My Unpredictable Bichon Frise: A Tale of Love and Challenges

Hello there!

It's been two years since my first dog, Bonnie, passed away. I wasn't exactly ready to get another dog, but fate had other plans. My friend had just given birth to a litter of Bichon Frise puppies, and I'd been in close contact with her dog for a while. This breed checked all my boxes: small, low shedding, and a lower risk of allergies. I'm not into hunting or guard dogs, as I think those breeds are better suited for experienced owners who can channel their energy in the right direction.

I wasn't looking to get a dog on Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2017, but five adorable little white balls of fluff had other plans.

I picked the biggest and boldest little girl, but one day my friend asked me to come over, and we went to meet the dogs with my mom. And there she saw how they were beating up a little girl, and she was clinging to their mom's legs, saving herself from her sisters. My mom fell in love with her so much that we decided to take her home. We picked her up pretty early, at 1.5 months, because my friend knew I'm responsible with animals and wouldn't take the puppy outside without vaccinations. Another reason was that their mom was totally exhausted with them and didn't want to deal with them much, she even stopped feeding them, so there was no point in waiting any longer. That's how this little button arrived at our home. We named her Yu.

At first, it wasn't easy. She cried a lot, wanted to sleep on our bed. I'm not against having a dog sleep on the bed, but since my husband has asthma, he needed some time to get used to her. I'm a pretty soft person, that's why I'll never get a big dog. On the second night, I gave in, bought an air mattress, and slept with her on the floor.

Potty training, going outside. Things she chewed up:

I still can't take her out for a walk, so I've been using a potty with Yuna. That worked out great, my mom used one too and she picked it up quickly. No accidents whatsoever. The potty training was a breeze, but the walks were a different story. We'd go out, but she wouldn't ask to go out on her own, I think it's because she's used to the potty. We couldn't say we were bothered by it, and she was pretty scared of the outside at first, it took a while before we could walk normally. The potty is still lying around and Yuna uses it when someone's late for work or if it's really cold outside. I know some people might not agree with this, but it doesn't replace our daily walks. When we're outside, she's mostly just exploring the area, sniffing every bush like a pro, and then she'd drag her leash around so much that the ground would get all torn up. We only take her out on a leash because she might get spooked by a loud noise and take off, I don't know how far she'd go or where she'd end up, we didn't want to find out.

After the first few days, we were bracing ourselves for chewed-up shoes, but Yuna surprised us. She left everything alone – books, things, wires, and so on. She only chewed on her leather insoles a couple of times, and now she's obsessed with them. She'll just snatch them up and take them to her bed. And, of course, paper – she still loves to shred it into tiny pieces.

Diet, Allergies:

We knew that Bichon Frise dogs, despite being hypoallergenic, can still have allergies themselves. We tried different types of meat, holistic dog food, and regular dog food. Her eyes always run, more some days, less others. But we never had any skin allergies, which is a relief. Since I couldn't find a connection between the meat and her runny eyes, we decided to stick with a typical diet. Initially, we gave her Oshparenoed meat, rice, oats, and veggies.

Gradually, we added meat and bone meal and organs. We removed grains. Now, she eats different parts of beef, pork, chicken, fish, and veggies. She loves fruits and sauerkraut. She'll eat as long as it doesn't make her sick, and even if it smells like meat, she'll devour a paper napkin. Because of her overeating, we need to control her weight, and her daily ration is 300 grams, but she'd eat 1300 grams if we let her.

Relationships with other animals:

I've had dogs and cats living together since I was a kid, and this pup has fit right in. She gets along with all the cats, and they've never shown any aggression towards each other. In fact, she's always up for a playdate, whether it's with a big fluffy dog or a tiny little pup.

This has been a game-changer for me, because I can take her to friends' houses with other dogs and not have to worry about any drama. She's just a social butterfly who loves making new friends.

Coat-wise:When they're young, their coat is super short and soft. Bichons are only white, but they might have cream-colored ears when they're a puppy. You gotta start grooming them from day one - bathing, drying, trimming, and nail care. If you don't get them used to it, you'll be in for a world of stress when they're older. I've always done it myself, and I swear by my professional dog clippers, grooming kit, and blow dryer. Here's my pup before and after a grooming session

As they enter puberty, their coat gets fluffier, but it's still not fully developed yet.

But by the time they're a year old, they start developing those signature curls that feel like velvet

I've learned to cut my cat's fur in different ways. Sometimes I miss the mark and end up with clumps, resulting in a shorter cut. The breed's fur requires a lot of effort and time to dry, as it's so long - it takes about an hour and a half to dry. So, our cat's haircuts are more like amateur, DIY jobs. We do a 'tuning' every two months, as their fur just keeps growing. The best part? There are no loose hairs in the apartment - it's amazing, because I've had hair from three cats before!

Life with a cat who sheds:

My boyfriend has asthma, and before we started dating, he didn't have any pets because of it. We moved in with my mom, and there was a cat and three kittens in the apartment. At first, he'd leave in the middle of the night because he'd get overwhelmed. But over time, he started to get used to it, and eventually, he became more comfortable around our pets. He'd still have attacks every day, but with them, they were more frequent, of course. We were hoping the Bishon wouldn't trigger the same reaction, since he'd interacted with a friend's dog before and it was okay. But, unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Even though their fur looks like human hair, it doesn't exclude the possibility of an allergy. The slobber, urine, and skin flakes are all potent allergens. For a while, we had some intense attacks, and we started the process of getting him used to it again. I was thinking of returning the dog because I felt bad for my boyfriend, but he saw how much I wanted the dog and how happy it made me, so we decided to keep it.

As time went on, it got a lot easier, and we even started sleeping together again."

I want to be upfront – don't expect a hypoallergenic dog to be completely allergen-free. If you're allergic to dogs, get a blood test to determine the severity of your allergy. If it's just a reaction to the dog's hair, you might be able to try. As adults, we knew what we were getting into, and we understood the risks. So, it's up to you to decide.

Personality:

I always say that every dog has its own unique personality, just like humans. While there may be breed-specific traits, it's the individual characteristics that make each dog special. In our case, we got a mixed bag. Out of the four puppies, one – Yuna – turned out to be a total scaredy-cat. I'm not sure what triggered this, but she's terrified of loud noises, and she'll freak out, hide, or cling to you for comfort. It took her a long time to get over her fear of going for walks, even though she loved it. She'd only go if she felt like it, and if you called her, she'd run away. It wasn't until she was about a year old that she started going for walks without a fuss. She's still a bit of a worrier, and she'll get anxious over things like boxes, massage tools, or even a package. Sometimes, her fear turns into aggression when she's unsure of what's going on, like at the vet's office. She's protective of her food, but she's also happy to share. Overall, she's a complex dog, and it's clear that something's not quite right in her head.

When we moved away from my mom, I was pregnant. Of course, we took Yuna with us. At first, she struggled to adjust to the new apartment, but I was with her 24/7, which helped. She was hesitant to explore the new neighborhood, would quickly do her business, and then rush back home. After the baby was born, things only got worse. She developed postpartum depression, I think. She'd hide under the bathtub and stay there for hours, and we'd have to coax her out and she'd start pacing around the room. I tried to spend as much time with her as I could, letting her sleep with us on the bed with the baby, so she wouldn't feel abandoned. But nothing seemed to work, and after four months, we decided to return Yuna to her old home. She was overjoyed, and all her anxiety disappeared.

We decided not to try anymore and not to shake up her already fragile nervous system.

Now Yuna is like my child after a divorce – I pay alimony in the form of meat, and we go for walks together and visit to keep things nice.

When she's in a calm state, she's an amazing dog. She's always by your side, loves attention, kisses, and hugs. She'll sit and nudge you with her paw until she gets some love. She'll even follow you into the bathroom. She's a 100% companion dog.

She's friendly with other people, will let them pet and cuddle her without any issues. She doesn't show aggression if she feels safe. She loves playing with different toys, will walk around with them in her mouth like a little tail-wagger. And if you're busy and can't play with her right away, she'll lie down and wait patiently.

My partner and I don't mind sleeping with our little cloud next to us. In fact, I've got a whole series of photos of us snoozing together. I'll add them to this quote.

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Interacting with kids:

I have to say, my three-year-old was born when Yun was three years old, and she took an instant interest in the baby. She'd sniff around carefully, watch the baby's movements, and even run to us when the baby cried, like 'What's going on here? The baby's screaming!' I never felt uneasy leaving them in the same room or even letting the dog join us in bed.

After Yuna moved in with her mom, we started visiting her more often. She's just as thrilled about the baby, licking her, pointing to her toys. We even slept together.

But since the baby's growing up without pets, I try not to leave them in the same room for too long. The kid's still learning how to interact with animals, and for Yuna, the baby's not an authority figure - she might not even notice if the boundaries are crossed. The baby tried to kick her off the couch and snatch a snack, and I thought for sure she'd get bitten, but Yuna just gave her a gentle tug on the arm, and the baby burst out laughing. I'm keeping a close eye on them, though. Yuna's found the perks of having little kids - they're always willing to share their snacks.

Conclusion: I'm having a hard time recommending or not recommending the dog. It's tough to give a rating. When I adopt a dog, I'm prepared for any personality, even with purebred dogs - there's no 100% guarantee you'll get a perfect one. I love her with all her quirks, and she loves us just as much, showing it in every way possible!

For the most part, our Bichon Frise has been a lively, friendly little dog. She gets along great with kids and other pets. But, like we've experienced, there can be issues to navigate.

If I'm being honest, I'd say yes in a heartbeat if I were asked if I'd get another Bichon!

This is an amazing breed for families, for active lifestyles, and just lounging on the couch. They're always by your side, always eager for attention. Just keep in mind, Bichons aren't the best fit for people who work long hours and are away from home a lot – unless you're getting two, of course!

I've shared our experience, now it's up to you to decide.