Bichon Frise vs Shih Tzu?

vicki488

Ah I'm now torn again! I think Bichon seem much harder to find and I am so worried about getting a nice healthy one from a good breeder and not a puppy farm. Are they hard to keep clean with them being white?

antw23uk

Well yes they are white :rotfl: but it depends what you want in a dog really. So many people get these little breeds and wrap them in cotton wool thinking they cant possibly do as much as a 'normal' dog ... Dont get me started on the people who carry dogs in bags :mad:

Usually and ideally you have them proffessionally washed and cut every 6-10 weeks. A puppy cut is bassically where they are trimmed all over the same length ... they look lovely after being groomed and cut but after a week there coats form tight little curls all over them. To be honest the shorter they are cut the more manageble they are and there is nothing stopping you from giving them a bath and towel drying them but they will just go all curly instead

All of our Bichons were generally grey in colour 90% of the time, they looked lovely after a bath but they are dogs at the end of the day and dogs need lots of walking and walking gets them dirty ..... Ours loved running through muddy puddles and long grass .. oh and the cow muck .. yes they loved rolling in that given half the chance, lol :eek: We didnt care, they were wonderful and we loved them enjoying themselves

Kinski

Ellie gets in a terrible mess but it doesn't matter, washing and drying them doesn't take long. Some of the people I meet with them wash them every couple of weeks, Ellie's gone as long as 2 months without a bath and she's been okay.

Person_one

Battybird wrote: »

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 wouldn't worry. Dog interactions are actually a lot more complicated than simple 'dominance'.

Lots of people live with more than one neutered male, I have two! Small fights that are all 'handbags' are perfectly normal from time to time.

Battybird

Person_one wrote: »

I wouldn't worry. Dog interactions are actually a lot more complicated than simple 'dominance'.

Lots of people live with more than one neutered male, I have two! Small fights that are all 'handbags' are perfectly normal from time to time.

But if I have my dominant male castrated, I think the uncastrated Bichon will try to be top dog. And he may even pee more. (if possible!)

When I first got my dog, I did ask my vets advice, and he said to wait and see which was the dominant dog.

I just wish both dogs were castrated, then I could give a good home to a dog from a rescue. I believe in neutering for health reasons, and I'm very surprised at my neighbour's attitude, as her and her husband have previously lost a dog to testicular cancer.

Person_one

Battybird wrote: »

But if I have my dominant male castrated, I think the uncastrated Bichon will try to be top dog. And he may even pee more. (if possible!)

When I first got my dog, I did ask my vets advice, and he said to wait and see which was the dominant dog.

I just wish both dogs were castrated, then I could give a good home to a dog from a rescue. I believe in neutering for health reasons, and I'm very surprised at my neighbour's attitude, as her and her husband have previously lost a dog to testicular cancer.

Then get them both castrated, I can't see why on earth you haven't already. There's no rule that you have to keep one entire!

(Oh, and change vet to one that doesn't give rubbish advice.)

Battybird

Did you not read what I had previously typed. My elderly neighbour will NOT have her dog castrated, as her late husband didn't believe any dog should be castrated.

The lady has lots of health problems so we have the Bichon in our house a lot, and exercise him.

I suppose I could say to her, that if she doesn't get him done we're not looking after him anymore. But, I'm a good (unpaid) neighbour and couldn't do that to her.

And I have a very, very good vet who I have every faith in. I had told him that the neighbour refuses to have her dog neutered.

DylanO

Person_one wrote: »

Then get them both castrated, I can't see why on earth you haven't already. There's no rule that you have to keep one entire!

(Oh, and change vet to one that doesn't give rubbish advice.)

What planet are you on? What gives you the right to tell someone to get their neighbour's dog castrated?

If anyone's giving rubbish advice here, it's you.

Person_one

DylanO wrote: »

What planet are you on? What gives you the right to tell someone to get their neighbour's dog castrated?

If anyone's giving rubbish advice here, it's you.

The poster clearly says they wish both their dogs were castrated, as though its something miraculous and not in their power to make it happen, it could be done this time next week!

Person_one

Battybird wrote: »

Did you not read what I had previously typed. My elderly neighbour will NOT have her dog castrated, as her late husband didn't believe any dog should be castrated.

The lady has lots of health problems so we have the Bichon in our house a lot, and exercise him.

I suppose I could say to her, that if she doesn't get him done we're not looking after him anymore. But, I'm a good (unpaid) neighbour and couldn't do that to her.

And I have a very, very good vet who I have every faith in. I had told him that the neighbour refuses to have her dog neutered.

Oops, I misread, late night, I thought the bichon was yours sorry. That'll teach me to skim read!

I'd still get yours done, but hey its up to you. I still don't think your vet's advice about waiting to castrate for reasons of 'dominance' is good advice I'm afraid.