Bichon Frise good With Other Dogs? The temperament of the Bichon Frise is friendly, sociable, and affectionate. This is something you will quickly come to learn when owning a Bichon for yourself. These dogs enjoy being the center of attention and playing with anyone. This temperament makes the Bichon Frise get on very well with other pets. It is very important to begin their socialization with other dogs from a young age.
With that said, do check with your vet to ensure your puppy is up to date with all the relevant booster shots, etc. before this interaction to ensure they don’t catch any illnesses. Once that has been taken care of, you are good to go. Regular socialization with other dogs is very important for your Bichon’s development.
By learning how to interact with other dogs and pets, they will understand how to behave and how to play. Not only that but by being able to interact well with other dogs, this offers a great opportunity for lots of play and physical activity.
As the Bichon is a relatively active little dog, this exercise and mental stimulation are excellent for them. This will prevent your Bichon from getting bored and will almost certainly tire them out by the end of it.
Bichon Frise good With Other Dogs / Introducing Your Bichon Frise to another Dog
It is usually not a problem to introduce a Bichon Frise to another dog simply because they are so social and non-aggressive. It is more likely that the other dog will become aggressive so ensuring that both dogs are under control is key as a larger dog could easily intimidate your Bichon Frise.
Always allow both dogs to calm down and be attentive and under control before starting any introductions. With both dogs restrained, allow them to smell at each other watching for any indications of dominance such as lifting the ears, head, and tail, pushing against the other dog with the chest or growling.
If this occurs, immediately separate the dogs, and allow them to calm down and start again. Once the dogs have sniffed each other and there are no signs of aggression or dominance, there will typically be a few problems. If the other breed is a dominant or aggressive breed, do not leave your Bichon Frise unsupervised with the dog under any circumstance.
Always introduce a dominant breed to a Bichon Frise in a neutral environment such as a park or in the Bichon Frise dog’s yard or house to prevent even more aggression or possessive territorial behavior by the dominant type of dog.
Introducing a Bichon Frise to Cat
Bichon Frise is a very cat-friendly dog that typically accepts the cat as a member of the household without the typical dog/cat interactions, chasing, and silly behavior.
The Bichon Frise is particularly well suited to homes with cats but does best with a cat that is already friendly and tolerant of dogs
. Often, the cat has far more issues with the introduction than that Bichon Frise dog will have.As with the dogs, do the introductions slowly, never forcing the dog or cat to be physically closer to each other than they want to be. The Bichon Frise puppy or dog may chase if the cat makes a dash for it so try to keep the cat and puppy or dog well under control until they have had a chance to get to know each other through scent and gradual desensitization.
Usually, the dog and cat will work this out on their own with the cat staying out of the dog’s way until he or she is comfortable.
The best possible option is to raise a Bichon Frise with a kitten. This will result in a well-bonded set of companion pets that will often sleep together, eat together, and play together. The outstanding nature of the Bichon Frise is very evident in its interaction with cats. Just introduce your Bichon whether old or new to your other pets slowly and continue to monitor them if there is still some catching up to do.
Another important thing that you should not forget is to give your old and new pet the same amount of love.
Benefits of Socializing Your Bichon with Other Pets
Socializing a Bichon as an absolute necessity, it can be easy to overlook the great benefits that come with socializing your Bichon with other pets.
Good Mental Stimulation
Bichons need regular mental stimulation to ensure they do not get bored and become destructive. Socializing your Bichon with other pets ensures they can play and interact with each other. This mental stimulation is totally free and super effective. You will also likely have a pretty tired Bichon by the end of it.
Ensures They Get on With Other Pets
Regular socialization with other pets ensures your Bichon will get on well with any other pet, person, or child they encounter. This will ensure their social and behavioral skills are well developed. All of this means that your home will be happy and free from fights.
Provides A Good Opportunity for Play & Exercise
Socialization with other pets is probably the best opportunity for play and exercise a Bichon is sure to get. As the Bichon is a relatively active breed of dog, it is recommended that they get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. While this might not always be possible in the form of a walk, maybe due to the weather, this can be easily achieved by playing indoors or even in the garden with another dog. Not to mention this is a totally free way to exercise your Bichon so what more could you want!
Prevents Aggression
A very important benefit of socializing your Bichon with other pets is that it will prevent any aggression from developing. As a Bichon spends time with other dogs, for example, they learn how to behave and interact. This means that they are less likely to become aggressive when they meet another dog in the park or on a walk.
Reduces Anxiety & Stress
A benefit of socialization you might not consider is that spending time with other pets will reduce any anxiety or stress in your Bichon. If you know a little bit about the Bichon Frise, you might already know that they can be prone to separation anxiety.
By regularly socializing your Bichon with other pets, this interaction and contact will help to negate the effects of separation anxiety or any stresses they have.
Training Your Bichon to Be Good with Other Pets
Bichons generally get on well with other pets provided they are well trained and socialized from a young age. With that in mind, it is important to look at how you can most effectively train your Bichon Frise to be good with other pets. Let us take a look at some quick tips in the section below.
Start Training Your Bichon Puppy
It is so important to begin socializing your Bichon as soon as possible when they are a puppy. By introducing your puppy to another dog or a cat, they will learn how to interact with them and over time get used to the experience. This means that an adult Bichon Frise will not bat an eyelid when they encounter a new dog in the park.
Keep Initial Interactions Brief
It is a good idea to keep any initial interactions with a new pet brief. This ensures positive behavior from all pets. Over time, this can of course increase but always be sure to supervise any play to ensure everybody is well behaved.
Bring Your Bichon to Obedience Training
Bringing your Bichon to obedience training will motivate you and ensure you are being consistent with your training efforts. You will learn from professional dog handlers the most effective ways to train your Bichon. Some important commands for your Bichon to learn are “Leave It” and how to come when called. As well as this, your Bichon will likely be exposed to other dogs in cases where training sessions are done in groups.
Reward Your Bichon for Good Behaviour
It is super important to ensure that you reward your Bichon anytime they display positive behavior and respond to your commands. By positively reinforcing good behavior, your Bichon will be sure to repeat it if they know they will be rewarded.
Be Consistent with Your Training
The most important but often hardest part of any training routine is to remain consistent and patient. Successful training is not something that magically happens overnight. Those dogs that you see at Sports events running through those agility courses with ease were trained over months and even years. Do not lose faith, the Bichon is intelligent and eager to please little dog so remaining consistent will ensure you succeed with your training.
