Where the Bichon Frise came from
The Bichon Frise is a small Franco-Belgian toy dog. The modern line is thought to have started on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where the Bichon Tenerife became the main ancestor. From the 13th century these dogs won favor at royal courts in Spain, Italy and France.
King Henry III of France, who ruled from 1574 to 1589, loved his Bichons so much that he carried them in a tray-like basket. After the French Revolution began in 1789, many Bichons lost their aristocratic homes. Street entertainers took them in and trained them to do tricks for coins.
In 1956 Helene and Francois Picault brought six Bichons from Dieppe, France, to America. The AKC accepted the breed into the Miscellaneous class in 1971 and gave it full recognition in the Non-Sporting Group in April 1973. Today they are popular, people loving companions.
- 1574 to 1589 King Henry III of France carries his Bichons in a basket
- After 1789 Street entertainers train displaced Bichons to perform
- 1956 The Picaults bring six Bichons to America
- 1973 AKC gives full recognition in the Non-Sporting Group
The job a Bichon Frise was bred for
The job was being a charming court companion and later a street performer. That shaped a cheerful dog who loves attention and learns tricks easily. At home they can struggle with being left alone.
Sports that fit a Bichon Frise
- Trick dog. Natural performers
- Agility. Fun
- Rally. Fun
- Scent work. Good
- Obedience. Eager
Training tips for a Bichon Frise
- Use food and play rewards. They love to perform.
- Housetraining takes steady routines and patience.
- Practice short, calm alone time from puppyhood.
- Start grooming handling early and make it a treat.
Body and health
Small. Watch knees.
Fun fact. King Henry III of France loved his Bichons so much that he carried them in a tray-like basket.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Bichon Frise is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.