GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: up to 30 cm (l2”).
Colour: White. Under the coat dark pigment is preferred.
Coat: Fine and silky with soft corkscrew curls 7-10 cm (3”-4”) long. Feet and muzzle may be trimmed.
Gait: Effortless with a smooth ground covering stride, showing the hindpads when moving away.
With their heads carried high and their plumed tails carried cockily over their hacks, these dogs are the essence of smartness. Their dark alert eyes sparkle with spirit. The skull is longer than the muzzle and the well coated ears hang to the side of the skull. Due to the thick coats, their bodies give the appearance of being compact. Fore and hindquarters are well angulated.
CHARACTERlSTICS
The character of these dogs is lively with alert eyes full of expression and a spunky tail carriage. As they are not yappy dogs, this breed make excellent pets for small homes or apartments. The Bichon coat does not shed, but plenty of grooming is required to keep it in good condition and free of tangles. Scissoring is necessary about once a month to ‘keep the smart appearance - however, for non show dogs, the coat is easily maintained if trimmed back to about 1.5cm long.
HISTORY
This breed has a long history as it originated from the Mediterranean Barbet - a dog with a thick curly coat who was once used for water retrieving. Originally known as the ‘Barbichon’, the French shortened the name to Bichon and added the word ‘Frise’ which means curly or frizzy. The colour of the Bichon became established after an infusion of the white Maltese Terrier. Of breeds which later evolved from the early Bichon, possibly the best known is the Poodle.