The
most balanced and sound powder-puff in the dog-dom, the Bichon Frise
is a small, solid white dog with a gaily carried plume of a tail
that befits his merry temperament. Contrasting with his snow
white coat are his dark eyes, whose expression is soft but
alert. This white angel has halos around its eyes, which are
the black skin surrounding the eyes, enhancing expression. The
ears are drop and of medium length, covered with long, flowing
hair. The skull is slightly rounded. There is a slight
chiseling under the eyes, but not too much to give an impression of
a weak or snipy foreface. The nose is prominent and always
black. The neck is long and arched; top line is level except
for a slight arch over the loin; chest is sufficiently wide to allow
free movement of forequarters; the fore chest is well pronounced,
protruding slightly; underline has moderate tuck up. The tail
is set on level with top line, well plumed, and gracefully curved
over the back. Tail cannot be docked, corkscrew, droopy, low
set or carried even to the back. The texture of the outer coat is
coarser and curlier than the soft and dense undercoat; to the touch
the coat feels silky and fine. The coat is trimmed to show
natural contours of the body; over trimming is discourage; in
England the breed is shown untrimmed but "tidied up" at
the feet and muzzle. The Bichon color is white, but markings
of cream, buff or apricot are acceptable with more than ten percent
being discouraged. Height ranges from 9 to 11 1/2 inches at
the withers.
Adaptable and family
loving, the Bichon makes a delightful children's dog. He is
easygoing and gives from his heart with out conditions.
Bichons excel as show dogs, as their coats are extraordinary.
They also do well as obedience dogs since they are that rare
combination of smart and obedient. You can't find a sweeter
dog who can fit into any lifestyle. He does not like the heat
and prefers to be indoors most of the time.
