Bichon Frisé

The Bichon Frise is an ancient breed. It has been present on the Mediterranean coasts since the 14th century, used to hunt rodents from ship holds, and during the Italian Renaissance. This type of dog would be the result of crossing the Maltese Bichon with other small dogs, principally 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 introduced during this century to the Canary Islands. This episode led to it being called "Tenerife," after one of the main islands of this archipelago, which houses the capital Santa Cruz. It retained this name for a very long time, until the early 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 Spanish occupation of Flanders, that the Bichon Frise became established in Belgium. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was adored by the great powers of the world and was found in all the salons of France in the company of ladies and lords of the kingdom. Madame de Pompadour, notably, owned several. Its reputation was such that painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) depicted it in one of his paintings, as did Francisco de Goya, who had it appear in several of his works. In the early 19th century, while it experienced a brief void in France, it enjoyed great success in Spain. It was found in all the courts accompanying most of the Iberian notables. In France, it became fashionable again in the second half of the 19th century, under Napoleon III. Until the early 20th century, it remained the companion of the aristocracy before becoming more widespread and becoming highly sought after by the entire population. It was during the Belle Époque that one began to see the Bichon Frise running in the streets, occupied with various tasks. It was not uncommon to encounter it in the company of barrel organ players or alongside people with disabilities. Until World War I, it was very widespread and appreciated by all populations. As with many other breeds, the first world conflict dealt it a harsh blow and in the interwar period, breeding almost disappeared. Faced with such a disaster, a Belgian breeder decided in the 1920s to devote all his energy and talent to saving the breed. The bet was kept and the Bichon Frise was recognized as a breed by France in 1933. After a second harsh blow from World War II, it was reborn and experienced renewed growth from the mid-20th century onward. In 1959/1960, the International Canine Federation (FCI) designated Belgium and France as its origins. The Bichon Frise has experienced a genuine resurgence in popularity since the 1970s. In the United States, the Bichon Frise Club was created in 1964 and the breed was recognized by the Kennel Club in 1973.

By nature a companion dog, the Bichon Frise is reputed to be sociable, greeting its masters with demonstrations of joy. It is playful with children and gentle with the elderly. It is comfortable in an apartment or in a garden. It is capable of adapting to all situations and enjoys accompanying humans on their various outings. It is also a dog that is sociable with other animals. The Bichon Frise is a poor guard dog, but can alert to the presence of a stranger. It loves to play, but it can be difficult (not impossible) to teach it tricks due to its confident and somewhat independent nature. It is a dog that loves attention; solitude makes it unhappy. Much patience is needed to accustom it to its environment. It is often in need of cuddles. On the other hand, it is a yapping dog. When it is a young puppy, it prefers to stay with children (even as an adult generally). The Bichon Frise is often a playful and happy dog.

It measures, whether male or female, between 25 and 30 cm tall. 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 bearing. The stop is not very pronounced. 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 curled or docked. The coat is white, curly and abundant, in a corkscrew pattern, approximately 7 to 10 cm long.

Despite its abundant white coat, it requires relatively little maintenance. Brushing keeps the coat untangled; its hair is fine but difficult to untangle if it has knots. The Bichon Frise is a hypoallergenic breed that does not shed. Due to the almost circular shape of its eye and eyelid, tears oxidize the coat under the eyes if this area is not regularly cleaned. Since the coat is white, the area around the mouth can also become oxidized. Special care must also be given to its ears, and it should be prevented from having hair grow inside, which can cause moisture and ear infections. The hairs in the auditory canal can be easily removed with tweezers.