Bichon Frise: A Big-Hearted Lap Dog
(by Mike Mathews) - The name Bichon Frise in French means a curly lap dog and truly, he is a cute and curly dog who loves to spread happiness all around. While choosing a small dog breed, you can always bring home a Bichon Frise as they make popular pets. They are look somewhat similar to the Maltese but are bigger. Extremely intelligent, the Bichon Frise is a lively and happy-go-lucky dog. You will really be proud to own one.
Compatibility and Usage: The Bichon Frise’s size and nature does not make it a very good guard dog nor does it do well as a show dog however it adequately fills the role of the absolute family dog. Taking your Bichon for regular walks in the park where it can interact with other people and dogs would surely make the dog happier and livelier.
Physical Appearance: Most dogs of the breed have the characteristic non-shedding white coat although there are others that display off-white, beige or yellow-orange with dark shades around the ears. Purebreds have a white coat, black or brown eyes with the clearly identifiable mask around the eyes.
Temperament: The Bichon is a highly attractive dog due to its silky and curly hair and it greatly enjoys human company. It possesses an independent attitude, is intelligent, affectionate, bold and lively. It is very easy to live with and generally makes people very happy as a pet. Although it may be a little difficult to housebreak, its mannerisms, attitude and happy temperament makes it worth while to persevere in training the Bichon as it is very obedient once trained.
It is very sociable with other pets and humans but can also perform guard dog duties for its master due to its protective demeanor. When playing, they may exhibit some tenacious attitudes but otherwise they are a good choice for the companion of the young and old alike.
Caring & Health: Average lifespan is normally 12 years, give or take a year or two. The male of the breed has a maximum height of that reaches up to 12 inches while the female can be anywhere from 9 to 11 inches. Their non shedding coat requires regular grooming and can be a source of various types of skin allergies and skin problems, making grooming a regular necessity.
Regular brushing is necessary to remove the hair tangles of the Bichon’s coat; tedious as this may be, it contributes to making the dog’s coat puffier, more beautiful and highly attractive. Do not feed your dog with high fat content foods to avoid their common affliction, pancreatitis. To ensure your dog’s health, it is necessary to walk him regularly on a daily basis.
Bichons are also prone to skin irritations and allergy (if not groomed regularly); old age cataract, senility and diseases of the ear; although ear disease is very easy to treat. Owning a Bichon is no different than owning a cuddly, barking fur ball that would give all members of the family extreme joy and pleasure!
About the Author:
About the Author: Mike Mathews is a writer and editor of the acknowledged Dog-Breed-Facts.com website. His new ebook titled “Choosing a Dog For Your Lifestyle” is a great resource for the prospective dog owner. You can get a unique content version of this article.
