Poll: Bichon or Wheaten Terrier

[wcitygirl]

Ok, my distraction from all this madness is to shop for a dog instead of worrying about a proposal. I was thinking either a bichon or a wheaten terrier. I''ve owned a Bichon before, but my bf likes a wheaten better. Although, either would be great. Any input?

 

[Cath]

I voted for Bichon. I think Bichons are just the cutest little dogs, especially their fluffy little legs!

 

[Bikergirl]

Why not one of each!!!!!

 

[wcitygirl]

Well, my boyfriend asked me which I would rather have and I said: you mean I have to choose? hahahaha. THEN, I was thinking, why not a mix of some sort? And I couldn''t find one!? So, alas, it is one or the other.

 

[snow_happy]

pictures?

 

[dobie]

I vote for a bichon. I know a lot of women have those dogs. Unfortunately, my dobies are too rough to have small dogs around. I always worry that they will break their backs with those powerful paws and I have to watch very closely whenever my dobies play with small dogs.

 

[Matata]

For those who don''t know their pooches: First is the Bichon

 

[Matata]

Soft-coated Wheaton

 

[wcitygirl]

Ok, I''m having problems posting pictures.

My computer doesn''t seem to work.... Grrrr. I''ll try again later, but until then....

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=3130&n=82849&p=49787

Bichon: http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=72645&n=75790

 

[Kaleigh]

I voted for Bichon, I have TWO of them and they are the sweetest dogs ever. Casper is 10 and Callie is five. They are very good with children and are extremely intelligent.

 

[Cath]

Some puppy pics -- Bichon puppy

 

[Cath]

Wheaten puppy:

 

[blueroses]

They're both great (but very different) breeds. I'm a poodle girl myself, but I'm relatively well-versed in the other non-shedding/more allergy-friendly breeds, like the bichon and wheaten.

I'd think about two major issues: size and temperment.

Size: If you want a small lapdog, then go for the bichon (or a maltese, or a mini or toy poodle, or other non shedders like a havanese, westie, yorkie, cairn...) If you want a medium-large dog with a little more "oomph" then go for the Wheaten (or a standard poodle, irish water terrier, portuese water dog, kerry blue....you get the idea, I'm a crazy dog freak.)

Temperment: They can BOTH have a lot of energy, but in different ways. From my experience, bichons are high energy in a play-with-me-play-with-me-jump-up-love me kind of way. Wheatens can be high energy in a let's-have fun and-wrestle-and run-around-like nut-jobs kind of way. This is not expert testimony, just my own experience from knowing doggies at the dog park and having a dog in Manhattan for 4 years--which is kind of a dog crash course in itself!!

Both great dogs, to be sure, but I've heard that wheatens can be a bit more frenetic/unpredictable (which is where getting a dog from a reputable breeder, if buying a puppy, comes in.)

Do you and your bf want a dog you can run around with in the park and throw the ball and chase stuff and go on adventures with and the like? Wheaten.

Or, do you guys want a little one that can be your companion in the car, chill on your lap in front of the tube, go with you in the cabin on the plane, etc.

(Not that a wheaten won't jump on your lap either!)

Sorry, I'm so longwinded--I'm just a crazy dog person. If you aren't 100% on either breed, then go on petfinder.com and look around to see what shelter babies are in your area--there are probably mixes of either variety. I have a rescue mini poodle, and loved the adoption experience, and he is just a wonderful little guy. Unless my bf is deadset on a puppy, I will adopt next time too. On the other hand, I grew up with standard poodles that my family got from a VERY reputable breeder we had a relationship with. Those are really your two options: adopt/rescue, or buy from a reputable breeder. (I don't want to sound patronizing AT ALL, I just don't know your dog experience.) Please try at all costs to avoid buying a dog from a pet store or backyard breeder. 9 times out of 10 this just perpetuates the puppy mill culture.

Jeesh! LONG POST!!! I've seen bichons who melted my heart and met wheatens who could not have been sweeter, so it is really a size and personality issue--do some research on both breeds and have a chat with your honey about what kind of life/activities you envision with a dog.

.....and good luck!




eta: I just read your post again--it'd been a little while--and see that you have had a bichon before and your bf has likely had a wheaten. Sorry! So you know what you're dealing with here! I think it still comes down to lifestyle--AND who is going to do the bulk of the caring/exercizing of the dog? You really can't go wrong either way!!!

 

[jenwill]

I voted for the Wheaton, as I love that dog! But, if you are going to get any type of terrier, you have to be prepared for dealing with a terrier. They are bred to be diggers, and hunters. So, any time spent outdoors will usually result in gardens and flowers being dug up, perhaps escapes made by burrowing under fences. If they are going to be indoor dogs, they are very high energy and definitely need to be walked and interacted with often. Bichon are lower maintenance dogs- even with all that hair (although the terrier will need a bit of brushing as well).

 

[fatafelice]

I voted for the Wheaton Terrier. Mostly, I just like terriers! I''m thinking of a Norwich for my next pup (long way off, though!). My other issue has to do with grooming/mantinence. How much grooming does a Bichon require? No matter how cute they are, I don''t like that "dirty" look that some white dogs develop around their eyes and mouth. Isn''t it hard to keep their feet looking clean?

I know I will pay more attention to grooming before I get my next dog. I have two dogs now. My cocker spaniel requires lots of brushing and trimming because they are a breed with hair rather than fur (constantly growing), but she keeps herself pretty clean and sheds very,very little. I also have a boxer. Boxers have a very light coat of fur, which requires no brushing or trimming, but works its way onto every surface in my house immediately after I clean it! She also cannot be outside for any length of time without getting her feet dirty (usually from digging!). If you''ve had a Bichon, then you know what to expect, but for the Wheaton or another breed, you might try contacting some reputable breeders and asking them about any grooming concerns you might have. They should be very helpful (otherwise they are not a very good breeder!). My mom is a respected breeder and is always happy to tell people about both the pros and cons of her breed (so if you''re interested in a cocker...

).

I''m attaching a pic of my babies just because I love them so much!
(they look a little funny b/c I tried to blacken out the glowing eyes)

 

[elepri]

I voted for the Wheaten but i''m biased. I had an Irish terrier growing up so i''ll always have a soft spot for terriers. They''re both great dogs though.

 

[sparkling]

WCityGirl,

My mother has been a wheaten breeder for 30 years-she shows her dogs, she''s an AKC judge. I grew up with them. Her next door neighbor has a Bichon so I''m quite familiar with both breeds. The wheaten was the compromise dog for my parents-she wanted a scottie, he wanted an airedale.

The thing with both of the breeds you are interested in is that they won''t look like the beautiful show dogs you see in the pictures UNLESS you learn to bath, blowdry, and trim them yourself. If they air dry they will be frizzy. If they aren''t brushed alot, they will mat. If they aren''t trimmed they will look like mops. If they are sent to a local groomer they will be neat and clean but most groomers can''t do wheatens or bichons like you see them done for the show ring. In my opinion grooming dogs is a huge pain in the butt but if you want that soft coat to run your fingers over will you watch tv on the couch, that''s the way it goes I guess. Also Bichons are hard to keep white. The feet of the show dogs you see never ever touch the ground; that''s how they stay so clean.

In terms of the size issue its been my experience that most men don''t like little dogs (with the exception of a few breeds like pugs, and jack russell terriers). My ex used to say that he could pick up 20 guys at Dupont Circle in under 15 minutes if he had my cavalier king charles spaniels out for a walk by himself. If this is going to be your dog, by all means, get the bichon. If this will be the dog for both of you I''d encourage you to think of something larger; a wheaten might be good but...

The breed is having terrible health problems (mainly protien losing enteropathy and neuropathy) and its almost impossible to find one even from a good breeder that you can be fairly certain the dog won''t get sick (in contrast to if you have 2 parents who test to have clear hips, you can be pretty sure you won''t have hip dysplasia but right now the genetics are confusing and all the breeders can do is test breeding stock, breed unaffected dogs and hope for the best. However, young dogs get sick, middle aged dogs get sick (after they''ve sired many litters of puppies. Its very unpredictable. See this link. http://www.scwtca.org/bm/bmarch.asp#ple

The wheaten club is doing alot of research and raising a tremendous amount of money but right now my mother is giving people suggestions for other breeds to look at. If you want to go with a medium sized dog that doesn''t shed, try Portuguese Water Dogs. If flowing hair is important, Bearded Collies. Both breeds are much much smarter than wheatens and easier to train.

I agree that with wheatens the terrier temperment is also a factor, they will stand in the window and bark at anything and anybody coming down the street, they will hunt cats and rodents. They don''t have as much drive as a Jack Russell but they do have more than my breed (cavalier king charles spaniels). Wheatens are prone to bouncing and will leap up in the air from a stand still. I have often been knocked under the chin and bitten my tongue due to their exhuberance. If you like unfettered joy, that kind of temperment might be what you are looking for. Another terrier breed that''s similar is the kerry blue terrier but they can be even more terrieresque.

Good luck with your search. Whatever you do, please try to get a dog from a good breeder, someone who is a member of a breed club, who evaluates their breeding stock through showing and or working. Make sure you see the mother and like her appearance and temperment. Alot of people unfortunately get turned off by the snobbishness of some of these people. They want to protect their breed and they come off as suspicious and paranoid. Then buyers go to pet shops or large kennels which are really just fronts for midwestern puppy mills. But a breeder can be a really big help with your new puppy and should stand behind the dog and have an interest in making sure you end up with a puppy that really matches your life and lifestyle.

Sparkling

 

[allycat0303]

i voted for the Terrier. Not because I know anything about dogs, but I thought the Terrier was cuter.

. Good luck on your search!

 

[moremoremore]

Can I vote ''stray from a shelter''...Sorry, I couldn''t help it. best of luck with your new puppy!

 

[MaybeDayze]

Wheaten's can get very aggressive; particularly dog aggressive.
The owner of our doggie day care refuses to care for Wheaten's because of their temperament.
They can change in one second from mild mannered to very aggressive -
She contends that this is the only breed she is not confident caring for. They can be very alpha, hard to handle and hard to train.

Now, I'm not saying that this is true of all Wheatens, I have personally met some very nice ones.
I have also met some VERY mean ones - a couple in the neighborhood that have repeatedly charged ME and my Dog, a male standard poodle. This is something I would consider very carefully.

You've picked out two very different breeds.
Think about what you want out of your dog. What kind of life do you lead? and the kind do you want?
Are you very outdoorsy?

Check out the AKCs Profiles for the Breeds.

Bichon Frise - AKC Breed Breakdown

Soft Coated
Wheaten Terrier

I agree with Sparkling, Consider a Wavy coated Portuguese water dog. (Two coat styles curly coat - kind of hard and course, and the wavy which is softer and silkier.) A Medium sized hair dog, that have worked with fishermen for centuries. Portuguese W Dogs are becoming very popular. In my experience they seem to be nicely temperamented - and not overly girly.

Note* Any HAIR dog requires more grooming and maintence than your typical wash and wear dog.


Have you ever had a dog before?


My Guy

 

[Erin]

I have to vote Wheaten because we have a Fox Terrier mix and think it is a great size dog to cuddle and Mark won''t feel like he''s walking "his girlfriend''s dog." Which is actually funny because this is his dog and I used to have a Rott when we first met.

 

[wcitygirl]

Thank you so much for all your input! You all have provided me with so much food for thought!

BlueRoses -- I think that''s sort of the problem. My roommate has a Golden now and I think my bf secretly likes the rough housing he can do with it. (even though he CLAIMS to hate the dog -- I know better!

) I hate that the dog is so BIG! She can cause some serious damage to things if not careful!!! I think I''D like a lap dog! Maybe I''ll just worry about what I want and let him get his own dog! I would never buy something from a "puppy mill" sort of place. I bought my last one from a breeder and had a great experience with that. My bf has never had a dog -- so he''s a little wary of the whole thing. "You mean you want to have a LIVE ANIMAL in your house?" But, he promised I could have one, so?

Moremoremore -- I would love the idea of getting a stray or one from a shelter, but I have pretty bad allergies and can only do certain dogs (Goldens, as I''ve discovered through my roommate''s dog, are NOT one of them....) like poodles, bichons, you know -- "Hair" dogs. And I kind of want a puppy.... Which doesn''t eliminate shelter dogs per se. But, a couple of my friends have had some pretty bad experiences with dogs from shelters -- so bad, in fact, that they had to give them BACK to the shelter.

So, I''m a little wary.... But, still open to such things.... Maybe a rescue sort of situation?

Jenwill -- That''s really interesting information. I was planning on doing a garden in my next house.... That''s really good to know....

Fata -- Unfortunately, I know all about the grooming, you''re right -- it''s a chore. My consolation, though, is that at least they''re little dogs and so somewhat more manageable in the tub? My old dog was TERRIFIED of water, and I do mean terrified. It broke my heart when I had to give her a bath because she would just sit there all wet and shake and look at me with such sad eyes!!

My bf actually really liked the cocker spaniels and they aren''t out of the question. I don''t know if he realizes that they''re sort of prissy (in my experience? correct me if I''m wrong)?

Sparkling -- I''m so glad you told me about all those things going on with the breed. I realize that dogs cost money and that they all have health concerns, but it seems like it might be best to wait on the Wheaten until all that gets straightened out. You know, the funny thing is, my bf likes the Maltese better than the Bichon and I see that as even more of a girly dog. I think my bf could definitely pick up some guys with a Maltese. Has anyone seen "Best in Show?" It''s my Fav. Movie!!!

MaybeDayze -- I live sort of a varied lifestyle. I''m a city girl at heart, but I live in CO and am now training to hike a 14er (for those of you who don''t know, it can be a pretty tough). So, I feel like I could do either. I will definitely consider the Portuguese Water Dog. I had a Bichon for about 15 years and really liked it, but I was trying to find something my bf liked too? Where he wouldn''t feel lame walking it (because I want him to walk it too! Hehehe)....

Thanks for all your input and I LOVE all those puppy pics!!! I''m now obsessed with Dogster! Hahaha. Thanks everyone!!

 

[KBerly]

i voted Bichon...my pup's (who now lives with mom and dad) best friend while growing up was a Bichon...soo cute, white, and fluffy

 

[blueroses]

Portugese are great dogs--kind of a first cousin-ish to standard poodles, but a bit more "dog-y" if that makes sense. (MaybeDayze, how much do you adore your standard!!!

)


Good luck Wcity! Maybe your bf can do some volunteering for a breed-rescue group to see how he likes them?

 

[fatafelice]

Wcitygirl -- Prissy!?!? Ok, well, maybe a little!

Actually, I think it depends on a couple things...Do you mean that they "look" prissy or "act" prissy? As far as looks go, I would have to say that they are neither the most or least prissy-looking of the spaniels. I agree that a cocker in full show coat looks a little fru-fru, but 99% of people who keep them as pets keep them in much shorter coats (unless they like to brush twice a week or so!). As far as personality goes, I think it depends on the dog. Mine''s a princess, but that is because I treat her like a person, perhaps better

Some cockers, on the other hand, are more fearless, rough and tumble kinds of dogs. Color is a factor as well. Blacks and blk/tans tend to have better temperments and be more mellow than buffs or parti-colors. Overall, I think they are less "prissy" than Bichons, but that would have to be my own, somewhat biased, opinion. I''ve been around cockers since the cradle.

If your BF likes cockers, but you think they are not for you, try looking at the other spaniels. I think they are all great dogs. If you do want to go with a cocker, let me know and I''ll try and get names of good breeders in your area from my mom. Poorly bred cockers have earned a bad name for the breed when it comes to temperment (ditto many other breeds), so make sure you know where your dog is coming from!

 

[Erin]

One thing you must do for a cocker (and should do with all new dogs) is overexpose them to other people and other dogs as often as possible for the first year of their lives. Cockers can be overprotective! My mom''s dog - oh my god did I lover her - but that drove me absolutely nuts.

 

[Mara]

Get a WESTIE!!!

Our Portia is the best mix of big dog in a small dog body. My hubby who originally was kind of like...okay small 15 lb white dog, I guess...now adores our dog. She loves to go out and play with the big labs and other dogs in the park, and can really hold her own, is very mellow and affectionate (after her initial independent hyper terrier puppy stage), but we did alot of training with her. Terriers need a very firm hand...I have a friend who has a Jack and he is a hyper little creature and doesn't really listen to her. Portia is very well behaved compared to some dogs we have seen around, and we always get compliments on her. She's still a terrier though, hyper at times, can be stubborn...but so cute! The best companion.

I voted for a Wheaten because I love terriers and their temperments. They are also pretty smart..compared to alot of other dog breeds. I'm not a huge fan of the Bichon or the Maltese or those other small dogs, they are very much the lap dog, which is fine if what is what you want, but we wanted something that seemed to have a bit more personality and also had some energy! My neighbor has a white maltese, the thing is totally unfriendly, yips and bites at everyone and doesn't like to play or run at all! Total inside dog. Whereas Portia looks like she's a lap dog but in reality is a total terrier earth dog, loves to run, play, chase things, etc. But she can come inside and calm down when required.

Okay I'll stop here, I could go on forever. I have to say also that I adore dogs, they are the best and I'd probably fall in love with whatever I got, but be sure you get one from a REPUTABLE breeder, and not a backyard breeder or any of those random puppies.com websites like that one with the wheaten picture you posted where they pose their dogs with items (I hate that!)..I do not trust those types of places. Or you can get a rescue, see if they have organizations near you for a specific breed.

Be prepared to have your life consumed by the new pet!! And it's expensive. But we adore our little girl...we may not even have kids now..hehee.

Edited to add: here is our thread on our new puppy with pictures from the very beginning!
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-addition-to-our-family.16283/

 

[Morticia]

Other than voting "shelter", if you are interested in dog''s that don''t shed. Havanese are adorable and lovable too. Otherwise, I''d vote for a Bichon b/c Wheaten''s are just way to high strung for my taste. Good luck.

Also, I''m sure there are Wheaten and Bichon rescues.