Poodle vs Bichon Frise

The Poodle dog breed may have gotten the short shrift in Hollywood, where they’ve been typecast as prissy, silly or neurotic. But in real life, Poodles are generally outgoing, friendly to humans and other pets and eager to please their family. But their mood can often match 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. Naturally intelligent, Poodles adapt well to training and early socialization. Poodles love their pet parents and would much rather spend time with you than be on their own all day.

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.