Bichon Frise
Bichón Frisé
- Sizesmall
- Weight4.5–7.3 kg
- Lives12–15 years
- Popularity in Mexico★★★
Character
Bichon Frise temperament
A small dog from the non-sporting group, in twelve traits from 1 to 5:
- Energymarathoner
- Affection with familyglued to you
- With kidsexcellent
- With other dogslife of the dog park
- With strangersparty with everyone
- Playfulnessplayful for life
- Guarding instinctnot a guardian
- Adaptabilitysettles anywhere
- Trainabilitylearns on the fly
- Barkingmiddle of the road
- Mental stimulation it needsmiddle of the road
- Prey driveno data yet
Distinguishing features
Bichon Frise characteristics
- Ears
- drop
- Height
- 23–30 cm
- Weight
- 4.5–7.3 kg
- Muzzle
- medium
- Coat
- curly
- Coat length
- medium
- Colors
- white
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Sheddingbarely sheds
- Coat caredaily brushing
Life expectancy
How long does a Bichon Frise live?
12–15 years
The breed sets the range; how long each dog lives depends on its weight, its exercise, its teeth and its check-ups with the vet.
The long profile
Long profile, in Spanish for now
The long version of this breed — character, care and origins, in Lord Chucho's voice — exists in Spanish and hasn't been translated yet. The hard data on this page (traits, features, lifespan) is the same in both languages.
Buying guides
What to buy for a Bichon Frise
What to buy, by what it needs:
What we'd give Choco
For a dog like this one
Affiliate links: it costs you the same. How they work (in Spanish)
AI image: the real product may vary KONG Classic
The classic that survives teenage-Labrador jaws. Stuff it with frozen treats and you just bought an hour of peace.
AI image: the real product may vary Chuckit! Ultra Ball
A ball that bounces evenly, floats and doesn't fall apart on day three. If your dog lives for the ball, this is THE ball.
AI image: the real product may vary Front-clip (no-pull) harness
If the walk looks like water skiing, the chest clip redirects without hurting. It doesn't replace training, but it gives you control while training arrives.
AI image: the real product may vary Small donut bed
Small dogs sleep curled up with a wall around them: the donut is their castle. Washable, because it will smell like dog. It's the law.
What people ask
Frequently asked questions about the Bichon Frise
How big does a Bichon Frise get?
An adult Bichon Frise stands 23–30 cm at the withers and weighs 4.5–7.3 kg.
Does the Bichon Frise need a lot of exercise?
The Bichon Frise scores 4 out of 5 on “Energy”: marathoner. On that scale, 1 is “couch potato” and 5 is “marathoner”.
Is the Bichon Frise good with kids?
The Bichon Frise scores 5 out of 5 on “With kids”: excellent. On that scale, 1 is “better without kids” and 5 is “excellent”. Even with a 5, no dog should be left alone with small children: supervising them is the adult's job.
Does the Bichon Frise get along with other dogs?
The Bichon Frise scores 5 out of 5 on “With other dogs”: life of the dog park. On that scale, 1 is “lone wolf” and 5 is “life of the dog park”.
Is the Bichon Frise easy to train?
The Bichon Frise scores 4 out of 5 on “Trainability”: learns on the fly. On that scale, 1 is “negotiates every command” and 5 is “learns on the fly”.
Does the Bichon Frise bark a lot?
The Bichon Frise scores 3 out of 5 on “Barking”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “nearly silent” and 5 is “reports everything”.
Is the Bichon Frise a good guard dog?
The Bichon Frise scores 2 out of 5 on “Guarding instinct”: not a guardian. On that scale, 1 is “not a guardian” and 5 is “born guardian”.
Does the Bichon Frise shed a lot?
The Bichon Frise scores 1 out of 5 on “Shedding”: barely sheds. On that scale, 1 is “barely sheds” and 5 is “hair everywhere”.
Health
We only publish each breed's health topics after reviewing them carefully. We guide you, but we're not your vet: if something about your dog worries you, the internet doesn't replace a visit to the vet.
Data on this page: 3 reference sources, including the AKC. See sources (in Spanish)