Now riding a crest of popularity, the bichon frise is an adorable white puff-ball with a storied history of ups and downs. In the 1300s, sailors brought these dogs back to Europe from Tenerife. In France, Spain, and Italy, it became the darling of royalty, but after the French Revolution these dogs found themselves out on the streets, where only the strong survived. The bichon's winning personality and lovable nature helped it find new niches as an organ grinder's dog and circus performer.

The bichon still loves the limelight, thriving on attention and always ready to entertain. With its dark eyes and black nose framed by a fluffy white face, members of this breed are beautiful, clean, and nonshedding. The bichon is easy to train but so sensitive that it needs a gentle hand. Sturdy and playful, it gets along with everyone, including other pets. To look its best, it needs daily brushing and professional styling every four to six weeks.