Back in the day (way back), the Bichon Frise was often groomed in a “lion trim,” a then-popular style. As with most coated breeds, however, grooming styles and trends come and go.

Most believe that today’s “look” of a Bichon Frise in the show ring can be attributed to Frank Sabella, a renowned handler who gave a grooming seminar to the Bichon Frise Club of America in 1969, and set the stage for a more sculpted style emphasizing balance and proportion, attributes important to his interpretation of the breed standard. 

In the 70’s, the ears were still groomed to be distinct, and the Bichon’s beard was left long, but by the 80s, a “bell shaped” head could be seen which in the 90s trended towards a more rounded head and ears, and a shortening of the dog’s “beard.” Breed owners can speak to this with far more authority than we can, and we hope owners and groomers share their insights in the comments section below!

Image: “Third of May” by Goya – 1814