Whether the Bichon Frise Name Was Changed in 1933
The Bichon Frise’s name is often said to have changed in 1933, but the story is a little more nuanced than a single, tidy renaming. That year helped establish the breed’s modern French name and identity. Here’s what the name means, what people called these dogs before then, and how to interpret the date without mixing up naming, recognition, and breed history.
Did the Bichon Frise name change in 1933
What the 1933 date actually refers to
The short answer is yes: 1933 is commonly associated with the formal adoption of the breed’s modern name, Bichon à poil frisé, and the establishment of a written breed standard in France. The name is French and is usually translated as “Bichon with curly hair” or “curly-haired Bichon.” In English, the breed is generally called the Bichon Frise.
It is more accurate, though, to think of 1933 as a point of formal standardization than as the day every older name suddenly disappeared. People had used different names for similar dogs over time, and historical records did not necessarily follow one consistent naming system. A name becoming official in kennel-club use does not mean that families, writers, or breeders immediately stopped using other familiar terms.
The distinction matters when reading breed histories. One account may describe Tenerife dogs, while another uses Bichon Tenerife or Bichon. Those terms can reflect different periods, local usage, or the way an author describes the dogs—not necessarily a succession of official names issued by one organization.
For a closer look at the relationship between naming and written standards, see The Year the Bichon Frise Standard Was Written. The standard helped define the breed as a recognizable type, while the name gave that type a more consistent label.
What “Bichon à poil frisé” means
The phrase describes a coat characteristic: frisé refers to a curly or curled texture, and à poil frisé means “with curly hair.” That wording distinguishes the modern breed name from broader historical references to small companion dogs that might have been called Bichons without a precise description of coat or type.
In English-language writing, accents and French phrasing are often simplified. You may see “Bichon Frise” without the accent, or the full French form, “Bichon à poil frisé.” These are not automatically names for different breeds. They are different ways of referring to the same modern breed name.
The word “Bichon” also appears in the history of related small companion dogs. That can make older passages tricky: a historical reference to a Bichon does not always mean the author is describing the modern Bichon Frise exactly as a present-day breed standard defines it. For background on the broader group, read The Barbichon Family the Bichon Frise Belongs To.
| Name or phrase | How to understand it |
|---|---|
| Bichon à poil frisé | The modern French breed name, referring to the curly coat |
| Bichon Frise | The commonly used English form of the modern name |
| Tenerife dog | A historical name associated with the breed’s earlier story |
| Bichon Tenerife | A historical label that combines the Bichon name with the Tenerife association |
| Bichon | A broader term that may not identify the modern breed precisely in older writing |
If you encounter a historical label in an old book, treat it as a clue rather than proof that the dog was registered under that exact name. The context, date, and description of the dog all matter.
What names came before the modern name
Why the Tenerife name appears in breed histories
The Bichon Frise is often connected in breed histories with Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands. “Tenerife dog” and “Bichon Tenerife” are therefore common terms in discussions of the breed’s past. They point to a historical association, but they should not be read as a perfectly documented, uninterrupted naming trail from one island to the modern breed.
Stories of sailors carrying small companion dogs between ports and islands are part of the breed’s traditional history. These accounts help explain why the Tenerife name became attached to the dogs, but historical movement and naming were not always recorded in the way modern breed registries record them. Different writers may tell the story with varying details.
That is why the question “Was the breed called the Tenerife dog before 1933?” needs a qualified answer. The name is historically associated with the breed, but it was not necessarily the one universal, official name used by every breeder or authority. For more on the island connection, see Which Island Gave the Bichon Frise Its Old Name and Why the Bichon Frise Was Called the Tenerife Dog.
Why older names can sound like different breeds
Older names may refer to a type of dog, a local population, a place associated with the dogs, or a description used by a particular writer. Before modern breed standards and registries became the usual reference points, labels were less uniform. As a result, two historical sources may use different names for dogs that are presented as part of the same broad ancestry.
The reverse can also happen: the same broad label may be used for dogs that do not map neatly onto one modern breed. A reference to “Bichons,” for example, may describe a group or type rather than the specific breed recognized today. It is safest not to treat every appearance of the word as a precise record of Bichon Frise lineage.
Debates over the name are also part of the breed’s history. French and Belgian breeders have been associated with competing views about the breed’s origins and terminology. Those disagreements make it especially useful to separate a widely used historical story from the formal name and standard established in France. Whether Belgian and French Breeders Argued Over the Name explores that issue in more detail.
How the name became the modern breed identity
The role of a written standard
A breed standard gives breeders, judges, and kennel organizations a shared description of the dogs they recognize. It can cover features such as size, coat, proportions, and general appearance. Once a standard is written and accepted, it becomes easier to distinguish a defined breed from a looser category of similar dogs.
That process helps explain why 1933 matters beyond the name itself. The modern French name and the written standard gave the Bichon Frise a clearer official identity. The date is therefore about formal recognition and definition, not simply a language change from one everyday nickname to another.
A standard also does not freeze every aspect of a breed’s history in place. It describes the type being recognized at a particular time; it does not prove that all dogs in earlier centuries looked exactly like modern show or pet Bichons. For the development of recognition in France, see Whether the Bichon Frise Was Recognized in France First.
Name, recognition, and history are related but different
These three ideas are easy to blur together:
- A historical name is a term people used in a particular setting or period.
- An official breed name is the label adopted by a kennel organization or other authority.
- Breed recognition is the formal acceptance of a breed under an organization’s rules.
They may happen close together, but they are not interchangeable. A dog can be known by a familiar local name before a formal standard exists. A standard can then define the breed more clearly, while other organizations may recognize it at a different point or use translated versions of the name.
So, when someone says “the Bichon Frise was renamed in 1933,” they are pointing toward a real milestone, but the wording can oversimplify what happened. A more careful version is: 1933 is associated with France formalizing the modern name and breed standard, while earlier names remained part of the breed’s historical story.
For the broader story of how the breed’s identity was established, The Year the Bichon Frise Got Its Modern Name is a useful companion read. It helps separate the modern label from the older terms without treating every name in the historical record as a separate breed.
How to read the 1933 story today
Quick clues for interpreting older references
When you find an old reference to a Tenerife dog, Bichon Tenerife, or simply a Bichon, pause before assuming it uses the name in exactly the same way a modern breeder or breed club would. Check when the passage was written, whether it describes a specific dog or a general type, and whether the author is discussing formal recognition or traditional origin stories.
A useful habit is to compare more than one kind of information. A historical account can explain how people remembered or described the dogs, while a breed standard explains the traits used to define the modern breed. Neither one automatically answers every question about ancestry. Keeping those purposes separate makes the history easier to follow.
Modern shopping and care pages are a different category again. For example, Chewy may be useful when you are looking for present-day dog supplies, but a product listing is not evidence about how the breed was named in the past. If you are browsing breed-related material there, treat care information and historical claims as separate questions.
A straightforward answer to the naming question
Yes, the Bichon Frise’s modern name is associated with 1933. The French form, Bichon à poil frisé, became part of the breed’s formal identity alongside a written standard. But it is misleading to imagine that there was one universally used former name that was erased overnight. Tenerife-related names and broader Bichon terminology remain part of the breed’s older history.
When explaining the date, a clear answer is: 1933 marked an important formal naming and standardization milestone in France; it did not make the earlier names disappear from historical accounts. That wording gives the date its importance without overstating what a formal name can tell us about every earlier dog or record.
If you are comparing current breed descriptions with historical accounts, use the modern name for the recognized breed and treat older labels as historical context. Chewy and other contemporary pet retailers can help with practical ownership needs, while historical sources and breed standards are better suited to questions about naming. Keeping those roles distinct makes it easier to enjoy the Bichon Frise’s story without confusing its old labels with its present-day identity.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.
