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SmallNon-Sporting Group

Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is a Mediterranean lap and sailor's dog descended from the water-retrieving Barbet, documented on 13th-century Tenerife trading ships.

Calculate Bichon Frise age
Lifespan12.5 yrrange 12–13
SizeSmallNon-Sporting Group
Weight12–18 lb5.4–8.2 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is a Mediterranean lap and sailor's dog descended from the water-retrieving Barbet, documented on 13th-century Tenerife trading ships. French and Spanish refinement produced modern type; AKC recognition dates to 1972.

Aging

How Bichon Frises age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 12.5 years (n=8,802). Patellar luxation, bladder stones, and atopic dermatitis are the defining mid-to-late life concerns; hereditary cataracts and cushings disease are tracked on OFA and breed-club surveys.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 12.5 yr · range 12–13Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues7 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
12–18 lb(5.4–8.2 kg)
Height
9.5–11.5 in(24.1–29.2 cm)
Coat type
Curly
Colors
WhiteWhite & ApricotWhite & BuffWhite & Cream
Temperament

Temperament

How Bichon Frises tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

playfulcuriouspeppyaffectionate
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Bichon Frise physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.