Meet Peanut. She is an 8 year old Bichon Frise. I had never had a Bichon before getting Peanut. I didn’t even know what they were. We had just lost a dog and was desperately in need of a new best friend and a companion for our other dog.

We rescued Peanut from a family that just couldn’t take care of her. Her hair was cut down to her tender pink skin, she had an ear infection and she was very scared. We brought her home for the weekend and just fell in love.

Bichons are by nature very adaptable to new environments. She immediately became friends with Milo our Tibetan Terrier and loved racing through the yard. When we adopted her, her name was Pansie. She was not very fond of that name so we quickly changed it to Peanut which made her very happy. 

Over the next few weeks Peanut's hair started to fill in. She was adorable. Bichons have hair not fur. They do not shed but can become knotted if you don’t brush them periodically and have them groomed about every 7 weeks.

Bichon Frise are happy little dogs, very clown-like, and love to cuddle. Every once in a while a Bichon  will do what is affectionately called the "Bichon Buzz".  For whatever reason, they decide to run as fast as they can through every room in the house, out the back door, around the house, onto the couch and back around again. It is the funniest thing. Anyone who has a Bichon Frise knows about the "Bichon Buzz". 

Peanut has other special talents, too. She can get into just about every kind of backpack, purse or suitcase.  She loves to see what is inside closed bags, and is amazingly good at getting a zipper undone! Peanut especially likes to unwrap soap, chewing gum and sometimes she will even attempt to write with a pen or pencil.

Lately her favorite thing to eat is tomatoes off the vine. We didn’t get to eat a lot of tomatoes this year.  Before we could pick them Peanut had already eaten them.

Peanut tends to be a bit of a vegetarian. She loves when salad is being made. The sound of chopping is music to her ears. She will eat just about any kind of vegetable, but carrots and tomatoes are her favorite.

If you are thinking about getting a new dog I highly recommend a Bichon Frise. They love children are great companions and are very entertaining. I hope you will find the links and information I've gathered about the Bichon Frise breed a helpful resource in determining whether to invite a Bichon Frise into your family.

Bichon Basics
The Bichon Frise is a small, non-sporting dog breed, which weighs 7-12 lbs and stands from 9-1/2 to 11-1/2 inches high. Mostly white, the adult Bichon Frise may have cream shadings, while puppies may have cream, apricot or gray in their loosely curled white coat.

The Bichon Frise originated in the 13th century where their intelligence, and lively nature made them a favorite among French royalty. Excellent with children and other dogs and pets, the Bichon Frise makes a wonderful companion and family member. Because they are so social, the Bichon Frise does not like to be left alone for extended periods of time, and is not the best dog for people who cannot spend time with them.

Bichon Care
The need for daily grooming to keep their silky coats free from mats, makes the Bichon Frise a higher maintenance pet than some other breeds. If you don't have time for daily brushing sessions, you may prefer a shorter haired breed.

Bichon Training
Training a Bichon Frise must begin at an early age, and takes consistency and patience. However the intelligent Bichon Frise thrives on attention and loves to perform, and does wonderful with agility training. Well suited for an apartment or condominium lifestyle, the Bichon Frise loves exercise, play and daily walks. Seattle area dog parks are wonderful places for you and your Bichon Frise to play and socialize with other dogs and their people. See "Your Dog's New Home" for more information.