Why Kids and Bichon Frise Dogs are Great Together
Our Bichon Frise doggie has been in our family for two years. We think kids and Bichon Frise dogs are great together! Read on to see what we think about life with a Bichon! If you are wondering if Bichon Frise are good with kids, see what we have to say below. We just love our teddy bear dog, Mac!
Considering Adopting a Bichon Frise?
If you are considering adopting a Bichon Frise, you will want to know as much as possible as to what to expect.
Of course, all pups are different. Each dog comes with his own personality. But we will share with you our life with a Bichon Frise.
Bichon Frise and Kids
Harper Says…
Bichons are great for kids because they are so energetic and are always ready to play. If they bite you, that means they’re just trying to play. Our Mac does not have a mean bone in his body. He loves everyone.
Mac is quite wild most of the time, and he is very pushy about play time. Young Bichons will always be ready whenever you want to play. Just throw a ball and he/she will go get it. Kids and Bichon Frise dogs go nicely together. Even our friends in the neighborhood play well with Mac.
Norah Says…
Bichons love kids so much. They love kisses and hugs, and they are silly and funny. Seriously, they really love to play a lot so play with them a lot.
They eat are socks and underwear and scrunchies and other stuff like that. Sometimes they eat Barbies and other toys. They are the nicest pet you could want. If you get one, give him extra care. They are lovable and joy for people like me and you. They love kissing you a lot. They enjoy getting carried a certain way and cuddling on the couch.
Mom Says…
Bichon Frise dogs are extremely friendly dogs. They love attention from family and strangers alike. They do attempt to protect their families in a “small watchdog” kind of of way. But they should not be thought of as any type of true security dog. Mac barks and acts big and tough when a stranger approaches. However, once the person arrives, Mac just wants to be petted and attended to. Everyone is his friend. Mac thinks he is ten feet tall and bullet proof. When he goes to doggy day care, he runs with both the big dogs and small dogs, playing very well with all of them.
Is Barking a Bichon Frise Problem?
Harper Says…
Bichons are dogs that bark a lot during the day normally to other dogs, even some grown up dogs. And if they are grown up dogs then they sometimes will bark to younger dogs. When a dog is playing and he barks, it will sound more like a yip. And he’ll start yapping whenever you play with him. You can get a ball and throw it and he’ll go get it. Sometimes, he will not go get it and just wants you to chase him instead.
Norah Says…
Bichons do bark when they see something or someone. They are excited to meet new people always so they bark when they see people. They are so nice and sweet.
Mom Says…
As with many small breeds of dogs, Bichons can be yippy dogs. They like to make their presence known when they hear noises, see people, or hear or see other dogs. Our Mac barks at any sound he hears from the outside – car doors slamming, people walking and talking loudly in the road, the garage door raising. He thinks he is a big guard dog. It’s cute – until it isn’t!
Does a Bichon Frise Shed?
Harper Says…
Bichons do not shed that much. And when they do shed, they shed only a little bit. They barely shed at all so don’t worry about having to vacuum after the dog all that often. Our Bichon gets on the furniture which surprises me because my mom said if we got a dog, he wasn’t going to be allowed on the furniture. But there he is – everyday – on all our furniture. Every once in a while, he will leave a white hair behind, but it isn’t all that much at all.
Norah Says…
No, they do not shed much at all. It just is not their thing.
Mom Says…
Our Bichon shed more when he was a puppy (in the first six to eight months of life) than he did as he got older. Puppies sometimes have an undercoat that sheds away. Although there is the occasional white hair left behind, it is certainly not near to the level of dog shedding as you find with many breeds. Do say they don’t shed at all would not be true. But Bichons do shed a little bit, but not nearly as much as many other types of dogs. For fourteen years, I had a Peki-poo-ranian (a Pekingese/Poodle/Pomeranian mix). She was the love of my life for many years, but she did shed a ton.
Are Bichons Hypo-Allergenic?
Harper Says…
As far as I know, Mac does not give anyone here allergies.
Norah Says…
I’m allergic to dogs. But Mac Mac doesn’t bother me. I even put my face on his soft fur, and he still doesn’t bother me!
Mom Says…
We sought out a Bichon Frise because I had read they were hypo-allergenic dogs. My husband is allergic to cats. Then there is my own history of allergies to dogs (and a gazillion other things) as a child. In recent years, Norah has struggled with minor seasonal respiratory allergiess and a history of eczema, Therefore, I didn’t want to take chances on going with a dog breed or a mixed breed that may be more likely to trigger allergies. As much as I would have liked to have adopted a shelter dog like I did in the past, the idea of a hypo-allergic dog was extremely important to us.
That being said, one month after we adopted our Bichon, Norah tested positive to only one allergy during her skin allergy test. And guess what that one allergy is? DOGS!
I confidently boasted to our allergy doctor that all would be okay since our dog was hypoallergenic. Our doctor was quick to inform us that there is no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic dog -which is confirmed by the AKC. According to him, hypoallergenic dogs as a whole breed to not exist. He said you may luck out and have a dog from a breed with less tendency to trigger allergies with the dander (typically a breed that doesn’t shed much). But it all really just comes down to genetics of the mother and father dog, he said. This means you may luck out, as I think we have, or you might be as lucky.
More Bichon Frise and Children Considerations
As summarized above, bichon frise and children go well together. Bichons seems to be more of a high-maintenance dog breed – playful and full of life, in demand of constant attention and always desiring someone to play. This is why Bichon Frise and kids go well together. They have a matched energy level and can keep each other busy!
When Mac was younger, he had so much energy and so many zoomies that he was never interested in cuddling or sitting still in someone’s lap. This was disappointing as we had hoped to have a sweet little cuddly lap dog. It was rare for him to sit still for more than one minute at a time – if that! We don’t call him Wild Man for nothing! However, as he approached his first birthday, he did start to become more interested in cuddling in family members’ laps. Now, at two years old, he will cuddle up for long periods of time. It is the best!
Also, Bichon Frise dogs are small but stout and sturdy. They are not as dainty as some of the other small breeds of lap dogs. When other children come to our home to visit, Mac plays with them very well. With breeds that are more frail or dainty in nature, I would be more nervous of other children coming over. But Mac runs and plays hard and long with all the children with no issues at all! He loves kids!
If your family is looking to adopt a dog, we recommend a Bichon Frise! Based on our own experience, we believe Bichon Frise and children go well together!
