Bichons Frises Dog
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A Bichon Frisé ]A Bichon Frisé (French, literally Curly lap dog; often spelled Bichon Frise in English) is a small dog that is the size of a large domestic cat. They are popular pets, similar to poodles. The Bichon Frisé is the best known member of the bichon family of dogs.
Appearance
Bichons weigh between 3 to
8 kg (7 and 18 lb) and stand 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12
inches) at the withers. They have curly, soft, white fur
that must be groomed regularly and carefully to maintain
a neat appearance and avoid matting. Their tails are
usually left longer in length, and carried curled over
their backs. Black eyes, nose, and lips provide a
striking contrast to the all-white fur.
Bichons do not shed -- as a result these dogs are one of
the hypoallergenic dog breeds popular to people with
allergies. However, they are not nonallergenic, and it
is still possible to have an allergic reaction to a dog
of this breed, it is simply less likely than it would be
with some other breeds.
Temperament
Bichons are intelligent little dogs and demonstrate an
inquisitive personality. They are very energetic and
enjoy going for long walks, climbing on furniture, and
chewing bones. However, Bichons are most comfortable
being close to their owners regardless of the activity,
and enjoy lounging as lap dogs. Bichons are easily
housebroken using the crate method, but males tend to be
a bit easier to train than females.
[ A bichon frisé puppy ]
They may become territorial, and sometimes jealous of attention given to other household animals, but generally get along well with other dogs (particularly other Bichons). Bichons are extremely friendly dogs and are easily excited when encountering people. There is a mutual fondness between Bichons and children, and therefore they make great pets for families. The Bichon Frise exhibits a trait called the "Bichon Buzz" or the "5 mad minutes"- suddenly the Bichon will put its ears back, start growling and run feverishly around in obstacle-course fashion for a few moments. They also seem to be quite stubborn so be prepared for a lot of patience while dealing with a Bichon!
Health
Although many all-white breeds suffer from a variety of
ailments including ear infections and skin problems,
Bichons have, for the most part, escaped these problems.
Bichons live an average of 12 to 14 years.
Care must be taken to keep the face of a Bichon Frisé
clean and trimmed, as eye discharge and mucus tend to
accumulate in the fur that grows in front of their eyes,
which can cause some eye problems. Bichons do not
tolerate the heat well. Yet the coat must never be
shaved off as it can be a source of allergies. It is not
unusual for members of this breed to have problems with
luxating patellas and cataracts.
[ An unbrushed bichon frisé ]
History
The breed has
existed since the Middle Ages. Its exact origins are
uncertain, although it is fairly clear that they originated
in the Mediterranean region. Sailors had transported it to
the island of Tenerife by the 14th century. They were
further bred as lap dogs for the French royalty and were a
court favorite by the 15th century. The dogs ended up on the
streets during the French Revolution, where they were caught
and trained to be circus dogs.
They are a versatile, intelligent, and hardy dog despite popular use as a companion animal and lap dog; farmers in Norway have recently used the Bichon for rounding up sheep, which is not a commonly mentioned breed use.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bichons Frises".
