(Before the time of Christ)
Born in the Mediterranean in the days of ancient exploration and the opening of trade routes between east and west, the Bichon is a healthy breed, hardier than his powder-puff appearance suggests to the casual observer. His beginnings are a bit obscure, but it is known that the Phoenicians and other ancient traders carried small white dogs on their journeys long before the time of Christ. These dogs may have been related to the larger Barbet, a water spaniel. They took up residence on various islands and on the European mainland and eventually became the five Bichon breeds of today:
Coton de Tulear, Bolognese, Havanese, Maltese, and Bichon Frisé.
The American Kennel Club recognizes only the Maltese and Bichon Frisé.
(Since the Renaissance)
The breed has been known as the Bichon Teeneriffe, the name taken from that of the largest of the Canary Islands. Apparently, Spanish sailors brought this Mediterranean dog with them to the Canary Islands, where the exotic name "TENERIFFE" became attached to it, and whence it was reimported into Europe as a pet for Italian and Spanish noblemen. During the French invasion of Italy in the 1500s the French brought many of the dogs home with them as war booty. Under Francis I (1515-1547) the (BICHON) became established in the French royal court society. By 1933 a standard has been written for the breed, and a year later the BICHON found a place in the French Kennel Club's stud books. The president of the International Canine Federation herself came forth with the answer;
Retain the name BICHON but drop the TENERIFFE.
And put the name FRISE the French word for CURLY or FRIZZY.
pronounced; { Be-shahn - BICHON / Freezay - FRISE }
So You Have A "CURLY LAPDOG"
The Bichon Frise was brought to the United States in 1956.
Male; Eddie White de Steron Vor
Female; Etoile de Steron VorThe Bichon Relationship
The Coton de Tulear originated off the African coast on the Isle of Reunion near Madagascar, but takes its name from a region of the larger island, where he became known as the Royal Dog of Madagascar.
The Coton has an unusual cottony coat, probably developed from a genetic mutation.
The Bolognese developed in northern Italy, near the city of Bologna. He, too, became a court favorite in both France and Italy.
The Havanese developed in the new world in Cuba, possibly as crosses with other small breeds, The Havanese is the only Bichon breed that comes in colors; the others are all white.
The Maltese is the smallest of the five and may be the oldest. He comes from the island of Malta in the Mediterranean and is perhaps related to the small spaniels of Europe and the Miniature Poodle.
The Bichon Frisé stands tall at 9.0-12.0 inches at the withers and weighs 7 to 14 pounds. His compact body is medium-boned and is slightly longer than tall. Halos of dark skin around black eyes, and by black eye rims and nose leather enhance his sassy expression. There nose will start out as light in color but will darken to a black and some will even have what is call a Christmas nose, and will turn from a black to a brownes red, but always turns back to black.
Bichon ears droop and are covered with long flowing hair trimmed to balance a bearded muzzle and a slightly rounded head. The neck is arched, giving the dog a confident stance.The lowest point of the Bichon chest reaches the elbow or below and flows smoothly along the ribs and abdomen to a moderate tuck-up in front of the hind legs. The back is firm, the body well muscled for effortless movement. The tail is well plumed and curves gracefully over the back.
Bichons are always white, but puppies can have shadings of buff, cream, or apricot around ears and on the body. Colors on adult dogs are heavily penalized in the show ring.
The Bichon coat is unique. The undercoat is soft and dense, the guard hairs coarser and curlier. When trimmed, the coat follows the lines of the body and is left long enough to give the breed's characteristic poufy appearance, with hair left longer on head, ears, beard, and tail. The coat should not be wiry, limp, or over-soft.
Gentle, perky, playful, and affectionate, the Bichon is a delightful family companion, well suited for apartment living or for families with older children. Some Bichons dislike sudden touching, which makes them unsuitable for families with small children. Prospective buyers should keep in mind that this breed needs to be with people, this is were it gets it's name; LAPDOG
Families that spend most of the time away from home should select another breed.
The Bichon gets along well with other animals; he is bright and outgoing and loves to learn tricks. He's not a guard, but she does bark when strangers approach.
The Bichon is a wonderfully trainable breed. He enjoys obedience, tricks, therapy work, and agility. Training, you must be gentle but firm. Treat training works well, although an owner could easily fall into the habit of treating a Bichon into obesity when the little dog learns the variety of tricks he is capable of. The Bichon is highly sociable but can become frantic if not appropriately trained as a puppy and young adult. He's fairly active indoors, so owners must teach some manners for control. However, he will seldom need more than a couple of class sessions unless the competition bug bites the owner. For more onTraining
His gentle nature is perfect for therapy work in nursing homes and children's hospitals, a calling that can be rewarding to the owner's, dog's, and the patient.
The Bichon Frisé Club of America recommends against buying this breed from a pet shop. "You may be captivated by a puppy in a pet shop," according to the club brochure, "and although it has all the proper papers and its parents are purebred Bichons, you will never be able to evaluate the puppy's parents nor do you know anything about the puppy's upbringing."
