🐕 Bichon Frise
Temperament
Cheerful, gentle, playful, affectionate. Bichons are people-magnets and need to be part of the family. Generally great with children, other dogs and cats. Can be barky without training.
Exercise
30–60 minutes of daily exercise plus indoor play. Mental work and short obedience sessions are ideal.
Grooming
High maintenance: daily brushing if kept fluffy, plus a professional groom every 4–6 weeks. Tear staining around eyes is common (genetic). Hair grows continuously and doesn't shed.
Health
Generally healthy and long-lived. Watch for: bladder stones (a Bichon problem — drink lots of water, monitor urine), Cushing's disease, allergies (skin and food), patellar luxation, dental disease.
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🐕 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Temperament
Affectionate, gentle, eager to please, sociable. Cavaliers form deep bonds with everyone in the household and tend to follow their humans from room to room. They're famously good with children, other dogs and cats.
Exercise
40–60 minutes of moderate daily exercise plus indoor play. Cavaliers retain some sporting-spaniel drive and enjoy retrieving and scent walks.
Grooming
Long, silky coat with feathering on ears, legs and tail. Brush 3–4× weekly. Bathe every 6–8 weeks. Ear hair needs trimming and ears need weekly cleaning. Eye discharge collects under the eyes — wipe daily.
Health
Mitral valve disease — by age 10, ~70% of Cavaliers have heart murmurs. Annual cardiology screening from age 5 strongly recommended. Syringomyelia (Chiari-like malformation). Hip dysplasia. Episodic falling syndrome. Always buy from a breeder doing MVD and SM screening.
Full Cavalier King Charles Spaniel profile →
