Theories about the origin of the Bichon Frise vary quite considerably, but the ancestor is generally accepted as being the French breed known as the Barbet, or Water Spaniel. From the Barbet came the name “Barbichon,” which was later shortened to become “Bichon.” The word “Barbichon” probably evolved from the French word for beard,barbiche. All called “Bichon” and originating in the Mediterranean region, four different categories of dog were acknowledged: the Bichon Maltais, Bichon Bolognaise, Bichon Havanais and Bichon Teneriffe, who later became known as the Bichon à Poil Frisé, and, subsequently, as the Bichon Frise we know today.

All of these dogs were appreciated for their disposition and character and were often used as goods with which to barter. So it was that these little dogs traveled widely, being transported from one continent to another by sailors.

The Bichon was especially popular in 16th-century Spain among royalty and among artists, who often depicted the dogs in their work.

THE BICHON IN SPAIN

Traveling from Eastern Mediterranean regions to the Balearic Islands, Teneriffe and the Canary Islands, it is usually accepted that it was sailors who introduced the Bichon to Teneriffe. The name of the island was used largely because it enhanced the commercial value of the dog, the very name “Teneriffe” then sounding rather exotic.

The Bichon Teneriffe was particularly popular in Spanish courts during the 16th century, and painters of the Spanish school often included such dogs in their paintings. Several can be found, particularly in the works of Goya (1746–1828). Goya was both a painter and an etcher and was taken on as court artist to Charles IV in 1789.

The Bichon Bolognese, shown here, is the Italian Bichon variety.

THE BICHON IN ITALY

Although known as far back as the 11th century, it was in the 14th century that the Bichon became a particular favorite of the nobility and, as with several other breeds of dog kept in Italy at that time, many were cut into lion trim. They became especially popular in the city of Bologna in northern Italy, and this has become the breed we now know as the Bolognese. However, this breed is much less well known than the Bichon Frise.

In early centuries, Bolognese were highly regarded for their excellent hearing and, although small in size, were often used as watchdogs. In the late 17th century, Bichons Bolognese were sent as gifts from Italian aristocrats to others in France and in Belgium, so spreading their wings still further.

THE BICHON IN FRANCE

Under Francis I (1515–1547), the Bichon, known as the Bichon Teneriffe, appeared in France and a few decades later became especially popular. It was in the court of Henry III (1547–1589) where this captivating little dog found itself pampered, to the extreme by the standards of the day, wearing ribbons and perfumes.

It was recorded that the French kings and their ladies loved their little white dogs so much that they carried them with them everywhere, “in traylike baskets attached around their necks by ribbons.” Under Louis XIV, who reigned from 1643 to 1715, the small dog was designated as the court “pet of choice,” reputedly because it was easy to carry about.

Numerous French paintings depict dogs that were Bichon in type, and they also appear frequently in tapestries of earlier years, especially those woven in the 15th century. However, it would appear that from 1789, during the French Revolution, they were far less prominent, but they re-emerged with Napoleon III, who declared himself Emperor in 1852.

The fabled Bichon Havanese, which derived from the Blanquito de la Habana, is a close relative of the original Bichon Frise.

The famed Blanquito de la Habana derived from the original Spanish Bichontype dogs and was the basis for the Bichon Havanais, a breed known for the silken texture of its coat.

THE BICHON HAVANAIS

Theories as to the actual origin of the Bichon Havanais are many and varied. This i