Bichon Frise [ They will Definitely Win Your Heart]

The Bichon Frise, known as the "Bichon Primrose Dog", is among the small dogs with his white color and fluffy soft fur. They love to win everyone's love and attract attention with their curly hair, curious eyes, and cute walk. It has a cheerful, energetic, and agile nature. The Bichon Frise loves to play and learn new things. This breed, which is very easy to train, does not force a family to have a dog for the first time. He is a charming breed that does not have aggressive behavior or excessive barking and gets along well with strangers and other animals. He quickly manages to become the most popular member of his new environment.

 At A Glance To The Bichon Frise

Kind

Non-sporting

Weight

10-12 lbs

Height

12-15 inch

Family

Barbican, Water Dog

Origin

The Mediterranean region

Origin Date

ancient times

Lifetime

12-15

History Of The Bichon Frise

The origin of the Bichon Frise dog breed is not known for sure, but his accepted historical background is his ancestors in the Mediterranean. According to the narrations; Barbet, a large and woolly water dog, was mated with small-sized and white-colored dogs. As a result, the family of dogs known as the Barbican and abbreviated as Bichon was derived. The Barbican family of dogs, born in the Mediterranean and having similar appearances, is divided into four breeds Maltese, Bolognese, Havanese, and Tenerife breeds. 

The first records of the Bichon Frise breed date back to the 14th century. Developed on the Canary Island of Tenerife, the Bichon Frise breed was brought to Tenerife by Spanish sailors. In the 14th century, Italian sailors brought the Bichon Frise breed back to the continent from Canary Island. In Italy, dogs quickly became the favorite of the noble and wealthy class. In the 1500s, the French occupied Italy, and many Bichon Frise dogs were taken to France as war spoils. Another rumor is; It is believed that the French sailors brought the dogs that were bred on the Canary Island of Tenerife and brought them to France. It is said that the Bichon Frise breed dogs were brought to the Canary Island from traders using the Mediterranean trade routes, and it is thought that their main ancestors were bred in Italy. 

The small dogs that went to France after the invasion of Italy in the 1500s were named Bolognese there and were adopted by the French with great interest. They became a favorite of the nobility and were favorite pets at royal courts during the reigns of French King Francis I and English King Henry III. Its popularity also spread to Spain. He became a favorite of the Spanish Royal family and took his place in the paintings of Spanish painters in the most beautiful way. Towards the end of the 1800s, its popularity waned for no apparent reason. In the early 1900s, III. Although it came to the fore again during the Napoleonic era, it did not receive a permanent interest as before, and this race fell out of favor. 

The favorite dog of the palaces turned into a stray dog ​​after this fall. A new era has begun for the Bichon Frise breed. The Bichon Frise breed survived by adapting to street life with their player character traits and ability to cheat. It was owned by different people, such as peddlers and circus performers. With their cute and intelligent ways, they followed the training of their new owners. Somehow this little breed adapted to its situation and perhaps saved it from extinction. 

With the onset of World War I, these small dogs were greatly diminished. The soldiers brought home some dogs they found. No one gave them due attention until several French breeders tried to continue this breed's lineage. After World War I, due importance was given to the race and steps were taken to protect the race's lineage. In 1933, the official breed standard was adopted in FCI France. At that time it had two names, Tenerife and Bichon. The breed's name has been accepted by the FCI as "Bichon Frise". Thereupon, the full name of the breed was changed to “Bichon à poil frisé (bichon with curly feathers)”. Afterward, it came to mind as “Bichon Frise” in English. It is also known as "Bişon Primrose Dog" in Turkish. 

When World War II began, the “Bichon Frise” breed was again endangered. The future of the race was not secured until it came to America in the 1950s. It was further promoted and gained recognition in the 1960s. Over time, it caught people's attention again and was recognized by the AKC in 1972. 

Personality & Character Traits

Bichon Frise enters people's hearts at first sight and wins their love. It impresses the people in front of it with its active structure, high energy it gives out, and spoiled and playful ways. The very humane Bichon Frise breed gets along well with children and strangers. He is friendly and affectionate towards them. They are guard dogs, but they do not show an aggressive attitude towards dangerous strangers. They have a loving nature towards everyone, so don't expect them to provide a high level of protection. It is seen that he has a positive approach to people who want to play with him. They love to be loved and taken care of. However, it is also seen that he sometimes does not allow strangers to suddenly want to hug and love. They have sensitive, affectionate and sensitive natures. It is their habit to go to the lap of the owner while he is sitting and curl up there for hours. He welcomes his loved ones to hug him; he is a faithful love dog. They don't like to be alone. They may bark a lot when left alone. 

Since it is among the dogs in the small breed classification, approaching it from a highly fragile and delicate point of view can cause negative effects. Yes, of course, you will protect your dog, but too much is harmful. Overprotective behavior can cause your dog to become too spoiled, shy, or fearful. Must communicate with other people, dogs and pets under your supervision. In this communication, he should learn how to deal with dangerous situations, be alert, and protect himself. In this way, he becomes a self-confident and self-confident dog. 

He is very attached to the family members he lives with. They do not cause difficulties in home and apartment life; they win everyone's heart with their harmonious structure and cuteness. The actress becomes the joy and indispensable part of the house with their loving and cute state. It can even be said that they are more players than in many races since they do not bark much and are a calm breed, he is seen that they easily adapt to apartment life. The Bichon Frise is a true family dog. If you do not have a regular home life, this dog is not for you. Because the Bichon Frise breed does not like to be alone at home and to be left alone in general. When left alone, he suffers from separation anxiety. It reflects this emotional state to the outside with different behaviors. He may exhibit negative behaviors such as chewing and breaking things even though he is not in the habit. 

The Bichon Frise is an intelligent dog that is open to learning new things. With obedience and behavior training, you can help them acquire better habits. As we mentioned above, it is not recommended to be overprotective in training. He should experience some things himself under your supervision. He communicates well with dogs and other pets. He needs socialization from an early age. Taking walks with the owner, entering different environments, and getting to know new people will be beneficial for the development of communication skills.

Physical Attributes

Body

It has a hairy body in white color, curly structure, soft and silky appearance. It has a proportional body structure with its tail, ears, eyes, mouth, and legs. It is among the non-sporting small breeds. Beneath its double-layered feathers, it has an unusually muscular body. Body structures may differ in males and females. The height of the adult male is 9-12 inches,  while the females is 9-11 cm. In terms of weight, it is ideal for both of them to be 1117.5 lb . 

Head

Bichon Frise, among the small dog breeds; he draws attention with its shiny black soft nose and fluffy white feathers. Roundhead structures become more prominent compared to the shaving style. It has a medium-length and non-pointed face. The protrusion of the forehead is vague. They have a perfect appearance with their round head structure, large dark eyes, ears that disappear among their dense fur, long necks, and healthy teeth arranged like pearls. Another feature that completes this beauty and distinguishes it from other races is its black lips between its white feathers. His sweetness becomes more evident with his round and large eyes, black nose, and lips. 

Ears

The Bichon Frise breed has long, fluffy ears. It hangs down more and stands in proportion to its body. Its ears extend towards the back of its head and have a woolly structure. His sensitivity to sounds is normal, but he can give sudden reactions to loud sounds. The cleanliness of the ears should be given due importance to their health. 

Eyes

The Bichon Frise breed has proportionally positioned facial features on its round heads. His eyes are dark and combined with dark circles around his eyes. This image adds a different depth to their eye area. One of the most striking parts of his face is his dark and round eyes. He is as cute as a toy dog ​​with his big dark eyes and pointed nose. They usually put on a vigilant expression with flashing eyes and whirling gaze. 

Legs and Feet

It has a well-developed muscular chest and legs. It has a strong body with straight shoulders and legs that descend from the shoulders. Their legs are so well-ordered and neat that the shadow of their legs is reflected on the ground as a whole. Round paws and black nails and feet complete this beauty. 

Tail

The tail of Bichon Frise dogs is proportional to their body. Their tails are gracefully curved over their backs. He has a curly and feathery structure on the tail, which is affected by the density of feathers in his body. 

Feather

Bichon Frise has a silky, curly, and dense double-layered coat. When you touch him, his fur, which is like a puff, approaches his body, and when you remove your hand, it returns to its former voluminous state. This is also called hair bounce, and it happens because of the dense hairs in the top and bottom layers. You should care for the Bichon Frise breed with care and attention. The feather length is usually up to 10 cm. For a better appearance and comfort, you should trim the hair on the face area or shave the whole body proportionally and beautifully. The haircut of the Bichon Frise breed is different from other dogs. The beautiful and noble appearance of the race is also due to regular hairdresser care. Their coats require more maintenance than other breeds. They do not shed much on the ground, but the hairs from the upper layer fall on the lower layer. In this case, it causes the hairs, which have a curly and curly structure, to become tangled and matted. You can prevent this by brushing their hair regularly.

Best Products for The Bichon Frise

Exercise

 The Bichon Frise breed is famous among playful dogs. They love to play in the house, in the garden, in the park. It is quite agile, energetic, and active. Playing with him for 30 minutes or walking 1 to 1.5 km during the day will be great exercise. He is known he moves very fast and likes to run. Therefore, when playing games, you should pay attention to the fact that the places where you will remove the leash are fenced or that the necessary security measures are taken because they can quickly disappear in the blink of an eye. 

For the Bichon breed to be calm in the home environment, it must first expel its current energy. He is seen that the Bichon Frise breed, which can throw his energy out with these exercises every day, does not upset its owner in apartment life. 

Education 

The Bichon Frise is an easy dog ​​to train. Intelligent, obedient, and eager to learn, they go fast. Starting training as a puppy allows himdeveloping faster. Interaction with other animals and unfamiliar people is essential for early socialization development. He also easily adapts to the pieces of training given to adapt to home life. They are easy to train in every way, as they are a loyal and obedient breed. He quickly learns and applies what he sees. He likes to learn new things, to cheat. If you avoid harsh interventions and punishment in training, it will go fast. They respond very quickly to the reward method. That way, they don't get distracted and get bored quickly. The Bichon Frise dog, who does not like to be alone, may exhibit negative behaviors if left alone for long periods at home. Afterward, you may need to give your long dog training and take extra time to correct these unwanted negative behaviors. 

Health

The Bichon Frise breed is generally healthy. However, knowing what the possible discomforts will be is important for the early diagnosis of any disease. Your dog may have health problems such as allergies, bladder infections, hip dysplasia, vaccine sensitivity, patella luxation, cataracts, and other eye diseases. Before adopting, you should get help from responsible people, scan the dog's breeding stock and look at the family history. 

Oral and ear care is also essential for Bichons. If regular dental care and tooth brushing is not done, he may experience discomfort from early tooth loss or gum infection. Ear cleaning should also be done regularly to prevent ear infections. 

It is important to keep the face clean and trim the hairs obstructing his vision for eye health. Mucus and tears may collect in the hair around the eyes. This area should be cleaned regularly. Otherwise, eye problems may occur. Since the Bichon Frise breed tends to have eye diseases, we recommend that you contact your veterinarian and take them for a checkup if tearing problems occur. A Bichon Frise with all health checks and careful care will have 12-15 years of life. 

 

Color

The Bichon Frise breed has curly, curly, eye-catching pure white fur. They may have cream and pale yellow offspring, which, as they grow, reach their original color. However, after the 18th month, regional color changes can also be seen. You can see yellowish tones or cream colors as when they were puppies. The eyes, nose, and lips are black in the face area. Bichon Frise has an integrative beauty with all the colors in its body. 

Care 

The Bichon, which has an eye-catching beauty with his white and dense feathers, can provide this beauty with meticulous care. Therefore, if possible, it should be brushed and combed every day or every other day. It is said that the Bichon Frise breed does not shed. This information is partially correct. Instead of being shed, the shed feathers get caught in the underlayer of the Bichon's body. Due to the double-layered feather structure, the collection of feathers falling from the upper layer in the lower layer can cause health problems if not cleaned. In addition, the hair collected in the bottom layer causes your dog to appear a dull color. For this reason, loose and dead hairs should be combed regularly.

 They need bathing and cutting at least once a month. It is important to wash this breed, which is challenging to keep clean because of its white fur when it gets dirty outside of the bathroom order. Due to his color and structure, fur care can be difficult. You need to set aside time for general maintenance and bathing. In addition to the combing, you will do it three times a week; you should also comb their hair before the bath and remove the lumps and dead hairs. Otherwise, the clumped hairs may become tightly intertwined and difficult to remove during the bath. Keeping the face clean and trimming the hair around the eyes is essential for both the health and care of the Bichon Frise breed. 

Bichon Frise needs more professional care than any other breed of dog. That's why it is taken for care by its owners every month or every six weeks for a bath, detailed brushing-combing, haircut, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. Many Bichon owners can care for themselves as their relationship with their dog progresses. Your weekly check-ups at home should pay attention to the ears, nose, mouth, eyes, nails, and feet. In any difference, the veterinarian should be consulted, and information should be obtained.

• Hip Assessment
• Patella Evaluation
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation