Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is one of the world's great personality dogs, a cheerful, curly white comedian that the AKC says operates on the assumption that there are no strangers, just friends it has not met yet. It is small, sturdy, adaptable and easy to train, and its two real demands are a serious grooming budget and a family that is home enough to keep it company.
Small: 9.5-11.5 in and 12-18 lb, per AKC
14-15 years (AKC)
Daily walks plus play sessions and real company; VCA rates alone-time tolerance as limited, and the AKC says undesirable behaviors follow long, regular stretches alone
Moderate: AKC rates barking 3 of 5; VCA says Bichons can become vocal if bored or under-stimulated
Apartment or house; AKC calls it an ideal city dog; a fenced yard is a good idea because Bichons are surprisingly fast; crate as a den; not a dog to leave alone all day
Dense, curly white double coat; sheds very little but needs brushing several times a week to daily and professional grooming every four to six weeks; AKC rates grooming frequency 5 of 5
Moderate: AKC rates energy 4 of 5 but calls the breed somewhat active, with long calm stretches and short bursts of running
Non-Sporting Group
Temperament
The AKC calls the Bichon small but sturdy and resilient, an irresistible canine comedian that has relied on charm, beauty and intelligence for centuries, and rates affection with family, openness to strangers, good with young children and good with other dogs all 5 of 5. It says Bichons are alert and curious, make nice little watchdogs, but are lovers, not fighters, with a happy-go-lucky personality that draws smiles and hugs wherever they go. VCA describes a friendly, affectionate companion with a cheerful personality and strong social nature, playful with a puppy-like personality into adulthood, social and responsive, and relatively easy to train. Trainability is 4 of 5 on the AKC scale, and the AKC says Bichons train nicely and enjoy performing for their loved ones. The one temperament caveat both sources raise is attachment: VCA says Bichons may develop attention-seeking behaviors if left alone too often, and the AKC says a Bichon needs to be with its family.
“Alert and curious, Bichons make nice little watchdogs — but they are lovers, not fighters, and operate under the assumption that there are no strangers, just friends they haven't met yet.”
American Kennel Club
Daily needs and attention
The AKC classifies the Bichon as somewhat active, with long stretches of calm interspersed with brief bursts of high activity, often just running through the house or around the yard, and says daily play sessions in addition to walks are required; VCA says walks, playtime and interactive games are usually enough. The exercise is easy for a working household. The company is the harder part. VCA rates time alone as limited tolerance and says the breed prefers companionship, and the AKC says undesirable behaviors are likely if a Bichon is regularly left alone for long periods. A standard workday can work if the morning includes a walk and play, the day includes a midday visit from a walker or a few daycare days, and the evening belongs to the dog; Bichons are small, social and friendly, so daycare tends to suit them well. The AKC notes another dog can be a fine exercise companion but the Bichon still needs quality playtime with its owner. Add grooming time to the weekly budget: brushing several times a week and a groomer every four to six weeks.
“A Bichon needs to be with his family, and undesirable behaviors are likely to result if he is regularly left alone for long periods of time.”
American Kennel Club
Health and lifespan
Bichons are long-lived; the AKC gives 14-15 years. It calls them generally healthy, with responsible breeders screening for allergies, bladder infections, luxating patella, cataracts and other eye diseases, and its recommended tests are patella, hip and ophthalmologist evaluations. Teeth are the everyday concern: the AKC says Bichons may lose teeth early or suffer gum infection if brushing is not a priority, and VCA says dental disease can develop early and needs routine care. VCA says skin allergies are common and may need ongoing management, and its life-stage list includes patellar luxation, congenital deafness, allergic dermatitis, dental disease, bladder stones, degenerative joint disease, cataracts and diabetes mellitus. The AKC recommends regular ear cleaning to prevent infections, and VCA adds routine cleaning of tear staining under the eyes. VCA also lists sensitivity to extreme heat. For a rescue Bichon, plan on a dental exam and likely a cleaning, a skin and ear check, and a look at the kneecaps; budget for tooth brushing at home as a daily habit, since dental work under anesthesia is the most predictable expense of the breed.
“Skin allergies are a common issue in Bichon Frises and may require ongoing management. Dental disease can develop early and should be addressed with routine care.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Habits and behavior
The signature habit is the Bichon blitz, which the AKC describes as brief bursts of high activity, often just running through the house or around the yard, between long stretches of calm. The other is performing: the AKC says Bichons love to perform tricks and learn new ones quickly, and VCA says they keep a puppy-like personality into adulthood. Housebreaking is the famous weak spot; the AKC says Bichons have a reputation for being difficult to housebreak but are very easy to train in every other respect, so a rescue Bichon may need a patient, consistent restart with frequent trips out and rewards. VCA says they can become vocal if bored or under-stimulated, which is the usual complaint from a Bichon left alone too long. Grooming is a lifestyle: the AKC says brushing at least two or three times a week and ideally daily, with a bath and clip at least monthly, because shed hair is caught in the undercoat and mats if not brushed out. Drooling is minimal, 1 of 5.
“Bichons have a reputation for being difficult to housebreak. In every other respect, however, they are very easy to train.”
American Kennel Club
Housing: apartment, house, yard and crate
The AKC says the Bichon's confidence and size make it an ideal city dog, and VCA says it adapts well to apartments or houses, so housing type is rarely the issue. A fenced yard is a good idea, per the AKC, because Bichons are surprisingly fast and one that makes a dash for freedom may be hard to catch or call back; in an apartment that translates to a leash every time the door opens. Heat is worth noting: VCA lists sensitivity to extreme heat, so summer walks move to cooler hours. A crate suits a Bichon as a den and as a house-training tool, which matters for a breed the AKC says is hard to housebreak; Humane World for Animals recommends feeding meals in the crate, building up time in small steps, and warns that a dog crated all day and night can become depressed or anxious. The real housing question for a Bichon is who is home; this is a companion breed that VCA says prefers companionship, and a quiet apartment with a person in it beats a big empty house.
“Crate training a puppy takes advantage of the dog's natural instincts to seek out a comfortable, quiet and safe place when the environment around them becomes too loud or overwhelming.”
Humane World for Animals
Challenges
Plan for grooming as a fixed cost. The AKC says most pet owners take their Bichon to the groomer every four to six weeks, and VCA says coat care is one of the most important aspects of caring for the breed, with daily brushing to prevent matting; a matted, neglected coat is the most common state a rescue Bichon arrives in. Plan for house-training patience, since the AKC says the breed has a reputation for being difficult here, and use a crate, a schedule and rewards rather than punishment. Plan for company: VCA rates alone-time tolerance as limited and the AKC ties long regular absences to undesirable behavior, so a walker, daycare or a flexible schedule is part of the deal. Plan for teeth, allergies and ears as recurring vet items. Plan for a small dog's safety around big dogs and rough play, and for the AKC's note that a loose Bichon is fast and hard to catch. VCA says the breed is suitable for most owners, and that is true, provided the grooming and the companionship are budgeted honestly.
“Bichons should be brushed at least two or three times a week, but every day is best. They need a bath and a clipping at least once a month.”
American Kennel Club
The fun part
A Bichon is joy in a small white package. The AKC calls the breed one of the world's great personality dogs and describes a plush, velvety coat, rounded head hair, large dark eyes and a black nose, all attached to a happy-go-lucky personality that draws smiles and hugs wherever it goes. VCA says the puppy-like playfulness lasts into adulthood. They are natural performers who, per the AKC, love to learn tricks and enjoy showing them off, and many compete in obedience, agility and rally. They like everyone: the AKC's 5 of 5 ratings for family, strangers, children and other dogs make the Bichon a dog you can take anywhere, and its size makes anywhere easy. The coat is considered relatively hypoallergenic, per the AKC, because it sheds very little, which opens the breed to some allergy sufferers. And there is the Bichon blitz, the sudden joyful lap around the house that reminds you why people have kept these dogs since antiquity.
“They tend to be playful and have a puppy-like personality into adulthood.”
VCA Animal Hospitals
Living with kids, cats and other dogs
The AKC rates the Bichon 5 of 5 for good with young children and 5 of 5 with other dogs, and says Bichons are adaptable companions who get on well with other dogs and children; VCA says generally good with children and typically social and adaptable with other pets. The cautions are about size rather than temperament: a 12-to-18-pound dog can be hurt by a toddler's fall or a big dog's rough play, so teach children to sit on the floor with the dog rather than carry it, and supervise mixed-size dog play. The AKC says another dog can be a fine exercise companion for a Bichon, and a second small dog is often a good solution for a household with long workdays, though the Bichon still needs its own time with people. Cats are generally an easy fit for a breed this friendly and this lacking in prey drive; give the cat an escape route and let the Bichon learn that not everyone wants to play.
What to ask the rescue
Ask about the coat: how matted it was on arrival, whether it has been clipped short, and whether the dog tolerates brushing and the groomer, since grooming is the largest ongoing cost. Ask about teeth, whether a dental has been done or is needed, and whether any teeth are missing, given both the AKC and VCA flag early dental disease. Ask about skin and ears, any itching, licking or infections, because VCA says allergies are common. Ask about house-training honestly; the AKC says the breed is hard to housebreak, and a truthful answer lets you plan. Ask how the dog does alone and for how long, and whether it barks when left, since VCA notes vocal behavior when bored. Ask about hearing, as VCA lists congenital deafness. Ask about the kneecaps and any skipping gait. Ask how it is with children, other dogs and cats. And ask what tricks it knows; a Bichon that has been taught anything will be delighted to show you.