Bichon Frise puppies

About the Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise descends from the small white Mediterranean companion dogs carried around by sailors and traders, and was developed in Belgium and France as a pure companion breed. This is a little dog of 24 to 29cm and 5.4 to 8.2kg with a soft, curled double coat that stands away from the body once groomed. Their temperament is cheerful and curious, easy with other dogs, and rated at the top of the scale with children, which still depends on supervision and early socialisation.

The Bichon is calm for long stretches then explodes into short bursts of running, so daily play plus walks covers it, in a fenced space because they are quick and hard to catch. Coat is the real commitment: brushing most days, and a bath and clip every four to six weeks. They shed very little, and the loose hair stays trapped in the undercoat and mats if it is not brushed out. Dental care and house training are the two things owners usually let slide.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Bichon Frise puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Early tooth loss and gum infection where dental care is not a priority, found at a routine dental check
• Allergies, including skin reactions and flea allergy
• Patellar luxation, a weakness in the knee joints
• Genetic cataracts and other eye disease, screened by an annual ophthalmologist eye examination

Your Bichon Frise puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Bichon Frise.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 5.4 to 8.2 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 8.2 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other small breeds

More on the Bichon Frise

Previous: Bernese Mountain Dog · Next: Biewer Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Bichon Frise breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bichon-frise/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Heike Andres, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.