Bichon Frise
by Sandy Oberreuter
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Bichon Frises originated in the Mediterranean region and have
existed since the Middle Ages. Bred as a lap dog for the French
royalty they became court favorites in the 15th century. During the
French Revolution they ended up on the streets. They were then
caught and trained as circus dogs.
In French a Bichon Frise means curly lap dog. He is the
best known member of the bichon family of dogs.
The Bichon Frise is a white powder puff. These little guys are
affectionate, playful, charming yet dignified. They love human
company and with their merry temperament he is a good companion.
The cheerful attitude he has is the hallmark of this small dog
breed.
They need people a lot and are most comfortable being close to
their owners. They enjoy being a lap dog. Bichon Frises like
children more than many other small breeds and are good with other
animals.
Bichon Frises can live in an apartment, condominium, or house,
but they do enjoy walks. Sturdier than many dogs of their size they
adapt to any environment as long as they are with people.
They have round dark eyes that have a inquisitive expression.
Their ears are dropped and covered with long flowing hair. Skull is
slightly rounded with a black nose. A plumed tail is carried over
their back.
Their coat is loosely curled consisting of a textured outer coat
with a soft undercoat which is curly, thus the powder puff look.
The coat should spring back if touched. Their coats are white
but can have shades of buff, cream, with apricot around ears or
body. They are a non-shedding dog so he is popular with people
who have allergies.
Bichon Frise's only get to 91/2 - 11 1/2 inches tall and weigh
between 7-12 pounds.
These little dogs are easy to train but it should done
gently and firmly with no scolding. They need to have socialization
training as a puppy to learn manners since they are a highly
sociable dog. They are easily housebroken by using the crate method.
They are intelligent but not always cooperative with this chore.
Just establish a routine and stick to it but do add praise to
further motivate them.
Regular brushing is needed. They require a thorough shampoo and
rinse with combing it's curly coat while blow drying it. Use a slick
brush. You will need to wipe around their eyes because of eye
discharge as mucus accumulates in the fur in front of their eyes.
Also, trim around the eyes and ears with blunt nosed scissors. A
professional grooming is recommended to achieve the Bichon "look".
You need to brush their teeth 2-3 times a week with a yearly
check-up.
Bichon Frise dogs are generally healthy but are prone to:
Cataracts
Knee dislocations
Ear infections
Eye infections
Skin allergies
Early tooth loss
Bladder infections and stones
They love to eat so their diet must be watched so they don't
become fat. A responsible breeder will give you instructions on
feeding your puppy. You should feed him a premium dog food and puppy
food till he is a year old. Feed him about one cup in a 24 hour
period about 4-5 hours apart. Adult dogs are feed two meals a day.
Always provide fresh water.
About the Author
Sandy has a web site about small breed dogs with information on
choosing a dog breed, a breeder, bringing your puppy home, dogs good
with children and seniors and much more.
http://www.small-dogbreeds.com
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