Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Poodles have been typecast as prissy, silly or neurotic, but in reality, this active dog breed defies Hollywood stereotypes with their outgoing, friendly and eager-to-please personality. However, their temperament can be influenced by the mood of those around them: Poodles who live in chaotic households or homes where people are barely home may resort to attention-seeking behavior, such as barking or chewing. That’s because Poodles form deep, loving bonds with their pet parents and prefer to spend time with you over almost anything else.

That’s not to say they can’t be alone: Their innate intelligence enables them to excel in obedience and early socialization, so if you properly train them to be comfortable with being alone, they’ll be fine. There are always exceptions to any rule, but generally Poodles are not a high-anxiety breed.

If the movie biz was composed entirely of canines, the Bichon Frise would win a People’s Choice Award. Their charming personality effortlessly captures everyone’s attention, including other pups. The Bichon is a lover, not a fighter and has a natural urge to engage with other people and pets. Smart with plenty of emotional intelligence, a Bichon can be adept to navigating the needs of people around them—especially if trained and socialized at an early age.

The Bichon Frise dog breed is great with kids and babies and can happily spend the morning romping with toddlers in the backyard. Later in the day, they’re content to spend hours curled on the lap of your great grandma. In fact, it’s this calming characteristic that makes them great emotional support and therapy dogs.

Velcro dog alert: Bichons do not like to be left alone for long (their name does mean “curly lapdog” after all), but that doesn’t mean you need to entertain them 24/7. (It does mean you can say goodbye to peaceful soaks in the bathtub.) They need to have people around during the day.