If you are looking for small dogs that are easy to train, then Bichon Dogs are the ones for you. 
These dogs are friendly and playful, and rarely display any aggressive behavior. They are charmingly intelligent, and this makes them easy to train. You will rarely have to take these dogs to obedience training classes, and they make wonderful show dogs, if you are so inclined. They prance around with lively strides, and are a delight to watch. They can do many kinds of tricks, but of course, you do have to teach them the tricks.
These dogs are often called Bichon Frise dogs and were very popular with the French royalty in the sixteenth century. Their name comes from two French words, "bichon", which means lapdog and "frise", which means curly. Although this dog breed is believed to have originated in the Canary Islands, traders, sailors, and soldiers brought them back to France when they returned home.
Bichon dogs have a white fluffy coat, and need to have interaction with people on a daily basis. They are excellent with children, but the children have to be taught how to act around them. In spite of the non-aggressive nature of this dog breed, they will alert you to an intruder or if there is danger, such as a fire. There are well-documented cases where these dogs have saved their owners' lives by waking them by barking.
If you have Bichon dogs, you have to be diligent in brushing their coats on a regular basis. 
If you don't, the hair can become matted and tangled because it forms curls, making it a chore to brush it out. If you get the dog used to being brushed, it won't mind it, and will accept it as part of its regular routine. Some people find it hard to hold the dog to do the brushing, so they bring them to a dog groomer to get brushed and clipped. It is important to keep the hair clipped around the eyes and ears, but you do need to use blunt nose scissors for this. This is why many owners prefer to let a dog groomer, trained in this aspect of caring for dogs, do all the work. Breeders will tell you that professional grooming once a month is the best way to take care of the dog's needs.
Usually, these dogs are pretty healthy. Some of them may develop cataracts on their eyes or have blocked tear ducts. They do not require a lot of physical exercise, but they do like to go for walks. They romp and play a lot when they are indoors, and you can feed them basically just about anything.
Bichon dogs are ideal for an apartment, but you do have to check to make sure your lease permits you to have pets. The male dogs only grow to a height of about 9- 12 inches and weigh only about 7 - 12 pounds. Females are only slightly smaller, and although the life expectancy is about 15 years, some Bichon dogs do live longer than that.
