Bichon Poodle (Bichpoo): History, Temperament, and Care Guide for This Adorable Mixed Breed
A bichon frise and a poodle are crossed to create the Bichon Poodle, a mixed breed. Additionally, this blend goes by some amusing names, like poochon and bichpoo (the ch in both). This small breed has a wonderful temperament and is quite adorable. They are excellent choices for family dogs.
This article will provide information on bichon Pooches to help you decide if they’re the correct dog for you. The history, temperament, size, trainability, coat type, energy levels, health risks, and more of the bichpoo will all be covered.
Bichon Poodle History
More information on the history of the poodle and bichon frise is necessary to comprehend what a poochon may be like. Originating in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, the bichon frise gained popularity in France, Spain, and Italy in the 13th century.
Following the French Revolution of 1789, these tiny canines lost their kind sponsors. In the end, they became street performers who later performed in circuses. Due to their amazing personalities, this dog survived World Wars I and II and is today a popular choice for a companion.
Poodles gained favour among French nobles and even spent some time in European circuses, much like bichon frises. But luxury or the performing arts have nothing to do with their origins. On the other hand, poodles were Germanic duck hunters. Standard poodles are still employed for bird hunting nowadays.
Bichon Poodle first appeared in Australia in the late 1990s. It’s thought that breeders wanted to produce a playful yet loving pet that would be a great addition to any family with children. Even though there are three sizes of poodles, bichon frises usually only mate with miniature and toy poodles.
Bichon Poodle Size
Bichon poodles typically weigh between 6 and 17 pounds and range in height from 9 to 15 inches. Bichpoos that have a parent who is a toy poodle are more likely to be on the smaller end of this spectrum, while those that have a parent who is a miniature poodle may be on the larger end.
Bichon Poodle Lifespan
While bichon frises live roughly 14 to 15 years, poodles live between 10 and 18 years. As a result, you should anticipate a bichpoo’s lifespan to be comparable.
Bichon Poodle Coat
Poochons are tiny dogs with fluffy tails, adorable button noses, and long, curly hair that is frequently cropped short. Although they can be any color, apricot, cream, white, and red are among the most well-liked hues. The majority of bichpoos will be tiny to toy-sized. Long, curly hair grows on both bichon frises and poodles. Thus, you do not anticipate a mixed bichon poodle.
Bichon Poodle Temperament
Bichon poodles are happy-go-lucky dogs who consider everyone to be friends. Because they get along well with kids and enjoy playing and being active, Bichon is an amazing family dog. Bichpoos love to cuddle and be petted; they are highly affectionate with their families. They’re also easy to train and intelligent.
Although poodles are renowned for being loving towards their families, bichon frises were designed to be companion dogs. A blend of the two will make an incredibly affectionate dog. A bichpoo is likely to want to cuddle with you if you’re looking for a companion dog. They are adorable little lapdogs who enjoy cuddles.
Additionally, bichon poodles are quite friendly with strangers. They are gregarious and tend to accept newcomers as friends.
Bichon Poodle Training
Having an intelligent dog that likes to learn makes training enjoyable. This certainly applies to bichon poodles. These tiny canines love to please their favourite people, and they love giving them praise and treats.
They are intelligent enough to pick up fascinating cues, including challenging stunts. Therefore, the bichon poodle is undoubtedly up for the task (and will enjoy it too!) if you’re interested in dog sports like agility.
We usually advise dog owners to enrol their puppies in some kind of training programme since it helps you stay focused on your training, gives you the chance to ask questions, helps your dog socialise, and gives your dog a fresh or distracting environment in which to learn.
Though useful, hiring a professional trainer is not required for training a bichon poodle because they are reasonably easy to train.
Similar to this, you don’t have to be a skilled trainer to impart new abilities to your bichon poodle. Investigate the topic, be precise and dependable, and apply positive reinforcement strategies. Your bichpoo will get trained before you realise it if you treat it with respect and keep in mind that training should be enjoyable.
Bichon Poodle Health
All of the diseases that can affect poodles and bichon frises can also affect bichon poodles. This may give the impression that they are more likely to become ill, although that isn’t always the case.
A bichon poodle’s health hazards include von Willebrand’s disease, Legg-Calve-Perthes, mitral valve disease, hip dysplasia, allergies, bladder infections, cataracts and other eye problems, patellar luxation, and Cushing’s disease.
There are strategies to improve your chances of obtaining a healthy puppy who will lead a long and happy life, even if these health risks may seem frightening. Purchasing a bichon poodle puppy from a reputable breeder who conducts health testing on their dogs is the best choice.
By doing these health tests, it is made sure that neither of the parent dogs’ disorders may be detected or potentially passed on to the puppies. In addition to doing health tests on their dogs, ethical breeders are more than happy to provide prospective adopters with the results.
Learn more about the delightful Mini Irish Doodle puppies and their unique traits
Bichon Poodle Grooming
The hair of bichon poodles grows continually and to a considerable length. Because keeping their dog’s hair long needs a lot more work and attention, most owners choose to have it professionally trimmed every four to six weeks.
A bichon poodle should be brushed two or three times a week using a soft-slicker brush and a metal comb. You should brush them even more often as their hair regrows to avoid matting. In addition to being uncomfortable, heavy matting makes it difficult for groomers to give the dog a tidy clip. A poochon only has to be bathed once a month, though you can choose to bathe them more often if necessary.
Bichon Poodle Care
Every four to six weeks, the bichon poodle needs to be taken to a groomer to have their coat trimmed. If not, they need to be brushed at least once a week and have their ears examined frequently to check for infections. Preventing overgrowth of the nails is also crucial.
Dental treatment is arguably the most important medical care for a bichon poodle. They need to get their teeth brushed daily. This is due to the bichon poodle breed’s susceptibility to periodontal disease, which frequently results in tooth loss in this breed.
You probably know that getting a dog’s teeth taken out is expensive, but you might be surprised to hear that periodontal disease can reduce your dog’s life. This is because bacteria that proliferate in an unhealthy mouth can spread and frequently cause problems with the liver, kidneys, or heart. Thus, be sure to brush your bichon poodle’s teeth!
Bichon Poodle Food/Diet
You should feed your bichon poodle the best small-breed dog food that you can buy. The best dog diets are developed by veterinary nutritionists and go through feeding experiments.
Check the feeding recommendations on your favourite dog food to find out how much to feed your bichon poodle. You can use an internet calculator to figure out how many calories your dog requires each day. By adjusting meal portions to account for calories from treats, you can prevent obesity in your dog by being aware of this. Recall that treats ought not to account for more than 10% of a dog’s diet.
FAQs
Bichon poodles, despite their tendency to bark, can be an excellent choice for apartment living. They don’t require a garden to lead happy lives, even though they mostly like playing in one. On rainy days, they can easily exercise by playing indoor games or going on walks.
It is well known that bichon poodles are not quiet dogs. Each dog is different when it comes to how much they bark; however, bichpoos frequently bark a lot. They might not be the best choice if you reside in an apartment block with noise regulations because of this.
But you can train them to stop barking if you are willing to put in the work. Though training can be beneficial at any age, it can be most successful if it begins in the puppy years.
While any breed of dog has the potential to exhibit aggression, bichon poodles do not typically exhibit this behavior. Generally speaking, this breed is extremely gregarious and upbeat with everyone they encounter.
Even if hostility is unlikely, socializing a bichpoo early on is essential to prevent future fear in them since it exposes them to a variety of stimuli.
