Georgia Meadows, age 17, of Lowell, Mass., for her question:

IS THE BICHON FRISE A RARE BREED OF DOG?     _

Bichon frise is a small, lively dog. While there aren't too many of the breed around, it can't actually be described as rare. It is not an endangered breed.

Here's how you pronounce the dog's name: bee shawn free zay.

A bichon frise stands from eight to 12 inches high and weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. It has a thick, loosely curled coat that is colored white or white with patches of gray, orange or pale yellow. It has a broad, slightly rounded head.

The Spanish painter Francisco Goya included the dog in many of the paintings he completed in the late 1700s. The bichon frise was definitely a favorite with royalty not only in Spain but also in France and Italy.

The bichon frise is descended from the water spaniel. The breed developed in Spain about 200 B.C., so you can see that dog has been around for a long time.