Bichon Frise – Breed Profile

Posted by Brent McCoy on December 8, 2011

Historically valued as companions and items of trade on the high seas, the Bichon Frise is now more comfortable as a household companion for anyone willing to meet their high grooming requirements…

The Bichon Frise (sometimes called the “Tenerife Dog” or “Bichon Tenerife” after the Canary Island they were first introduced to) is much like their French name suggests – a “curly white lap dog” – and is a popular pet that resembles a larger version of the Maltese. The breed has origins dating back to the 13th century, and they were originally valued as items of trade and companions for Spanish sailors.

Some of their more distinguishing features typically include their high level of friendliness, cheerful spirit and non-shedding coat that necessitates a high amount of grooming attention – which in essence make the Bichon Frise a suitable companion dog for families, allergy sufferers or apartment dwellers who are willing to commit to a high level of grooming. Here are a few quick Bichon Frise facts:

Trainability & Intelligence:

Friendliness With People:

Compatible With Animals:

Daily Exercise Required:

Grooming Requirements:

Suitable For A Family Pet:

Suitability As A Guard Dog:

Origins Of The Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area during the 13th century and was transported throughout the world by Spanish sailors as an item of trade and companion which led to popularity among French royal courts and appearances in several Spanish paintings. Later their popularity declined and in the 1800s they were largely used as street performers in traveling circuses. They are understood to be a descendant of large water spaniels such as the Barbet, small white dogs and the Poodle.

Average Size Of The Bichon Frise

Bichon Frises are classed as a small-sized breed. The recommended standard size for the Bichon Frise male and female is 9.5-11.5 inches tall from paw to shoulder and a weight of 14-16 pounds.

Temperament Of The Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is renowned for their playful, cheerful and affectionate temperament. They are usually friendly with unfamiliar people, which along with their small size can mean they are unsuitable as a guard dog.

The Bichon Frise is also accepted to be quite intelligent – ranking equal 45th compared to other dogs when taking into account their capacity to be trained obedience instructions. They are additionally renowned to be great with children – meaning they are highly suitable as a family pet. The Bichon Frise is very well-matched with other animals such as cats and other dogs.

Grooming Requirements Of The Bichon Frise

Grooming the Bichon Frise is an extremely demanding operation that requires a lot of patience or at least occasional attention from a professional dog groomer. They require a high level of brushing each day and complete grooming to maintain a powder puff look every 4 to 5 weeks or whenever they need to be ready for the dog show – though their hair may alternatively be clipped short in a “teddy bear” cut if they are primarily a house pet. The procedure for completely grooming the Bichon Frise can be described as:

Brush through the entire coat with a comb, and use dematting spray as well as your fingers to remove any mats.
Remove any stray hair from inside the ears with a hemostat.
Cut the tips of the nails using a nail clipper.
Trim the hair between the foot pads using blunt-end scissors.
Bath the dog by wetting them completely then shampoo and rinse twice, making sure no shampoo is left in the coat.
Start to dry them with a towel and apply coat conditioner.
Finish drying with a blow dryer while brushing the hair away from the body with a soft slicker brush to achieve the powder puff look.
Comb out the hair away from the body once they are dry.
Trim the hair with scissors while combing it away from the body to maintain the rounded powder puff look.
Comb the hair so it hangs over the eyes and cut the portion that covers them.
Carefully cut the hair that grows up from the muzzle and over the eyes.
Round off the hair around the head and ears so they fully blend together with no indentations.
Use thinning shears to trim any excess hair under the ear flaps so they hang naturally.
Finish rounding off the hair around the head by checking the view from each side and trimming the hair above the eyes to the back of the head.
Start trimming the hair on the neck so that it blends into a curve with the hair on the back of the head.
View the legs head-on and trim them so they appear straight.
Trim the hair between the legs so it is kept neat and rounded.
Trim the hair from the shoulders to the tail so it’s smooth and level.
Continue to trim the sides so they are round and neatly blend into the bottom side of the body.
View the rear of the dog and trim the hindquarters and back legs so that they resemble a rounded horseshoe shape and blend into the rest of the body.
Finish by leaving the hair on the tail long, and trimming around the base of the tail and rear end for cleanliness.

Living Requirements For The Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise doesn’t need a large yard to give them space to roam around in, and they can be very suitable for apartment living provided they are given adequate exercise. They prefer warmer weather, and they will be less comfortable in cold weather as their curly coat is not designed to protect against it – so they will need extra clothing to keep them warm during cooler months.

Health & Life Expectancy Of The Bichon Frise

Similarly to a lot of small-sized dog breeds, the Bichon Frise is usually long-lived with a life expectancy of 12-15 years. The leading health problem for Bichon Frises is regularly known as patellar luxation. They are also prone to conditions including eye problems such as cataracts, ear infections or sensitivity to flea bites and other allergies.

Exercise Needs For The Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise takes pleasure in pastimes that include playing games in the yard or at the local dog park. They have a fairly high degree of energy and this calls for daily exercise in the form of moderate to long walks to stop behavior problems such as excessive barking.

Who Should Own The Bichon Frise?

The Bichon Frise can make the right breed of dog for a family, apartment dweller or allergy sufferer who has a lot of time to groom and look after a dog. They are well-matched to anyone that is keen to perform (or pay for) a very high amount of grooming and take time to provide them with positive, gentle training and patient housebreaking in addition to take them for moderate to long daily walks and give them a very high sum of companionship and attention – they don’t like to be left on their own. Though they might be a bit unsuitable for those who don’t have the time or patience for a high amount of grooming, if you are able to meet this requirement as well as their need for attention and gentle loving care then the Bichon Frise may possibly be the ideal dog for you.