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General Appearance
The Bichon Frise is a small, sturdy, white powder puff of a dog whose merry
temperament is evidenced by his plumed tail carried jauntily over the back and
his dark-eyed inquisitive expression.
This is a breed that has no gross or incapacitating exaggerations and therefore there is no inherent reason for lack of balance or unsound movement.
Any deviation from the ideal described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Structural faults common to all breeds are as undesirable in the Bichon Frise as in any other breed, even though such faults may not be specifically mentioned in the standard.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size Dogs and bitches 9½ to 11½ inches are to be
given primary preference. Only where the comparative superiority of a specimen
outside this range clearly justifies it should greater latitude be taken. In no
case, however, should this latitude ever extend over 12 inches or under 9
inches. The minimum limits do not apply to puppies. Proportion--The
body from the forward-most point of the chest to the point of rump is ¼ longer
than the height at the withers. The body from the withers to lowest point of
chest represents ½ the distance from withers to ground. Substance--Compact
and of medium bone throughout; neither coarse nor fine.
Head
Expression--Soft, dark-eyed, inquisitive, alert. Eyes
are round, black or dark brown and are set in the skull to look directly
forward. An overly large or bulging eye is a fault as is an almond shaped,
obliquely set eye. Halos, the black or very dark brown skin surrounding the
eyes, are necessary as they accentuate the eye and enhance expression. The eye
rims themselves must be black. Broken pigment, or total absence of pigment on
the eye rims produce a blank and staring expression, which is a definite fault.
Eyes of any color other than black or dark brown are a very serious fault and
must be severely penalized. Ears are drop and are
covered with long flowing hair. When extended toward the nose, the leathers
reach approximately halfway the length of the muzzle. They are set on slightly
higher than eye level and rather forward on the skull, so that when the dog is
alert they serve to frame the face. The skull is
slightly rounded, allowing for a round and forward looking eye. The stop
is slightly accentuated. Muzzle--A properly balanced
head is three parts muzzle to five parts skull, measured from the nose to the
stop and from the stop to the occiput. A line drawn between the outside corners
of the eyes and to the nose will create a near equilateral triangle. There is a
slight degree of chiseling under the eyes, but not so much as to result in a
weak or snipey foreface. The lower jaw is strong. The nose
is prominent and always black. Lips are black, fine,
never drooping. Bite is scissors. A bite which is
undershot or overshot should be severely penalized. A crooked or out of line
tooth is permissible, however, missing teeth are to be severely faulted.
Neck, Topline and Body
The arched neck is long and carried proudly behind an
erect head. It blends smoothly into the shoulders. The length of neck from
occiput to withers is approximately 1/3 the distance from forechest to buttocks.
The topline is level except for a slight, muscular
arch over the loin. Body--The chest is well developed
and wide enough to allow free and unrestricted movement of the front legs. The
lowest point of the chest extends at least to the elbow. The rib cage is
moderately sprung and extends back to a short and muscular loin. The forechest
is well pronounced and protrudes slightly forward of the point of shoulder. The
underline has a moderate tuck-up. Tail is well plumed,
set on level with the topline and curved gracefully over the back so that the
hair of the tail rests on the back. When the tail is extended toward the head it
reaches at least halfway to the withers. A low tail set, a tail carried
perpendicularly to the back, or a tail which droops behind is to be severely
penalized. A corkscrew tail is a very serious fault.
Forequarters
Shoulders--The shoulder blade, upper arm and forearm
are approximately equal in length. The shoulders are laid back to somewhat near
a forty-five degree angle. The upper arm extends well back so the elbow is
placed directly below the withers when viewed from the side. Legs
are of medium bone; straight, with no bow or curve in the forearm or wrist. The
elbows are held close to the body. The pasterns slope
slightly from the vertical. The dewclaws may be removed. The feet
are tight and round, resembling those of a cat and point directly forward,
turning neither in nor out. Pads are black. Nails
are kept short.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are of medium bone, well angulated with muscular thighs and
spaced moderately wide. The upper and lower thigh are nearly equal in length
meeting at a well bent stifle joint. The leg from hock joint to foot pad is
perpendicular to the ground. Dewclaws may be removed. Paws are tight and round
with black pads.
Coat
The texture of the coat is of utmost importance. The undercoat is soft and
dense, the outercoat of a coarser and curlier texture. The combination of the
two gives a soft but substantial feel to the touch which is similar to plush or
velvet and when patted springs back. When bathed and brushed, it stands off the
body, creating an overall powder puff appearance. A wiry coat is not desirable.
A limp, silky coat, a coat that lies down, or a lack of undercoat are very
serious faults. Trimming--The coat is trimmed to
reveal the natural outline of the body. It is rounded off from any direction and
never cut so short as to create an overly trimmed or squared off appearance. The
furnishings of the head, beard, moustache, ears and tail are left longer. The
longer head hair is trimmed to create an overall rounded impression. The topline
is trimmed to appear level. The coat is long enough to maintain the powder puff
look which is characteristic of the breed.
Color
Color is white, may have shadings of buff, cream or apricot around the ears or
on the body. Any color in excess of 10% of the entire coat of a mature specimen
is a fault and should be penalized, but color of the accepted shadings should
not be faulted in puppies.
Gait
Movement at a trot is free, precise and effortless. In profile the forelegs and
hind legs extend equally with an easy reach and drive that maintain a steady
topline. When moving, the head and neck remain somewhat erect and as speed
increases there is a very slight convergence of legs toward the center line.
Moving away, the hindquarters travel with moderate width between them and the
foot pads can be seen. Coming and going, his movement is precise and true.
Temperament
Gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate. A cheerful attitude is the
hallmark of the breed and one should settle for nothing less.
Approved October 11, 1988
Effective November 30, 1988
For More information visit AKC.org