BichonsThe Bichons are descended from the ancient ancestors of the Poodle, the Barbet, a water spaniel. From this, the Barbichon, a small curly coated water spaniel and another name for this family, was created. The Bichons are a Mediterranean breed, generally named for the region from where they originated. The original breeds were the Bichon Tenerife, from the Canary Islands; the Bichon Maltais, or Maltese; and the Bichon Bolognese, or simply Bolognese. There is argument on whether the Tenerife is the original stock for all Bichons, or whether the Maltese (which seems to be an old type found on the islands before even the Barbet was known) is the progenitor of the Bichons, through its breeding with the Barbets. Ultimately, most of the modern Bichon breeds have developed by introducing a variety of dogs to the Barbichon type, creating a family with recognizable characteristics in both temperament and type but no single distinct progenitor. |
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