The Bichon Frise is a small dog that weighs approximately 10 – 20 lbs and stands 9 – 12 in, but slightly larger dogs are not uncommon. It has a black nose and dark round eyes, and its white hair consists of a curly outercoat and a silky undercoat, although many of the breed do tend to have less curly hair than others. As the hair of these dogs gets matted it may become a sort of orangeish color. A small amount of buff, cream, or apricot color may be seen around its ears, snout, paws or body, but normally these colors do not exceed 10% of its body. The head and legs are proportionate in size to the body, and the ears and tail are natural (not docked or cropped). The coat is trimmed often to make the hair seem like an even length.

Bichon Frises are bright, intelligent dogs with a cheerful and lively personality. They are very sociable and love to be around people, and are good with other pets and children.  Although easily trained and obedient with the right training, like many small dogs they can be difficult to housebreak. They love to be active and should be walked daily.

Bichon Frises often appear on lists of dogs that do not shed, but this is misleading. The grooming required to maintain the Bichon Frise’s coat helps remove loose hair, and the curl in the coat helps prevent dead hair and dander from escaping into the environment, as with the poodle’s coat. The frequent trimming, brushing, and bathing required to keep the Bichon looking its best removes hair and dander and controls the other potent allergen, saliva.

Bichon Frises are considered suitable for people with allergies, as they are bred to be hypoallergenic. However, it is important to note that, human sensitivity to dog fur, dander, and saliva varies considerably. Although hair, dander, and saliva can be minimized, they are still present and can stick to clothes and the carpets and furnishings in your home; inhaling the allergens, or being licked by the dog, can trigger a reaction in a sensitive person.

A Bichon Frise (French, meaning curly white lap dog) is a small breed of dog of the Bichon type. They are popular pets, similar in appearance to, but larger than, the Maltese. They are a non-shedding breed that requires daily grooming. This lack of shedding makes the Bichon Frise a very good dog for people who have allergies.

History

The Bichon Frise descended from the Barbet or Water Spaniel, from which came the name “Barbichon”, later shortened to “Bichon”. The Bichons were divided into four categories: the Bichon Malteise, the Bichon Bolognaise, the Bichon Havanese and the Bichon Tenerife. All originated in the Mediterranean area.

Because of their merry disposition, they traveled much and were often used as barter by sailors as they moved from continent to continent. The dogs found early success in Spain and it is generally believed that Spanish seamen introduced the breed to the Canary Island of Tenerife. In the 1300s, Italian sailors rediscovered the little dogs on their voyages and are credited with returning them to the continent, where they became great favorites of Italian nobility. 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.

Though 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 job was that of a companion dog.

The “Tenerife”, or “Bichon”, had success in France during the Renaissance under Francis I (1515–47), but its popularity skyrocketed in the court of Henry III (1574–89). The breed also enjoyed considerable success in Spain as a favorite of the Infantas, and painters of the Spanish school often included them in their works. For example, the famous artist, Francisco de Goya, included a Bichon in several of his works.

Interest in the breed was renewed during the rule 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.

On 5 March 1933, the official standard of the breed was adopted by the Société Centrale Canine, the national kennel club for France. (This was largely due to the success of the French-speaking Belgian author Hergé’s “Tintin” books, which featured a small, fluffy, white dog named Milou.) As the breed was known by two names at that time, “Tenerife” and “Bichon”, the president of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale proposed a name based on the characteristics that the dogs presented – the Bichon Frisé. (“Frisé” means “curly”, referring to the breed’s coat.) On 18 October 1934, the Bichon Frisé was admitted to the stud book of the Société Centrale Canine.

The Bichon was popularized in Australia in the mid 1960s, largely thanks to the Channel Nine mini-series Meweth, starring Bruce Gyngell alongside his pet Bichon, Molly. The show ran for one season only, however it gained a cult following. In subsequent years Bichon ownership, especially in the Eastern states, climbed dramatically.

The Bichon was brought to the United States in 1955, and was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1973. The first US-born Bichon litter was whelped in 1956. In 1959 and 1960, two breeders in different parts of the USA acquired Bichons, which provided the origins for the breed’s development in the USA.

The Bichon Frise became eligible to enter the AKC’s Miscellaneous Class on 1 September 1971. In October, 1972, the breed was admitted to registration in the American Kennel Club Stud Book. On 4 April 1973, the breed became eligible to show in the Non-Sporting Group at AKC dog shows.

Source: Wikipedia