Mary Allen
Bichon Frises are among the most desirable dog breeds thanks to their nearly dandruff-free coat, playful personality, and adaptable nature. However, if you want a Bichon Frize for yourself, then how much can you expect, and what goes into the cost?
How much does a Bichon Frise cost?
A Bichon Frize typically costs at least $800 for a dog from a reputable breeder who health tests their dogs. If you want a dog from show lines or from ancestors who excelled in sports like agility or obedience, you’ll need to pay at least $1,500 for a dog. If you want a dog that you can show and breed yourself, you have to pay at least 3,000.
If you’re in the market for a dog and are wondering if the Bichon Frise is the right breed for you, you need to know how much they typically cost and what goes into that price, as well as some advice on finding a dog cheaper.
Bichon Frise puppy price
If you buy a Bichon Frize from a quality breeder that does health testing, expect to pay over $800 for a pet. Expect to pay more if you want to breed the dog yourself. For dogs that come from show pay lines, you should pay at least $1,500 for a dog and more than $3,000 for a show dog.
It is certainly possible to find a Bichon Frise that costs less, but be very careful when looking at reduced-cost Bichons. This is not an area where you want to take a chance.
Irresponsible breeders keep bichon adults in terrible conditions and often sell puppies with serious diseases like parvo. Bichons are generally quite healthy, but irresponsible breeders are unlikely to screen breeding stock or remove a dog from the breeding pool because of health issues.
Therefore, you are likely to pay more for a dog that costs less to begin with. Most Bichon owners love their dogs and are happy to pay more upfront for a healthy pet.
Why does Bichon Frize cost so much?
Even among purebred dogs, Bichon Frises are among the most expensive. Why is this? There are several reasons why bichons cost a little more than other breeds you are considering.
Small breed dogs
Small breed dogs like the Bichon usually cost a little more than large breed dogs because they have fewer puppies per litter. While a large dog may be able to produce up to a dozen puppies in a litter, a small breed dog may only be able to produce four or five puppies.
Because of this, breeders have to charge more for each puppy to make ends meet. Breeding a dog is not cheap. Attend shows or competitions to prove the value of your breeding stock, conduct the necessary health and certification procedures for breeding dogs and puppies, and many other expenses go towards housing and breeding dogs.
Therefore, breeders need to know that if they sell the puppies, they can at least earn enough to make their breeding program sustainable.
Difficult to care for coat
Non-coated breed breeders can generally keep their dogs happy and healthy without a lot of daily grooming. However, with a breed like the Bichon Frize, which requires constant grooming throughout their lives, grooming properly is a challenge.
Even more difficult is keeping dogs in the full coat required for shows. Grooming the entire coat is a challenge for the owner of a single bichon, let alone someone who needs to groom four or five dogs to breed.
High demand for all puppies
Bichon Frises are an extremely desirable breed, and most breeders never have trouble finding homes for each pup. Unlike some other breeds, which may or may not exhibit desirable traits, resulting in differences in each pup’s desirability, Bichon puppies tend to be very consistent across litters.
On average, every Bichon in the litter has the lush white coat that buyers are looking for. There aren’t many notable differences between the sexes in Bichon Frises like some other breeds, so both male and female puppies in the litter are likely to be similar in terms of desirability.
Where to find a quality Bichon Frise
If you want the healthiest dog, choose a breeder that registers all of their breeding dogs with the AKC. Choose a breeder who has also shown dogs or demonstrated a dog’s suitability for the breed standard in tests such as agility or obedience.
You may not care if your dog is a show, obedience, or agility champion. However, if you choose from a range of dogs with breeder advocates who are committed to breed improvement and demonstrate that each of their breeding dogs is capable of breed improvement prior to breeding, you will have the best chance of bringing home a very healthy puppy bring standards of appearance, health and behavior appropriate to the breed.
The breeder you choose should screen you to make sure you are a good match for this breed. While the Bichon is a great breed for all types of lifestyles, a responsible breeder will ensure their dogs are not left alone for long periods of time, kept outside, or otherwise not having the best homes possible.
How can I adopt a Bichon Frise cheaper?
If you don’t have $1000 for your Bichon Frise but are confident you can provide good medical care and would love to rescue a dog in need, there are other options for acquiring a Bichon Frise. These highly desirable dogs rarely enter the rescue arena unless they have a behavioral or medical issue.
People who want to rehome their happy, healthy bichon due to life changes or other reasons can usually do so privately through breed rescue and networking sites. This means that most of the dogs that enter the rescue system are dogs that come from puppy mills, hoarding cases, and other very difficult situations.
These dogs often have medical problems due to neglect. They have not typically lived in a home and are not trained or socialized with humans or other pets.
Sometimes dogs can be found who do not have any behavioral issues but suffer from a medical condition that makes them less desirable to people buying dogs through a breed rescue network. Contacting breed rescue networks can tell you when a new Bichon Frize is coming into the system.
You can expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $500 for a Bichon Frise rescue, especially one that is healthy and adaptable. Bichon Frises with health or behavioral issues is often more affordable to find. However, think twice about being willing to work with a dog that has suffered trauma.
Such dogs can make loving companions and a dog like this can be extremely rewarding to work with, but some never fully recover from the stress they have been through.
How to rescue a Bichon Frize from a puppy mill
Many people looking for a Bichon Frize puppy come across less than reputable breeders. They may suspect something is wrong because they are unwilling to answer questions or see parents or facilities, or they may walk out to meet the dog and realize that something is wrong with the conditions of the puppies and breeding dogs.
It can be very tempting to buy a puppy or even rescue as many dogs as possible out of the situation right away, but unfortunately, this is not generally the best way to help the majority of dogs.
Leaving a puppy there can be very difficult and if there is already money on the table or you are otherwise afraid to back down, you should follow your instincts in deciding whether or not you want to proceed with the purchase.
Once you have left the property, whether or not you have taken a puppy with you, it is very important to take the following steps:
Isolate yourself from other dogs
In puppy mill situations, there are often parasites that could infect healthy dogs. If you brought a puppy home with you, don’t let it near your current pets.
Even sharing the air or walking on the same floor can lead to extremely dangerous infections of your existing pets. If you cannot safely keep the dog at your home, contact a veterinary clinic for information about boarding a potentially contagious puppy.
If you haven’t brought a dog home, make sure you wash yourself, your clothing, and anywhere your dog might be infected, such as B. your vehicle, wash and decontaminate thoroughly.
Don’t take this kind of contagion lightly. Even if your dog is fully vaccinated, there are things he can catch from irresponsibly housed and unvaccinated dogs.
Call rescue agencies
Rescue agencies like the Humane Society and the ASPCA work to end cruelty to animals, including puppy mills. Your local rescue organization is often a good first step in dealing with a puppy mill.
Contact the AKC
The AKC has strict guidelines on how dogs should be housed. While they allow conditions that many of us find unacceptable for our pets or breeding stock, they reduce unsanitary conditions and disease.
Your Bichon Frise will be worth every penny
The Bichon Frise is a deeply affectionate, loyal, fun-loving little dog that fits into all types of lifestyles. It may cost more to find a well-bred Bichon Frize from a reputable breeder than to choose some other breeds, but most people find the Bichon to be a great investment in their lives and families.
Bichon Frise average price – FAQs
How much does a Bichon Frise cost?
On average, these dogs cost between $650 and $1500.
How much does a Bichon Frise cost in the USA?
Bichon Frise price varies a lot depending on where you live, the puppy’s pedigree, and how they were raised. Anywhere between $1,000 – $4,000 falls into a normal range. Healthy, vet-checked Bichon Frise puppies are expensive, but you know the mother was well cared for and the puppy is likely to live a happy, long life.
How much does a Bichon Frise cost in Europe?
Prices for Bichon Frise pups range from $250 to $2500 with a median of around $600. What is this? The key determinants of price are the parental history and the breeder’s reputation. Pups of champion Bichon Frises can fetch a premium of up to $1500 and more.
Are Bichon Frise barkers?
The Bichon Frise is a playful, affectionate dog that doesn’t need a lot of space to run around and can be kept well in an apartment. He doesn’t tend to bark. The Bichon Frise requires a relatively high level of grooming. The coat should be regularly groomed, bathed, and clipped.
How much exercise does a Bichon Frise need?
A Bichon Frise only needs a moderate amount of exercise. Of course, the cheerful dog needs something to do and work to do, but a walk through the city can be enough for him every now and then.