Page 26 - ShowSight Presents The Bichon Frise

JUDGING THE BICHON FRISE
This happy powder puff breed is very sturdy and fun loving. When they walk into a ring their tail should be carried over their back and you
should notice a well balanced happy dog with an effortless gait, that is neither too tall (over 12") or too small (under 9") or too long or short in body length. The mini- mum does not apply to puppies.
The Bichon Frise’s thick, white, dense coat is trimmed to give them a straight top line, stove pipe legs, moderate angles in the rear, neck arched to the head and the head round. Puppies under one year of age can have a softer, straighter and colored coat. Any shade of cream to tan over any amount of the body is acceptable. When adults, that color can only cover ten per- cent of the entire body.
Their round eyes and nose should resem- ble black buttons at first glance, framed by coat that circles the head concealing the ears. When the ears are brought forward in an alert position, they are still not visible as
By Lorrie Carlton
they enhance the framing of the face. The slightly rounded skull allows for a forward looking eye. The eyes and nose form an equal lateral triangle measuring from the outside corner of the eye to the tip of the nose. The ears are set slightly higher than the eyes. The muzzle width is one half of the widest part of the top skull, the length of the muzzle is 3 parts to 5 parts of the top skull measuring from the occiput to the stop. The muzzle is on the same plane as the top skull.
A scissor bite with full dentition sup- ports the muzzle and allows for a strong under jaw. Crooked teeth or an out of line tooth is acceptable. All others should be faulted.
The pigment is black or as dark brown as possible on the lips, nose, pads of feet and eye rims and the area surrounding the eyes known as halos.
The measurements of the body are very specific in our standard. The body from the withers to buttocks forms a square and the sternum to the withers is one quarter of the square. The top of the withers to
Ideal Bichon
Head Proportions
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