Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frisé is an ancient breed. It has been present on the coasts of the Mediterranean since the 14th century, used to hunt rodents from the holds of ships, and during the Italian Renaissance. This type of dog would come from a cross between the Maltese Bichon with other small dogs, mainly the Poodle and the Barbet, a water hunting dog also ancestor of the Poodle. Known since the 14th century in the Mediterranean basin, it was during this century introduced to the Canary Islands. This episode led him to be called "Tenerife", named after one of the main islands of this archipelago, home to the capital Santa Cruz. It retains this name for a very long time, until the beginning of the 21st century. The breed was introduced to France in the 16th century under the reign of Francis I, who made these dogs his favorite companions, as well as under the reign of Henry III, the sovereign himself appreciating this type of small companion dog. It was during this century, during the occupation of Flanders by the Spanish, that the Bichon Frisé settled in Belgium. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it is adored by the Greats of this world and is found in all the salons of France in the company of ladies and gentlemen of the kingdom. Madame de Pompadour, in particular, owns several. Its notoriety is such that the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) represents it in one of his paintings, as did Francisco de Goya, who makes it appear in several of his works. At the beginning of the 19th century, while it experiences a small empty passage in France, it enjoys great success in Spain. It is found in all the courts accompanying most of the Iberian notables. In France, it comes back into fashion in the second half of the 19th century, under Napoleon III. Until the beginning of the 20th century, it remains the companion of the aristocracy before becoming popularized and becoming highly sought after by the entire population. Thus, at the Belle Époque, one begins to see the Bichon Frisé running in the streets, busy with various tasks. It was not uncommon to meet it in the company of barrel organ players or alongside the disabled. Until the Great War, it was very widespread and appreciated by all populations. As with many other breeds, the first global conflict deals it a harsh blow and in the interwar period, the breeding almost disappears. Faced with such a disaster, a Belgian breeder decides in the 1920s to devote all his energy and talent to saving the breed. The bet is won and the Bichon Frisé is recognized as a breed by France in 1933. After a second harsh blow dealt by World War II, it is reborn again and experiences a new renaissance from the mid-20th century. In 1959/1960, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) attributes to it as origins Belgium and France. The Bichon Frisé has experienced a real resurgence in popularity since the 1970s. In the United States, the Bichon Frisé Club was created in 1964 and the breed was recognized by the Kennel Club in 1973.

By nature a companion dog, the Bichon Frisé is renowned for being sociable, greeting its masters with demonstrations of joy. He is playful with children, and gentle with the elderly. He is comfortable in an apartment or in a garden. He is capable of adapting to all situations and enjoys accompanying humans in their various travels. It is also a dog sociable with other animals. The Bichon Frisé is a poor guard, but can alert on the presence of a stranger. He loves to play, but it can be difficult (not impossible) to teach him tricks because of his self-confident and slightly independent side. It is a dog that loves to have attention, solitude makes it unhappy. It takes a lot of patience to get used to its environment. He is often asking for cuddles. On the other hand, it is a yapping dog. When he is a young puppy, he prefers to stay with children (generally even as an adult). The Bichon Frisé is often a playful and happy dog.

It measures, whether male or female, between 25 and 30 cm high. The body is rectangular, longer than it is tall. The weight generally ranges from 2.5 to 5 kg. It has a lively gait and a proud head carriage. The stop is slightly marked. The nose is black, round and shiny. The eyes are rounded, dark and lively and are bordered by dark eyelids. The ears fall forward and are furnished with curly and long hair. The tail is carried curved without being rolled up or shortened. The hair is white, curly, and abundant, in corkscrew, approximately 7 to 10 cm long.

Despite its abundant white hair, it requires relatively little maintenance. Brushing keeps the coat untangled, its hair is fine but difficult to untangle if it has knots. The Bichon Frisé is a hypoallergenic breed that does not shed its hair. Because of the almost circular shape of its eye and eyelid, tears oxidize the coat under the eyes if this area is not regularly cleaned. The hair being white, the region around the mouth can also become oxidized. You must also take special care of its ears, and avoid hair growing inside, which can generate moisture and ear infections. Hair in the ear canal can easily be removed with tweezers.