Bichon Frise vs Shih Tzu?

vicki488

Hi there people!

I am looking to get a puppy but am torn between a bichon frise and a shih tzu. My main dilemma is the grooming side of things as I would want to maintain a puppy cut and was wondering if anyone knew how often I could expect to have to go to a groomer and roughly how much it would cost each time?

Thanks!

Person_one

My bichon is kept in a pretty short pet trim, he goes to the groomers every 8 weeks for a trim and I need to brush and comb it every other day inbetween. It does tangle easily and as they're white you end up bathing them yourself in between when they get covered in mud!

I must warn you though, something like 90% of the bichon puppies born every year in this country come from puppy farms. Be very very very careful about where you get your pup from.

vicki488

Really? I had no idea that such a high percentage come from puppy farms. Thanks for the info

Battybird

We look after our elderly neighbour's Bichon, a lot, since her husband died 4 years ago. He goes to the groomers every 6 weeks, and it costs her £28.

He is a lovely little dog, but can pee for England. I have never seen a dog mark so many times on his daily walks. We don't let him in our lounge as he sometimes "forgets" and marks in there. If our dog takes a toy outside, the Bichon will pee on that. He has peed on my open sided washing basket, whilst I have been hanging the washing.:mad:
Anything and everything!

If I owned him, he would be castrated, but my neighbour's husband didn't believe dogs should be done, so she won't. I would like to get my own male wire haired dachshund castrated, but can't as he is the dominant dog. I could then get a female rescue dog, after loosing my female mini wire last November.

The Bichon likes to squat on something when he has a poo,eg crispbag or leaf. He has only once had a poo in our house and believe it or not, it was in my son's trainer!!! I don't think my neighbour believed me until a few weeks later he pooed in one of her shoes. Honestly, this is the truth.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant against Bichons. I really,really love the dog, but I so wish he was a girl. ('cos of the peeing.)

nonnatus

Whichever you get you should learn to do the trimming yourself. A decent pair of doggy trimmers is about £50, the techniques a freely available on Youtube. After you've done it yourself twice (rather than pay the parlour) you've made your money back . Especially if you're only after the "puppy effect" and not a show cut or anything. Easy-peasy

Kinski

I've got a Bichon, she's a rescue and was used as a breeding machine in a puppy farm in Wales. I've had Ellie for 8/9 months and I've only had her cut once by a groomer, I am going to get her done again soon but it's not been to difficult to keep her fur trimmed but now the ''cough cough'' good weather is coming in I'll get her done professionally. If you want to find out more about puppy farming have a look at Puppy Love http://www.dogs-r-us.org/. Even with all the problems she has Ellie is a fantastic wee dog and I wouldn't be without her. One other thing to be aware of the K.C. register pups from puppy farms so don't assume that because a pup is kc registered it's from a good breeder. There will be very good breeders out there just be careful how you find one, try going to the breed club of your chosen breed they are usually good at finding you a good breeder, also watch out as Shih Tzu's are also a favourite of puppy farmers.

Person_one

Battybird wrote: »

I would like to get my own male wire haired dachshund castrated, but can't as he is the dominant dog. I could then get a female rescue dog, after loosing my female mini wire last November.

What? Of course you can get him castrated! Who's told you you can't?

fluffnutter

I find them both impossible to spell, tbh.

vicki488

I think i'm going to go for a shih tzu. I have emailed the Shih Tzu club to see if they have a list of reputable breeders in my area. It's a minefield this! lol

antw23uk

Bichon wins hands down for me For a start they can breath properly :T

We used to keep Bichons and looked after lots of litters from our friend who bred and showed them. My first agilty dog was a Bichon x Yorkie, Ollie ... he was excellent, we won so many mini agility competitions. He would join me down the stables mousing and ratting better than the jack russels, he would join us on hacks out with the horses and we went miles, sometimes he would hitch a lift in the saddle though

Bichons are great dogs, they like height though and we found as a breed they liked to be on high furniture etc .. perhaps because they are so little they like to get a good view? :rotfl:

Good luck and please please please do your research and dont use a puppy farm.

Oh and pics when you have it are a must
Ant.

Battybird

Person_one wrote: »

What? Of course you can get him castrated! Who's told you you can't?

I have always thought that if you have 2 males in a household,and the dominant dog gets castrated, it can lead to problems, fights. The Bichon tried to be top dog, when we bought our Daxie aged 1, 3 years ago, and sometimes still tries to be, leading to small fights.

I can't get a rescue , as rescues say that other dogs in your household have to be spayed or castrated.

( sorry if anyone responds to my post and I don't reply, I can't stay online.)