The Bichon Frise is a small, cheerful, powder-puff companion breed with a centuries-long history of charming people, from Mediterranean sailors to French and Spanish nobility to circus performers. Bred purely for companionship, the Bichon is sociable, playful, and affectionate to its core, a happy little dog that genuinely loves being with people and tends to get along with everyone, including children, strangers, and other pets. It is one of the most consistently good-natured of all the small breeds, and a wonderful companion for a household that can give it the company it craves.
That sociable, people-focused nature is the key to training one. The Bichon is intelligent and eager to please, so it takes well to reward-based training and even excels at tricks. The two things to plan around are the same two that affect most small companion breeds: house-training can be slow, and the Bichon's deep love of company means separation anxiety is a real risk. It is sensitive too, so harsh handling backfires. Lean on the breed's friendliness, be patient and consistent with house-training, build independence early, and you get a delightful, well-mannered companion. Coddle it and skip the independence work, and you risk a clingy, anxious, sometimes barky dog.
This guide covers what works with a Bichon, week by week, built around how a cheerful, people-loving companion breed actually learns.
What Makes Training a Bichon Different
Four breed traits shape your approach.
1. Friendly, sociable, and eager to please. The Bichon was bred to be a companion and loves people, which makes it cooperative and fun to train. It takes well to reward-based methods and tricks, and this sociable nature is the breed's biggest training asset.
2. A real risk of separation anxiety. Because the Bichon thrives on company, it can struggle when left alone. Gentle independence training from day one is the most important preventive step, since separation anxiety is far easier to prevent than to treat.
3. Slow to house-train. Like many small breeds, the Bichon has a small bladder and can be slow to house-train. A strict, consistent schedule and patient, reward-based methods, without scolding, are what get you there.
4. Sensitive and a sometime barker. The Bichon reads your mood and wilts under harshness, so keep training gentle and upbeat. It can also bark for attention or out of excitement, which is easily managed with early quiet-shaping and proper engagement.
Week-by-Week Training Plan for Your Bichon
Below is the framework we use at TailorPup for a Bichon-specific 12-week plan. Run it at home; the order and emphasis are the point.
Weeks 1 and 2 : Foundation, Socialization, and Independence
Engagement is easy with this friendly breed. Run three to four short sessions a day with high-value rewards, socialize broadly, and crucially begin gentle independence training immediately, with short calm absences and a settle spot. Start house-training on a strict schedule from day one. Our puppy basics guide covers the foundations.
Weeks 3 and 4 : Core Commands and Tricks
Bichons learn well and love to please. Lure sit, down, and stay, mark, and reward, adding cues once reliable, then add trick training, which this cheerful breed enjoys and which provides good mental work.
Weeks 5 and 6 : Leash Work and House-Training
Use a light harness and stop-and-stand for any pulling; the Bichon rarely pulls hard. Keep house-training patient and consistent, rewarding every success outdoors generously and avoiding all scolding for accidents, since the breed can be slow here.
Weeks 7 and 8 : Separation Anxiety Prevention
Deepen the independence work, the breed-critical phase. Practice graduated departures, build alone time slowly, keep comings and goings low-key, and leave the dog something good to do. If distress is appearing, our separation anxiety guide lays out the protocol.
Weeks 9 and 10 : Recall, Quiet, and Mental Work
Build recall indoors and in fenced areas, paying every success well. Shape quiet if the Bichon barks for attention, rewarding calm and managing triggers, and channel the breed's intelligence with tricks and puzzles. See our barking guide if needed.
Weeks 11 and 12 : Generalization
Prove the skills in the real world: calm leash walking past distractions, commands in busier places, settled behavior, and continued alone-time practice. These last two weeks are about consistency and proofing the independence, house-training, and recall rather than new skills.
Common Bichon Training Mistakes
Three mistakes show up repeatedly with this breed.
Mistake 1 : Skipping independence training. Because the Bichon loves company so much, owners who keep it constantly attached risk creating separation anxiety. Build gentle alone-time tolerance from the first week, before there is a problem.
Mistake 2 : Losing patience with house-training. The Bichon can be slow to house-train, and scolding makes it worse. A strict schedule and patient, reward-based methods are what work. Accept that it may take longer than with a larger breed.
Mistake 3 : Coddling instead of training, or using harshness. The Bichon is genuinely trainable, and treating it as a passive lap ornament wastes that and can encourage clinginess and attention-barking, while harshness shuts the sensitive dog down. Give it real, gentle training. The full list is in our Bichon Frise training mistakes guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bichon Frises easy to train ? Yes, by small-companion-breed standards. They are friendly, intelligent, and eager to please, so reward-based training works well and they enjoy tricks. The main challenges are slow house-training and preventing separation anxiety rather than the learning itself.
Do Bichon Frises get separation anxiety ? They can, because they thrive on company and were bred purely as companions. Early, consistent independence training prevents most cases, and the breed does best in homes where it is not left alone for long stretches.
Why is house-training my Bichon so hard ? Small breeds have small bladders, so progress can be slow. A strict schedule, frequent opportunities, and patient reward-based methods, without scolding, are what get you there. Many Bichons take longer than larger breeds.
How much exercise does a Bichon Frise need ? Around 30 to 45 minutes of activity daily plus play and mental work. The breed is moderate-energy and adaptable, happy in apartments, but it still benefits from daily walks, games, and training.
Are Bichon Frises hypoallergenic ? The curly, low-shedding coat is often tolerated by allergy sufferers, though no dog is truly hypoallergenic. The coat needs regular brushing and professional grooming to prevent matting.
Is positive reinforcement effective for Bichons ? Yes, ideally. The friendly, sensitive, eager breed thrives on reward-based training and trick work, while harsh handling creates anxiety and undermines the cheerful temperament.
Are Bichon Frises good family dogs ? Excellent ones. They are cheerful, affectionate, and good with children and other pets, with a sociable nature. They thrive when included in family life and given gentle independence training to balance their love of company.
Why TailorPup Was Built for Bichon Frises
A generic plan ignores the two things that really matter with this breed: slow house-training and the separation-anxiety risk that comes with a dog bred purely for companionship. That mismatch is why standard advice can leave Bichon owners with an anxious, hard-to-house-train dog.
TailorPup builds a 12-week plan around your specific dog: its companion nature, its age, and the behaviors you are seeing. For a Bichon that means leaning on its friendly trainability with trick work, front-loaded independence training, a patient house-training schedule, and gentle reward-based methods.
Daily 12-minute sessions plus weekly adjustments based on your dog's progress. Free for 7 days, no card required.
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Related: Bichon Frise Training Mistakes · Recall Training · Puppy Training Basics · Barking Solutions