Bichon Frise vs Miniature Poodle

[BowiesJumper]

Hi,

To give background- we are planning to get a dog in around a years time when our kids are 7.5 and 3.5.

We will be first time dog owners. I mostly work from home (bar one day a week where we would use “doggy day care”), husband is off all school hols. Small but not tiny enclosed garden.

After extensive research we have narrowed it down to either a miniature poodle or a Bichon frise. We’re aware of the intensive grooming needs of both breeds. And we know any puppy is hard work, and that training is ongoing with any breed.

I was leaning towards a poodle as they’re so clever, fun, robust but compact, but then I thought, are they TOO clever for first time dog owners? Will we have the chops to be able to cope with one? I know they’re fairly high needs in terms of exercise and mental stimulation.

The Bichon, whilst slightly smaller, seems a bit easier, perhaps not in terms of toilet training etc, but in day to day demands (bar grooming and not being left alone).

What do you wise people think/recommend?

Thank you!

I’d vote for the bichon frise. Such a gorgeous temperment and particularly great with children.

I looked after Teddy ❤️ a Bichon Frisée and he was the most adorable, sweet and lovely boy.
Poodles are clever and can be a bit demanding.
I have a Cavapoo 😬 gorgeous and cute but too clever for her own good and I have had dogs all my life.
I’d go for Bichon!

Thank you both. That’s what I was thinking, that it would be less of a baptism of fire!

We plan to take whatever puppy we get to training classes and I’m sure my older son (and I!) will enjoy teaching them tricks, but at the same time, I have to be realistic about how much spare time we’ll have after the usual daily walking/brushing and playing, plus all the usual school and work commitments are done. It seems a poodle needs more input even after these things (including longer walks than an Bichon).

My main worry with a Bichon Frise would be how to keep it looking clean and white 😂

What about a Maltese? Gorgeous, very loyal and funny! Just don’t treat them like a small dog by carrying them around and you should be good.

We had a Bichon Frise sadly now passed. The grooming is easy unless you want to do the traditional big head look. A pair of clippers and practice every 6 weeks.

Our dog's temperament was another story. He hated walking, ran to his bed and hid if we even got his lead out. Didn't want to sit with us in the evening but was generally loving. He also never played with toys, he just hid them!

Every dog has a personality I guess but we were told Bichon Frise dogs tend to have quite a strong character and require good consistent training.

There is a book published specifically on this breed should you opt for this breed by Chris Wyatt that's very informative.

Good luck whichever you choose.

I do like Maltese, but had read that they’re not quite so good for younger kids as they’re a bit more delicate and a bit less robust. Not that I’d let my kids be too rough with any animal but just to err on the side of caution!

Thanks Tumble. Did you have yours from a tiny puppy?

I would like to clip them shortish yes, handy if I could do it myself! Not into the big fluffy look no!

Will take a look at that book, thanks so much.

Personally I would go for a miniature poodle.

They're generally very fit and healthy dogs, intelligent and easy to train. I walk a lovely 6yo and he's the perfect dog - smart, non-shedding, intelligent, active on walks and chilled in the home. He's also good with other dogs and children, and loves people - though he can be a little aloof with strangers.

Mini poodles really don't need tons of exercise - an hour a day split across two walk would be plenty.

I'm a first time dog owner with a mini poodle. We chose a poodle because I have allergies and DH had poodles growing up.

She's easy, relaxed, clever and easy to train and eager to please. Super affectionate. Grooming not too bad - we send her every 6/8 weeks to a groomer and brush her in between (but not daily). She's small enough for a lap cuddle and energetic enough for a long walk. I do an hour walk a day. Longer at times on weekends and shorter occasionally if things are busy. She copes well with being in her own, no separation anxiety. I'm a SAHM but don't take her everywhere so she's used to having some time on her own.

Anyway overall she a great little dog, beautiful and gets loads of comments when we are out and about.

I know poodle crosses are frowned on on here due to the risk of being from a puppy farm but locally to us there is a bichon frise cross poodle who is the most gorgeous dog.

If you can find a responsible breeder a cross of both dogs sounds like it would suit you.

BowiesJumper yes we had him from small puppy from a kennel club approved breeder who was very reputable and only bred sparingly and really cared for her pets.

He developed Cushing's very early on and passed away 8 years and 1 day old as he also developed diabetes and was very poorly so the vet recommended putting him to sleep.

He was a joy to have around and I still miss his clippy little nails on our tiles but he was never really what we expected to get from a dog ie fun loving on walks etc

As I said it's personality for some dogs and he was an old man the day he was born 😂

It’s true that they’re small so you have to watch they don’t disappear under a fence. Mine is pretty robust though and unaware of size versus bigger dogs. The only downside is that they need more walking than bichon frizes who seem happy with one walk a day if it’s not raining!

Just to do the boring post, you say about doggy day care have you found a good one?
some also won’t take dogs on heat/ unneutered males or you could have a pup that would hate the day care environment.
So just make sure you have that in place ahead of getting dpup x

I have a bichon/ chihuahua and he is gorgeous. Such a family friendly, loyal little dog. He's the size of a chihuahua but he's more bichon in looks and temperament. He can be snappy if he's got something he shouldn't and you try and take it off him and because of his size he will bark at strangers. They need a lot of grooming, I get him cut short every 6 to 8 weeks to keep on top of it, and everyday brushing with a slicker brush. But the benefits to this breed outweigh the bad in my opinion.

Thanks all. @crispsandwichlife thanks for flagging, we do have one that friends have recommended but I’ll ask about their rules. We do plan to spay/neuter at the appropriate time but appreciate that doesn’t help in the first year or so though! We would muddle through though, even if that meant me enlisting my parents to help (who live in next road luckily)! I wouldn’t leave the dog for long periods.

@tumbletastic aww, not looking forward to the inevitable goodbye. He sounds a right character!!

@HavfrueDenizKisi Do you have to do lots of mentally stimulating games with them apart from the walks? I’d hate them to get bored if (apart from walks) we needed to just flop down and rest (although the kids don’t do too much of that!) on any particular day. I do love poodles though. You and @fairylightsandwaxmelts are swaying me back to them. 😂

@Girliefriendlikespuppies I’d not know where to find a responsible breeder of a cross (who also does the right health screens etc).

@Furrbabymama87 sounds gorgeous! I’d be afraid it was too small for the kids though!

I love poodles but in your position I’d go for the Bichon . Have you considered border terriers or cairn terriers as an option .

Miniature poodle every time. I’ve had dogs (working breed) all my life this is my first (of many I hope). Cheerful, fun endlessly optimistic, adores their family but happy to be with others, happy to be left, very low prey drive, just wants to please you so training a doddle so quick to learn, easy to house train, mine never pulls on his lead, excellent recall, will walk miles but also just go round the block if that’s what you need, goes out in all weathers, and don’t forget non shedding bloody marvellous I rarely brush mine he goes to the dog groomers every 10-12 weeks cost £40. Also won’t eat you out of house and home, pick them up and chuck them in the car, over a style/wall, not an aggressive bone in his body. Well bred ones are exceedingly healthy I once read one of the healthiest long lived breeds. I’ve never done a mentally stimulating game in my life with mine he’s walked off lead more than 2 + hours a day chills out the rest of the time. I have a very happy well adjusted well behaved easy going little dog, not just my opinion by the way universally admired by vets dog walkers etc.

Poochon best of both

Excellent / only mention as I didn’t consider the whole in heat thing and got. Abit stuck!
happy puppy
easy peasy puppy squeezy & total recall books I’ve found really helpful for puppy stages whichever breed you go for

@BowiesJumper not tonnes of games no! She does love to play with a toy and adores balls and throwing so I hide those when I've had enough. We do have a few puzzle toys and she likes those but we don't do them often as she has a tendency to guard them when she is finished playing (so I have to get her outside and remove the puzzle when she's not looking). She loves a good sniff on a walk. If you have a good walk and a bit of a play with a toy she's usually snoozing! All dogs require some stimulation at times but they get more chilled as they grow. I'm with you. I have limited patience for endless playing!

Thanks. It’s not that we won’t want to play with it all the time, but there are only so many hours in the day! Now I can’t decide again 😂

Personally I’d go for a Westie. Nice, cheery dogs. Pretty robust and easy maintenance-wise. Don’t seem too prone to small-dog syndrome and good with kids

One more thing mine rarely barks. I couldn't stand a barking dog.

My Inchon frise is 14.5 years old and is my best friend. Lovely temperament, non malting for allergies and just the most loving boy x