Bichon Frise vs Chihuahua

Compare the Bichon Frise to the Chihuahua. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Bichon Frise and Chihuahuas.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both breeds are good choices for new or inexperienced owners, but the Chihuahua is better suited for new owners.
Children - Both the Bichon Frise and Chihuahua are great with children.
Grooming - The Chihuahua is very easy to groom. The Bichon Frise has very high grooming needs.
Barking - The Chihuahua has an above-average tendency to bark, while the Bichon Frise is an average barker.

Choose Another Breed to Compare

vs

Highlight Differences
Highlight Similarities

Bichon Frise vs Chihuahua

Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Chihuahua
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	Yes	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	15-20 yrs.
Height	9-11 in.	6-9 in.
Weight	7-12 lb	3-6 lb
Intelligence	High	High
History
Origin Country	Spain	Mexico
Origin Year	1300 AD	1850 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Personality
	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	No	No
Medium Yard	No	No
Large Yard	No	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	50°F to 75°F	50°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Average	Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Medium-High	High
Exercise Required	Medium	Medium
Top Running Speed	15 mph	18 mph
Strength	Low	Low
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	High	Low
Shedding	None	Medium
Dander	None	Low
Drool Amount	None	None

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Chihuahua
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	Below Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Very Low
Hunting	Average	Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	High
Sledding	Below Average	Very Low
Watch	Below Average	High

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Chihuahua
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	15-20 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Bladder Stones	Yes	No
Collapsed Trachea	No	Yes
Heart Murmurs	No	Yes
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	No
Hydrocephalus	No	Yes
Hypoglycemia	No	Yes
Juvenile Cataracts	Yes	No
Open Fontanel	No	Yes
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Pulmonic Stenosis	No	Yes
Shivering	No	Yes
Vaccination Sensitivity	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Chihuahua
Coat
Hair	Yes	No
Fur	No	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Single Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Wavy	Yes	No
Silky	No	Yes
Straight	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Long	Yes	Yes
Short	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
White	Yes	Yes
White & Apricot	Yes	No
White & Buff	Yes	No
White & Cream	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Black & Red	No	Yes
Black & Silver	No	Yes
Black & Tan	No	Yes
Black & White	No	Yes
Black Sabled Fawn	No	Yes
Black Sabled Silver	No	Yes
Blue	No	Yes
Blue & White	No	Yes
Blue Brindled Fawn	No	Yes
Blue Fawn	No	Yes
Chocolate	No	Yes
Chocolate & Tan	No	Yes
Chocolate & White	No	Yes
Chocolate Blue	No	Yes
Chocolate Brindled Fawn	No	Yes
Chocolate Sabled Fawn	No	Yes
Cream	No	Yes
Cream & White	No	Yes
Fawn	No	Yes
Fawn & White	No	Yes
Fawn Brindled Black	No	Yes
Gold	No	Yes
Gold & White	No	Yes
Red	No	Yes
Red & White	No	Yes
Silver	No	Yes
Silver & White	No	Yes