Bichon frise

aFlabbyPanda

I'm looking at adopting a 3 year old bichon but I've some concerns over 2 issues. I'd like to have feedback from owners if at all possible.

1. Grooming, I've no problem with brushing/washing etc but some sites are reporting 4to5 week grooming cycles which at 50€ a pop is kind of expensive. Is this time frame correct? How difficult is it to do yourself?

2. Separation/anxiety. I've read this breed has issues with separation and I'm worried about the change from the current owner to us plus there will be 2 days a week where the dog will be on their own for around 6 hours. Is this likely to be a problem or will simply having a walker in be enough? What about having the radio on with toys to occupy her?

Thanks for any input.

VonVix

1. Yeah, pretty accurate if you do not actively keep a Bichon brushed out on a regular basis (tail, ears, body, belly, bum, legs... I come a cross a lot of owners who brush the back and not much else, while the dog will have matting behind its ears, armpits and bum area), €50 is a pretty accurate price as well. It's not difficult to learn how to brush a dog out correctly, but when it comes to shaving, you would ideally want an experienced person to show you how to do it safely and correctly.

2. Depends on the individual dog at the end of the day. Are you getting him through a rescue or privately? If a rescue, maybe see about fostering him first? This will allow you to see how he settles in. It would be likely two weeks or more before his personality will start to show, initially for him he will be moving into a stranger's house with strange people, so the dog you would bring into your home won't exactly be an accurate portrayal of his personality as you will discover once he settles in and bonds with you.

aFlabbyPanda

1. maybe its the definition of grooming then. I took grooming to be cutting fur, etc which I'm happy to pay for occasionally. But if its just daily brushing then I've no problem with that.

2. its a private person, a friend of a friend, etc. We saw the dog and she seemed fine, very social, etc. But just worried about the change of environment which I accept could be an issue with a rescue dog anyway.

andreac

Do you know the reason for rehoming the dog, the real reason?

Aye Bosun

Bichon owner here for the last 5/6 years

1. My grooming schedule is as follows: Full shave and grooming from a professional in 1st April, 1st July, 1st Oct. This costs me €42. During the winter I find his hair grows slower and I like to keep his coat on for warmth so I do what I call a mammy cut and bath 1st Dec and 1st Feb, this costs me nothing. I don't brush him out in between grooms at all.
So I pay €126 per year for grooming but I find this offsets against having to constantly hoover up dog hairs from your entire house!

2. As another poster said this will all depend on the dog itself. My lad is left on the very odd occasion for 6 maybe 7 hrs, he never seems too bother about it but that said he's well adjusted to his environment now. He did have a bit of separation/anxiety when I first got him but he found a huge mono-slipper I'd been given as present which he claimed as his own, it is now used as a comfort blanket, a bed, he self sooth's with it and it also acts as his adult friend if get my meaning Goes everywhere with him, damn thing is twice his size but it keeps him happy, I dread the day it falls apart it's been patched so many times! He also has a cubby hole in my house where I find he retreats to if he's not comfortable with a situation.

All in all I'd say Bichon's are a great pet, small but with bucket loads of energy, good with kids, great family pet and always on hand for a cuddle.

I was worried about both those things before I adopted my lad but glad I went with a bichon in end. Best of luck!

aFlabbyPanda

Aye Bosun wrote: »

Bichon owner here for the last 5/6 years

Thanks for the input, that does put my mind at ease a bit.

andreac wrote: »

Do you know the reason for rehoming the dog, the real reason?

All I was told is they can't take care of her due to work commitment

andreac

TopSideControl wrote: »

Thanks for the input, that does put my mind at ease a bit.



All I was told is they can't take care of her due to work commitment

Id be very wary of this to be honest. Unless you know them very well and can trust them 100% i would take their reasons with a pinch of salt. Most dogs are rehomed for other reasons, but they give a diff reason for rehoming to cover up the real issue.

aFlabbyPanda

I understand that but I run the same risk with rehoming any dog, even those from an adoption agency.

andreac

TopSideControl wrote: »

I understand that but I run the same risk with rehoming any dog, even those from an adoption agency.

Yes, but the diff with a rehoming/adopting agency is that they usually assess the dog over a period of time and can see what issues it may have.

ShaShaBear

andreac wrote: »

Yes, but the diff with a rehoming/adopting agency is that they usually assess the dog over a period of time and can see what issues it may have.

Second this, adoption agencies work on the premise that they want the dog to go to the right home first time around. Hence they have the dog assessed, usually for weeks to months on end in a foster home where the entire goal is to compile a list of requirements for a suitable home. People privately rehoming dogs just want the dog out of their house and no longer their problem (in dodgy cases obviously, not in all).
For example, we rehomed our collie privately as the lady who owned him said that they never intended to keep him and they're never at home and he's bored. Turns out he was semi-feral from lack of contact, had one of the most severe cases of resource-guarding I had ever seen, and would eat his own poo constantly. Had I known that, I never would have adopted him. It took us almost two years to properly integrate him and we still have problems that make me question if he's in the right home.

Unless you are willing to assume the owners are lying and take the dog as she is, private rehoming is a risky endeavor.

aFlabbyPanda

Yeah I've tried the agencies, and they have nothing suitable for us. Been waiting since June and no joy.

Goat the dote

Had one years ago and never again, the separation anxiety was too much, if she was left inside and we closed the door to leave, forgot something and went straight back in she'd have shat on the floor. Any longer journeys and she'd have shat several times.
Tried leaving her outside and she'd constantly bark while jumping up at the window.
Eventually my parents rehomed her with a lady who was there all day every day.

heldel00

We adopted a bichon from local pound a year ago. They estimated he was about 18 months at the time. We went on to discover that he had severe epilepsy but that's another story...
Great little dog. Knew nothing of his history until he was here and after a few days he was part of the furniture. He's a bit wary of my husband so maybe that has something to do with his past or maybe it's because i feed him all the time!

We had a crawling toddler at the time and again i was conscious of this but i honestly never came across such a good little dog. He trots along happily behind our son and what i have always noticed is that, despite food in my son's hand being within very easy reach he never even attempts to sniff it never mind take it. This is monitored closely though as dogs will be dogs.

Husband works from home a bit but on the days he is not here the dog is out in his sheltered run from 9 to 4. He is over the moon to see us when we get home. Not ideal for him to be on his own at all but that is what has to work for us.

Personally i would highly recommend a bichon.

harr

Have one nearly two years now ...we give him a brush once a week and a full shave 3 times a year like other poster I leave a bit of length for the winter.
But we find grooming fairly easy.
Our lad doesn't mind being left in his own but once we are home he has to be in with us...
For what ever reason our lad is very nervous of strangers but only for the first few minutes then best of friends...
Surprisingly he is a great guard dog
He is fantastic with our kids one who has special needs and he is so gentle but like any dog I would never trust 100% .