If you had to choose between a Bichon Frise and a Shitzu, which one would you have ??

[NervousNutty]

I wasn't actually looking for a dog at all right at this moment, although it was something I wanted to sort out in the next couple of years.

Anyway, first off, my cousin offered me his shitzu, male, 1 yr old, not been neutered, good with kids, toilet trained in day but some accidents at night. His name is Ted.

He originally wanted £200 for it, and so I said no. He then said he'd speak to his wife and we could maybe have him for nothing.
Not heard from him since, but I know he is away with work alot at the mo.

Then today the estates manager came and asked me if I was interested in a 2yr old dog, bichon frise called Shandy. He is currently owned by a lady living alone,but she has dementia and can no longer care for him. He is apprently very good with kids and they would like him to go to someone with children.
He is house trained, but needs to be let out more or less as soon as he whines at the door. He has been nuetured and is microchipped. She doesn't want any money for him.

I don't know much about either breed, although have read good things about both really.

My main issues that I am mulling over at the mo is that Shandy is probably not used to being left alone alot if at all as I don't think his owner gets out much. Will this mean that I have trouble leaving him at all ??
Also, as he is white and I have a garden that can be a bit muddy, will I be constantly washing him ?

With Ted my main concern is to wether he would be yappy, and also that I'd have to pay to get him neutered asap.

Any thoughts in general would be most welcome.

[NervousNutty]

Oh and trivially, would I be able to change either dogs name ?? I could live with them if I had to, but just wondered.

[NervousNutty]

Oh also, is either dog likely to be bothered by a cat that can be slighty aggresive ??

The cat would not be allowed to intimidate the dog at all, and the cat does back of once challenged anyway.

[Podrick]

How much will you need to leave the dog alone?

[NervousNutty]

Well I don't work at all at the moment, but am looking for either a part time course or job, so a maximum of 4 hours maybe.

My mum has actually seen the bichon and likes it, and has said if needed she could come round and let the dog out and sit and have a cuppa, if I was to be out for any length of time.

[Podrick]

Can you take both out for a few walks and see which one you love the most?

[Podrick]

I think they are both lovely breeds btw

[NervousNutty]

Well unfortunatly I don't live anywhere near Ted and i'm carless at the mo.

The bichon lives within spitting distance so I can go and see him.

I am leaning towards the bichon at the mo i think.

[NervousNutty]

Bumping for any more info and opinions ??

Does anyone know how often either dog would need grooming and roughly how much it is ?? I am in the West Midlands if that helps.

[cheesesarnie]

from what ive read about bichon frise id go for shandy.i am at both though

[NervousNutty]

Thanks

The shitzu lives with 4yr old twin girls, and is apparently good with them, although I have not seen this myself. The shitzu also lives with cats.
They are apparently moving to a house that won't accept dogs, which is why they need to get rid of him.

The bichon frise is apparently fussed by alot of children when walked and when out the front of the flat it lives in. I don't know if they have any relatives that are children that visit.
They are only rehoming him because the lady is too ill to look after him.
They have apparently had alot of interest but really want someone with children to have him.

I'm hopefully going to go look at him tommorow.

[Wilts]

Mr friend has a bichon, he is a nutter but is always good around the children/other dogs.

My mum has a yorkie and she is groomed every three months I and it costs about £25- we are in the South West.

[NervousNutty]

Aww Cheese

It is all top secret at the moment as I cannot risk letting dd2 know anything about it unless we are having one of them.

She is absolutly desperate for a dog and will be so overjoyed if I go for either of them.

[Ponders]

One of the great things about the bichon is that they are non-allergenic (or whatever the phrase is) - no idea if this is an issue with your kids but still nice to know they you don't need to worry (they have that fluffy hair like poodles, not normal dog hair)

[NervousNutty]

Oh thats not as pricey as I feared Wilts so thats fine.

The lady rehoming the bichon would also like it to go somewhere with a garden as it lives in a ground floor flat at the mo. We have a large garden so it woud love that.

[NervousNutty]

Oh, I had no idea they were non allergic. I mudt tell my mum that as a friend of hers wants a dog but their dd is allergic to dog hair.

My dd2 is asthmatic but has never been affected by any animal hair, so that should be fine.

I keep picturing this lovely white dog, in the mud in my garden lol.

[Ponders]

Well yes, but if he's a nice matey dog who likes being handled you can shampoo him in the bath

[Ponders]

article about bichon frise/allergies

[NervousNutty]

Ah thanks for the link, that realy useful.

[oneopinionatedmother]

no dog is 100% hypoallergenic.
see see this thread

though the above article refers mostly doodles, most of the same stuff applies to Bichons.

[NervousNutty]

Might have missed out on the Bichon Frise

Basically, the woman who is looking after it now, for the ill lady, had a friend who is blind who was interested in it but she wasn't sure if she could cope with her guide dog and Shandy. So she had him for the day today.

The couple went to fetch him back and the lady was really upset saying she didn't want to let him go and could she have him for longer to see how she coped and the couple agreed.

They have said that if she doesn't cope then they will definatly come back to me and if I want him he's mine.

I feel sorry for the dog if he stys with this other lady though tbh, as she is 85 so isn't exactly going to be up to doing alot with him.

[MmeLindt]

What a shame, I was just going to post in favour of the Bichon.

We have a Bichon Maltese, they are very similar to the Frise and she is just a lovely dog.

Have you heard about the other dog?

[NervousNutty]

Not, not heard back about the shitzu either yet.

Nevermind, if it's meant to be then it will be.

[MmeLindt]

Hope you find a perfect dog soon. Would you go for a puppy? They are a bit more work, but at least you know that they have always been well treated.

[NervousNutty]

I'd rather a dog that was past the puppy stage tbh. I thinks that what swung it with these two, as I wasn't actually looking to get one right now.

I am still hoping that this lady may decide that the elderly lady isn't right for the bichon and let us have it.
I think in her head she knows it would be better with us, as she had actually mentioned to the estates manager that she'd love him to go to a home with children and a large garden, and thats why he suggested us.