Table of Contents
Introduction
Something you will want to know if you’re considering owning a Bichon Frise and you already have a pet is: “Is a Bichon Frise good with other pets?”.
It’s important to know that your new Bichon will get on well with the other furry friends in the house. The last thing you want is to have to separate your pets in case they become aggressive and injure each other.
In short, the sociable and friendly temperament of the Bichon Frise means that they usually get on very well with other pets.
To go even further into this topic, by learning about how to introduce your Bichon to your pets, you will be sure that your house will remain pleasant and happy.
In this article, we’ll look at the temperament of the Bichon Frise, how they get in with other dogs and cats as well as training advice for ensuring you have a happy and friendly Bichon.
Bichon Frise Temperament
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 doggos enjoy being the center of attention and playing with anyone.
This temperament, makes the Bichon Frise get on very well with other pets.
Unfortunately, all dogs could have the potential to fear or show aggression towards other pets. This could be caused by poor socialization, abuse or neglect.
However, don’t worry. This is not usually the case when a Bichon has been well socialized and trained from a young age.
Our Bichon Scully likes nothing better than running around and playing with other dogs when she’s at doggy day care.
We introduced her to other dogs from a young age and we’ve had no issues in that regard.
Are Bichon Frises Good With Other Dogs?
As we mentioned above, the Bichon’s sociable and friendly temperament means they will generally get on well with other dogs.
It’s 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 of 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 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 is absolutely excellent for them.
This will prevent your Bichon from getting bored and will almost certainly tire them out by the end of it.
Introducing Your Bichon To Another Dog
The key to introducing your Bichon to another dog is to do it gradually. By building up the time spent with other dogs and by controlling the interaction somewhat, your Bichon will learn how to get on well with the other dog in no time.
First of all, ensure the other dog is well behaved and used to other dogs. If this is another family dog, you’ll know this pretty well. If it’s a friend’s dog, consult with them beforehand to make sure.
Keep the initial interactions brief. Only stay for a couple of minutes to get your Bichon used to that situation.
Over time, increase the time they interact for and allow them to play together.
Be sure to reward your dog for positive behavior.
Repeat this process, remain consistent and over time, your Bichon will get on very well with any other dog they are introduced to.
Are Bichon Frises Good With Cats?
The Bichon’s friendly temperament also means that they generally get on well with cats as well as dogs.
Of course, again this depends on the cat itself and how the Bichon has been socialized previously.
Some cats may not enjoy the enthusiastic playing of a little Bichon so it’s important to supervise any playtime to monitor their behavior.
Introducing Your Bichon To A Cat
As with any initial interaction, introducing your Bichon to a cat is something that should be done gradually.
It’s important to ensure that your cat is used to other dogs and will tolerate them being in their presence.
Begin the interaction in a space where the cat can easily hide or move out of the way. This ensures they have somewhere to escape to if they aren’t comfortable.
At this stage, it’s also a good idea to keep your Bichon on a lead so you can monitor the interaction closely.
Initially keep the interactions brief and when they go well be sure to reward your Bichon.
Over time you can increase the interaction time and remove the lead so that eventually your Bichon and the cat can exist in harmony.
Benefits Of Socializing Your Bichon With Other Pets
While some will think of 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.
Let’s take a look at the 5 top benefits here in more detail.
1 Good Mental Stimulation
Bichons need regular mental stimulation to ensure they don’t 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’ll also likely have a pretty tired Bichon by the end of it.
2 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.
3 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’s 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!
4 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.
5 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.
How To Train Your Bichon To Be Good With Other Pets?
By now, we know that Bichons generally get on well with other pets provided they are well trained and socialized from a young age. With that in mind, it’s important to look at how you can most effectively train your Bichon Frise to be good with other pets.
Let’s take a look at some quick tips in the section below.
1 Start Training Your Bichon Puppy
You’ve heard me harp on about this multiple times in this article but it bears repeating. It’s 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 won’t bat an eyelid when they encounter a new dog in the park.
2 Keep Initial Interactions Brief
We also talked about this point previously but it’s 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.
3 Bring Your Bichon To Obedience Training
I cannot recommend obedience training enough, especially for first-time dog owners.
Bringing your Bichon to obedience training will motivate you and ensure you are being consistent with your training efforts.
You’ll 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.
4 Reward Your Bichon For Good Behavior
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.
5 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 Crufts running through those agility courses with ease were trained over months and even years.
Don’t lose faith, the Bichon is an intelligent and eager to please little dog so remaining consistent will ensure you succeed with your training.
Conclusion
We covered some great informative topics in this article so let’s summarize everything:
- We looked at the temperament of the Bichon Frise
- Next, we talked about how a Bichon gets on with other dogs as well as some training advice.
- After that, we talked about how a Bichon gets on with other cats as well as some training advice.
- We looked at the benefits of socializing your Bichon with other pets.
- Finally, we talked about how to train your Bichon to be good with other pets.
If you have any questions about any of the topics covered in this article, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Also, if you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, please consider sharing it on social media. It will help other great Bichon fans like you to find this content.
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