Fo-Chon

The Bichon Frise is thought to have originated in ancient times but was introduced to France in the 14th century as a Barbichon, which is French for curly coat. Their earliest relative is the Water Spaniel or Barbet and others include the Maltese, Poodle, and the Caniche. There were four types of Bichons, which include the Bichon Tenerife, the Bichon Havanese, the Bichon Bolognese, and the Bichon Maltais. The Bichon Frise came from the Bichon Tenerife, which were named after the Island of Tenerife, where they were found. The breed was popular with Spanish sailors and were used to barter for other items. In the 1300s, the Italian sailors brought the little dogs to Italy where they attracted the attention of royalty and when the French invaded Italy, the Bichon Frise became a popular pet of Henry III. In fact, he carried his favorites in a basket around his neck. In the 1800s, it was discovered that this breed was very intelligent and could be taught to do tricks and were used in the circus or as street performers. The Bichon Frise was not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) until 1972 but now they are the 45th most popular breed in America. The Toy Fox Terrier was originally developed in the United States sometime during the 1930s where they were mainly used for hunting rats, mice, and squirrels. It was bred from the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Italian Greyhound, and other small toy breeds like the Chihuahua. They were registered with the AKC in 2003 and are the 116th most popular dog breed in the United States.