Bichon frise, << BEE shon frih ZAY, >> is a breed of small, lively dog. A bichon frise stands from 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) high and weighs from 12 to 15 pounds (5.4 to 7 kilograms). It is white, often with tan, cream, or orange-yellow markings. The dog has a soft, dense undercoat and an outer coat of coarser, curly guard hairs. Together, the coats have a velvety feel.
The bichon frise is descended from the barbet, or water spaniel. The breed developed in Spain about 200 B.C. It later became popular with royalty there as well as in France and Italy. Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter of the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, included the dog in many of his works.
