The Bichon Frise: A Mediterranean Breed

The Bichon Frise has always been famous and was commonly known as the Bichon Tenerife that originated many thousands of years down the ages, especially from the region around the Mediterranean Sea. In fact, the history of the Bichon Frise shows that it is descended by cross breeding the Barbets or Water Spaniels with little white dogs. Furthermore, the different categories of the Bichon Frise each owe their name to place from where it developed such as the Bichon Tenerife that came from the Canary Island of Tenerife.

From the time it first began to be reared, the Bichon Frise has always been used as a companion dog and is not one that retrieves fowl from the water as its ancestor the Water Spaniel did, and instead, this toy sized breed is thus ideally suited for being a companion dog and not a hunting dog.

The Bichon Frise was forgotten and only rediscovered in the fourteenth century by Italian seamen. It was they who brought this breed back to the Continent and the Italian nobility immediately developed a strong liking for the Bichon Frise. And it was only during this time that the Bichon Frise got its characteristic lion style cut. A century or so later the Bichon Frise came to France during the reign of Francis I who was the major figure of the Renaissance.

However, given the Bichon Frise's ability to learn tricks and perform them well, he did not suffer too much on account of his fall from grace and so he survived until the time when the First World War came to an end.

However, in the 1930s he was bred once more by determined French breeders and that is when it was officially recognized as being the Bichon Frise by the Federation Cynologique International, and later in the fifties he was brought over to the United States where he was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1971 and ever since then, the Bichon Frise has enjoyed some amount of popularity and is the preferred pet of the working class.

The Bichon Frise> is a Mediterranean breed and according to the International Canine Federation, he is a French Belgian breed that is today recognized in almost all parts of the world, though at one time he was recognized only in Italy, France and Belgium. However, once he was bred in the United States, this breed gained worldwide recognition and on September 1, 1971 the American Kennel Club officially recognized the Bichon Frise.

However, the Bichon Frise wins over hearts because he is very docile and also affectionate and this has ensured his continuing success in finding good homes, even if they are not those of aristocrats and royalty.

And, in October 1972, the Bichon Frise entered into the American Kennel Club Stud Book as a non-sporting group, which is the brief history of this breed in the U.S.

Article Source: http://www.orbitaloc.com/

Mary Stevenson is an avid lover of the Bichon Frise and has a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Bichon Frise. Among other topics there, you will find out more about Bichon Frise Training plus a whole lot more.

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