Meeting him is increasingly rare, but the Bichon Frise remains one of history’s most ‘aristocratic‘ and refined pet dogs. So let’s get to know him better and discover his peculiarities with a guide entirely dedicated to him.

Bichon Frise breed. General description

The Bichon is a perfect dog for flats, even small ones. It adapts to life in the home and prefers it, provided it is shared with the family. It cannot be alone for too long and does not like cold temperatures very much. It is a dog that interacts well with children and develops good sociability with other dogs.

It is very healthy and does not require special care. Its height must not exceed 30 cm. at the withers. It is a cheerful and playful little dog with a positive stride, medium-length muzzle, and long, very loose corkscrew coat, very similar to the coat of the Mongolian goat. The bearing of the head is proud and tall, the eyes dark, lively and expressive. He is a show dog who will do anything to attract the attention of the adults close to him.

Appearance and Attributes 

The Bichon Frise is a cheerful and playful little dog with a lively gait, medium-length muzzle, and long, very loose corkscrew coat, very similar to the coat of the Mongolian goat. The bearing of the head is proud and tall, the eyes dark, lively and expressive.

The coat is snow-white and easy to handle. It has a passionate temperament towards its owner and, above all, towards the family’s children. It is a small dog with a great propensity to be an excellent spotter.

Physical characteristics permitted by the standard:

  • Height: 23 to 28 cm
  • Weight: 3 to 7.5 kg
  • Longevity: 12 to 15 years
  • Colours: White, White & Apricot, White and Buff, White & Cream
  • Fur: short, smooth and soft to the touch
  • Coat: long, double, curly
Bichon Frisé is native to the Mediterranean basin and was bred as a companion dog. Its origins date back to 600 BC and 300 BC. Sailors often used it as a barter commodity, and the Spanish probably introduced it to the Canary Islands.
It is a cute dog, much like a stuffed animal, with a slightly pointed muzzle and round dark eyes.

Price and maintenance 

The price of a Bichon Frise puppy is in the middle range (between £ 1200 and £2000). Buying a puppy only from reputable breeders who test their breeding stock is advisable, considering the particular pathology of patella luxation and various eye diseases.

The daily feed intake is minimal, but the feed must be of the highest quality. Grooming does not affect the budget as it is simple and can be done directly by the owner.

Pros and cons 

Top 5 characteristics:

  • Ideally suited to flat life
  • Friendly at best with children
  • Absent fur loss
  • Quite high energy level
  • Maximum affection towards the family

The five most problematic characteristics:

  • Better to limit lonely times
  • Show difficulty in house-training
  • Are picky eaters.
  • Require regular brushing.
  • Prone to some health challenges

Bichon Frise breed. Character and sociability

The Bichon can be left alone for a few hours, not because it can get into trouble or cause any particular problem, but because its desire to share everyday life with its family is a fundamental necessity. On the other hand, a Bichon that spends too much time alone is a dog that can develop separation anxiety problems.

The Bichon Frise is a very joyful and playful breed. It likes to entertain itself a lot with family members and fellow dogs. It is a tiny dog with a solid and determined character and can make itself immensely loved because of its special attachment to its owner. It has a positive and proud stride that also represents its temperament. A small dog with a significant character. It is quickly educated with positive reinforcement.

This is the most immediately visible characteristic of the Bichon. It is a dog that goes about its daily life lavishing affection on its household members. The Bichon Frise attaches itself to the family, distributing its attachment equally between the members. However, its particular temperament makes it attach itself more to children than adults. Bred exclusively as a companion dog, he has nothing better to do with his life than to delight and take an interest in his owners.

The Bichon is an excellent host. His sweet disposition means he gets along with everyone, and even inoffensive strangers are celebrated. It cannot be considered a guard dog, given its size, but it is a perfect spotter. It has no particular aversion to strangers but will still be vigilant.

The Bichon is a social breed that interacts with humans, dogs, and other animals. Its size does not allow it to be a brawler or show particular dominance toward others, so its lively intelligence suggests it is remarkably tolerant. However, he will not be paired with a large dog, which could cause him physical problems.

The Bichon is a highly loyal dog that also reciprocates affection through this deep bond created with its owner and all members of its family. It has no propensity for escaping, but one must avoid providing it with the opportunity.

The Bichon Frise is a calm, quiet dog that does not like getting upset. Its lack of biting is mitigated by a minimum of socialisation. The dog behaves well with people and its peers.

The Bichon is not a predator par excellence but a curious dog that enjoys interacting with other animals. However, great care must be taken, especially with small rodents, which the Bichon might mistake for prey. The owner must also be careful because this breed often tends to become prey for larger dogs.

A companion breed, which likes home life and has a rather talented inclination towards roles such as housekeeper, cannot but be a dog that tends to bark to warn. Therefore, he must be educated to bark when there is a real need. A lesson he will learn very quickly.

The Bichon Frise is a dog with incredible energy that it willingly expends on play and interaction with family members. However, he is not a lazy dog and likes to walk a lot. He loves long walks in the woods and the mountains, but a stroll in the neighbourhood park also satisfies him. One must, however, take care not to tire him out too much.

Through play, you can entertain your dog and find lots of fun games on ETSY that are made entirely by hand for your four-legged friend.

The Bichon is relatively small and cannot be expected to have such pronounced vigour. However, he does not need much effort to make him understand the rules of the house, and, in this respect, he is a highly gentle dog who adapts very willingly. He has an excellent approach to life and is friendly and playful.

As has already been said, the Bichon is a very playful dog that loves interacting with its family, especially with children. Every action is aimed at play and entertainment. It needs to play to learn more and more and always has new stimuli. He also has a lot of fun in the various specialities, such as agility, and should be encouraged in the multiple disciplines that satisfy his desire to participate.

Intelligence and training 

A smiling white Frise‘ is how he is described by those who are impressed by the incredible charm of this little dog. The Bichon Frise is indeed a breed with a delightful character. Bred exclusively as a companion dog, he has nothing better to do with his life than to delight and interest his owners.

He is cheerful, lively and intelligent and soon wins the hearts of those who get to know him. Training him is easy as he enjoys ‘putting himself to the test’ and fulfilling his demands.

Relationship with children

Like the rest of the family, the Bichon loves entertaining and sharing his daily routine with children. This stems from his natural inclination to conduct constructive and playful activities, which manifest more spontaneously with small children. However, despite his small size and the friendliness he expresses towards children, adult supervision is indispensable.

The health 

Bichon Frisé is a long-lived breed with a life expectancy of around 12-15 years. The pathologies most commonly found among Bichon Frisé are hip and elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation.
Ear hygiene is one of the most important things for maintaining a dog’s health.

The Bichon Frise is a very joyful and playful breed. It likes to entertain itself a lot with family members and its peers. It is a tiny dog with a solid and determined character and can make itself loved beyond measure because of its particular attachment to its owner. It has a positive and proud stride that also somewhat represents its temperament. A small dog with a significant character. It is quickly educated with positive reinforcement.

Small dogs like the Bichon can easily withstand high temperatures and heat. This characteristic makes it capable of withstanding even excessive heat. However, this attitude must not diminish the owner’s attention, who must always be able to understand when his dog shows signs of intolerance in non-normal climatic situations.

The Bichon Frise generally enjoys good health and a very long life span. Some clubs have given guidelines to breeders to test breeding stock annually for eye diseases and patella checks. Owners must not forget the routine checks common to all breeds: vaccine booster shots, parasite prevention, teeth cleaning, etc.

This breed does not tend to show any particular inclination to gain weight, but it can gain weight quickly if indulged in a life characterised by too much sedentariness and an incorrect diet. In addition, prize treats and food sharing from the table must be limited to keep them in excellent physical shape.

Caring for the Bichon Frise Breed

The Bichon has no drooling. Significant salivation could be attributed to possible infection or inflammation of the oral cavity. This must be ensured promptly.

Bichon Frise grooming

The Bichon Frise does not shed hair, and grooming requires minimal effort. Therefore, it is considered a dog with a hypoallergenic coat that does not cause problems for people with allergies.

The Bichon Frise has droopy ears covered with long, finely curled hair. The body hair forms delicate, silky, very loose corkscrew curls, resembling the coat of the Mongolian goat. The colour is pure white.

Grooming the Bichon is simple and requires no special hairstyling, except for show subjects, who must be scissor-groomed. The ears, eyes, interdigital spaces, and oral cavity are carefully inspected weekly.

Exercising 

Daily activity for a dog must be a fixed point, regardless of size. The need for exercise for a Bichon, as for many other dogs, is a matter that involves the subject’s health and can facilitate proper maintenance in terms of psychophysical balance. Above all, daily outings should be used to improve these characteristics and keep curiosity and intelligence awake. One should not, however, overdo it, as one may become too tired.

Buying advice

Exercise Needs: These energetic and playful dogs need regular exercise, including walks and interactive play sessions.
The Bichon Frise is very long-lived (average life span is around 14 years) but is prone to various diseases, including hereditary ones.

Before becoming a famous pet dog in royal palaces, the Bichon Frise was a bargaining chip among sailors in the 1300s and 1400s. Despite this, being a tiny dog, it adapts well to any space in the home. This characteristic makes it one of the favourite breeds for those looking for a companion dog.

The Bichon’s characteristic meekness and caring attitude towards its owner make it ideal for a choice as a first dog, and it must always pay attention to details that contribute to its proper growth. The Bichon Frise is a little guy who knows his business, but character-wise, he is a very joyful, fun, and easy dog to raise.

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