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History
of the
Bichon
Frise
travel,
romance, abandonment and rescue ... |
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It is thought that
the early ancestors
of
our modern day Bichon Frise were a small, playful, frequently white breed of dog living
throughout the Mediterranean area as early as 600 to 300 BC. It is also
thought that, in time, these little lap warmers were crossed with a spaniel type
water dog known as the Barbet. This crossing resulted in dogs who retained their friendly disposition and diminutive size, but gained in substance and sturdiness of bone.
Several small breeds descended from these dogs, including
the Caniche, or Poodle, the Maltese and the Barbichon. They all have
certain similarities because of their common ancestry, nevertheless, long ago each became
it's own separate breed.
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Affectionate and lively, ... |
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... the Barbichon group
of dogs traveled across much of the known world, probably as the companions of Spanish
sailors who may have used them as barter or gifts. In time this
distribution resulted in the development
of several recognizably distinct breeds, among them the Bichon
Bolognese in Spain, the Bichon Havanese in Cuba, and the Bichon
Tenerife on the island of
Tenerife, a part of a group we know now as The Canary
Islands. |
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... Italy, a bustling center of
trade and commerce, entered a period of exploration. Most likely we
have Italian sailors
to thank for returning the Bichon Tenerife to the European
continent, where they quickly captured the fancy of Italian nobility and
the thriving merchant class.
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... France invaded Italy
and the cultures mixed, the French
becoming enamored by all things Italian. Italian
artists and scholars moved north to reside in the French courts and, no doubt,
brought their beloved white companions with them.
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... the popularity of the
Bichon in France grew. During the reigns of Francis I (1515-1547) and Henry
III (1574-1589) and during the 350 years that followed, these charming little
white companions continued to exist as a court "staple". It is
interesting to note that during this time the French verb "bichonner" was created, meaning
"to make beautiful, to pamper".
We find evidence of this in the works of many artists
of the time who frequently included a small
curly-coated lap dog or a Bichon-like figure in their portraits.
Some of these include the famed Italian artist, Titian (1490-1576), the
first President of the Royal Academy of England, Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), and the Spanish artist, Francisco Goya (1746-1828).
Bichon in Art |
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By the late 1800s, however, ... |
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... after the reign of Napoleon III
(1808-1873), the Bichon, pet of royalty, appears to have lost favor in
France. Our lively, affectionate, once pampered and
celebrated Bichon found himself relegated to a life on the streets where
his merry temperament and sturdy constitution served him well as he
danced on street corners for peddlers and demonstrated a charming
ability to learn and perform entertaining
tricks for the circus. |
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It was more than a hundred years
later, ... |
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... following World War I, that a few fanciers
again recognized the potential of
these small white dogs and began establishing their lines through
controlled breeding programs. On March 5, 1933 the Societe Central Canine
de France adopted an official standard for the breed, as written
by Madam Abadie
of Steren Vor Kennels.
At that time a confusing situation came to
light. The breed was known by, not one, but two names; the Tenerife and the Bichon.
The President of the International Canine Federation, Mme. Nizt de Lemma's, proposed a name that would describe the physical characteristics of the dog.
The name Bichon Frise, which can be translated to "curly lap dog" was born and
the breed was
admitted to the official registry of the French Kennel Club approximately
nineteen
months later on October 18, 1934. |
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