Bichon Frise dogs are among the most popular of the small dog breed family. The cute little bundles of white fur are a personal favorite not only for their aesthetics but also for their intelligence and personality.
So how much does a Bichon Fise cost? A Bichon Frise will cost you between $700 to $2000. This depends mainly on where you get the dog, with accredited breeders more often than not being more expensive than home based breeders. The age and purity of the breed will also determine the price tag.
It will also cost you a further $600 to $1000 per year in terms of maintenance expenses for the special grooming needs, nutrition, and health services.
To help put things in perspective for you as a potential Bichon owner, let us take a look at why they are so expensive, what makes them worth it, and the challenges you may have to put up with.
Though they are not the most expensive dog breeds on the market, Bichons are pretty pricey. If you buy yours from a reputable breeder at a young puppy age, you could spend as much as $700 and upwards.
The price goes up significantly if you want a purebred from a supreme and competitive bloodline.
One of the main reasons why these dogs are so expensive is because of the hype surrounding their aesthetics. They are considered accessory breeds alongside other popular options like chihuahuas and yorkies. The hype in turn creates demand for the relatively rare breed which is why they can be so incredibly expensive.
In addition to being visually appealing, Bichon Frises are popular for their hypoallergenic coats. This is because they do not shed a lot or have a lot of dander. So if you have dog allergies and would like one anyways this is definitely a breed worth looking into.
Owning a Bichon Frise obviously comes at an astronomical cost. However, the numerous perks of owning one definitely make them a worthy purchase. You just have to take the time to understand what you are getting into and be ready to invest the time and effort to train your doggy to be the perfect pet.
While the initial purchase price is pretty steep, Bichons are relatively low maintenance. They do not shed a lot and so you only have to invest in grooming maybe once every month or two. They are also generally very healthy dogs who live pretty long, which reduces your vet costs by a whole lot.
If you do not want to spend thousands of dollars for the breed, there are ways you could get a Bichon for cheap.
Adoption a Bichon Frise from a rescue is your best option whether it is directly from a previous home or through a shelter. There is not always much of a guarantee of success in these cases but it is definitely worth checking out if you want the dog on a budget.
Bichons may get a bad reputation for being too feisty but they are generally very good pets to have around in the house. To give you a better idea of what you have to look forward to, here are some major pros and a few cons you will have to live with having them in your home.
Bichons are super social and will make friends with anyone or any other pet that they feel comfortable with. You just have to take time to socialize them. This affectionate nature makes them ideal family pets as you know they will love you as much as you love them.
Bichons may be stubborn but they are intelligent and very easy to bribe with treats. So training should not be too much trouble. In fact with consistency and the right techniques you should have the pooch housebroken in no time.
This makes them ideal for any owners, family members or guests who may be allergic dog fur or dander as the breed does not shed a lot.
Bichons bark a lot and this can be quite annoying for both you and your neighbors. They do this for a myriad of reasons including boredom, anxiety and even pain. The best way to deal with this is through training as well as identifying and mitigating the original problem.
Bichon Frises can be aggressive especially when they feel threatened. This is why a number of them end up abandoned at shelters. Fortunately, this is not a part of their nature and is often a reaction. So if you remove the trigger and teach them how to adapt you should have no problems.
Bichons are known for being very needy. The little white furball will literally follow you around the house and insist on being as close to you as possible. They do not like to be separated for whatever reason or whatever time period and will often throw a fit if they feel they are not getting the attention they so desperately crave.
To understand the reason for this behavior, you have to appreciate their highly affectionate temperament that these dogs tend to have. Bichons love to cuddle and play and hang out with their owners. It is how they show love and how they receive it. So if they follow you around everywhere and seem to want more attention than is reasonable it is because they are trying to bond with you. A little accommodation here will go a long way.
They are also not very independent. While Bichon Frises can be left alone, they hate it and will often sulk and whine all day long until you come back. Again, this is more about emotional attachment than it is about their inability to take care of themselves. For this, you just have to train them and be patient. Eventually, they will learn the need to let you go because they will understand that you always come back.
Finally, Bichon Frises tend to be needy as a result of their psychological predisposition to anxiety issues. They are very timid and are therefore easily traumatized by anything from loud noises to harsh treatment. They are also vulnerable to separation anxiety after early removal from their litters. In these cases, a calming supplement like hemp, melatonin or essential oils plus a little bit of patience will do the trick.
Bichons are a relatively healthy breed which is not common for small breed dogs. However, they do suffer from a variety of conditions. These include:
The most common ones here are patella luxation and hip disease. Good nutrition could help prevent or at least reduce the severity of these conditions. An option is to provide your Bichon nutrition to nurse their hip and joint problems with specialized dog food like the AvoDerm Natural Advanced Joint Health Dry Dog Food.
Adding in some dog supplements like the Doggie Dailies Glucosamine Soft Chews would be helpful as well. These food products stand out with their special bone and joint health formulas that contain elevated amounts of ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin.
These include obesity and diabetes often due to overeating and consumption of high-fat diets. It gets worse with age as they get less active. They may also suffer from being underweight and from conditions like hypoglycemia often associated with physical and psychological conditions that reduce appetite.
Despite being hypoallergenic, Bichons suffer from several allergies of their own including allergies to fleas, ticks, pollen, dust, some fabrics, and chemicals in grooming products.
These are serious and often life-threatening conditions and include heart malformations and portosystemic shunts. Fortunately, they are not very common and if caught early enough can usually be corrected surgically.
Despite all these health issues, Bichons live for 12 to 15 years which is a lot for a dog. The conditions are also rarely deadly. In fact, Bichons die from things like cancer and general old age. Trauma is also implicated as a common cause of death but it can easily be avoided with proper training and vigilance when letting the pooch out.
Bichon Frises are fairly intelligent. This makes training them relatively easy as long as the right methods are used and there is some consistency. When it comes to potty training, the dogs are intuitively great at personal grooming and hate messes which is something you could take advantage of for more effective training.
Bichons are extremely easy to please. All it takes to make them happy is good food, lots of hugs and plenty of positive verbal affirmation. You could very easily use these tools to your advantage while training the little one. Just give them a “good boy” here or a treat there every time they finish going potty in the right place.
Don’t be too harsh when training a Bichon when and where to go potty. These dogs have very sensitive emotions and do not react well to aggressiveness. Shouting at them or punishing them will only set you back when it comes to training.
Instead, if they start to regress or get stubborn, just exercise patience, and assert your dominance without being too harsh. This will eventually wear them down and they will start to do things the right way especially if the treats are still on offer.
Their natural intuition and intelligence also extends to their love for routine. They work well with schedules which definitely makes potty training easier. Just make sure to establish a strict routine and actually stick to it and the dog will too.
This is what makes training tools like the BLUETREE Potty Training Dog Doorbell very effective when housebreaking a Bichon. The dog will eventually learn the routine and even remind you using the bells when they need to go.
Do Bichon Frise Sleep A Lot? How Many Hours A Day Do Bichons Sleep? Bichons are generally very curious and playful and are often properly tuckered out at the end of every adventurous day. Bichon Frise can sleep between 18 to 20 hours as energetic puppies. As they grow older, however, they get less playful and therefore are not always as tired when it comes to bed time and will sleep between 12 to 14 hours every day.
Do Bichons Smell? Yes, Bichons can stink if they are not properly groomed. This has a lot to do with their thick coats as well as skin allergies that leave bruises, scratch wounds and dead skin. Washing them every week or two helps reduce their chances of smelling. Using high quality shampoos like Wahl White Pear Brightening Shampoo for Pets also help a lot. This particular shampoo has a special odor control formula which will have your pooch smelling fresh.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Bichon Frise? Bichon Frises do not shed a lot or get a lot of dander and can therefore get away with a weekly or fortnightly bath. However, you will have to brush their fur at least 2 to 3 times every week to avoid tangling which sometimes encourages accumulation of dirt and formation of odors.
Pete Decker is the Lead Editor at The Goody Pet. He is a passionate wildlife educator and loves to share his experiences on pets. During his free time, you can find him cozying around his 2 adorable Labradors (Tobi & Kobi).
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