Bichon Frise Puppy Dog Care Information

Photo of an attractive
Bichon Frise puppy dog

Bichon Frise Health Information:

Bichons are a healthy, long lived breed of dog that have relatively few health problems, especially compared to other purebred dog breeds. The breeder from which you choose to purchase your Bichon puppy will be instrumental in the health of your new companion. As with any popular purebred breed of dog, there are reputable breeders who breed for the health, wellbeing and longevity of their dogs and puppies, and there are other sources of purebred puppies that can be a very bad choice.

Make sure you acquire your Bichon puppy from a responsible breeder who health screens and breeds only the best to the best, to help ensure that your Bichon lives a long, happy and healthy life with you and your family.

Health problems that can occur in the Bichon Frise dog breed are:

Skin Allergies
Dental Problems (Gingivitis and Early Tooth Loss)

Both of these problems can be easily prevented or alleviated with regular grooming and proper care.

Other health conditions that rarely occur in the Bichon Frise are:

*Bladder infections and stones
*Orthopedic (patellar luxation, Legg-Calve Perthes, disk degeneration)
*Eye diseases (cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye)
*Cardiac Problems
*Cancers (no one type predominant)
*Metabolic diseases (Cushings, diabetes, pancreatic)
*Disease of the liver and spleen
*Ear (infections, deafness)

A responsible breeder will be well educated about conditions that may affect the Bichon and will health screen her dogs and follow a carefully selective breeding program. Choose your breeder carefully!

Bichon Frise Exercise Information:

Bichons are lively, but don't need a lot of space or exercise to keep them healthy and happy. For this reason, they are a great choice for apartment life or life with an elderly or disabled dog lover.

Bichon Frise Grooming Needs:

In contrast to the minimal exercise needs of the Bichon Frise, grooming is entirely another matter. The Bichon boasts a lovely white fluffy single coat that grows long and prospers! Daily brushing and frequent baths are necessary to keep snarls and snags at bay, and a visit to the groomers about 4 times a year is needed, unless the owner is willing to learn the art of using dog clippers.

Bichons have ears that can be prone to yeast infections and mite infestations, but a once-weekly cleansing with an acidifying ear wash will keep these problems from cropping up.

Tooth brushing is an important grooming requirement in the Bichon, which can be prone to dental problems. This is an easy task which should be done on a daily basis.

It's important to keep your Bichon's bum area nice and tidy. If the fur around the anus is allowed to grow, it can cause your Bichon a great deal of distress, when fecal matter starts to hang on and go for a ride. (Also known as "poop-hikers" :-) Fluffy dogs find this situation highly embarrassing and very frightening, and it's best to avoid it at all costs by keeping the hair around this area nice and short. You can trim this area yourself with the careful use of a pair of scissors.