The bichon, weighing in at around fifteen pounds, is a wonderful companion dog. Being a companion dog they are fun, social, and energetic little pups who will be loyal and loving to the end. The bichon temperament is unique in many ways, which makes them a great joy to raise. In particular, these dogs are great with people. In this article we look at many of the great personality traits of the bichon breed.

Bichon Temperament

Bichons love attention, and thrive on it. The best family for these dogs is one who has members at the house a large amount of time. They do not like to be left alone for extended periods on a regular basis. When left alone too often they tend to develop personality disorders that result in depression and separation anxiety. The best way to avoid this is to show your bichon love and attention as much as possible. When treated in this way they will be absolutely wonderful pets.

As a social dog, bichons are wonderful in families with small children or senior citizens. Their size is also a big factor in this. They are lively end energetic, but not big enough to hurt anyone. This is also true when they are around other dogs. As long as the other dogs are not aggressive toward them they get along very well.

When their high level of need for sociability is met they can be very self-confident and outgoing dogs. This is shown through their well reputed skills as therapy dogs. Happy and friendly bichons are regularly used to entertain in nursing homes and inpatient hospital wards. In these settings their social nature is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.

Although they are energetic and love to play, their size is well suited for those who live in apartments. They can easily play in a small living room and enjoy having balls tossed to them. This being said, daily walks are an important factor of owning a bichon. They may do well in apartments, but do need that extra exercise on a regular basis.

Bichons are also highly intelligent dogs. They are quick to learn and eager to please. This is shown by the fact that they were once widely used by organ grinders and in travelling circuses. It is possible to teach your bichon many fun and entertaining tricks.

Fun tricks are a great way to socialize with your dog, but one downfall of the bichon is that they tend to be a little more stubborn than most other dogs when it comes to housebreaking. This is mostly due to the fact that they are proud and sometimes stubborn as puppies. With patience and persistence they will easily master house training in time, and once this is achieved it opens the door to all of those entertaining dog tricks.

As a small dog bichons could never claim to be great guard dogs and could never stop an intruder. Fortunately, their social skills allow them to be wonderful "watch dogs." They will always alert the family when someone shows up at the house, whether friend or intruder.

The bottom line is that if they are shown the attention they need these dogs are wonderful family pets. They are great around kids, adults, and other dogs. They are wonderful companions who will maintain a happy and outgoing personality well into their senior years.