Bichon frise
The bichon is a Mediterranean companion breed, taken up by Spanish sailors, then by the French and Italian courts, and later — after falling out of fashion — worked as an organ-grinder's and circus dog.
It was standardised in France in the 1930s.
It is a small white dog with a soft, dense, curling coat that stands away from the body when properly groomed, and dark eyes and nose against the white. Bichons are cheerful, playful and unusually people-focused even by companion-breed standards; the trade-off is that they are among the breeds most prone to genuine separation anxiety.
- Origin
- Mediterranean, standardised in France
- Size
- 5–8 kg, 23–30 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 14–15 years
- Coat
- Soft, dense and curling; very low shedding
- Temperament
- Cheerful, playful, sociable, attached to people
- Exercise
- 30–45 minutes daily
3 bichon frise photos, newest first
Living with a bichon frise
The coat sheds almost nothing, which means it mats instead. Brush through to the skin several times a week and expect a professional groom every four to six weeks — this is a genuinely high-maintenance coat, and the main cost of the breed.
Tear staining is common on white faces and needs daily wiping.
They do not cope well with long days alone; this is a breed to think twice about for an empty house. Watch for luxating patellae, bladder stones, allergies and early dental disease.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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