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Bichon Frise
Toy Breed Dogs
Small Breed Dogs



Manufactured Dog Food VS Home Cooked Food
The food that you feed to your dog will have a direct impact on their health. Whether a young puppy who needs great nutrient to properly grow, an adult who needs to maintain weight and energy levels or a senior who can has a sensitive digestive system. In addition, the choice you make can directly impact behavioral issues, such as eating grass or feces.
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What you MUST Know Before Getting a Puppy
Forget about the normal list that everyone writes about..."puppy proof your home", "choose the right breed".  The information you must know, goes MUCH deeper than that. This is information that no one talks about, the behind-the-scenes info you really must know before you make your choice....Click to Read More
Average Weight: 10-18 pounds (4.54 - 8.16 kg) 
Average Height:  9.5 - 11.5 inches (24.13 – 29.21 cm)
Pronounced: Bee-SHAHN  Free-ZAY
Group:  Non-sporting, Companion
Life Span: 15+Years
Average Litter:4
Origin: Mediterranean 

Description

 The Bichon Frise. often misspelled Bishon Frise, is a white powder puff.  The eyes, eye rims, halos (the dark skin that surrounds the eyes), lips, nose and footpads are black. This small breed dog has a soft, dark-eyes expression that seems inquisitive and alert.  The texture of the coat is very soft and springy; there is a thick dense undercoat and a coarser, curlier topcoat. The two textures combine to give soft yet substantial feel, some relate this to touching velvet.  When the fur is patted, it springs right back up.


Colors

 The Bichon Frise is a pure white dog as you can see from these pictures.   Puppies can have have a bit of color blending in, in Apricot, buff or cream. This will disappear by the age of 1 year, leaving a pure white adult dog. The halos  (the black skin surrounding the eyes) on this breed are considered very important, as they enhance the dog's expression and give excellent definition with the starkly different black and white contrasting. Some owners do not realize that this small breed dog is to be pure white and accept coloring under the eyes as normal.  However, because of the clean, snow colored coat,  this dog can easily show tear staining.  This should be taken care of during grooming to maintain the proper appearance.

Personality

Loving to play, but not overly energetic, this dog has a delightful entertaining personality.  He is gentle mannered, sensitive and affectionate.  A very cheerful attitude is the hallmark of this breed.  This is a wonderful companion for children as well, as long as they are gentle with the dog and are taught how to appropriately play with him so as not to cause accidental harm.  Not a "classic" watchdog, he will alert you when strangers come too close to the home.


Origin & History

Descended from the Barber or Water Spaniel, all members of the Bichon family originated in the Mediterranean area.  The breed did much traveling, often used by sailors as an item of trade; therefore they moved rather quickly to different continents all over the world.  It is generally believed that the Spanish seamen took the to Tenerife (the largest of the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean). 
In the 14th century, Italian sailors rediscovered the Bichon, taking this breed back to Italy where they became very sought after and popular with royalty and the upper class.

By 1800, the Bichon Frise had become a common family dog and was also used as "trick dogs" in circus performances. During the early 1900's they were officially recognized in France. The very first litter born in the United States happened in 1956.  The AKC recognized this small breed dog in 1972.

Health

 Generally very healthy with a good life expectancy, the oldest recorded Bichon Frise dog was 21 and passed away due to natural causes.  Health issues to watch out for include:
  • Patella luxation (when the kneecap slips out of place)
  • Ear Infections
  • Dental disease (which can be greatly avoided by providing daily cleanings at home and 1x per year professional cleanings)
  • Bladder infections or stones
Exercise

This dog is small and does not demand extreme amounts of exercise. Not overwhelmingly active, a daily walk of 20-30 minutes will keep this dog happy and help to maintain good health and weight.  He also enjoys playing games.

Grooming

The coat is usually trimmed to show the natural outline of the body, but it is always rounded off and never cut so short as to present an overly trimmed profile. If clipped too short, this dog will not have the "powder puff" appearance that he is so famous for.  Brushing must be done every other day, to avoid matting.  Nails are trimmed every 6 weeks or so.  Teeth are brushed each day to help avoid possible decay.

Taking care of staining under or around the eyes should be done to preserve the beautiful pure white color of the coat.  Sometimes, high mineral content in tap water can cause staining, switching to bottle water often helps.  In addition, professional canine tear staining products should be used; home remedies often do not work and some that are left floating on the web are quite dangerous concoctions.

Shedding

The coat does not shed, however due to no shedding, it will become matted if not groomed regularly.

Care & Training

Because this breed is a bit sensitive, owners should be prepared to possibly need to train for Separation Anxiety issues, shyness or perhaps nervousness around strangers.  Since each dog is an individual, general characteristics will not always apply; an owner will need to pay attention to any particular issue that a puppy or dog is having and implement specific training.  

If you are thinking about getting a puppy, you may wish to read some important information about purchasing a puppy. Just click here.

If you already own a Bichon, you may wish to click here for more detailed are information

                 
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