise standard also states that the skull of the Bichon Frise must be of a slightly rounded shape and the head must be balanced in the ratio of five parts skull and three parts muzzle when measured from nose to stop and from stop to its occipital parts. In addition, the standard also requires that the jaw be strong while the nose must be prominent and black in color and the lips should be black while not drooping. A well-bred Bichon Frise should also possess a long neck that must blend well with its shoulders. And the chest must also be well developed and it should be adequately wide to allow the Bichon Frise to move his feet easily. The tail should be well developed and must curve back in a stylish as well as elegant manner and should rest with grace on the back of the dog. The Bichon Frise standard requires that the Bichon Frise must have shoulder blades and upper arms as well as forearms of equal length, and the bones in its legs must be straight while pasterns must show a bit of a slant. The coat must be dense as well as soft on the underside while on the outside it should be curly. Overall, the Bichon Frise must be of white color though it may also have dipping of cream, buff and even apricot. In its movement, the Bichon Frise standard states that he should move freely as well as cautiously and without any effort, and when racing it should hold its head as well as neck in a straight manner. The personality of the Bichon Frise is gentle and it also has an even temper while also being very affectionate and thus has all the qualities that make for an ideal family dog. The Bichon Frise standard has laid down the qualities desired in the breed and for more information you can refer to publications such as The Kennel Club Illustrated Breed Standards. This article is well suited to provide breed standard details with other Bichon Frise information.

Bichon Frise Dogs: The Day In Their Life

There is no doubt that Bichon Frise dogs are incredible adorable and it can take only one second to completely fall head over heals in love with that particular breed of dog. But before you bring home a Bichon Frise, it is important to know exactly what type of dog that you are dealing with, as not every dog is alike in their personality and what you can expect out of them. It is important, as with any breed of dog, to make sure that you and that little puppy can leave together in harmony. So, before making that big decision to expand the size of your family, make sure that the lifestyle of the Bichon Frise and your lifestyle match up and you will have many years of happiness ahead of you. Make the wrong decision and you will either have to live with your regrets or find the dog a new home, which can be hard. Bichon Frise dogs are generally pretty sturdy even though they are very small in size. They also do not require a lot of exercise so if you are not one to get out that often or if you happen to live in a small house or an apartment, then this dog will fit in well. And even though the curly coat looks like a hazard to those who suffer from allergies, it does not shed so there will be no allergy suffering taking place around the Bichon Frise. Also, the Bichon Frise make excellent watchdogs, but not attack dogs as they will alert you to the presence of a stranger but they generally will not attack due to their lack of aggressiveness. Also, even if you currently do not have any other pets at home, you may someday get the itch to adopt again and there will be no need to worry as the Bichon Frise is very well behaved around other pets. Now while there are a lot of wonderful qualities in Bichon Frise dogs, there are also a lot of things that you may not like so much and that really need thought about before bringing one home. This breed to notorious for having problems with housebreaking so this could mean extra messes for a while. Also, the Bichon Frise will destroy things and bark a lot when left alone too many times as they are known for having separation anxiety. Their beautiful coat is not one that can go without maintenance as it needs to be brushed and clipped quit frequently. And as far as costly concerns, this particular breed of dog is well known for their skin problems, which could very well require a vet's help in treating. If some of these things bother you a great deal, then you may want to reconsider adopting a Bichon Frise so that you can find a dog that will match your tastes a little better. The Bichon Frise are very cute dogs and there is no debating that , but they have characteristics which may not make them suitable for all families. Bichon Frise information is so vital to have and to understand when considering the breed as a pet.

Bichon Frise Dog: Yuppie Puppy

The Bichon Frise is a cute puffball of a dog that is charming and which has loose and curly double-coated hair that is mostly white in color, though they may also turn out to be cream, gray as well as apricot colored. This predominantly white colored dog has a special liking for humans and the Bichon Frise personality will charm you and it is also very gentle in its manner, and less of a yapper than you would expect from a toy breed. Nevertheless, it is self-assured and very happy in its outlook and quite easy to get along with. Also, the Bichon Frise dog originates from the Mediterranean area is sociable and will get along with other dogs and pets, and is also an excellent watchdog and able to perform many tricks as well. In fact, the Bichon Frise was among the few “yuppie puppies” of the eighties, though the same popularity has led to its being improperly bred, so lookout before buying this breed. Nevertheless, you will still love him for his competitive nature and also for his obedience, though often it can prove to be stubborn and rather difficult to housebreak, just like most other toy breeds. The Bichon Frise dog is affectionate to the core and it is also given to being kept in comfort and thus it will often jump into your lap and take a peaceful nap. In addition, the Bichon Frise is an energetic breed and another aspect to the Bichon Frise personality is its willingness to please its owner. In addition, the Bichon Frise loves activity as well as movement around him and this seems to please him to no end. Thus, keeping in mind the special aspects of the Bichon Frise’s personality, you should be ready to give it your devoted attention and to also give it plenty of exercise, then you can be sure that the Bichon Frise will make an ideal pet. In fact, it does not matter even if he is brought home to families with small children since they have an endearing nature and they are also non-molting which means that even if you have an allergy, keeping a Bichon Frise will not adversely affect you. The Bichon Frise dog is a toy breed that is usually of white color and which has a puffball coat. It is also known to be very affectionate and easy to get along with. This excellent companion dog has a penchant to be around people and thus does not thrive when left alone. The main features of the Bichon Frise personality include being very sociable and affectionate and being adaptive to other dogs as well as to children. The Bichon Frise dog has a very happy temperament and he thrives when in the company of humans and loves the attention that he gets. The Bichon Frise personality is also well known for its intelligent and high level of obedience, and so it can easily be trained and will even learn how to perform tricks for its master. Though a toy breed, the Bichon Frise will not bark too much, this very trait makes him unsuitable for being used as a guard dog. If you need to learn about the Bichon Frise personality, you can readily find what you need to know on the Internet as this popular toy breed has been written about a lot. The intention of this article is to provide complete Bichon Frise information, especially about the Bichon Frise personality.

Four Different Categories Of The Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is descended from the Barbet or Water Spaniel, much like his cousin the Caniche and was originally known as a Barbichon, which was later shortened to Bichon. In addition, there are four different categories of the Bichon, which include the Bichon Bolognais, the Bichon Maltais and the Bichon Tenerife as well as the Bichon Havanais, and all of these categories came out of the Mediterranean region.  The breed was always bred to be companion dogs and nothing more.

The Bichon Frise was a great (and, still is) companion dog and from its very early days was the companion of its owners, many of whom were sailors and thus were taken on sea voyages overseas and even became bargaining chips while being taken from one continent to another. In fact, the Bichon Frise was well received in Spain and it was the Spanish sailors that introduced him to the Canary Islands in Tenerife.
The Bichon Frise was forgotten and only rediscovered in the fourteenth century by Italian seamen. It was they who brought this breed back to the Continent and the Italian nobility immediately developed a strong liking for the Bichon Frise. And it was only during this time that the Bichon Frise got its characteristic lion style cut. A century or so later the Bichon Frise came to France during the reign of Francis I who was the major figure of the Renaissance.

However, it was only during the reign of Henry III when the Bichon Frise got to be pampered, and also perfumed and even beribboned. Then it even became popular once more in Spain and was greatly loved by the Infantas and was often the subject of painters, as witnessed in the works of Goya. Sad to say, the Bichon Frise was soon to become a commoner in France, and soon descended from being a favorite of the nobility to roaming in the streets in France.
The current development of the Bichon Frise starts towards the end of the nineteenth century when this tiny toy breed began to be associated with circuses that traveled about from one place to another, and though it had lost some of its royal stature and became the catch-penny dog of street beggars, it continued to thrive despite royals such as Queen Victoria preferring the Pekinese and Queen Elizabeth II being partial to Cardigan Welsh Corgis.

However, the Bichon Frise wins over hearts because he is very docile and also affectionate and this has ensured his continuing success in finding good homes, even if they are not those of aristocrats and royalty. He is also seen in road shows as a canine clown dog and he is capable of performing very interesting tricks as well as routines that keep him much in demand all over the world. Bred to be a companion dog, this breed makes a great family pet.

There is a lot of Bichon Frise history data available tracing the long history behind the dog, which has seen him change from being a one-time favorite of royals to becoming the best friend of today’s working classes. This article aims to provide you with complete Bichon Frise information regarding the history of the breed.