Bichon Frise:

Bichon Frise: Breed Standards
The Bichon descended from the Water Spaniel from which came the name "Barbichon" later contracted to "Bichon". Originated in the Mediterranean area. The bichons appearance should be lively, sturdy, and have a stable temperament. Should have a stylish gate and an air of dignity and intelligence. The color should be solid white, or white with cream, apricot, or gray on the ears and/or body. Size at the withers should be between 8 and 12 inches. Another nice feature of the Bichon is that they don't shed.

Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso Breed Standards
This breed comes from Tibet, where they used them as guard dogs in the house. If an intruder got past the Mastiff outside they then had to deal with the children's protector inside. Lhasas are truly a tough dog and come in every color under the sun. They have a long flowing straight hair that doesn't shed. They have a keen instinct for distinguishing intimates from strangers. They stand approximately 11 inches tall at the withers and weigh in at between 15-23 pounds.

Pomeranian

Pomeranian Breed Standards
The pomeranian descended from the sled dogs of Iceland. In the beginning poms weighed in at about 30 pounds. The breeders of Pomerania are given credit for breeding them down to the disired 4-7 pound size of today. Because they were once so big that every now and again we still see poms exceeding the desired size. Poms have a double hair coat, which is thick and bushy. A variety of colors is permissable. A pom should be short coupled and be very alert. Poms do shed, but you'd be hard pressed to find a cuter breed.

Toy and Mini Poodles

Toy and Mini Poodles Breed Standards
Few dogs have climbed to such high favor as has the Poodle. We aren't sure, but it is believed the Poodle originated in Germany. However, for years it has been regarded as the National dog of France. The toy and minis that we carry here at coldwater kennel were bred down from the Standard poodle which was originally a water retriever. We have raised poodles since 1979 and are a breed I have become very familiar with. We had 3 miniatures for house pets ourselves. Poodles are one of the most deversified breeds and are highly intelligent. When I'd be outside working, my little poodle buddies would take off and go rabbit hunting. Always seeming to find one to chase. We prefer the mini to the toy, believing they are a little more layed back. Toys are 10 inches and under, Miniatures are 11-15 inches and the standards are above 15 inches. We mostly breed cream and apricot, with a few of the other colors as well.

Chihuahua

Chihuahua Breed Standards
The history of the Chihuahua is fascinating. Here is a very small part of that in a nut shell. The Toltecs of Mexico raised a breed called "Techichi" for hundreds of years. Then a small hairless dog, much like the ones developed in China, was brought over from Asia and was crossed with the Techichi, to make the Chihuahua. The Aztec conquerors of the Toltecs highly regarded the little dogs, and the blue-colored ones were held as sacred (which we have occassionally). Archaeologists have discovered remains of Chihuahuas in graves with some of the Toltecs and Aztecs, as the Chihuahua could guide them after death through the underworld, fighting off evil spirits, on the way to their final destination. A fault would be to weigh over 6 pounds. The picture is of George, My best fishing buddy. You can take a nap and George will tell me when I have a bite. Gotta get you one.