Bichon
Dogs
Bichon
The
Bichon Frisé, the most recognised Bichon group memberBichon is the
name for a group of related
toy dogs.
They vary in size and type, but all have tails curled over their back, long hair
that doesn't readily shed, short snouts, drop ears, and expressive faces with
large, dark eyes. They were all bred to be amiable
companion dogs and have a friendly, alert temperament.
The
Bichon Frisé is also simply called Bichon in North America.
History
The Bichons are descended from the ancient ancestors of the
Poodle, the
Barbet,
a water spaniel. From this, the Barbichon, a small curly coated water
spaniel and another name for this family, was created. The Bichons are a
Mediterranean breed, generally named for the region from where they
originated. The original breeds were the Bichon Tenerife, from the
Canary Islands; the Bichon Maltais, or
Maltese; and the Bichon Bolognese, or simply
Bolognese.
There is argument on whether the Tenerife is the original stock for all Bichons,
or whether the Maltese (which seems to be an old type found on the islands
before even the Barbet was known) is the progenitor of the Bichons, through its
breeding with the Barbets. Ultimately, most of the modern Bichon breeds have
developed by introducing a variety of dogs to the Barbichon type, creating a
family with recognisable characteristics in both temperament and type but no
single distinct progenitor.
The Bichons were the court dogs of
medieval
Europe, especially finding favour in
France,
Italy and
Spain. The French
word bichonner, which means to pamper or doll up, derives from the be-ribboned
and lavish lifestyles of the Bichon of
Henry III of France, who was carried in a little basket wherever the King
went.
Types
The
Maltese is undoubtedly ancient, and dogs of its type, with long hair and
dropped ears, were described in Roman times on the island of
Malta. In earlier
imagery of the breed, it is shown with wavy fur, more typical to the Bichons,
and its relatively reciently that a totally smooth coated Maltese was the final
type. It has also steadily retained its popularity throughout the centuries,
unlike any other Bichon, most of which became very rare at least once in their
history as fashions and governments changed.
The
Bolognese was already being developed as a toy dog as early as the 11th
century in
Bologna, Italy. A favorite gift between courts, the little dog traveled to
places like Spain, Belgium, France, Russia (as a gift to Catherine the Great!)
and Austria.
Bichon Frisé at play.
The modern
Bichon
Frisé was created by combining the now extinct Tenerife with the poodles and
barbets of the day to produce a tightly curled, rather that wavy, coated Bichon,
hence the full name, Bichon a poil Frisé. The Tenerife also traveled to
Reunion Island to develop the now extinct Coton de Reunion, which
then traveled to nearby
Madagascar
and became the
Coton de Tulear. The Bichon Havanais, or
Havanese,
seems to have been descended from a variety of small, Bichon-type dogs that
traveled with Spanish and Italian sailors to
Cuba. They were
possibly bred with a now extinct poodle type from South America to produce a
wavy coat which was also silky, but it may be that they simply expressed a wavy
coat trait through a random chance of genetics.
The Löwchen
is an enigma. Though classically considered a Mediterranian Bichon dog, research
into the origins of the dog show it may not have passed through the
Mediterranian at all to travel to its current originating countries of Germany
and the Netherlands. It is possible that the breed had some Bichon blood, or
that it's simply a terrier type from Tibet with no connections at all to the
Bichons. It does have a typical friendly Bichon temperament, though!
Behind the Iron Curtain, specifically
Russian Bichons
were developed. After the retreat of Napoleon's army, left behind Bichons,
primarily the
Bolognese and
Bichon
Frisé, were bred into a unique breed called the
Franzuskaya Bolonka. After
World
War II, the French Bolonka was then bred with poodles and silky
terriers such as the
Yorkshire Terrier to produce a small dog with a multi-coloured, long, wavy
coat, called the
Tsvetnaya Bolonka, or Multicoloured Bichon. Until recently, these
breeds were unknown outside of Germany and Russia.
The Modern Bichons
It may be hard to believe now, but almost all Bichons, even the very popular
Frisé, went through a period in the 1800's where they were hardly fancied at
all. Breeds like the
Havanese
and Bolognese
are still recovering from this, and even more common Bichons like the
Löwchen and
Bichon
Frisé were almost extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. Court dogs
were not very well regarded in Europe at the turn of the last century, and many
Bichon types are now extinct due to this neglect.
But Bichons are seeing a second renaissance with popularity they haven't seen
the likes of since the last
Renaissance. The Bichon family of dogs were all selected for the same
reason, to be small, charming companion dogs with even temperments and playful
attitudes.
Over a thousand years of dedicated breeding to making a friendly, playful and
affectionate dog for court is finding new use for the needs of a
house pet. More and more, dog owners are interested in companion type dogs
that have good all around temperaments, and there is an increased desire for
small dogs which won't be yappy, stand-offish, nervous or aggressive, all traits
the Bichons should not have if properly bred.
External links
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