Meet your shadow - the Bichon Frise is an adorable, teddy bear-like dog who just wants to stick with you, whatever you’re doing. Playful and curious, Bichons are born entertainers and can easily charm every person and pup that they meet. This makes them ideal companions for children and other dogs.
Small yet sturdy and confident, they’ll surprise you with their bursts of high energy and speed (which is quickly followed by hours of snuggling and sleeping). So ready to love, a Bichon Frise doesn't like to be left alone for long. Although their independent streak makes house training them a little tricky, they’ll make up for it with their fancy tricks and friendliness.
Bichon Frise Facts
They might weigh a maximum of 8kg and stand no higher than 29cm, but a Bichon Frise is surprisingly sturdy and hardy. Although they normally have a distinctive white coat, some may have splashes of muted markings in apricot, cream or buff.
- Breed Group: Non-sporting
- Height: Female: 24-29cm, Male: 24-29cm
- Weight: Female: 5-8kg, Male: 5-8kg
- Life Span: 14-15 years
- Coat: Double-coated, curly, long
- Colour: White
What Does a Bichon Frise Look Like?
You’ll know a Bichon Frise instantly thanks to their puffy white coats - they’re basically mini clouds on legs. Pop them into a pile of stuffed toys and you might be hard pressed to pick them out. But that doesn’t mean they’re delicate. They might be small but they’re sturdy and resilient.
Peeking out from their white coats are their round deep, dark eyes that sparkle with intelligence and their black, leathery nose and lips. Their long fur-covered ears hang next to their face, adding to their adorable look. Run your hand through their white coat and it’ll feel soft and plush and it bounces back when you stroke it. A plumed tail that arches over their back completes the look.
Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise Temperament: Companionable Clown
Put down your smartphone and step away from the screen - a Bichon Frise is all the entertainment you need. These smart, small dogs are effortlessly charming, able to win over every person and pup that they meet. They truly believe that there’s no such thing as a stranger, just a friend they haven’t met yet.
Bichon Frises get along well with pretty much everyone - who can resist that white puffy coat and round face? They live happily alongside kids and babies, and will even play nicely with toddlers in the garden (as long as the rest of the day is spent snoozing in your lap).
Throughout history they’ve been the companions of royalty but also street performers. These natural clowns are quick to pick up tricks and love the limelight - they’re always keen to show off and delight you. That’s because to them, you’re the most special thing in the world. You won’t find a more devoted companion than a Bichon Frise. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, that’s where they want to be. Forget about peace and privacy on the toilet when you’ve got a Bichon Frise at home.
In fact, Bichon Frises need to be around people during the day - they don’t like to be left alone for long. So they’re best suited to people who work from home or are retired. But just because they’re sticking to your side doesn’t mean they demand constant entertainment as their energy levels aren’t that high. They’re happy with a low-key, loving lifestyle.
Keeping Bichon Frises Healthy: 5 Issues to Watch Out For
A Bichon Frise’s teddy bear-like appearance can lull you into thinking they’re delicate. They’re not - they’re surprisingly sturdy. You can expect them to live 14 to 15 years.
Bladder Stones
Common in Bichons, bladder stones are caused by excess minerals in the bladder. Signs include them weeing more often, straining while weeing and licking their genitals more than normal. Bladder stones can be treated in many ways, including a special diet or surgery.
Liver Issues
Bichons can develop a liver problem called PSS, or portosystemic shunt. This is when the blood supply to the liver is disrupted, causing toxins to build up. It can be managed by medication and surgery.
Skin Problems including Allergies
You might spot skin warts on your Bichon, which are actually non-cancerous tumours called papillomas. Harmless, they normally disappear on their own in 1 or 2 months as your dog’s immunity develops. But if it doesn't go away or becomes inflamed, take them to the vet. Bichon Frises are at risk of skin allergies, which can cause red, itchy skin on their feet, belly, ears and skin folds. Look out for them licking their paws, rubbing their face or getting ear infections a lot. Allergies can be treated by changing their diet or medication.
Eye Problems
Like a lot of breeds, Bichon Frises can develop cataracts (clouding of the lens) which can cause blindness as they get older. Surgery can help although most dogs adjust well to blindness. Regular vet check-ups can check for any developing eye issues. Bichons can also suffer from distichiasis. This painful and irritating condition happens when an eyelash grows inwards towards the eye. Medication or surgery can help.
Luxating Patella
Luxating patella is when the knee joint moves out of its normal place, causing pain and impacting on your Bichon’s ability to move. Obesity can cause it which is another reason why it’s important to manage their weight. It can be treated with medication or surgery.
Caring for Your Bichon Frise Dog
As you might have guessed, the Bichon Frises' cloud-like white coat needs a lot of maintenance. But once you’re done with the brush (and oh how they love that quality time spent with you), your devoted companion doesn’t need excessive exercise or training. But oh how they love to learn new tricks.
Grooming:
Although your Bichon Frise’s curly double coat doesn’t shed much, without the right amount of care and attention it can quickly become matted. A daily brushing routine will help keep it camera-ready and you can start brushing them when they’re a puppy. A slicker brush will get rid of the loose hair. Follow this with a dog comb to ease out any tangles. You’re aiming for the comb to glide through their coat. Once it does, your daily grooming session is done.
Every week or two (or more often if they’re dirty) pop them in the bath to keep them fresh and their coat healthy. Give their coat a brush before bath time as wet hair can make it trickier to remove any matted hair.
As well as a daily brush and a regular bath, a Bichon’s coat needs a monthly trim. You can handle this yourself or take them to a groomer who can handle the three main types of Bichon haircut. There’s the teddy bear cut which trims the fur to the same length everywhere, leaving it slightly rounded on the head. There’s the low maintenance utility cut which cuts the fur close to the skin (apart from the ears where it’s left long). There’s also the lamb (or puppy) cut which trims the fur to a few cm from the skin, with the head and tail left a bit longer.
Other things you should do regularly is brushing their teeth and monthly nail trims.
Nutrition:
Small dogs like a Bichon Frise need a well-balanced diet to keep them at a healthy weight. Even a little bit of excess weight (and they’re prone to obesity) can put them at risk of health issues. Try to balance their meals, treats and exercise to manage their weight and have a chat to your vet if you’re worried.
Your Bichon will handle top quality dog food that suits their life stage (puppy, adult or senior) or feed them a breed-specific diet like the Royal Canin Bichon Frise Dry Food. You can tell if your dog’s diet isn’t working for them if their skin is itchy and dry or their coat is lank or dull. See your vet for a check up and expert nutritional advice if you notice anything like this.
Exercise:
Grooming might be quite time-intensive but exercising your Bichon Frise isn’t. Although prone to short bursts of intense activity, like running through your home or doing laps of the garden, Bichons will happily spend the rest of time not doing much (other than following you around of course).
Bichon Frises do well on about 30 minutes of exercise a day, although this should be broken up into short sessions and involve walks and playtime. Think 1 or 2 short neighbourhood strolls, plus playtime with you (they’re partial to a game of fetch) and sniff sessions in the garden or local park.
Something that might surprise you is how speedy a Bichon can be - they’re naturally fast runners. This makes a fenced-in garden a must (and a lead at all times for an untrained Bichon).
Training
With their built-in performing streak, Bichon Frises love training and learning new tricks which makes them really easy to train. But they’re renowned for being tricky to house train. You can blame their need for independence for their struggles to master the basics like toilet training, walking well on a lead and commands including sit and stay. Let’s be honest, who wants to learn the boring stuff like that when there are circus tricks to perform? Teaching them new tricks can be a regular thing you do together throughout their life - it feeds their intelligence plus their need to spend quality time with you.
Positive reinforcement works well with Bichons - they love to be rewarded with your attention when they behave well. Plus, putting them on a toileting schedule can help them learn where and when they’re supposed to go.
Because of their desire to be with their humans, being left alone can cause unwanted behaviours like chewing, barking and accidents inside. Crate training can help as it gives them a safe, quiet spot to enjoy when they’re alone. Some Bichons will never adjust to you being out of the home. A dog walker or doggy daycare could be the solution. If you’re struggling with your dog’s behaviour, talk to a professional dog trainer for advice - find a local one here.
Their close relationship with you can also lead them to think you’re equals, when in fact you’re top dog. They might try nudging, licking or barking at you to get their own way. Staying calm yet firm can help them get the message that you’re in charge.