Bichon Frise: A Small Dog With A Golden Heart
The Bichon Frise is a captivating dog that looks like a puff ball because of its curly hair. Energetic, this lovable, curly-haired dog is smart, bubbly and even-tempered. Its affable character makes it a winner for anybody, young or old, to have as a companion at home. It is believed to be a cross between the Barbet Water Spaniel and the Poodle. It gained popularity as a circus performer and as the organ player’s dog!
Compatibility and Usage: Due to his happy disposition, he makes for a complete family dog. The Bichon Frise is not a guard dog nor is it a popular show dog. He loves being indoors but at the same time will love to take a walk outdoors or at a dog park where he will happily make many friends.
Physical Appearance: The Bichon Frise sports a loose, curly double coat. The outer coat is textured while the undercoat is 3 to 4 inches long and is soft, fine and silky undercoat. The usual color is all white but some members of the breed may have cream, gray or orange colored coats. It has round, black intelligent eyes, drooping ears and a tail curved over its back.
Temperament: The Bichon is a highly attractive dog due to its silky and curly hair and it greatly enjoys human company. It possesses an independent attitude, is intelligent, affectionate, bold and lively. It is very easy to live with and generally makes people very happy as a pet. Although it may be a little difficult to housebreak, its mannerisms, attitude and happy temperament makes it worth while to persevere in training the Bichon as it is very obedient once trained.
It is very sociable with other pets and humans but can also perform guard dog duties for its master due to its protective demeanor. When playing, they may exhibit some tenacious attitudes but otherwise they are a good choice for the companion of the young and old alike.
Caring & health: A Bichon Frise has a life span of around 12 years and a male dog will have a height of up to 12 inches while a female or a bitch can have a height varying from 9 to 11 inches. They have a non shedding coat and hence need regular grooming. Bichons are also susceptible to different types of skin allergies and other skin problems, which makes grooming necessary.
If you own a Bichon then you will need to brush his coat several times within a week so that hair tangling can be prevented. The more frequently you groom him, the puffier his coat will be. A balanced diet with moderate exercise will do him a lot of good. One of the most important health risks that a Bichon Frise might face is that of pancreatitis, which is more often caused due to eating fatty foods.
Some of the other medical problems that the Bichons are susceptible to include skin irritations allergy, cataract (happens with age), senility and vestibular disease. The last one is a disease of the ear and needs to be taken care of immediately. Minus the diseases, which are common for almost all breeds, choosing a small breed dog like the Bichon Frise is like bringing home a fur ball of happiness!
About the Author: Mike Mathews is the owner and publisher of the acknowledged Dog Breed Facts website. His new ebook titled “Choosing a Dog For Your Lifestyle” is a great resource for the new dog owner.