Fall in Love with a Cuddly, White Puff – the Bichon Frise
The name Bichon Frise in French means a curly lap dog and truly, he is a cute and curly dog who loves to spread happiness all around. While choosing a small dog breed, you can always bring home a Bichon Frise as they make popular pets. They are look somewhat similar to the Maltese but are bigger. Extremely intelligent, the Bichon Frise is a lively and happy-go-lucky dog. You will really be proud to own one.
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: Most dogs of the breed have the characteristic non-shedding white coat although there are others that display off-white, beige or yellow-orange with dark shades around the ears. Purebreds have a white coat, black or brown eyes with the clearly identifiable mask around the eyes.
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.
Bichons are also prone to skin irritations and allergy (if not groomed regularly); old age cataract, senility and diseases of the ear; although ear disease is very easy to treat. Owning a Bichon is no different than owning a cuddly, barking fur ball that would give all members of the family extreme joy and pleasure!
Author Info: Mike Mathews is the owner and editor of the acknowledged Dog Breed Facts website. His new ebook titled “Choosing a Dog For Your Lifestyle” is a fantastic resource for the new dog owner.
