The main difference between Bichon Frise and Poodles and Maltese are Along with the similarities, there are a few differences between Maltese, poodles, and Bichon Frise that include grooming needs, health issues, temperament, and training requirements. These are small and demanding dogs and require a lot of attention, so are not recommended for families with toddlers or very young children
Bichon Frise vs Poodle vs. Maltese: What’s the Difference?
Bichon Frise vs Poodle – Bichon Frise, Poodles, and Maltese are the most fascinating, cheerful, and lively breeds and share many similarities. These are hypoallergic breeds that produce a low level of allergens, so people with allergies often consider these breeds.
All of these are low shedding breeds that mean they shed fewer hairs, so you don’t need to clean the house that frequently, still all these breeds have grooming requirements and the owners need a considerable amount to spend on their dog’s grooming.
Ancient History:
Maltese have been around the globe for 2000 years from the Mediterranean island of Malta and were praised well by Greeks and Romans. The Holy Roman emperors presented Maltese as gifts to China’s emperor and this breed was considered as a sign of wealth and graced European homes. Bichon Frise vs. Poodle vs. Maltese: What’s the Difference?
As far as poodles are concerned, they have a long fandom history, including King Louis XVI of France. In Germany, poodles were bred as water retrievers while in French they were praised as companion dogs.
The earliest records of Bichon Frise date back to the 14th century, when French sailors brought, the dogs home from Tenerife. The exact origin of Bichons is uncertain, but it’s a common belief that they are descendants from the Barbet, a medium-sized woolly water dog.
Bichon Frise Dog Breed
Maltese Dog Breed
Poodle Dog Breed
Bichon / Poodle Mix
Lifespan: Bichon Frise vs poodle vs Maltese
The average life span of all three breeds ranges from 12 to 16 years. Maltese and Bichons are cute long-lived small dogs while poodles are a little bulky. The life span depends on many factors including health, care, lifestyle, diet, and many other grooming habits.
Size:
Out of all the three breeds, Maltese and Bichon Frise are small dogs and are considered fragile and delicate. The male of Bichon Frise weighs 12 to 15 lb., while the males of poodles and Maltese range from 45-70 lb. and 6-8 lb. respectively.
Shedding:
As discussed earlier, these are low shedding breeds but require proper grooming sessions, including daily coat care. Their coats need to be brushed daily. If you prefer short coats for easy maintenance, monthly trimming is required as their coats grow very fast.
Training
These three breeds are different in their trainability. Poodles usually are quick learners and are easy to train, while Maltese and Bichon Frise requires lengthy sessions and are less responsive so is difficult to house train.
Dog Behavior Issues:
As far as behavior is concerned, all these breeds love to hang around their owners and spend time with them. Behavior problems often result due to separation anxiety and excessive barking is observed in the response. Lack of physical activities often results in such behaviors and may arise when a dog is bored or lonely.
Temperament:
The temperament of Maltese can be described as lively and affectionate towards the owners. Similarly, Bichons and poodles are very sensitive to the mood of their owners. These friendly breeds are eager to learn and enjoy the brain-stimulated training sessions.
Companionship:
As far as companionship is concerned, Maltese, Bichons, and poodles are excellent companion dogs. All these breeds are playful with their owners and follow them around the house.
Maltese and Bichons being small are not much demanding, but poodles are more active and need more energetic owners. For senior citizens that don’t have an active lifestyle can go for small-sized poodles, Maltese, and Bichons as these are easier to carry and travel with.
Winning Personalities:
It’s really a hard decision to choose from the three breeds. The Maltese were originally bred to be a playful companions and excel in this quality. They are very responsive to training sessions and can show off whatever you’re able to teach them.
Poodles are also quick learners and learn the training quickly, but may have a stubborn streak. Bichons, also respond well to the training sessions and are much devoted to their people, and want to spend more and more time with the owners.
Behavior with Kids:
Bichons, Maltese, and poodles make great companions for senior citizens who love to spend a lot of time grooming and enjoying their furry friend, but these breeds are not recommended for families with small children and are prone to small accidents around the children. These breeds do better with senior citizens that have time to spend on a dog and can pamper a small family pet.
Behavior with Other Dogs:
Maltese, Bichons, and poodles enjoy the company of other dogs but are needed to be supervised around larger breeds to avoid any accidents. As these breeds are fragile, small, and cuddly, they are more vulnerable to being accidentally hurt by larger dogs. It’s better to train and socialize your dog breed before their interaction with other dogs.
Exercise needs:
All three breeds need physical as well as mental exercise to stay healthy. Poodles are a little bulky need a more active lifestyle and require longer walks as compared to Bichons and Maltese. Indoor playtime along with long walks are enough to keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated. Large varieties of poodles need long walks to get enough exercise.
Common Health Issues: Bichon Frise vs Poodle vs. Maltese: What’s the Difference?
Standard poodles are more vulnerable to bloat, ear infections, and hip dysplasia. Among Maltese eye diseases including eye, infections are more common.
To avoid eye infections in Maltese, it is suggested to keep their hairs short and away from their eyes to minimize the risk of eye infections. Every dog has potential health problems and many purebreds are predisposed to specific conditions. Maltese are vulnerable to portosystemic syndrome shunt as well as shaker dog syndrome causing the dog to tremble uncontrollably when he tries to move or stand.
Poodles are prone to Cushing’s syndrome, hypothyroidism, Addison’s disease, and hemophilia. Similarly, Bichons Frise is prone to eye infections and Cushing’s syndrome. Despite the potential health problems, these breeds have a long life span of 14 to 18 years.
Top 10 Bichon Designer Breeds / Parents /Size / Video
| Designer Mix | Parents | Size | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maltichon | Bichon / Maltese | Height / 8-11 inches Weight / 8 - 13 lbs | Maltichon |
| Bichpoo | Bichon / Poodle | Height / 9 - 14 inches Weight / 6 - 9 lbs | Bichpoo |
| Shichon | Bichon / Shih Tzu | Height / 9 - 12 inches Weight / 10 - 15lbs | Shichon |
| Yorkie Bichon | Bichon / Yorkie | Height / 9 - 12 inches Weight / 6 - 8 lbs | Bichon Yorkie |
| Chi Chon | Bichon / Chihuahua | Height / 8 - 10 Inches Weight / 6 - 10 Lbs | Chi Chon |
| Kashon | Bichon / Cairn Terrier | Height / 9 - 15 Inches Weight / 10 -18 Lbs | Kashon |
| Goldichon | Bichon / Golden Retriever | Height/15 - 20 inches Weight /20-40 Lbs | Goldichon |
| Chonzer | Bichon / Miniature Schnauzer | Height /10-16 inches Weight / 25-35 lbs | Chonzer |
| Glechon | Bichon / Beagle | Height /15-16 inches Weight / 15-35 lbs | Glechon |
| Corgi | Bichon / Corgi | Height /11-13 inches Weight / 31-37 lbs | Corgi |
Name - Link for Research
Parents - Breeds of Dogs
Size Height / Weight
Video - Video of the Bichon Designer Breed
Chart of Bichon Birthing Accessories
| Breeder Box | Do Not used Wired Dog cage |
| Heater | We use space heater for whole Room |
| scale | To Weigh Puppies make sure they are Gaining Weight |
| Clean towels | Chande during Birthing to clean up |
| Protected Space | Keep Mother away from other Dogs to avoid Distress |
| Draft Protection | Drafts can chill and kill a Puppy |
| Squash protection | Mothers can accidently squash a puppy |
| clean bedding | to replace after birth - will be wet |
| Seclusion | Needs her Privacy - she can get Hyper |
| Rubber Gloves | Keep things Clean and from Blood |
| Scisorrs & Thread | For Cutting Cord |
Puppy Birthing Complications
| Complications | Steps |
|---|---|
| If Unsure | Take to Vet If Time allows |
| Keep Mother Isolated | If Other dogs around she could get defensive and accidently Hurt Puppies |
| Puppy Accidentally Crushed | Make sure Not Giving Birth in Dog cage - puppies can work themselves through mesh and get Damaged |
| Not Breathing | Gently Give it Mouth to mouth |
| Not breathing | Massage Puppy trying to gently force fluid from his lungs |
| Puppy Stuck | Gently Pull |
| Puppy Breech | Help Guide legs out |
| Puppy Cold | Raise Enviorment to 85 degrees |
| Puppy Cold | Change Wet Bedding |
| Puppy Cold | Warm Puppy up put on Your body till body heat warms him |
| Puppy Cold | No drafts - No metal Floor Pan on Cage |
| Puppy not going on Nipple | Help Guide him to nipple till he gets hand of it |
| Puppy not feeding | Try Small baby Bottle let him suck - do not force him - can drown him with milk going in lungs |
| Puppy not feeding | Use puppy Milk Supplement |
| Puppy Not feeding | check for Cleft Palate |
| Puppy Not Feeding | Take to Vet - he can show you Catheter Feeding |
| Puppy Not Growing | Make sure Mother has plenty Food Water |
| Puppy Not Growing | You can check on scale |
| Labor stops or is prolonged over 24 hours | Take to vet - C section can save litter and Mother if needed |
| Mother does not Remove Membrane | You will Need to Manually remove it |
| Mother does not chew through Umbilical Cord | You will need to cut it 1/2 " away from puppies body tier with thread |
And Recommended Steps
Expense Table for Owning Bichons Frise
| Average Cost of AKC Puppy | Puppy Shots | Food | Grooming 4 / per year | Cage / Accessories / Bowls / Brushes / Leash / Collar | AKC - Registration Within 6 Months of Purchase | Micro Chip | Yearly Meds Heart Worm Worming | Dog License | Total Investment | Puppies Possible / Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ 450 - No Breeding Rights | $ 120 | $ 10 / Wk High Quality Food | $ 45 ea / $180 Yr | Cage - $50 Rest - 50 | $ 35 | $ 45 - One Time Cost By Vet | Heart Worm Meds - $60 / Yr Worming - $ 30 / YR | $ 35 / Yr | $ 1575 / Dog | 1-6 Puppies Average 3 |
| $ 750 - $ 950 Puppy with AKC Papers and No Restrictions | Total Investment | |||||||||
Breeds Descended from Water Dogs
| Name of Breed | Country of Origin |
|---|---|
| American Water Spaniel | United States |
| Barbet | France |
| Cantabrian Water Dog | Spain |
| English Water Spaniel | England |
| Irish water Spaniel | Ireland |
| Lagotto Romagnoio | Italy |
| Poodle | Germany |
| Portuguese Water Dog | Portugal |
| Pudelpointer | Germany |
| Spanish water Dog | Spain |
| Tweed water Spaniel | England |
| Wetterhoun | Netherlands |
Bichon Frise Resource Links
| Bichon Frise Club of America | United States | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bichon Frise AKC | United States | Link |
| Bichon Frise United Kennel Club | UK | Link |
