Bichon Frize, or French Bolognese

The history of the French lapdog is rooted in the ancient past. They say that the common breed of bichon was taken out by the ancient Romans from the dog "barbet". Her homeland is the island of Melit (now Malta). On the mainland, the dog was presented as a precious gift to the senators and rulers of Rome. Later, the Maltese bishons began to breed as a decorative breed at the nobility's courts. Thus, new subspecies appeared: French, Bologna, Havana and Tenerife. Why are these little dogs called bolognese in Russia? Yes, because they came to us from Bologna. In the Renaissance, bichon bolognese were very much appreciated at the court of Catherine de Medici and were presented to Russian sovereigns.

But here we will talk about the bichon frize - the French variety. This is a small decorative dog with a funny face and a snow-white wavy coat. By the way, other colors, spots and even a vanilla shade of white according to the standard are not allowed. The eyes and spout should also be black or dark brown in color. A typical French lapdog, the photo of which you see here, gives the impression of a soft toy.

What are bishons worth for? Firstly, it is a find for allergic people: dogs do not have undercoat, they do not smell of dog and do not shed. Secondly, they can get people who do not always have the opportunity to provide their pets with long walks. Bishons are easily accustomed to walking in the tray. In addition, the French lap-dog well "fit" into the flat-small-footage. She gets along well with children, other pets. Her cheerful disposition, even in old age, she keeps playfulness and liveliness. Excellent yield to training, but the owner with it should not show rigor, and softness - the bishons are very touchy.

Now a few words about the standard of the breed, which was officially approved in 1988. Height at the withers is 20-30 cm, weight - 3-4 kg. About the white fur without the slightest flaw, black eyes-buttons and the same nose nose we already mentioned. In addition, the French lap-dog should have a thick coat with light curls up to 20 cm long, and the tail must be thrown to the back. The transition from the nose to the forehead is pronounced. The ears are set high on a round flat head, but hang down. The paws are short, straight. It is desirable that the pads and claws are black. The presence of undercoat can disqualify the dog.

Provided that you do not have an exhibition copy, the French lap-dog does not require special care. Naturally, the owner of such a fluffy coat should be combed daily with a special brush, but since the wool of the bishons is not inclined to stall and tangle, this should not take you much time. You can swim a dog every month. Cut pets with a professional dog hairdresser at least once a quarter and even more often self-cut the fur on the face and between the fingers. The fact is that the eyes of the Bishon begin to water because of the ingress of their own hair into them, which is very noticeable on the snow-white fleece.

The French lap-dog is included in the lucky list of breeds-long-livers. Fifteen years is the average duration of their life, but with proper care the dog remains healthy and cheerful up to 18-20 years. The only thing that you should pay attention to is the tendency to allergies. However, this affects all dogs of white color. Take responsibility for food: food coloring will immediately "manifest" on the coat of your pet.