The Bichon Frise is a descendent of the Barbet or Water Spaniel and is mostly white in color and considered a ladies dog that originates from the Mediterranean region dating as far back as 600-300 B.C. Originally, it was referred to as a Barbichon though this name was later compacted to Bichon of which the four main categories are the Bichon Maltais, the Bichon Havanais, the Bichon Bolognais and the Bichon Tenerife. The Bichon Frise is also a very charming creature that belongs to the non-sporting classification of the American Kennel Club and is in fact mostly used as a companion or show dog.

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, it was only during the reign of Henry III when the Bichon Frise got to be pampered, and also perfumed and even beribboned. Then it even became popular once more in Spain and was greatly loved by the Infantas and was often the subject of painters, as witnessed in the works of Goya. Sad to say, the Bichon Frise was soon to become a commoner in France, and soon descended from being a favorite of the nobility to roaming in the streets in France.
The history behind theBichon Frise is both interesting and intriguing, which saw him being elevated to the favored pet of nobility and royalty until later becoming a street dog following the end of the reign of Napoleon III. In the late nineteenth century he had to become a commoner. Interest in the Bichon Frise was once again renewed after World War I, and it was bred under strict control, and on March 5, 1933 the official Bichon Frise Standard was adopted by Societe Centrale Canine of France.

The first Bichon Frise to be whelped in the United States was sired by Eddie White de Steren Ver in the year 1956 and a few years later some other breeders acquired the Bichon Frise and this was the beginning of the Bichon Frise in the United States. 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.

There is a lot ofBichon Frise history data available tracing the long history behind the dog, which has seen him change from being a one-time favorite of royals to becoming the best friend of today’s working classes. If you are looking for the history of this breed, you need to read this article that provides pertinentBichon Frise information on the subject.