Bichpoo (Poochon)
What is a Poochon? Also known as the Bichon Poodle or Poochon, Bichpoo is a hybrid mix that results from crossing a Bichon Frise with a Miniature Poodle. Smart, fluffy and friendly, this awesome designer breed makes a perfect pet for families. Although Bichpoo is small, Poodle Bichon mix dog has a sturdy stature, a high level of intelligence, and is always eager to please, making it very easy to train him. Being a starter-friendly dog, making the breed absolutely ideal for first-time dog owners.
Bichpoo easily adapts to living with other new animals, which is a plus for families who own other pets. While Poochon can be a small perfect watchdog, Bichpoo is usually prone to barking excessively. This trait needs to be downplayed when Bichon Frise and Poodle cross dog is still young during socialization skill training to curb yappy tendencies.
Considered as one of the best family pets you can find, Poochons are perfect companions for the right kind of people, as they demand a lot of attention due to their high energy bursts. Designer dogs have been a mystery, and Bichpoo is not an exception. But these new designer breeds have resulted in offering plenty of qualities in seemingly adorable packages. Bichpoo designer dog stands out with great looks and personality among other fantastic characteristics. Would you like to know why the Bichpoo breed is special?
Poochon full grown size
How big do Bichon Poodles get? When full grown, the Poochon can be 9 to 15 inches tall, and that's why they are referred to as small-sized breeds. If you are very inclined, carrying a weight of 6 to 18 pounds around shouldn't be hard. Poochon can reside in smaller house settings or apartments with no problems due to their compact size. In case you enjoy traveling around with pets, the small size of Poochon dog makes it easy to travel with.
Poochon appearance
Poochons inherit the appearance of their parents and are small-sized crossbreed designer dogs. Since they can favor different characteristics from either parent, it's not easy to determine the more dominant feature.
On a high scale of cuteness, these hybrid dogs are surprisingly sturdy with their small and overly woolly bodies. There is no specific standard appearance, as it depends on how each puppy favors the parents. To complicate things further, the Poodle parent can either be a Miniature or Toy, which has a huge disparity in their sizes. A Toy Bichpoo weighs around 3 to 6 kg, while the more solid Miniature Bichpoo can reach a weight of 10kg. With Toy Bichpoos tending to the lower side of the spectrum, their height ranges from 20 to 30 cm.
Poochon's coat is almost always dense, fluffy and soft. To some extent, an appreciable coarser hair can be found in some Bichpoos who favor the Poodle parent more. The Bichpoo coat will I additionally have a mixture of the tightly curled coat from the Poodle parent and a more frizzy and fluffy coat from the Bichon Frise. The Bichpoo I also likely to inherit one or more of the following colors form the Poodle parent that may include white, brown, tan, black, grey, apricot and tricolor.
Life Expectancy of a Bichpoo
The Bichpoo hybrid dog's life expectancy is 12 to 15 years. This is an average life expectancy for a dog of this size. A quality diet, regular activity, and regular mental stimulation play a significant role in allowing this dog to enjoy a healthy and potentially full life. If you want to raise a healthy animal, don't ignore Poochon's mental and physical state. You need tuning yourself into the daily behaviors and feelings of Bichpoo dog as a responsible owner.
Poochon's Diet
For this dog to remain healthy and vibrant, Poochon dog should be fed on high quality dog food. Ensure to meet the nutritional needs of this dog regularly to prevent Poodle Bichon mix dog from suffering from health issues due to malnutrition. Due to their small size, Bichpoo designer dogs need a cup of dry dog food each day. Don't overfeed this dog, as it's likely to gain weight rather quickly.
Bichpoo Pedigree
Being a cross-breed between a purebred Miniature or Toy poodle and a Bichon Frise, Bichpoos are not uniform just like the majority of designer cross-breed dogs. Since the first generation crosses are the most unpredictable crossbreeds, they will definitely have varying behaviors and looks. Puppies in a similar litter are also likely to be different, with some favoring the Poodle parent, while others inherit the Bichon Frise breed. Since the parental breeds of the Bichpoo are somewhat alike, the differences in this designer Bichpoo breed aren't so drastic.
Dogs begin having standardized looks with multigenerational breeding and this exists with other risks. As such, when you introduce unrelated Bichpoos, Bichons or Poodles to the gene pool, this exacerbates several health issues. But as a reputable breeder, who responsibly produces puppies and carefully selects stock, you will absolutely get designer bichpoo breeds that are not that much susceptible to health issues.
Bichpoo Puppies
Bichpoo puppies' litter size depends on the Poodle type used during the crossbreeding process. Since Bichon Frise breed is mostly the litter's mom, they usually produce 2 to 5 puppies. Bichon x Poodle puppies look adorable and will definitely steal your heart due to their cute looks and goofy behaviors, but ensure to be always careful around them. Being offsprings of two small-breed dogs, these hybrid puppies are likely to be fragile and easily susceptible to injuries, more so in their puppyhood. Always monitor Poochon puppies not to jump off high surfaces, and never allow children to play with Bichpoo puppies without supervision.
Poochon dog Exercise Requirements
With loads of energy in their bodies, Bichpoos love playing which their owners refer to as endless play periods. As a result of their energy burst tendencies, they need a minimum of about 2 hours daily walking and frequent playtimes to keep them mentally stimulated and physically active. This is very crucial, particularly for apartment dwellers who are unable to let the dogs out for playing and running around due to the absence of a yard. If this designer breeds are not kept really active, they may get bored, which may result in restlessness, whining, chewing and barking aimlessly.
Training the Poochon
With Poodles DNA running through the veins of your Bichpoo, your hybrid dog will be an intelligent small dog who will be a quick learner. It is fairly easy to train Bichon Poodle mix dog when compared to others. Just as with any other puppies, early socialization and behavioral training are essential. Since Bichpoos are likely to take on high strung from the parent Poodles, and clingy characteristics, endeavor to work on these early enough from the day you get you Poochon puppy at home. Since it's well known that if small dogs become anxious or feel threatened, Poodle x Bichon dogs are likely to revert to nipping. Ensure to work with a professional dog trainer in order to discourage these tendencies and come up with game plans of eliminating issues pertaining separation anxiety.
Poochon pros and cons
Potential Bichpoo owners need to be aware pros and cons associated with this designer breed. Here are some of the pros of owning a Poochon. Bichon and Poodle mix dogs are highly intelligent. Poochons are quick learners and respond well to training.
What is great about Poochons? Poochon dogs don't shed much and are hypoallergenic. People with known pet allergies may find that Poochons don't trigger their allergies but still before making the final decision always spend some time with a Poochon dog to make sure that this mix breed does not aggravate your pet allergy. Bichpoos are ideal for families with children and pets.
Now that we looked at Poochon pros, what are some of the cons associated with Bichon Poodle mix dogs? Poochons are highly prone to separation anxiety. Poochon dogs usually bark excessively when bored or frustrated. Other disadvantage of owning a Poochon mix dog is that they are very energetic and need a high level of mental and physical stimulation. Only owners with lots of time to dedicate to a new family pet should consider this designer dog mix. Other cons of owning a Bichon Poodle mix dog include the amount of grooming - Poochon's coat needs frequent maintenance which can be overwhelming for someone who is not into spending a lot of time on grooming a family pet.
Some of the disadvantages of owning a Bichon Poodle mix dog include the risk of the following health problems. First-generation Bichpoo hybrids are not prone to health problems, but the parent breeds are somehow susceptible to serious health issues. However there are a few inherited health issues in Bichpoo crossbreeds as follows.
Poochons may suffer from loss of vision caused by an eye condition known as Progressive Retinal Atrophy.
Poochons may be affected by allergies and epilepsy.
Another health condition that may affect Bichpoo dogs is Patella Luxation which is also known as kneecap dislocation.
While not an inherited or health issue but wellness and physical health problem prone to small dogs, Bichpoos are susceptible to breaks and fractures when dropped from a distance during play with children. Children should be supervised and advised accordingly when playing with these little canines to help avoid emergency veterinary visits.
How to groom a Poochon
Known as a high maintenance breed, Bichpoos need a high level of grooming. Since it takes a lot of time and practice to execute the techniques needed correctly, a majority of pet owners prefer taking their Bichpoos to professional Groomers for major haircuts and baths. But there are other major tasks that you ought to do at home. You could also groom your Poochon dog if you have all that is needed.
The following are some of the dog grooming tools you will need to groom your Bichpoo dog:
Slicker Brush
Coat Conditioner for dogs
Whitening Shampoo
Finishing Spray (Optional)
Dog Grooming Shears
Grooming Clippers for Pets
Dental Spray which is great for keeping Poochon's breath fresh and teeth healthy
Ear Wash and Nail Clippers
Nail Grinder for Pets
Blow Dryer that helps to speed up the process of drying the dog's hair.
With these pieces of equipment, follow the following steps to groom a Poochon at home
Bathing a Poochon
Start off the grooming with a bath. Wash the Bichpoo with a diluted conditioner and whitening shampoo in a deep-cleansing bath. Using a High-Velocity drier, blow out the maximum amount of water you can from the dog's coat.
Detangle the Bichpoo hair
By using a hand or stand drier and a slicker brush, methodically line-brush through the dog's coat to dry further, straighten, and remove any knots. With the help of a comb, check that you have completely brushed out your Bichpoo.
Trimming a Poochon
Cut the nails and file them, then pluck the ears and clean. Using a blade number 30, trim around the feets' pads. Clip the sanitary sections using a blade Number 10.
With the back leg standing on the table naturally, trim the foot round. Finish on the feet part by picking up each foot and combing the hair forward toward the pads. Trim off any hair hanging on the pads.
Now trim the Rear legs' back. Since the shape and length of rear legs are set by snap-on combs, combing the hair on the leg out and up while touching up any stray hairs is recommended. Due to their bubble butts, you could start off with the rump part.
While trimming the front of the rare legs, follow the knee's curvature and trim toward the toe from the tuck. Trim the outside and inside rare legs into parallel, straight lines. To finish up on the rear legs, form a rear angle on the Bichpoo's hock. Do this by trimming toward the hock from the dig pad.
To trim Poochon's front feet, round them using the same steps as described above. Trim the Bichpoo's legs following parallel columns.
To trim the eye corners, use a number 10 blade or thinning shears while clearing the inner eye corners. To trim a visor, comb the hair forward over the eyes. Trim the Bichpoo's back head by working forward as you trim the hair behind the ears. Comb down the cheeks and ears then trim the hair around.
To finish trimming the around the head, comb the hair at the top of the dog's head out and up following a dome shape. You can use chunkers or thinning shears to go over the entire head, while you blend everything seamless and round. Finish trimming around the neck and transition into the Bichpoo's body to the desired length.
Clipping Poochon
Using a Snap-on size-A comb, clip toward the tail's base from the shoulders - and ensure to leave some hair on the neck for transitioning into the head. While you skim-off at the elbow point, clip from the shoulder downwards.
Using the same comb as above, clip the outside top area of the thigh, and on the back leg, follow a Schnauzer pattern. While clipping the back of the rare legs, clip toward the rump from the knee's bend, and ensure you are going against the grain.
The Bichpoo's belly is clipped against the grain using a Snap-On comb while scooping out on the armpits toward the chest. Use the same comb to clip the chest top into the chin's "V" in reverse.
As a general grooming rule, brushing on a daily basis is recommended to reduce tangling and matting. Most Bichpoo dog owners clip after every 4 to 6 weeks. To reduce any chance of infections, wipe the eyes on daily basis, but bathing can be done whenever it's necessary.
Poochon temperament
Bichpoos are friendly, playful, and affectionate dogs with their families. When meeting visitors, Bichon Poodle mix dog is quite outgoing, but can also be sensitive, withdrawn and stressed when there's tension at home. Bichpoos are less likely to antagonize than their parents and enjoy being in a family with children. When frightened, they tend to be nippy and could develop small dog behaviors. Being considerate and gentle to smaller pets, it's more likely for your family cat to bully it than be a threat to the cat.
When frustrated or excited, Bichpoo likes barking and can become a big problem if left alone for long periods of time. The dog isn't ideal in a home where all adults are going out for work, as this mixed breed dog constantly needs human company. These bouts of being abandoned is a response to separation anxiety and could easily manifest as highly strung and destructive behavior that distresses both the owner and the dog. Owners of Poodle Bichon Frise mix dogs can have a few strategies that help to deal with separation anxiety of the pet. For example, leaving a few favorite dog toys that may be toys for small dogs or even treat dispenser toys helps to keep the dog entertained and busy while you step out from home.
Poochon potty training
Potty training a Bichpoo should start as soon as you bring the Bichon Poodle dog home. Being friendly, playful and great companions as family pets, among the first tasks after your Bichpoo arrives at home is Potty-training. Before performing the overwhelming task of teaching your Bichpoo to do the 'business' outside, use a simple and effective crate training method for the new 'addition' into your family. The intelligence of this breed will surely give you a somehow easy training time.
Remember you are not punishing your Bichpoo puppy by making it spend time on the crate, it's good for the puppy to avoid accidents while inside the house. Even after potty training, your Bichpoo dog should be comfortable to spend time in the crate when the dog needs a cool time for himself or wants to take a nap. Ultimately, the dog ends up identifying the crate as its security spot.
Crate size for a Poochon dog.
You need to get a crate large enough to hold accommodate a 'dog bed'. Your Poochon should be able to turn around, stand up, or even lie down comfortably in the crate without so much extra space. After every few hours, take your dog outside to an area you have designated to be the dog toilet (Potty area) in the yard. Training your Bichpoo to relieve on a particular spot easies the work of cleaning up. After your Bichpoo is done relieving himself, ensure he's really done it and then praise him in an excited mood and offer a small treat such as a chicken piece. Rewarding and praising your Bichpoo dog for obeying increases the possibility of repeating the desired good behavior, since the dog will associate the 'pottying' in that particular area with a positive experience.
During long absences and at night ensure your Bichpoo is always at the crate. Naturally, dogs do have aversions to soiling their own dens. The frequency of accidents will be highly reduced by keeping your puppy in the den when you are not supervising him. As soon as you release the Bichpoo puppy from the crate, take it to the same designated potty spot, and continue praising and rewarding once he's done relieving.
After your Bichpoo has learned about the potty spot and the relieving action, try to incorporate a command phrase such as 'Go potty' whenever you take your Bichpoo to the potty spot. Do this repetitively. Eventually, it will become easy for you to just open the door, command to the Bichpoo 'Go potty'. He will run to the spot and relieve himself.
Ensure to maintain consistency and patience with your Bichpoo through the process of potty training. In case you're your Bichpoo has an accident during this training, don't punish - only keep rewarding and praising him for behaving well.
Observe the following Poochon behaviors while potty training the dog
While in the house, ensure to supervise your dog closely as you watch out for any signs showing you that the dog wants to go 'potty'. If your Bichpoo dog begins to go around in circles and sniffing the ground, he's probably feeling the urge to relieve. Take Poochon out immediately to the potty area.
Ensure to limit your dog's movement range in the house during this process of potty training so that you can easily monitor your Bichpoo. Use baby gates and ensure all bedrooms are closed to confine your Bichpoo in whichever room you are in.
Be keen to watch out the following warnings as you are toilet training a Poochon
If your Bichoo happens to mess in the house, don't rub the dog's nose on the pee, and don't punish him in any way. If you do any of these 'vices' to the Bichpoo, he is likely to associate the 'pottying' behavior with punishment. The Bichpoo will also begin fearing and mistrusting you. All these are likely to heavily hamper the dog potty training process.
Endeavor not to keep any food or water in the crate with your Bichpoo, as it will not be easy for the dog to hold the urge of relieving.
Training a Maltese and Poodle mix dog is quite easy, provided the trainer is caring and calm. Maltipoos are highly intelligent, but they are also extremely sensitive. This designer Maltipoo dog only responds to reinforcement training methods that are positive. Aggressive tactics, harsh words, or yelling will force the dog to cower and shut down, which will significantly harm any possibility of training the dog. Moreover, these aversive methods are likely to damage your relationship with the pet, since it's more of abuse than training and should be avoided. Instead, to get your pooch to behave, rely on gentle "bribes". Exciting praises and yummy treats will thrill your Maltipoo to begin training sessions and increase his interest in working. With just a gentle touch, you'll be amazed how these pups will get quickly trained.
Aside from being fast learners when it comes to simple commands and housebreaking, Maltipoos can excel in agility and obedience settings. They make great therapy dogs and bring joy wherever they go.
Origin of the Bichpoo
Having existed for more than two decades now, the Bichpoo designer dog was first produced in Australia during the 1990s. Based in Melbourne, Chevromist Kennels are assumed to be the mastermind of the Bichpoo hybrid. They did this with a positive intention of combining the excellent traits from parents including their low-shedding coats. Since Bichpoos are less clingy than their parent Bichons, as well as sturdier than their Toy and Miniature Poodle parents, the crossbreeding here really played a great role in softening the somehow negative characteristics from the parents.
In comparison to other designer breeds, Bichpoos have a long heritage but very few are multigenerational crosses. This means that in most cases, there are usually 2 pedigree parents involved. Breeding a Bichpoo to a Bichpoo isn't recommended, as it'll likely to result in many inherited health cases. In order to accentuate specific traits, Bichpoo can be Back-crossed with other pedigree breeds.
Poodle Cross
Bichon Frise breed pros and cons
Poodle breed pros and cons
Cavadoodles
Maltese and Poodle mix pros and cons
Poodle and Golden Retriever mix pros and cons
Poodle and Cocker Spaniel cross
Peekapoo dogs
Shih Tzu and Poodle cross
Bichon Shih Tzu Mix
Labradoodle dog
Australian Shepherd Poodle Mix
Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix
Poodle and Border Collie mix
Poodle and Boxer Mix
Pomeranian Poodle mix dogs
Beapoo
Schnauzer Poodle Mix info
Yorkiepoo info
Corgi Poo Mix info
Compare Bichon to Poodle
Difference between Bichon Frise and Poodle
Weimardoodle sizes
|
