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Animal register · DogIn the app

Bichon Frise

Bichon à poil frisé, Bichon Frisé, Bichon Tenerife

The Bichon Frise is a Franco-Belgian companion dog. The FCI standard describes a cheerful little dog with a lively gait and very loose, white corkscrew-curled hair — a true companion that can be taken anywhere, neither nervous nor a frequent barker — standing 25–29 cm at the withers and weighing about 5 kg. An adult is always pure white, with very dark round eyes, a black nose, drooping ears and a plumed tail carried over the back.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 30 minutes of exercise a day and grooming every day, notes that the breed does not shed and suits a flat, and gives its lifespan as over 12 years. The PDSA describes very affectionate, loving dogs that are excellent with children and other pets, and adds that the coat needs trimming every couple of months, often by a professional groomer.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Bichon Frise — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S411
Adult weight
males 4–7 kg, females 4–7 kg — PDSA S413
Daily exercise
up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S411
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S411
Shedding
does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S411
Lifespan
more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S411

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • apartment livingS411
  • family lifeS416
  • families with childrenS413
  • homes with other petsS413
  • homes that prefer less sheddingS411

Keep in mind:

  • needs brushing several times a weekS411S413
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS414

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S411

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S411
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S411
  • Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S411

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S411

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 8–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S411
  • Height at the withers: males 25–30 cm, females 23–29 cm — FCI S410
  • Adult weight: males 4–7 kg, females 4–7 kg — PDSA S413

Training

  • No. 45 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 215, group 9 (companion and toy dogs); origin: Belgium / France. — FCI S409

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Bichon Frise need?

According to our sources, the Bichon Frise needs this much exercise: up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S411.

How long does a Bichon Frise live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Bichon Frise is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S411.

How big does a Bichon Frise get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Bichon Frise, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S411; Adult weight: males 4–7 kg, females 4–7 kg — PDSA S413.

How much grooming does a Bichon Frise need?

Coat and grooming of the Bichon Frise, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S411; Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S411; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S411.

Who is the Bichon Frise a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Bichon Frise as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S411; family life — PetMD S416; families with children — PDSA S413; homes with other pets — PDSA S413; homes that prefer less shedding — The Royal Kennel Club S411. Keep in mind: needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S411S413; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — VCA Animal Hospitals S414.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 3,000 from month 3
Young dogmonth 923,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)23,000 steps
Seniormonth 108 (9 years)22,300 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 30 minutes, so 3,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.
  • Care: checking and cleaning the ears every 4 weeks — a task for the child.
  • Care: a visit to the groomer every 8 weeks — a reminder for the parent.
  • Care: a bath every 4 weeks — a reminder for the parent.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S411S413S416

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S413
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — VCA Animal Hospitals S414
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S413
  • Bladder stones, collections of minerals that form in the bladder and urine, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S413
  • A portosystemic (liver) shunt, where blood bypasses the liver, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S413
  • Diabetes mellitus, where the body cannot control its blood sugar properly, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S413
  • Like many small dogs, the breed is prone to dental disease, so brushing the teeth at home with a dog toothbrush and toothpaste is advised. — PetMD S416

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S411

Other screening schemes for this breed

  • Kneecap check for luxating patella before breeding — American Kennel Club K28
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — American Kennel Club K28

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S409FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — BICHON A POIL FRISE (215)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/BICHON-FRISE-215.html
  11. S410FCI — FCI-Standard N° 215 — Bichon à poil frisé (EN PDF, date of publication of the valid standard 04.04.2016)https://fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/215g09-en.pdf
  12. S411The Royal Kennel Club — Bichon Frise — Breeds A to Z (Toy)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/bichon-frise
  13. S413PDSA — Bichon Frise breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/bichon-frise
  14. S414VCA Animal Hospitals — Bichon Frise (breed overview)https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/bichon-frise
  15. S416PetMD — Bichon Frisehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_bichon_frise
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
  21. K28American Kennel Club — Non-Sporting Group Health Testing Requirements (breeder programs)https://www.akc.org/breeder-programs/breed-health-testing-requirements/non-sporting-group-health-testing-requirements/

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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