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The most balanced and sound powder-puff in the dog-dom, the Bichon Frise is a small, solid white dog with a gaily carried plume of a tail that befits his merry temperament. Contrasting with his snow white coat are his dark eyes, whose expression is soft but alert. This white angel has halos around its eyes, which are the black skin surrounding the eyes, enhancing expression. The ears are drop and of medium length, covered with long, flowing hair. The skull is slightly rounded. There is a slight chiseling under the eyes, but not too much to give an impression of a weak or snipy foreface. The nose is prominent and always black. The neck is long and arched; top line is level except for a slight arch over the loin; chest is sufficiently wide to allow free movement of forequarters; the fore chest is well pronounced, protruding slightly; underline has moderate tuck up. The tail is set on level with top line, well plumed, and gracefully curved over the back. Tail cannot be docked, corkscrew, droopy, low set or carried even to the back. The texture of the outer coat is coarser and curlier than the soft and dense undercoat; to the touch the coat feels silky and fine. The coat is trimmed to show natural contours of the body; over trimming is discourage; in England the breed is shown untrimmed but "tidied up" at the feet and muzzle. The Bichon color is white, but markings of cream, buff or apricot are acceptable with more than ten percent being discouraged. Height ranges from 9 to 11 1/2 inches at the withers.
Adaptable and family loving, the Bichon makes a delightful children's dog. He is easygoing and gives from his heart with out conditions. Bichons excel as show dogs, as their coats are extraordinary. They also do well as obedience dogs since they are that rare combination of smart and obedient. You can't find a sweeter dog who can fit into any lifestyle. He does not like the heat and prefers to be indoors most of the time.