Hikuma dog

The ears are drooping and hidden in the long, flowing hair. The ears are set slightly higher than the eyes and are set forward. The eyes are black or dark brown, surrounded by black or very dark brown skin, and the eye circles themselves are black. The muzzle is very well-proportioned to the length of the head. The black lips are delicate but not drooping. The thighs are well-muscled and slightly wide apart. The front drive is easy and the rear drive is powerful. The tail is well feathered and is set flush with the topline and gently curled behind the back.
The Bichon Frise is famous for its fluffy appearance formed by a double coat. The hair is fine and curly, silky and soft, and the abundant curls are divided into the upper coat and the undercoat. It must be trimmed frequently, and the texture of the coat is the most important. The undercoat is soft and thick, and the outer coat is coarse and curly. In addition to white, the coat color also includes cream and almond.

Previously mainly distributed in Europe, now distributed all over the world

Bichon Frise is also called "Bichon". It was originally called Bichon Frise, and later shortened to Bichon Frise. (French: Bichon Frisé, bichon à poil frisé, meaning "white curly-haired toy puppy"), is one of the oldest dog breeds, originated in the Mediterranean region, was introduced to France in the 16th century, and a series of breeding work was carried out. The breed standard of the dog was officially established in 1932. Bichon Frise is small in size, with double and fluffy fur, a slightly arched head, drooping ears hidden in the hair, black or dark brown eyes, a mouth that is proportional to the length of the head, and a tail that is flush with the back line. It originated from long-haired dogs and spotted dogs, so it was named "curly-haired Bichon Frise", and later shortened to "Bichon Frise" (also called "Bichon Frise"). The English name of Bichon Frise is Bichon Frise. French is Bichon Frisé, which means "white curly-haired toy puppy". It rarely sheds naturally, so the hair needs to be trimmed. The color is usually white.

Bichon Frise existed in Europe before the 13th century and was particularly favored by the Spanish. In the late 14th century, Spanish sailors often used it as a trading item during their voyages, and eventually gathered many dogs on an island called Tanarif, which later became the famous Bichon Frise. These dogs came to Italy with the trade of Italian sailors, where they soon became pets of Italian nobles and became favorite pets of European nobles. In 1500, when the French invaded Italy, they were fascinated by the cute white fur of the Bichon Frise and took it back to France as a trophy.

It is suspected to be a descendant of the Babbitt and the Water Spaniel. The Bichon Frise is a small, strong, white powder-puff dog with a cheerful personality, which can be seen from its feathery tail curled happily behind its back and its curious eyes.

Bichon Frise is divided into four different types: Maltese, Bolognese, Havanese, Tenerife. All four types are native to the Mediterranean region. Due to the active nature of this type of dog, Bichon Frise often moves around with humans.

The main food is meat, which can be added with an equal amount of dry vegetarian food or biscuits, mixed with an appropriate amount of water and fed.

Morphological characteristics

Small body, double-layer and fluffy fur, slightly arched head, drooping ears hidden in the hair, black or dark brown eyes, muzzle and head length are proportional, and the tail is flush with the back line.

Overall

Proportion: The length of the Bichon Frise from the chest to the tail is 1/4 longer than the height at the shoulder, and the lowest point from the shoulder to the chest is 1/2 of the height from the shoulder to the ground.

Structure: Compact, well-proportioned, medium-framed.

Gait: Agile and light at a trot, with coordinated, steady gait of front and rear limbs. When moving, the head is held up, and when the speed is moderate, the limbs are slightly brought together. When the dog is walking away, the gait of the two hind limbs is consistent, and the pads can be seen. When walking back and forth, the dog's gait is also consistent and precise.

Head

Expression: The eyes are soft and deep, showing curiosity and alertness.

Eyes: The round eyes are black or dark brown and look straight ahead. The skin of the eyelids is black or dark brown, which increases the facial expression, and the eye rims themselves are also black. When the pigmentation of the eye rims is incomplete or lacking, the dog's eyes will appear dull.

Ears: The ears are pendulous and covered with long wavy hair, which can extend to the center of the muzzle when the pendulous part of the ears is facing the muzzle. The ears are slightly higher than the level of the eyes, close to the front of the orbital bones. When the dog is alert, the ears also form part of the facial expression.

Muzzle: The length from the nose to the muzzle depression is 3/5 of the distance from the muzzle depression to the occiput. The lines connecting the outer corners of the eyes and the tip of the nose on both sides form an approximate equilateral triangle, with the lower part of the eyes slightly sunken, making the eyes narrow and the lower collar strong. The eye sockets are slightly rounded to accommodate the round forward-looking eyeballs. The head is slightly protruding.

Nose: The nose tip is prominent and black, and the lips are also black, with sharp edges and no drooping.

Teeth: The bite is scissor-shaped.

Body

Neck: The neck is arched, slender, supporting the raised head and connecting to the shoulders backwards. The length of the neck from the occiput to the shoulder is about 1/3 of the length from the forechest to the hips. The midline of the back is horizontal, with a small arch at the thickened waist muscles.

Trunk: The chest is well developed, with a wide chest, allowing the two forelimbs to reach and move freely. The lowest point of the chest extends at least to the elbow, the ribs are slightly prominent, extending back to the abdominal wall, and the abdomen is short and muscular. The forechest extends forward along the shoulder joint, and the midline of the abdomen has appropriate undulations.

Tail: The tail is well-furnished, the base of the tail is horizontal with the midline of the back, and due to the curl, the hair on the tail can be draped over the back.

Forequarters: The length of the shoulder blade, upper arm bone and forearm bone is almost equal. The shoulder is set back at 45 degrees. The upper arm extends back, and the elbow is just below the shoulder bulge when viewed from the side. The leg bones are moderately developed, erect, with no protrusions or bends in the forearm and wrist. The elbows are close to the body. The palms are slightly inclined from the vertical. The dangling toes can be removed. The feet are rounded, closely connected, like cat feet, and straight forward when walking. The pads are black and the claws are slightly short.

Hindquarters: The hind legs are also moderately developed, the legs are arched, muscular and wide. The upper and lower hind legs are almost equal in length and connected at the knee joint. The hind legs are perpendicular to the ground from the hock to the pad. The dangling toes can be removed. The feet are rounded, closely connected, and the pads are black.

Coat

Texture: The texture of the coat is very important. The coat is fluffy and white like jade, with a soft and dense inner coat; the outer coat is slightly rough and curly. Touching the coat feels soft and solid, like touching velvet and velvet.

Coat color: mainly white, with light yellow, light yellow or brown long hair on the ears and trunk.

Distribution range

Originated from the Mediterranean region, it was later introduced to European countries such as Spain, Italy, France, and Belgium. After development, it has been kept as a pet all over the world.

It has a cheerful, lively, smart, brave, alert, emotional, and has a strong adaptability. It has high requirements for the living environment and often needs someone to accompany it. It should have a certain amount of time every day to let it run and play as much as it wants, or let it walk in the yard or take it out for a walk. The staple food of Bichon Frise is meat, which can be added with an equal amount of dry vegetarian food or biscuits, and mixed with an appropriate amount of water before feeding. The estrus period of Bichon Frise is spring and autumn every year, with a gestation period of 58-65 days, and 4-6 puppies per litter. Lifespan is about 12-14 years.

Bichon Frise has fluffy fur, white as jade, gentle personality, smart and alert, and strong adaptability. It is a very good toy dog. Bichon Frise is loyal to its owner and abides by the rules. It is a very good family pet dog. When raising Bichon Frise, its fur often needs to be carefully combed, cleaned and trimmed, which takes a lot of time.

Reproduction

The breeding process mainly includes estrus, mating, pregnancy and delivery. ‌

 ‌Estrus‌: The age of sexual maturity varies due to many factors such as breed, region, climate, environment and breeding conditions. Generally speaking, most female dogs have their first estrus at 8 to 10 months; male dogs have no regularity in estrus, and adult dogs can estrus and mate on any day of the 365 days of a year. Estrus refers to a periodic activity phenomenon exhibited by female dogs when they reach a certain age. Normal female dogs with sexual maturity go into estrus twice a year.

Estrus cycle: generally divided into proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and anestrus.

Proestrus: a period before estrus, generally based on the beginning of bloody vaginal discharge (estrus bleeding). During this period, female dogs will approach male dogs, but will not accept mating. The average duration is 9 days.

Estrus: refers to the period when female dogs accept mating with male dogs. The average duration of estrus is 9 days.

Metestrus: a period when estrus ends. The entry of an estrus female dog into metestrus is based on the female dog's refusal to mate with a male dog. The duration is 60 to 100 days.

Anestrus: the period from metestrus to the next proestrus. Dogs are monoestrus animals. This period is not a part of the sexual cycle, but a non-reproductive period. The reproductive organs are dormant during the anestrus period. The duration of the anestrus period is 120 to 130 days.

During estrus, the dog's behavior, physiology and psychology will undergo many changes. As long as you accurately grasp the different symptoms of different stages of estrus, you can judge whether the Bichon Frise is in estrus, what period it is in, and when it can mate.

Behavioral changes: Most female dogs show restlessness, excitability, disobedience, increased water intake, decreased appetite, and frequent urination 2 to 3 days before the proestrus.

Estrus bleeding: Estrus bleeding is the bloody secretion from the vulva of female dogs starting from the proestrus period. It is very important to observe the duration and amount of estrus bleeding. In the early stage of proestrus, the secretion from the vulva is dark red or brown bloody mucus, which gradually turns red and watery; from the second half of proestrus to the first half of estrus, the secretion is light red; in late estrus, the vaginal secretion is bloody mucus. The amount of bleeding during estrus is small in the first 3 days of proestrus, large in the middle, and stops in the second half.

Labia swelling: From proestrus to estrus, the labia and surrounding tissues swell rapidly, and the deep part of the labia is very hard when palpated. After entering estrus, the entire labia softens and becomes ready for mating. When ovulation is approaching, the labia is most swollen, and the swelling quickly subsides after ovulation. After that, the labia swells to a level close to that before ovulation, and then gradually subsides and returns to normal. Mating during ovulation is effective mating.

Vaginal secretions: Secretions are cells shed from the inner wall of the female animal's reproductive organs and secretions retained in the vagina, as well as attachments to the external opening of the uterus and mucus from the cervical canal.

 ‌ Mating‌: Male Bichon Frise detects the estrus of female Bichon Frise through their keen sense of smell and vision. They will actively approach female dogs and determine whether they are suitable for mating by smelling their body fluids and reproductive organs. Once a suitable mating partner is found, male Bichon Frise will show a strong desire to mate and mate with the female dog.

During mating, the male dog will quickly climb onto the back of the female dog and hold the female dog with its two front limbs. At this time, the female dog stands still, with the spine concave, raising the perineum to facilitate the insertion of the penis into the vagina. The ejaculation process of male dogs can be divided into three stages: the first stage is when the male dog's penis is inserted into the vagina, and the semen does not contain sperm at this time; the second stage is to ejaculate white milky semen containing a large number of sperm into the uterus, which is a shorter process; the third stage is the semen ejaculated after locking, which is a prostate secretion without sperm. During mating, as long as the mating period is calculated accurately, one mating can conceive, but for the sake of safety, it should be mated once every other day in case the ovulation period is missed.

 ‌Pregnancy‌: Bichon Frise's physiological maturity time is relatively early. Females usually enter the estrus period at around 6 months to 1.5 years old, while males begin to have reproductive ability at around 1.5 to 2 years old. The fertilized egg begins to implant about 20 days after ovulation. At this time, the diameter of the embryo is about 1 cm and is arranged in a string of small balls. When the pregnancy is 25-35 days, the uterus at the implantation site swells due to embryonic development. At this time, the abdominal wall is most obvious. When the pregnancy is 35-45 days, due to the increase of amniotic fluid, the blastocyst elongates, and the tension disappears, the uterine horn becomes a tube with uniform diameter, which is difficult to distinguish from the intestinal tube in the abdominal cavity, so it is not easy to diagnose by palpation at this time. When the pregnancy is 45-55 days, the uterine horn and each fetus increase rapidly. At this time, the back of the bitch is more obvious than the front, but it should be distinguished from the feces in the colon. Generally, the uterine horn at this time is significantly enlarged and elongated, and the middle part of the uterine horn is folded back behind the liver, and the tip is located above the base of the uterine horn. From the 55th day of pregnancy to delivery, it is easy to touch each fetus. During pregnancy, pet owners need to provide Bichon with adequate nutrition and proper exercise to ensure its health and normal development of the fetus.

 ‌ Delivery‌: Gestation lasts for 58 to 63 days, so the expected delivery date can be known based on the first mating date after mating. A few days before or after the expected delivery date may be the delivery date of the dog. Bichon Frise has a series of manifestations before delivery, so pay attention to observation.

Changes in the vulva and pelvis: 3 to 5 days before delivery, the vulva gradually becomes soft, swollen, and congested, the labia skin becomes red, and mucus flows out of the vagina. At this time, the pelvis becomes larger, and the ischial tuberosity at the buttocks collapses significantly. 3 to 10 hours before delivery, the cervix opens.

Behavioral changes: When approaching delivery, the female dog shows very obvious changes, and the behavior is characteristic. The reproductive organs such as the uterus, cervix, and vagina and their surroundings are congested, the ischial tuberosity of the female dog's buttocks sinks, the hindquarters are soft, and the vulva and labia are swollen and flaccid. Before giving birth, the bitch loses her appetite, becomes restless, pant, breathes fast, and looks for a hidden place for giving birth. Some bitches build nests. The vulva often exposes the fetal sac during this period.

Temperature changes: The normal body temperature of a dog is 38.39℃, and the body temperature of a bitch before giving birth drops significantly to 36.5～37.2℃. The body temperature of most bitches is 36.4～37.2℃ (lowest body temperature) 9 hours before the birth of the first fetus, which is 1℃ lower than the physiological body temperature.Above.

In the breeding process of Bichon Frise, delivery is an important link. Before Bichon Frise gives birth, it is necessary to prepare delivery tools, such as clean towels, disinfectant, washbasin, scissors, cotton, etc. During the delivery process, you can feed Bichon Frise some nutritious and easily digestible food during the delivery interval to replenish its energy and prevent dystocia due to physical exhaustion. After delivery, it is necessary to pay attention to the hygiene care of Bichon Frise, clean the blood and secretions of the genitals, and prepare a quiet and warm environment for it and the baby to rest.

Through this series of processes, Bichon Frise can successfully reproduce offspring, but also requires the careful care and attention of the pet owner to ensure the success rate of reproduction and the health of Bichon Frise and its offspring.

Maintenance skills

There are many aspects to pay attention to in maintaining Bichon Frise, including diet, daily care, exercise and training, health monitoring and prevention of common diseases.

 ‌Diet‌:

Provide a balanced diet that includes adequate protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Choose high-quality dog food and determine the amount of food according to the dog's age, weight and activity level.

Avoid feeding foods that are harmful to health, such as chocolate, grapes, onions, etc. These foods may cause poisoning or even life-threatening to Bichon Frise.

Be careful not to overfeed, only 70% to 80% full per meal to avoid indigestion and gastrointestinal problems.

Bichon Frise is prone to dental disease, so avoid feeding sticky foods, and regularly clean teeth or use special teething toys.

 ‌Daily Care‌:

Bathe regularly to keep it clean, but don't bathe too much to avoid damaging its natural protective layer.

Trim the hair regularly to prevent tangles, and comb the hair frequently to promote blood circulation and prevent tangles.

Pay attention to oral hygiene, brush teeth regularly or provide chew toys to reduce tartar and bad breath.

 ‌Exercise and Training‌:

Provide appropriate exercise, such as walking, playing, etc., to maintain physical health and mental pleasure.

Carry out effective training, such as teaching basic commands and habits, to enhance communication with the dog and adapt to family life.

 ‌Health Monitoring‌:

Take the Bichon Frise for a physical examination regularly to detect and deal with problems in time.

Vaccinate and deworm according to the advice of the pet doctor to prevent infectious diseases and parasitic infections.

 Common Disease Prevention:

Pay attention to preventing common dog diseases, such as skin diseases, otitis, periodontal disease, etc., and enhance resistance through healthy diet and regular health care measures.

In summary, the maintenance of Bichon Frise requires comprehensive consideration of its diet, daily care, exercise, training and health monitoring to ensure its healthy growth and happy life. ‌‌

Bichon Frise is cheerful, lively, smart, brave, alert, emotional, and has strong adaptability. It is loyal to its owner, but also has a strong personality. Gentle and rule-abiding, sensitive, naughty, and loving. A pleasant attitude is the characteristic of this breed, and it is easy to be satisfied with small things. Although small in size, the curly-haired Bichon Frise has a lot of personality, is lively by nature, loves freedom, and can bring happiness to its owner. Another advantage is that it does not shed much hair and has a small activity space.

Bichon Frise has high requirements for living environment and often needs company, so you need to pay special attention to this.

Protect wild animals and stop eating game.

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