Poochon – Bichon Poodle Mix

Dogs are humankind’s four-legged best friend, and they can melt your heart at any moment.

Dogs are adorable and come in all different shapes and sizes. Like us humans, we can come in different sizes and shapes and have different appearances and quirky qualities.

If you’re a person that loves small dogs full of energy and life, then you will want to know about the Poochon/Bichon Poodle.

This is a magnificent designer breed of two beautiful breeds, the Poodle and Bichon Frise. 

In the dog world, it’s also known as a Bichpoo. While its Poodle parent is from Germany and the Bichon comes from the Mediterranean, the Poochon comes from Australia. It’s believed that they came into existence in the 1990s and were bred deliberately for families who required a lively and strong dog that had minimal shedding.

What are Poochon dogs like?

If you’re someone who does not like aggressive and dominating dogs, then the Poochon will be for you. This breed is very friendly, and its predatory nature is little; instead, it likes to befriend many animals and humans that come in its way.

This makes a Poochon an excellent dog for animals or kids already present in your home. But do note that they can be quite timid at first, as they need to establish a sense of trust. Similarly, if you plan on introducing this animal to little ones or dogs in your home, do so slowly and gradually.

Another interesting small doodle breed I’ve written about and is quite similar to the Poochon is the Shih Poo – The Poodle & Shi Tzu mix, so make sure to check it out as well.

However, if you’re planning on getting a Poochon from birth, you will need to ensure that it’s well socialized as a puppy. If you don’t, then it can become aggressive by barking, nipping, and biting others when it’s older.

Similarly, its Poodle parent can become quite nervous, and as a result, the Poochon can inherit this quality, sometimes towards strangers, they can bark a lot.

If you are an affectionate person, then you will bond well with the Poochon. This dog loves to cuddle up to you in your lap, arms and even will climb onto your bed (if you allow it). Likewise, it can easily get attached to the owner, making it a perfect dog for a first-time owner. 

However, this breed is not ideal if you spend long hours outside of your home, as it can easily suffer from separation anxiety and feel neglected.

As a dog owner, you must have lots of energy to play too. The Bichon poodle has high energy levels, which can activate at any random moment. In fact, don’t be surprised if you get exhausted before a Bichon does!

They need to be played with or taken out for exercise at least 30 minutes per day because of their high energy levels. Plus, due to their intelligent Poodle Parent, they also require a lot of mental stimulation. 

Most of the time, they need to be stimulated more mentally than physically. Great ways to help keep their mind active are conducting obedience training, food puzzle toys, chew toys, and interactive toys. 

If you fail to exercise their mind, the Bichpoo could become bored, self-destructive, and start chewing on your furniture.

When does a Poochon stop growing? 

By now, it’s probably already stuck with you about how energetic the Bichon Poodle is. You probably think if they have energy spurts, when do they stop growing? 

To find this out, we need to explore their height, age, weight, and life expectancy.

Usually, a Poochon will fully mature and reach its peak height by two years old. Regarding its height, they can grow up to 20-30 cm in height. Likewise, this breed’s weight can vary depending on its Poodle parent. 

If its parent is a Toy Poodle, then most likely its weight can vary between 3-4kg, and if it’s a Miniature Poodle, then its weight can reach up to 10kg!

Given its small height and weight, this breed is great for a small spaced house such as an apartment. However, just because it’s small does not mean it’s lazy. We recommend having a backyard or big space where the Bichon Poodle can play due to its high-energy bursts.

Bichon Poodle Appearance 

Depending on the characteristics it inherits from either parent, the Poochon could have a tight curly coat like the Poodle or a fluffy and frizzy coat like the Bichon Frise. Most of the time, this designer breed tends to take after the Poodle and therefore is hypoallergenic. 

This breed sheds very minimally, so it’s the perfect dog for you if you’re an allergy sufferer. When it comes to coat colors, there’s a variety which the Bichon Poodle can have, such as brown, grey, tan, apricot, black, white, tricolor, and more.

The most common type of coat color is white or apricot; the light forms tend to be the most popular. 

Most of the time, this breed tends to have dark eyes, with the common eye color being dark brown or amber. Alongside this, they are renowned for their cute black button nose and floppy puffy ears. 

How to groom a Poochon

Even though the Poochon breed is hypoallergenic, it does not mean you should pay little attention to its grooming requirements. In fact, as an owner, you need to brush its coat every day, if not every other ideally. 

This will stop its fur from getting tangled and remove any unnecessary dirt from it. Due to their marvelous coat, it’s recommended that you take it to professional groomers every 6-8 weeks for their coat to be clipped. This is especially important that they get this done around their eyes as they could easily become infected if dirt falls in from surrounding hair. 

Poochon’s teeth should be brushed a few times a week to make sure they’re gleaming and their breath is fresh. Plus, it would be best if you took it to the groomers every few months for nail clipping/

How to train your Poochon?

One of the most important factors for any first-time or experienced dog owner is the trainability of a specific breed. Depending on how busy you are, you may have less patience or time than others to train a dog.

If time is short on your hands and you’re looking for an easy to train breed, then you’re in luck with the Poochon. Thanks to its Poodle parent, it can learn tricks and techniques on the go. Do note that the Poochon may bark at first, but other than that, it will slowly learn.

The best way to train a Poochon is by doing so through a routine. Dogs thrive off routine as it helps distinguish when they’re eating, sleeping, and playing. When it comes to potty training, the best method to train a Poochon is by using a crate.

A crate will allow it to feel comfortable to sleep on its own, use the bathroom when required, and develop a sense of independence. Make sure to never use the crate, though, as punishment and only use it for familiarity.

Any other tricks that you may wish to teach your Poochon should be done using positive reinforcement. This is when you praise your dog and give it a treat such as a toy or food on any excellent behavior they do. Once this behavior has been rewarded, they will most likely try and repeat it to please you.

Common Poochon health issues

Most of the time, the Bichon Poodle tends to be a healthy breed, but it can be prone to health problems. Such health problems can be inherited from its parents. Typical health issues they can face are the following:

• Cushing’s disease: When a Poochon’s body overproduces cortisol and causes increased urination, thirst, hair loss, skin infections, lethargy, and more. If left untreated, it can cause early death. 

• Addisons disease: A decreased amount of cortisol produced in the body, causing lethargy, depression, bloody stools, lack of appetite, and more. If not treated, they can die a slow, painful death.

• Von Willebrand’s disease: An inherited bleeding disorder that stops blood vessels from clotting and can make them collapse, leading to death.

• Mitral Valve disease: A leakage in the heart’s mitral valve causing a murmur, an abnormal heart rhythm, shortness of breath, and more.

• White Shaker Syndrome: Where their nervous system triggers tremors, seizures, and difficulties walking.

• Retinal atrophy: Degenerative diseases which affect their photoreceptor cells triggering blindness.

How much are Poochon puppies?

One of the most important factors when looking for a dog is price. If you’re interested in buying a Poochon puppy, they’re affordable and can cost between $400-$1000. Do note that price can vary based on where you’re located, the breeder’s reputation, gender, and if their parents are pedigrees.

Similarly, you should also save money for additional vet bills, toys, food, and other essentials that go alongside raising a Bichon Poodle. Be prepared.

Frequently Asked Questions