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On Land and Sea
According
to toy-breed authorities, a small, frequently white breed
of dog lived throughout the Mediterranean area as early as
600 to 300 B.C. Their diminutive size and charming personalities
made these little dogs the treasured pets of the ladies of
the house. In time these lap warmers were crossed with a spaniel
type water dog known as the barbet. The dogs resulting from
this union retained their lapidary size while gaining in substance
and constitution. As a result they found increased favor with
the men of the family.
Several
small breeds descended from the lap-dog-barbet roots, including
the barbichon, whose name was shortened eventually
to bichon. The bichons were not only excellent household
companions and mini-alarms, they also became the comrades
of many rough-and-tumble seafaring men, who fancied the bichon's
small size, hardiness and amiable disposition. Moreover, the
dogs served as reminders of home on journeys that often lasted
years. Lest you think sailors were awash in sentimentality,
you should know that they also traded their little dogs for
goods on stops along the trade routes. And not always for
dry goods. Sailors did not fail to notice that their little
dogs appealed greatly to ladies in foreign ports. Before long
gentlewomen as far off as the Philippine Islands, Cuba, Argentina,
the Canary Islands and Teneriffe were waving good-bye to their
paramours, tear in eye and bichon in hand. (The stories these
sailors concocted to explain their bichons' absences upon
returning home are among the more interesting facets of canine
lore forever lost to the ages.)
A Four-Leaf
Family
Bichons,
too, enjoyed shore leave, and from their fraternization with
local dogs there emerged four distinct types of bichons. Those
that had developed during their long stay in Cuba became known
as the bichon Havanese. Those that had become established
on the island of Malta were called the bichon Maltaise. In
time this branch became extinct, but some people believe these
early dogs were the forerunners of the breed known today as
the Maltese. There is little proof, however, to document this
belief.
The bichons
that developed along the Canary Islands and Teneriffe were
reintroduced to Europe by Italian seamen during the 14th century.
In Italy this group was segregated into two strains (bichons
numbers three and four). One strain, the bichon Bolognaise,
lived in and about the city of Bologna. The other, which in
the end gained the greatest fame, was called the bichon Teneriffe.
This dog, many observers believe, had been introduced to the
Canary Island of Teneriffe by Spanish sailors. The name Teneriffe,
most sources agree, was retained because its slightly exotic
nature enhanced the bichon's value.
The bichon
Teneriffe became as popular among the ladies of the Italian
royal courts as its forebears had with the ladies of the islands.
It eventually found its way to France (to be precise, its
way was found for it), where it was highly fashionable during
the reign of Francis I (1515-1547), the patron of the Renaissance.
Its greatest success came in the court of Henry III (1574-1589),
where the bichon was decorated in ribbons and perfume. Bichons
also enjoyed popularity in Spain and the works of its artists,
including several paintings by Goya.
Street
Life
Though
they lasted longer than most fads, the bichons from Teneriffe
fell from grace. By the late 1800s, bichons were relegated
to the status of street urchins in the major cities of France.
The sturdy little dogs' rugged constitution enabled them to
survive neglect and two world wars. Their charm enabled them
to capture the attention of organ grinders and peddlers, who
were quick to realize the potential in the crowd-pleasing
antics of the bichon. Soon the little dogs began performing
tricks on street corners and in circuses and fairs. While
the bichons clowned about, pawing the air as though they were
begging for money and applause, their owners reaped the financial
benefits of this behavior.
The street
urchins' appeal did not go unnoticed by dog fanciers, several
of whom convinced the Society Central Canine in France in
1933 to write the first official standard for the breed. Perhaps
in an attempt to make up for the bichon's previous treatment,
somebody decided that the breed should be given the descriptive
name bichon a pool frise (bichon of the curly hair),
which was thankfully shortened to bichon frise.
New
Conquest
The bichon
frise first appeared in the United States in the early 1950s.
In April 1973, bichons were admitted to the American Kennel
Club's (AKC) list of officially recognized breeds. There they
can be found classified in the nonsporting group, a designation
that belies their former ability to curry favor in foreign
ports. Since their recognition by AKC, bichons' popularity
has risen each year. They now rank 30th among the 143 breeds
registered by the AKC, which enrolled 12,199 new bichons in
1996.
Darts
to the Heart
The bichon's
entire history has been one of close and constant association
with people. Small wonder the breed has developed an amiable
disposition and a willingness to accommodate just about any
conditions, as long as they include a kind and considerate
owner. Affectionate and gentle enough for children and the
elderly, the bichon is sturdy enough to walk for hours along
the beach or a country road with the man or woman of the house.
This irrepressible dog also makes friends with all other breeds
of dogs and with cats, bunnies and even birds. Nevertheless,
caution is in order when adding a bichon to a house already
ruled by a larger dog that's capable of inflicting harm.
Maintenance
Required
The bichon's
nonshedding and relatively odor-free coat is one of the many
facets of its appeal. Yet this is not a low-maintenance dog.
Just because the breed comes in white only, do not assume
it will stay that way for long. The bichon hasn't been made
who isn't happiest when rolling in wet grass or digging in
the garden. Nor does that nonshedding, curly coat stay clipped
and brushed on its own. Indeed, maintaining the jaunty, tailored
bichon shape is not an art that every owner is able to master.
If you want your bichon to stay looking like a bichon, there
will be regular trips to the grooming parlor and thorough,
in-house brushing conferences at least twice weekly. Finally,
although the bichon does not shed and appears to be nonallergenic
to most humans, the breed, like many white, pink-skinned dogs,
can be extremely flea sensitive.
Let
Me Count the Ways
Though
the bichon involves work and commitment on the part of its
owner, there are few breeds more versatile and adaptable.
The bichon is hardy and not susceptible to chronic illnesses.
It is not so small (9 to 12 inches at the shoulder, 10 to
18 pounds) that it can be injured easily in rough-and-tumble
play. Temperamentally, the bichon is just as content to sit
by your side and to help you read a book as it is to spend
the day hiking along a mountain trail. It is more than delighted
to play games with you by the hour, but just as content to
help you through a bout of the flu by sitting quietly at the
foot of your bed (or on the pillow if you permit). This is
a breed in which males are just as loving and tractable as
females. In fact, many owners claim that males are much easier
to housebreak and a little more eager to please than are females.
Bichons are also a long-lived breed. Many live well into their
teen years.
The bichon
frise is a born companion and entertainer. Its dark eyes,
nose and lips (called "points") and the black or dark brown
pigment around the eyes (called a "halo") create a special
bichon look -- one that sparkles with inquisitiveness, joie
de vivre and mischief. This look of perpetual liveliness is
more often that not augmented by a perpetually wagging tail.
One that seems to trace Valentine hearts in the air.
Spanners
in the Works
Like every
other breed known to -- and developed with the assistance
of -- humankind, the bichon frise is bound by genetic compromise.
Persons interested in buying a bichon, after answering a breeder's
questions, should pose several questions of their own about
the prevalence of the following conditions in that breeder's
line of dogs: patella luxation, hip dysplasia, bladder stones
(particularly in females) progressive retinal atrophy, juvenile
cataracts and other eye problems.
Luxating
patella is a dislocation of the small, flat, moveable
bone at the front of the knee. An inherited tendency, luxating
patella can be aggravated by excess weight. The condition
can be corrected by surgery. Because dogs with luxating
patella dogs often produce dogs with this same disease,
buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy
in which they are interested have been rated clear of luxation
by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Do not take yes
for an answer without seeing the certificate, and ask for
a copy to take to your veterinarian.
Hip
dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint resulting
in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the
hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. This
condition can be alleviated by surgery. Because dysplastic
dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask
if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they
are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia by
the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals or by Penn HIP. Again,
don't take yes for an answer without seeing the certificate,
and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian. Hip x-rays
should be taken after a dog is two years old
Progressive
retinal atrophy (PRA) is the wasting away of the vessels
in the retina. Initially manifested as night blindness in
young dogs, as PRA progresses, its victims become totally
blind. Conscientious bichon breeders test the eyes of their
breeding dogs every year. Therefore, a conscientious breeder
should be able to produce current CERF (Canine Eye Registration
Foundation) test results for both parents of any puppy offered
for sale.
In addition
to determining -- as much as one can determine -- the occurrence
of inherited problems in a particular line of dogs, anyone
who is considering a bichon or any other pedigreed dog, should
ask the seller who will be responsible for the vet bills if
a radiant-looking puppy should be victimized by an obviously
inherited condition later in its life.
Rick
Beauchamp, who breeds and shows bichons frises, is the
author of several books on the breed, the most current being
Bichon Frise, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, published
by Barron's Educational Series. He is also a licensed judge
with the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.
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