Bichon Frise vs Pekingese

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

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 Pekingese is better suited for new owners.
Children - The Bichon Frise is very child friendly. The Pekingese does okay around kids, but is not as tolerant as the Bichon Frise.
Grooming - Both breeds require very high amounts of grooming.
Barking - The Pekingese bark/howls frequently. The Bichon Frise has an average level of barking.

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Bichon Frise vs Pekingese

Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Pekingese
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	Yes	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Height	9-11 in.	6-9 in.
Weight	7-12 lb	7-14 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Spain	China
Origin Year	1300 AD	20 BC
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
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 Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn
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	55°F to 75°F
Barks/Howls	Average	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Medium-High	Low-Medium
Exercise Required	Medium	Low
Top Running Speed	15 mph	12 mph
Strength	Low	Low
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	High	Medium
Shedding	None	High
Dander	None	Medium
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	Pekingese
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	Yes
Family/Pack	Yes	No
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	Very Low
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Below Average
Hunting	Average	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Below Average
Sledding	Below Average	Below Average
Watch	Below Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Pekingese
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Bladder Stones	Yes	No
Brachycephalic Syndrome	No	Yes
Cataracts	No	Yes
Cleft Palate	No	Yes
Cryptorchidism	No	Yes
Distichiasis	No	Yes
Ectopic Cilia	No	Yes
Ectopic Cilia	No	Yes
Entropion	No	Yes
Exposure Keratopathy Syndrome	No	Yes
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	No
Hydrocephalus	No	Yes
Intervertebral Disk Disease	No	Yes
Juvenile Cataracts	Yes	No
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca	No	Yes
Mitral Valve Disease	No	Yes
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Vaccination Sensitivity	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Bichon Frise	Pekingese
Coat
Hair	Yes	No
Fur	No	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Coat Texture
Wavy	Yes	Yes
Straight	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Long	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
White	Yes	Yes
White & Apricot	Yes	No
White & Buff	Yes	No
White & Cream	Yes	No
Biscuit	No	Yes
Black	No	Yes
Black & Tan	No	Yes
Cream	No	Yes
Fawn	No	Yes
Fawn Brindle	No	Yes
Fawn Sable	No	Yes
Gray	No	Yes
Gray Sable	No	Yes
Light Red	No	Yes
Red Brindle	No	Yes
Red Sable	No	Yes