1. Coat
The coat of a purebred Bichon Frise should be very soft and resilient. Especially after bathing and brushing, the coat should stand away from the body and create an overall powder-puff effect. A high-quality purebred Bichon should have a soft, dense undercoat and a slightly curled, somewhat coarser outer coat. When touched, the combination of these two coat layers should feel soft yet firm, almost like velvet with elasticity.
2. Gait
A purebred Bichon Frise should move in an open, accurate, and effortless way. Viewed from the side, the extension of the front and rear legs should be coordinated, the forequarters should reach forward easily, the hindquarters should drive powerfully, and the topline should remain steady.
3. Color
The most desirable color for an adult purebred Bichon Frise is white. In puppies, a little more flexibility is allowed. Some may have pale yellow, cream, or apricot shading around the ears or on the body, and that may not be a problem because some puppies become whiter as they grow. However, if an adult Bichon Frise has other colors covering more than about ten percent of the coat, it is generally not considered acceptable for a high-quality purebred example.
4. Body Size
A purebred Bichon Frise should first of all have a very well-balanced body. The ideal height is usually around 9.5 to 11.5 inches. Some dogs may be slightly taller but still acceptable if all other features and overall balance are excellent. Even so, a good purebred Bichon should generally not be under 9 inches or over 12 inches at the shoulder. If it falls outside that range, it is not considered a top-quality purebred specimen.
5. Eyes
The eyes of a purebred Bichon Frise should be round and set toward the front of the head. The ideal eye color is black or dark brown, and each eye should be surrounded by a ring of black or brown skin. Eyes that are too large, too protruding, almond-shaped, or slanted do not fit the purebred standard. If the eyes are not black or dark brown, the dog is not considered a purebred Bichon Frise.
By judging these five aspects together, one should be much more likely to select a purebred Bichon Frise.