The adorable Bichon Frise聽is among the canine kingdom鈥檚 great survivors, relying on charm and intelligence to weather history鈥檚 ups and downs. Bichons Frises have withstood world wars, revolutions, and the fall of empires. These dogs can eagerly adapt to whatever challenge fate sends their way.
Early Beginnings as a Noble Companion
The informal grouping of what can only be called 鈥渓ittle white dogs鈥� has exerted a fascination among royals and aristocrats for so long that we can鈥檛 say for sure how it all got started. We do know that small lapdogs were bartered around the Mediterranean basin for millennia.聽Cleopatra, so the legend goes, was a 鈥渓ittle white dog鈥� fan.
More formally, members of this group are known as Barbichon-type dogs, an umbrella term for breeds such as the Bolognese, Maltese, Havanese, and Bichon Frise. It鈥檚 thought that these breeds began their modern development on Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. One of these breeds became so closely associated with the island that it was known as the Bichon Tenerife. Quick, clever, and pleasing to the eye, the petite Bichon Tenerife dog became the primary ancestor of today鈥檚 Bichon Frise.
The breed鈥檚 close association with European nobles began sometime in the 13th century. Most notably, they endeared themselves to the royal courts of Spain, Italy, and France. The breed came into their own during the Renaissance.
Elaine Waldorf Gewirtz wrote in the AKC Gazette of how the Bichon鈥檚 irresistible charm could lead to some odd behavior among Europe鈥檚 crowned heads: 鈥淜ing Henry III of France (1574鈥�1589) was so enamored of his Bichons that he carried a few whenever he went in a tray-like basket suspended by neck ribbons. Recognizing a trend, the court ladies adopted the same odd form of transport.鈥�
We know a lot about the Bichon鈥檚 career as a royal lap warmer thanks to the breed鈥檚 many appearances in portraits by the great painting masters. A celebrated Renaissance painting by Titian depicts Federico Gonzaga, the duke of Mantua, with a wooly Bichon at his side. Some 250 years later, a Sir Joshua Reynolds portrait known as 鈥淢iss Beatrix Lister, Sister of the 1st Lord Ribblesdale鈥� (1765), shows that the Bichon was still sitting in the lap of luxury.
The Entertainer
With the advent of the French Revolution in 1789, the Bichon鈥檚 days as the pampered pet of the aristocracy rudely came to an end. One by one, the breed鈥檚 benefactors went to prison or the guillotine. As a result, their Bichons lost their positions of privilege in townhouses and palaces. Many dogs found themselves in the street, fending for themselves. Street entertainers took in the bright, agile dogs. They trained the dogs to turn somersaults, walk on their hind legs, or wave both paws in the air. These tricks helped them to coax a coin or two from passersby.
It wasn鈥檛 long before the Bichon was earning his keep as a circus performer. Trainable, impossibly cute, and always at their best when in the spotlight, Bichons were excellent candidates for showbiz success.
Circuses have always had a preference for white dogs. These dog鈥檚 gleaming coats make their form and facial expressions easy for attendees to see at a distance. The American Eskimo Dog and the Poodle are other examples of white-coated breeds that have wowed audiences around the world.
Taking to the Show Ring
Thanks to their crowd-pleasing antics Bichons survived into the 20th century. However, they soon faced hard times because of the shortages and austerities brought on by the two world wars. Once again, many Bichons found themselves out in the cold. Thanks to a few fanciers who gathered Bichons off the streets of France and Belgium, the breed survived. They were recognized in France under the auspices of the Societ茅 Centrale Canine in March 1933 as the 鈥淏ichon a Poil Fris茅鈥濃�攖he Bichon of the curly hair.
In 1956, Helene and Francois Picault of Dieppe, France, arrived in America with six Bichons in tow. The couple hoped to establish the breed in this country. Not long after, they succeeded in producing the first Bichon littler bred in the United States. For some years, the breed鈥檚 small but dedicated following worked to stabilize important breed traits like size (the Bichon鈥檚 U.S. breed standard prefers a dog standing 11.5 inches) and facial expression. Soon, the Bichon was ready to take its place as show-ring royalty. In 1964, the was founded in San Diego. The AKC accepted the Bichon into the Miscellaneous class in 1971, and full breed recognition in the Non-Sporting Group came in April 1973. Since then, dog-show regulars have seen many Bichons become big winners.
None was more famous than 鈥淛R,鈥� a record-setting Bichon who in 2001 became the AKC National Championship鈥檚 first Best in Show winner. He followed up two months later with a Best in Show at Westminster, becoming the first Bichon to take the top prize at that hallowed venue. Judge Dorothy Macdonald called him 鈥渁s close to perfection as you can get.鈥�
JR鈥檚 signature gesture after a big win was a two-pawed salute to the crowd. This salute was a delightful throwback to his breed鈥檚 days as a street performer, when Bichons worked for their supper instead of show ribbons.
Today鈥檚 Bichon
The Bichon Frise has had a long journey from royal companion and fashion statement to modern-day pet. Today鈥檚 pet owners cite many reasons why the Bichon was well worth preserving over the centuries.
The Bichon鈥檚 low-shedding, 鈥渉ypoallergenic鈥� coat is a major selling point to owners. Though, they need to be aware of the daily brushing and routine scissoring necessary to maintain the breed鈥檚 coat. The Bichon鈥檚 trainability, quickness, and deceptive sturdiness make him a natural for owners looking for a portable partner in obedience and agility training.
While they鈥檙e endlessly amusing, Bichons are adaptable and don鈥檛 need much hard exercise. The Bichon tends to get on with other dogs and children. Alert and immensely loyal to their favorite human, Bichons make nice little watchdogs. However, they鈥檙e lovers not fighters. Bichons operate under the assumption that there are no strangers, just friends they haven鈥檛 met yet. Their sociability and size make them ideal city dogs.
Finally, there鈥檚 the happy-go-lucky Bichon personality that draws smiles and hugs wherever they go. It鈥檚 no coincidence that Bichons make ideal therapy dogs. (After his retirement from the show ring, JR worked as a therapy dog with a special knack for sick children.)
We鈥檝e all known someone described as a 鈥減eople person.鈥� Well, the Bichon is a 鈥減eople dog.鈥� Whether you鈥檙e the king of France, a dog show judge, or the pizza delivery guy, the Bichon wants nothing more than to win your heart.