What Do Bichon Frise Puppies Look Like A Comprehensive Guide

Bichon Frise puppies look like small, fluffy white powder puffs with three dark points on the face: two round, dark eyes and a black nose. The coat is white, but many puppies carry light shadings of cream, apricot or buff, often around the ears, and the breed standards accept this in young dogs. The nose and lips are black, the eye rims are black, the ears hang down and are covered in long hair, and the plumed tail curls over the back. Puppies are smaller and softer-looking than adults, and their final size and coat develop as they grow. The details below come from the official breed standards, which describe the adult dog.

The Bichon Frise at a glance

The Bichon Frise is a small companion breed. Different kennel clubs place it in different groups: the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which sets the standard used in most of Europe and many other countries, classes it as a companion and toy dog of Franco-Belgian origin; The Royal Kennel Club in the UK lists it in the Toy group; and the American Kennel Club (AKC) uses its own standard. The three agree on the essentials and differ in a few details, which are noted below.

According to the FCI standard, the breed was brought to France from Italy during the Renaissance, was known as the “Ténériffe” in the 19th century, and almost disappeared after the two world wars before French and Belgian breeders rebuilt it. The Royal Kennel Club adds that it is thought to have existed on Tenerife as far back as the 14th century.

What a Bichon puppy’s face looks like

The face is the breed’s most recognisable feature. The AKC standard describes the expression as “soft, dark-eyed, inquisitive, alert”, and the FCI standard says the eyes and nose should form “three easily visible black points on an otherwise white head”. In detail:

• Eyes: round, black or dark brown, looking straight forward, with black eye rims. The AKC standard also calls for “halos”, the black or very dark brown skin around the eyes, which make the eyes stand out.
• Nose and lips: the nose is black and the lips are black and fine, not drooping.
• Ears: drop ears covered with long, flowing hair, set slightly above eye level so they frame the face.
• Head: the hair on the head is trimmed (or simply grows) to give the round, “powder puff” outline people associate with the breed.

Because a puppy’s face and coat are still developing, the best guide to how a particular puppy will look as an adult is to meet its parents, especially the mother.

Coat: what it feels like and how it changes

An adult Bichon has a double coat. The AKC standard describes a soft, dense undercoat and a coarser, curlier outer coat, which together give “a soft but substantial feel to the touch which is similar to plush or velvet and when patted springs back”. The FCI standard describes the outer coat as forming “loose spiral curls” over a soft, dense undercoat, and The Royal Kennel Club gives an adult coat length of about 7–10 cm (3–4 in).

A puppy’s coat is shorter and does not yet have this full adult structure, so expect the “powder puff” look to fill out as your puppy matures. How quickly that happens varies between individual dogs and lines, which is another reason to look at the adult dogs your breeder has produced.

The coat does not shed much hair onto the floor. The AKC explains that the shed hair “is caught up in the undercoat”, which is exactly why it needs regular brushing: the loose hair has to be brushed out, or it forms mats. That also means “low-shedding” is not the same as “hypoallergenic”. A Dutch study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology measured the main dog allergen in the coats and homes of breeds marketed as hypoallergenic and concluded there is “no evidence for the classification of certain dog breeds as being ‘hypoallergenic'”. The Bichon was not among the breeds tested, but if anyone in your home has a dog allergy, speak to a doctor before committing to any breed.

Colour: white, with puppy shadings allowed

All three standards describe a white dog. Where they differ is how much colour they allow, and until what age:

• AKC: white, which “may have shadings of buff, cream or apricot around the ears or on the body”. More than 10% colour in a mature dog is a fault, but “color of the accepted shadings should not be faulted in puppies”.
• FCI: “pure white”. Before 12 months of age the coat “can have the tendency to be slightly beige (champagne)”, covering no more than 10% of the dog.
• The Royal Kennel Club: white, with cream or apricot markings acceptable up to 18 months.

So a cream or apricot tinge on a puppy’s ears is normal and allowed. A puppy with large patches of another colour, or a non-white coat, does not match any of these standards. Colour is the least important thing to choose on: health and temperament matter far more.

How big will a Bichon puppy get?

Bichons are small but sturdy dogs, described by the AKC standard as “compact and of medium bone throughout”. Adult size, measured at the withers (the top of the shoulders), according to each standard:

• AKC: 9½–11½ in (about 24–29 cm) preferred, and never over 12 in (about 30.5 cm) or under 9 in (about 23 cm). The AKC standard notes that the minimum limits do not apply to puppies. The AKC’s breed page gives a typical weight of 12–18 lb (about 5.5–8 kg).
• FCI: 25–29 cm (about 10–11½ in), with 1 cm of tolerance taller for males and 2 cm shorter for females. Weight approximately 5 kg (about 11 lb), in proportion to size.
• The Royal Kennel Club: ideal height 23–28 cm (9–11 in).

None of the three standards above describes a separate “teacup” size: each gives a single size range for the breed. If a seller advertises an extra-small “teacup” Bichon, treat that as a warning sign. For how size develops over the first year, see when a Bichon Frise stops growing.

Temperament

The AKC standard describes the Bichon as “gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate”, and the FCI standard as “very sociable towards both people and dogs, even if it does not know them”. The AKC also notes that the breed needs company: “undesirable behaviors are likely to result if he is regularly left alone for long periods of time”. Bichons have a reputation for being slow to house-train, and the AKC recommends early socialisation, puppy classes and reward-based training rather than harsh methods. Every puppy is an individual, so meet the litter and parents and ask the breeder about each puppy’s character.

Health screening: what to ask the breeder

The AKC lists the health problems that can occur in the breed as early tooth loss and gum infection, allergies (including skin reactions and flea allergy), bladder infections, ear infections, patellar luxation (a kneecap that slips out of place) and inherited cataracts and other eye diseases, while noting that most Bichons are healthy dogs. A responsible breeder screens the parents before breeding. Which tests are recommended depends on the registry in your country:

• AKC lists patella evaluation, hip evaluation and an ophthalmologist (eye) evaluation for the breed.
• The Royal Kennel Club (UK) strongly recommends, as a minimum, eye testing under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme before breeding, and lets you look up a registered dog’s results with its Health Test Result Finder.
• Elsewhere: other countries have their own schemes, so ask the breeder which tests were done on both parents and ask your own vet which are recommended for the breed where you live.

Ask to see the certificates for both parents, not just a verbal assurance. The RSPCA notes that tests are only available for some disorders and in certain breeds, and that “it is not compulsory for people breeding dogs to carry out the tests or to use the results when deciding which dogs to breed”, so ask what was tested and what the results were. Once your puppy is home, take them to your own vet for a check-up and to plan vaccinations, parasite control and dental care.

Choosing a responsible breeder

Wherever you live, your national kennel club or breed club is the best starting point for finding breeders. Guidance from The Royal Kennel Club and Dogs Trust in the UK includes:

• Do not take a puppy before 8 weeks. The Royal Kennel Club says “the breeder should only sell you a puppy once they are 8 weeks of age or older”, and Dogs Trust says a responsible breeder “will never sell a puppy younger than 8 weeks old”.
• See the puppies with their mother. The Royal Kennel Club says the breeder “should be willing and able to show you the puppy interacting with its mother and siblings”, and that if you cannot see the mother you should consider walking away, “even if an apparently good reason has been provided”.
• Ask about the parents’ health and see the screening results. Dogs Trust says a responsible breeder “will be happy to provide health certification”.
• Expect the breeder to ask you questions too: Dogs Trust says a responsible breeder will be “keen to get to know you to ensure you’ll provide a suitable home for the puppy”.
• Be wary of resellers. Dogs Trust advises never buying a dog from a pet shop or commercial third-party sellers; in England it is illegal to sell a puppy under eight weeks old away from where it was bred, and other countries’ rules differ.

Dogs Trust adds that a responsible breeder will be “happy to speak to you on the phone, answer questions about the breed, and be keen to keep in touch with you”, so choose someone who will still be there for questions about diet, training and care after the sale.

Keeping that puppy coat looking right

The fluffy look takes work. The AKC recommends brushing at least two or three times a week, daily if you can, and a bath and clip at least once a month; most pet owners use a groomer every four to six weeks. The Royal Kennel Club lists the breed’s grooming needs as “every day”. Start gentle handling and short brushing sessions while your puppy is young so that grooming becomes routine. Our guide to grooming a Bichon Frise at home goes through the tools and steps. If you find a mat close to the skin, ask a groomer or your vet to remove it rather than cutting it out yourself.

A Bichon is a long commitment: the AKC gives a life expectancy of 14–15 years and The Royal Kennel Club “over 12 years”. More on that in how long a Bichon should live.

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