The history of the French lap-dog is rooted in the ancient past. They say that the common Bichon breed was bred by the ancient Romans from the dog "Barbeta". Its homeland is the island of Melit (now Malta). On the mainland, the dog was presented as a precious gift to the senators and rulers of Rome. Later, Maltese Bichons began to be bred as a decorative breed in the courts of the nobility.
Thus, new subspecies emerged: French, Bologna, Havana and Tenerife. Why are these little dogs called lapdogs in Russia? Yes, because they came to us from Bologna. During the Renaissance, Bichon Bolognese was very highly valued at the court of Catherine de Medici and was presented to the Russian sovereigns.
But here we are still talking about the Bichon Frize - the French variety. This is a small decorative dog with a funny face and a snowy white wavy fur coat. By the way, other colors, spots and even a vanilla shade of white are not allowed by the standard. The eyes and nose should also be black or dark brown. A typical French lapdog, whose photo you see here, gives the impression of a soft toy.
What is Bichon for? Firstly, this is a godsend for allergy sufferers: dogs do not have an undercoat, they do not smell like dogs and do not fade. Secondly, they can be started by people who are not always able to provide their pets with long walks. Bichons easily learn to walk in a tray. In addition, the French lapdog will fit well into the small apartment. She gets along well with children, other pets. She has a cheerful disposition, even in old age she retains playfulness and liveliness. It lends itself perfectly to training, but the owner with it needs to show not severity, but gentleness - the Bichons are very touchy.
Now a few words about the breed standard, which was officially approved in 1988. Height at the withers 20-30 cm., Weight - 3-4 kg. We already mentioned white wool without the slightest flaw, black button eyes and the same nose. In addition, the French lap-dog should have thick hair with light curls up to 20 cm long, and the tail must be thrown back. The transition from nose to forehead is pronounced. The ears are set high on a round, flat head, but hang down. Paws are short, straight. It is desirable that the pads and claws are black. Having an undercoat can disqualify a dog.
Provided that you do not have an exhibit, the French lapdog does not require special care. Naturally, the owner of such a fluffy fur coat needs to be combed daily with a special brush, but since the hair of the Bichon is not prone to stalling and tangling, this should not take you much time. You can bathe a dog every month. It is necessary to cut pets at a professional dog hairdresser at least once a quarter and even more often to cut their own hair on the face and between the fingers. The fact is that the eyes of Bichon begin to watery due to their own hair falling into them, which is very noticeable on a snow-white rune.
The French lap-dog is included in the happy list of long-lived breeds. Fifteen years is the average life expectancy, but with proper care, the dog remains healthy and cheerful until 18-20 years. The only thing you should pay attention to is the tendency to allergies. However, all white dogs suffer from this. Take responsibility with the feed: food colors will immediately “show up” on your pet’s coat.