Rocket

These little white fluffballs will keep your family active and your heart full. The Bichon Frise is one of the sweetest and most sensitive dogs around. They love to run around the yard, play games, or snuggle up on the couch—any activity as long as you’re nearby. Housetraining can be difficult, so remain vigilant when they're still young and learning. Full-grown, they typically weigh 12-18 pounds and stand 9-11 inches tall.

Bichon Frises are generally excellent with children of all ages. Bichon Frises are eager to make friends with strangers, other dogs, and children. They’re family-friendly pups that may bark or nip during playtime but usually get along well with kids. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

The Bichon Frise is an active dog that needs daily exercise. Despite their small size, these pups are eager to play indoor games, romp in the yard, or take short walks on the leash. Like cats, they have sudden spikes of energy that turn them into crazy canines running laps around the house. Overall, their exercise needs are low.

The Bichon Frise has a white double coat with a soft, silky, dense undercoat and a coarse, curly outer coat. The fur is fluffy and springs back even when you pat it down. These dogs may have cream or apricot-colored hair. Grooming-wise, this breed is high-maintenance. Bichon Frises are considered hypoallergenic, which can be a plus for allergy sufferers.

Bichon Frises are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. Bichon Frises are good for apartment living because of their size, but they can be difficult to housetrain and may have more accidents if they don’t have a yard or doggy door at their disposal. They are fairly easy to train.

The Bich Poo (also known as a ‘Poochon’ or ‘Bichpoo’) is a cross between a Poodle and a Bichon Frise, a mix which likely originated in the United States. Poodle crossbreeds are meant to produce a dog with mixed traits and the Poodle’s signature nonshedding coat. As a crossbreed, the Bich Poo is not eligible for registration with purebred registries such as the American Kennel Club, but it can be registered with the American Canine Hybrid Club, as ‘Poochon’. The Bich Poo is not considered a purebred because it doesn’t ‘breed true’, meaning that it doesn’t display a consistent set of characteristics. Like other ‘designer breeds’, the Bich Poo has seen a recent surge in popularity. Some breeders produce Bich Poos by crossing a purebred Poodle with a purebred Bichon Frise (called a first generation cross), but others allow crossing Bich Poos with Poodles or Bichon Frises (called a backcross), or other Bich Poos (called a multi-generation cross). Different crosses can result in different characteristics. Full-grown, they typically weigh 6-12 pounds and stand 9-14 inches tall.

Bichpoos are generally excellent with children of all ages. The Bich Poo is friendly toward strangers, children and other dogs. Bich Poos are great companions for kids, but should be supervised around young children to prevent them from teasing the dog or playing rough. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

The Bich Poo is an active dog requiring daily exercise such as a walk, playtime in a fenced-in yard, or a visit to the local dog park, though it can meet a lot of its exercise requirements through indoor play. Most Bich Poos enjoy swimming. Bich Poos are great dogs for an apartment or condo. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The Bich Poo has a soft, curly coat. Most Bich Poos have little dander and do not shed, making them a good match for those with allergies. Owing to its Poodle heritage, the Bich Poo comes in a wide variety of solid or mixed colors. Grooming-wise, this breed is moderate. Bichpoos are considered hypoallergenic, which can be a plus for allergy sufferers.

Bichpoos are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. They are fairly easy to train.