The Bichon Frise: A Mediterranean Breed | Dogs

By MaryStevenson
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The Bichon Frise is a descendent of the Barbet or Water Spaniel and is mostly white in color and considered a ladies dog that originates from the Mediterranean region dating as far back as 600-300 B.C. Originally, it was referred to as a Barbichon though this name was later compacted to Bichon of which the four main categories are the Bichon Maltais, the Bichon Havanais, the Bichon Bolognais and the Bichon Tenerife. The Bichon Frise is also a very charming creature that belongs to the non-sporting classification of the American Kennel Club and is in fact mostly used as a companion or show dog.

It was only in the sixteenth century that the Bichon Frise appeared in France where its popularity rose and fell depending on who was pulling the reigns of power in France, though notables such as Francis I, Henry III and Napoleon III were largely instrumental in making the Bichon Frise very popular. In fact, many portraits from this time featured the Bichon Frise along with royals, which lent to their fame and enhanced their stature.

The Bichon Frise saw its fortunes severely dashed during the nineteenth century and it was banished from the aristocratic confines where it once reigned supreme. It was later seen on the streets where he was a catchpenny for street performers and also organ grinders and he also did his bit in entertaining passersby's.

However, given the Bichon Frise's ability to learn tricks and perform them well, he did not suffer too much on account of his fall from grace and so he survived until the time when the First World War came to an end.

However, in the 1930s he was bred once more by determined French breeders and that is when it was officially recognized as being the Bichon Frise by the Federation Cynologique International, and later in the fifties he was brought over to the United States where he was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1971 and ever since then, the Bichon Frise has enjoyed some amount of popularity and is the preferred pet of the working class.

Interest in the Bichon Frise was once again renewed after World War I, and it was bred under strict control, and on March 5, 1933 the official Bichon Frise Standard was adopted by Societe Centrale Canine of France.

Even though the fortunes of the Bichon Frise have undergone a fair share of ups and downs, the breed survived because of its immensely likeable nature and also because of his ability to perform tricks, and after he came to the U.S. he has won over the heart of the working class who find him to be an excellent companion as also a show dog.

Thus, the one-time favorite of notable personalities such as Francis I and Henry III has now become darling of the average owner and thus continues to survive even in the modern age.

About the Author

About the author: Mary Stevenson is an avid lover of the Bichon Frise and owns a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Bichon Frise. Among other topics there, you can also learn all about Bichon Frise Training plus a whole lot more.

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