The Bichon Frise is a small, white breed, originating in the Canary Islands before gaining popularity with European nobles in the 1200s. Bichons are adaptable and do well in many different settings from families with young children to apartment living.
The Bichon Frise is a bright animal and they learn tricks relatively quickly. Housebreaking, however, can be a challenge. Positive reinforcement and quality time are key factors in the happiness and adaptability of your Bichon.
The Bichon Frise is highly adaptable. They are a small dog that does best in a house with a fenced-in yard. They can adapt very well to apartment living as long as they get plenty of exercise and attention. Bichon Frise can adjust to just about any lifestyle as long as they can spend time with their families and don’t have to spend a lot of time alone. They do well in most climates. As with most dog breeds, care should be taken in extreme hot or cold climates.
Bichons are generally very healthy dogs with a lifespan of 14-15 years. Like all breeds, however, they may be susceptible to certain health conditions. For the Bichon Frise, these include allergies, bladder infections, cataracts, and patellar luxation. The genetic history of their parents, along with your dog’s lifestyle and diet play a large role in their overall health.
A Bichon Frise loves to learn and loves to perform, which generally makes them easy to train. Although they have a reputation for being difficult to housebreak, they respond very well to training with positive rewards. It’s important their training stays positive. They have a sensitive, gentle nature and harsh or negative training methods tend to be ineffective and can damage the bond you have with your dog.
As with all dogs, early socialization is important for a puppy to grow into a well-rounded dog. Although the Bichon is relatively easy to train, puppy training classes are recommended, especially for novice owners.
Their luxurious, cotton-white coat is what makes this breed stand out. They are considered to be a hypoallergenic breed and their coat needs to be thoroughly brushed several times per week. Daily is ideal. Their coat needs to be trimmed every 4-6 weeks. Like all breeds, their nails should be trimmed monthly, teeth brushed regularly, and ears kept clean and dry.
The Bichon Frise is a relatively active breed, requiring moderate daily exercise. For a dog this size, that can include a daily walk and some play indoors or outside. They are a surprisingly fast breed and excel at canine sports like obedience, agility, and rally.
Bichon Frise are tiny dogs, weighing in at 12-18 pounds with a height of 9.5-11.5 inches.
This dog breed generally lives 12-15 years.
The Bichon Frise makes a number of appearances in Goya’s paintings.
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