|
The Bichon
Frise
Non-Sporting Group
Breed Standard
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
|
