Looking to get a calm, affectionate, preferably easy to train allergy friendly dog. Which of these dogs matches these traits best? Or any other breeds? Btw is it true poodles are yappy and hyper and bichons are hard to train?
Thank you all!!
For calm and affectionate small hypoallergenic dog I would recommend a Shih Tsu (
http://www.akc.org/breeds/shih_tzu/index ... ) of the top of my head. You can find a lot of them (or Shih Tzu and poodle mixes if you don't like the smooshed face) in the shelter.
My personal experience with the breed is that they are really snugglers.
Now, if you're set on a toy or miniature poodle, here's the standard for poodles (it groups them together, but shows the varying size)
http://www.akc.org/breeds/poodle/index.c ... Toy poodles are more the size of bichons, miniature poodles are like a small/medium dog .
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
While standard poodles are often known for their easy going temperament, the little guys do tend to yappy and hyper. Sometimes they're "too busy" to cuddle too! They're great little dogs though, as "hyper" dogs tend to learn quickly and are therefore easy to train.
Bichons - one of my favorite little breeds (I'm not a little dog person, but if I got one, it might have to be a Bichon!).
http://www.akc.org/breeds/bichon_frise/ I've never heard that they are hard to train. They are known as" circus dogs "because they learn quickly and want to please you and show off! A cheerful attitude is breed standard! I have heard from some people that they are "hard to potty train", but all the Bichons I've known have potty trained just fine. If you potty train right, breed doesn't have that much to do with it.
That being said, you might consider an older dog if you need something calm. Anything over 2 years will be out of the puppy and teenage phase, which makes them overall easier to deal with dogs. You can search through Petfinder.com by breed and zipcode, or what I recommend if someone wants a specific breed is to google breed rescues in your area (for example: Bichon Rescue Las Angeles). Breed rescues often foster their dogs instead of having them in a shelter and are therefore more equipped to tell you about each individual dog and whether or not it would fit in with your family.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Also, you can play around with this:
http://animal.discovery.com/breedselecto ... to see if there are any other small dogs that suit your needs.
Good luck!
Well the hard to train and yappy and hyperness are true of those breeds as a whole but it also depends on the environment in which they are kept. If you live a pretty simple, quieter life then they will too. Personally i would go with the bichon, i have a friend that has one and i have never heard it bark, its never been crazy, and it lovesss her! whenever she leaves he just sits in a chair in the dining room, looking out the window to see when she gets back, its very sweet. I also happen to know someone with two miniature poodles and they are yappy and hyper ALL the time and show no affection towards their owners. I hoped this helped you make up your mind!
I have a Bichon Frise and I love her. Yes, they are hard to house break. They have thick fur unlike most dogs. I think it might be similar to sheep wool? They must be groomed on a daily basis or their fur will mat. Having a professional groomer do the job is expensive most are about $ 40.00. I choose to cut her myself and keep her fur short. I don't really like the traditional Bichon cut. She kind of has a puppy cut. She is the sweetest girl. She loves everyone and follows me everywhere. I highly recommend you research your choices. There are websites devoted just to the Bichon Frise and also for the Poodle as well. They are a wonderful source of info. This way there will be no surprises. As you know there are many things to take into consideration when adopting a pet, and each breed has pros and cons. You will be armed with all the info. you need to make the right choice for you.
You are looking at 2 completely different personalities. Bichons are high energy happy little dogs. They love people are very social and love to entertain you yet than can still lay on your lap and cuddle. Poodles on the other hand are far more docile they are more of a one person dog and like more peaceful enviroments.
Any small dog is going to be quick - it's a survival trait in a world of giants.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Bichons and mini Poodles are easy to train because they are smart - which is why you often see them in the circus. A well brede individual of either breed can be a joy - and I have actually known a bunch that have been in families with elementary school age kids, with no bad incidents. The right dog can be just fine - find a breeder that chooses temperament first.
