The Bichon Frise

Non-Sporting Group
Breed Standard

General Appearance
The Bichon Frise is a small, sturdy, white powder puff of a dog whose merry temperament is evidenced by his plumed tail carried jauntily over the back and his dark-eyed inquisitive expression.

This is a breed that has no gross or incapacitating exaggerations and therefore there is no inherent reason for lack of balance or unsound movement.

Any deviation from the ideal described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Structural faults common to all breeds are as undesirable in the Bichon Frise as in any other breed, even though such faults may not be specifically mentioned in the standard.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Size Dogs and bitches 9½ to 11½ inches are to be given primary preference. Only where the comparative superiority of a specimen outside this range clearly justifies it should greater latitude be taken. In no case, however, should this latitude ever extend over 12 inches or under 9 inches. The minimum limits do not apply to puppies. Proportion--The body from the forward-most point of the chest to the point of rump is ¼ longer than the height at the withers. The body from the withers to lowest point of chest represents ½ the distance from withers to ground. Substance--Compact and of medium bone throughout; neither coarse nor fine.

Head
Expression--Soft, dark-eyed, inquisitive, alert. Eyes are round, black or dark brown and are set in the skull to look directly forward. An overly large or bulging eye is a fault as is an almond shaped, obliquely set eye. Halos, the black or very dark brown skin surrounding the eyes, are necessary as they accentuate the eye and enhance expression. The eye rims themselves must be black. Broken pigment, or total absence of pigment on the eye rims produce a blank and staring expression, which is a definite fault. Eyes of any color other than black or dark brown are a very serious fault and must be severely penalized. Ears are drop and are covered with long flowing hair. When extended toward the nose, the leathers reach approximately halfway the length of the muzzle. They are set on slightly higher than eye level and rather forward on the skull, so that when the dog is alert they serve to frame the face. The skull is slightly rounded, allowing for a round and forward looking eye. The stop is slightly accentuated. Muzzle--A properly balanced head is three parts muzzle to five parts skull, measured from the nose to the stop and from the stop to the occiput. A line drawn between the outside corners of the eyes and to the nose will create a near equilateral triangle. There is a slight degree of chiseling under the eyes, but not so much as to result in a weak or snipey foreface. The lower jaw is strong. The nose is prominent and always black. Lips are black, fine, never drooping. Bite is scissors. A bite which is undershot or overshot should be severely penalized. A crooked or out of line tooth is permissible, however, missing teeth are to be severely faulted.

Neck, Topline and Body
The arched neck is long and carried proudly behind an erect head. It blends smoothly into the shoulders. The length of neck from occiput to withers is approximately 1/3 the distance from forechest to buttocks. The topline is level except for a slight, muscular arch over the loin. Body--The chest is well developed and wide enough to allow free and unrestricted movement of the front legs. The lowest point of the chest extends at least to the elbow. The rib cage is moderately sprung and extends back to a short and muscular loin. The forechest is well pronounced and protrudes slightly forward of the point of shoulder. The underline has a moderate tuck-up. Tail is well plumed, set on level with the topline and curved gracefully over the back so that the hair of the tail rests on the back. When the tail is extended toward the head it reaches at least halfway to the withers. A low tail set, a tail carried perpendicularly to the back, or a tail which droops behind is to be severely penalized. A corkscrew tail is a very serious fault.

Forequarters
Shoulders--The shoulder blade, upper arm and forearm are approximately equal in length. The shoulders are laid back to somewhat near a forty-five degree angle. The upper arm extends well back so the elbow is placed directly below the withers when viewed from the side. Legs are of medium bone; straight, with no bow or curve in the forearm or wrist. The elbows are held close to the body. The pasterns slope slightly from the vertical. The dewclaws may be removed. The feet are tight and round, resembling those of a cat and point directly forward, turning neither in nor out. Pads are black. Nails are kept short.

Hindquarters
The hindquarters are of medium bone, well angulated with muscular thighs and spaced moderately wide. The upper and lower thigh are nearly equal in length meeting at a well bent stifle joint. The leg from hock joint to foot pad is perpendicular to the ground. Dewclaws may be removed. Paws are tight and round with black pads.

Coat
The texture of the coat is of utmost importance. The undercoat is soft and dense, the outercoat of a coarser and curlier texture. The combination of the two gives a soft but substantial feel to the touch which is similar to plush or velvet and when patted springs back. When bathed and brushed, it stands off the body, creating an overall powder puff appearance. A wiry coat is not desirable. A limp, silky coat, a coat that lies down, or a lack of undercoat are very serious faults. Trimming--The coat is trimmed to reveal the natural outline of the body. It is rounded off from any direction and never cut so short as to create an overly trimmed or squared off appearance. The furnishings of the head, beard, moustache, ears and tail are left longer. The longer head hair is trimmed to create an overall rounded impression. The topline is trimmed to appear level. The coat is long enough to maintain the powder puff look which is characteristic of the breed.

Color
Color is white, may have shadings of buff, cream or apricot around the ears or on the body. Any color in excess of 10% of the entire coat of a mature specimen is a fault and should be penalized, but color of the accepted shadings should not be faulted in puppies.

Gait
Movement at a trot is free, precise and effortless. In profile the forelegs and hind legs extend equally with an easy reach and drive that maintain a steady topline. When moving, the head and neck remain somewhat erect and as speed increases there is a very slight convergence of legs toward the center line. Moving away, the hindquarters travel with moderate width between them and the foot pads can be seen. Coming and going, his movement is precise and true.

Temperament
Gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate. A cheerful attitude is the hallmark of the breed and one should settle for nothing less.

Approved October 11, 1988
Effective November 30, 1988

Crate Training  |  Grooming  |  Top

Crate Training Your Puppy

The easiest way to house train a puppy (or an adult dog) is to use a crate. This is gentle and humane and dogs, being den animals, like their crates because it is "home". The most important rule in house training is consistency. Set up a schedule and stick with it for as long as it takes (and a week or two longer, just to be sure). The puppy is to be in his crate at all times unless he is (a) being fed or (b) being exercised. Only after he has urinated and/or had a bowel movement outside can he be let out to play and then only for a brief period. Puppies like to eat and sleep so they really don't need to be out for long periods. They should always be crated at night and when you are to be away from home. This protects both the puppy and the furniture and carpets.

1. Puppies should be able to sleep all night in their crates without an accident by 3 months of age. He is to go outside immediately when he wakes up. Stay with him until he goes, praise him to the extreme.

2. Use a high pitched voice for praise and a low pitch for scolding - but Bichons do much better for praise than for scolding!

3. Feed the puppy when you bring him in and then take him back outside within 15-20 minutes of his meal. His crate is a good place for him to eat without the cat or the baby getting into his food. Continue to take him outside at least every two hours until you determine his schedule for relieving himself. This may involve all members of the household keeping a chart so that you can understand how often he needs to be outside. Obviously he must go out just before bedtime.

4. Anytime during the day when you cannot give the puppy your full attention, he should be in his crate. This means when you are on the phone, cooking, cleaning, dressing, playing, eating, sleeping, ad infinitum. If you are to be successful, you must be able to watch him when he is not crated. If you must leave the puppy longer and do not want to crate him, use a small confined area free of dangerous electrical cords or anything that can be chewed. Provide his crate with the door open for easy access. However, crating is the better method for housetraining and should be done as much as possible.

What about paper training? This is a decision you must make early on. If it is a male, he probably should never be paper trained. Females can learn to go outside as well as on papers and this can be useful in parts of the country with bad winters. The papers must - from the start - only be placed in an area where they will continue to be permissible, usually a laundry room.

Portable exercise pens can be purchased from dog supply vendors and are useful if you do not have a fenced yard. This is both a safety feature and a sanitary one. If your Bichon is a jumper or a digger, do not leave him unattended in either a yard or a fence. Electric fences are not good for Bichons, in part because it offers them no protection from other dogs, dog nappers or other unsafe conditions. There are products on the market that can serve as aids in house training, such as scented papers or sprays. Use those as directed but continue to follow the above schedule.

Bichons are bred to be companion animals and do not like being left at home for hours at a time. Consider this trait when buying your pet and make arrangements for someone to walk him when you are away. Crating the dog without an opportunity to relieve himself for many hours is asking for soiling and formation of other bad habits

Check out this great link for more training information!  http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/