bichon frise puppy

coola

what kind of discharge are you talkin about??

golden

excess tears going down eyes if you dont wipe them every day you will get tear stains. Ears more than likely ear wax unless its a ear infection. They are high maintenance dogs in relation to grooming, the hair gets matted very easily.

houndsoflove

I agree Bichons need to have their coat looked after otherwise you will be bringing it in for grooming and get it back shaved.:eek: This could be the very reason this lady is getting rid of the dog, she probably can't keep it maintained and doesn't like the look of the dog when he is shaved.

Too often i see people buying a dog for the look of it and then when they find their is too much work and money involved in keeping it they want to give it away. :mad:

If you don't have the time to brush a dog then get a dog with a short coat, like a jack russell or chihuahua it will save you money and hassle.

leesmom

do a lot of thinking before getting a bichon frise,they are amazing little dogs,very friendly,cuddly and great with kids and babies but they are very hard work,as many of the other people above said,they need daily grooming,otherwise their coat ends up totally matted and sore.they are quite a difficult dog to toilet train,i have a german shepherd also and had no problem training her but my bichon took a long time and many accidents,unfortunately my bichon passed away last week but i will definately be getting another one,but i am at home most of the time as i have a young baby so i do have the time to spend with the dog and thats important

the grooming pa

Puppies need people or dogs around, they need to be socialized and to be honest, if you got a puppy it would be pretty lonely, you would also need to feed a young puppy several times a day and let it out to the loo, so perhaps you could wait until you guys are at home for longer periods of time, or rescue a dog from the pound that is used to spending some time alone.
The other thing about a bichon, they are lovely dogs, but need a lot of grooming, and if you are both working, you may not want to do this and end up with a puppy with a knotted coat.
Ann

mel123

For my monies worth, i think leaving a dog on its own for that length 5 days a week (presumably) will give u problems. I got a boxer pup there in December and she is rarely left on her own for long periods, himself works shift work so he is there most days. When she was very young and if she was to be left on her own (weather was too cold to leave her out i thought) i would leave her in my mothers who had a dog and she had great fun. ANyway my friend got a dog a little before me, and it was left on its own most of the time. It has chewed skirting boards, door frames, presses, couches, outside it has chewed decking, dug up flower beds...the list is endless. And me personally, i think this is because the dog is bored, and I think you should take this into consideration as it could happen with your dog. U could come back to find your gym equipment chewed away or your utility door chewed off!! A dog is like a human in a lot of ways and needs company...and when it doesnt have it I think thats when u get the 'mental' dog scenario.

Sigma Force

Referring to the origional post..

That length of time away is too long for a pup the only way to do have a pup is if you employ someone to take the pup out during the day but its the most important time in a dogs life so an adult would be better. I see from glancing through the posts that you think so too now so that's that bit sorted.

Bichon wise be wary many suffer health problems like many pb dogs so no matter who you get it from make sure the owner takes him/her to the vets and you have papers and health certs etc.

For an adult dog that is used to being left during the day it would suit your situation better. However if you are very house proud and dont like animals on furniture etc a dog may not be the most ideal pet for you. If you dont mind, have time to take the dog out for walkies daily, can afford food, vet bills etc then I dont see why not.

Have another look at the rescue sites in all counties in Ireland it common enough for say a rescue dog from say kerry finding a home in Dublin.

glineli

We got a westie around a year ago, he was 10 weeks old at the time. When we were away working we got people in for a few hours to keep him company. He used to be out in the back garden, but even for the people to go and play with him until we got home was great. We are lucky, Gerry is very independent, no problem being on his own now for a few hours. He used to being on his own during the day now, and sleeps for a good part of it, then is all excited when we get home. I think if we had just left him on his own when he was so young he would be trouble now.

The only thing at the moment is the clock going forward the other night. Before he used be asleep at 11 on the dot, now its 12, but we dont mind!!:)

Sigma Force

Being realistic no dog can have their owner as company 24/7 unless their owner never leaves the house and gets their groceries delivered etc. People have to go out and do chores and shopping, take kids to school and work to earn money to pay for an pets food and vet bills.
I am a stay at home mum but I cannot be here 24/7 either that doesnt mean my pets are not well looked after.
Pups are of course a little different as our dogs that may have issues that need to be worked on before they can be left alone but as a general rule a well rounded adult dog should be able to be left without having a panic attack.

I mean what happens if a dog owner has to be taken to hospital urgently and there is noone to call in to the dog for a few hours it can happen. I find its good for dogs to have loads of company of course but a dog that is fussed over and brought everywhere incl shopping all the time every time is 1. at risk of being nicked while owners are in shopping and 2. get all panicky and stressed out if their owner has to go somewhere without them.

My parents dog sulks when they leave and doesnt move until they come back. My dogs miss me when I go but they just go into bed, when I come back they are excited but not traumitised lol.

A healthy balance of both is important for well rounded adult dogs. Heck my birds hate when I leave and welcome just as eagerly you'd swear Id been gone a week they way they carry on but I cant take them grocery shopping etc.

pauliepoodles

I would just like to say that i bought a Bichon when she was 6 months old. It is just me and my boyfriend in the house and we work from 9 til 5.30pm. I go home at lunch time from 1.30 - 2.30 and let her outside for an hour. She sleeps most of the day and when I come home i take her out for walks and play with her so she is not short on attention. She gets on brilliant with other dogs, children and adults and has no behavioural issues as some people have posted. If you spend a lot of time in the eveining with your Bichon I can't see what the problem is with leaving them at home during the day. What dog owner spends 24 hours a day with their pet. Even people who work from home, how much attention do they give their pet if their working. I say if you've researched a Bichon and they are the pet for you - GO FOR IT! You will def not regret it.