How Much Does A Bichon Frise Cost? Price And Expenses

Are you looking to buy a Bichon Frise? If you are, you’re probably wondering how much a Bichon Frise costs.

Not everyone is willing to go around and ask all Bichon Frise breeders about the price of their puppies. In fact, not many people are willing to discuss the price in the first place. This can make the buying process much more uncertain than it should be.

To help aspiring buyers out, we have looked at many active listings of Bichon Frises for sale in order to see what the average price is that you can get these puppies for.

We’ve also spoken to many Bichon Frise owners to see what the costs of living with a Bichon are, so you can know how much money you need if you want this pooch to be your lifelong companion.

Here is what we’ve found out:

How Much Does A Bichon Frise Cost – Price Chart

Before we get into an in-depth discussion about how much a Bichon Frise cost, you can take a look at this chart to see how much money you can expect to spend on your new family pet:

Bichon Frise Cost – First Year

Total cost:	$2,838 - $5,138
Initial price:	$700 – $3,000
Puppy food:	$945
Pet insurance:	$240
Vaccinations and deworming:	$100
Flea and tick medication:	$200
Vet visits:	$400
Pet license:	$20
Food and water bowl:	$11
Dog bed:	$40
Leash and collar:	$20
Dog crate:	$44
Dog toys:	$23
Dog treats:	$25
Dog brush:	$40
Dog shampoo:	$10
Poop scooper:	$20

After the first year, the initial cost will be much lower. However, there are still some monthly expenses you can expect.

How Much Does a Bichon Frise Cost Monthly

Total cost:	$160
Dog food:	$85
Dog treats:	$25
Pet insurance:	$50
Flea and tick medication:	$50
Various pet supplies:	$10

How Much Do Bichon Frise Puppies Cost?

The first expense that comes when you’re going to become a Bichon Frise owner is the initial price of buying your puppy.

On average, you can expect to get a Bichon Frise costing between $700 and $2,500. However, if you’re asking people how much a Bichon Frise costs, you can hear about people paying $3,000 or even more!

This is because the cost of a Bichon Frise can vary due to many different factors, and some breeders decide to sell their puppies at a much higher price for various reasons that we’ll get into in a minute.

Why Are Bichon Frises So Expensive?

If you were looking at how much a Bichon Frise costs, and you’ve seen the high price tag, you are probably wondering why these pups are so expensive.

Bichon Frise dogs aren’t rare. Rare dogs tend to be more expensive than the ones that are commonly found. However, this isn’t the case with Bichon Frise puppies.

The main reason why the Bichon Frise has such a sizable price tag is due to various health problems they are prone to. As such, breeders have to conduct various health tests to make sure their dogs are healthy.

These health tests cost a lot of money, and a breeder has to repay these expenses somehow. This is why they have to raise the price of their pups.

Of course, this isn’t an attempt to discourage you from buying a Bichon Frise puppy. If you buy from a reputable breeder, you’ll get a healthy dog that isn’t likely to have too many vet visits. It’s simply to explain why this dog breed’s price tag is so high.

Factors That Influence The Bichon Frise Price

The price of a Bichon Frise can vary depending on many factors. This is why when you look at how much a Bichon Frise costs, you can see prices that go on both sides of the spectrum.

This is because the value of a dog varies depending on many things that can fluctuate. As time passes, these factors can change, leading to a change in price.

These are the factors that influence the price of a Bichon Frise:

• Dog quality: A Bichon Frise, just like all other dog breeds, may vary by different quality types: pet quality, show quality, and rescue dogs. Show quality dogs are the most expensive of all.

• The Breeder’s reputation: The only location where you can be certain you’ll get well-raised, top-quality dogs is reputable breeders. However, they are also much more expensive than if you were to get a puppy from a backyard breeder or an animal shelter.

• Gender: Not many people are aware of this, but female dogs tend to be more expensive than male dogs as they can give birth to new puppies.

• Pedigree: The Bichon’s bloodline is another essential factor on whether you’ll pay a premium price or not. If a breeder can provide paperwork that your dog comes from a great lineage, that puppy will cost more.

• Health tests: High-quality breeders will always conduct medical screenings that can help determine whether their breeding stock is healthy. This way, they’ll produce only top-quality puppies. However, these tests cost money, so the breeders have to raise their prices.

• Coat color: Coat color can affect a dog’s price. While Bichon Frises usually come in a white coat color, they can come in a few more varieties. The rarer the variety, the higher the price.

• Area: Certain dog breeds are more popular in a certain area. For example, small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and Bichon Frises, are more popular in urban areas where lots of people live in apartments. As a result, they’ll cost more in city areas.

• Breed popularity: Some breeds have a period of ‘trending’ when it’s cool to own them. While there are many reasons why buying trending breeds isn’t recommended as it contributes to a high number of dogs on the streets, popular breeds also experience a rise in price.

Where To Buy A Bichon Frise

When looking at how much a Bichon Frise costs, you will notice how the price varies depending on the place where you buy the dog.

This is because there is more than one type of breeder. In fact, you can find three. They will not only have a different price, but breed different quality of dogs.

We’ll explain.

Reputable Breeders

The only way you can be certain your pup will be healthy is to buy from reputable breeders who will conduct all the necessary health testing.
You can know whether you’re dealing with reputable breeders or not by looking at a few features they might have. For example, they’ll prefer to meet you in person and to conduct a background check and screening in order to make sure you are the right owner for their dog.

They’ll also provide you with all the necessary documents of their dogs. This includes a health certification that proves their Bichon Frise doesn’t have any hereditary condition, proof of vaccinations and deworming, as well as a pedigree and proof of the dog’s lineage.

Reputable breeders will be there to help you be the best Bichon Frise owner possible. This includes informing you about all necessary details about the breed, including the temperament, possible health problems, grooming needs, daily activities, and so on.

They’ll do all they can to help you raise your puppy properly. At the same time, they’ll usually refuse to give you a dog until he is at least 8 weeks old. This is because they want to ensure that their puppies have enough time to socialize with their mom and littermates, and that they are strong enough to handle changes in the environment.

Some reputable breeders will even refuse to sell their puppies until they are spayed/neutered. This is especially the case with pet-quality dogs.

Also, most reputable breeders will be registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) or another major kennel club in your area and country, such as the UKC or the FCI.

Reputable breeders have to charge a higher price for their services. This is why most breeders will sell their Bichon Frise puppies at a price of $1,000 to $2,000.

Keep in mind, though, that this is only the price for pet-quality dogs. If you’re looking for show-quality puppies that come from champion bloodlines, the average puppy price is $3,000. However, they can cost much more – up to tens of thousands!

Backyard Breeders

Backyard breeders don’t necessarily breed dogs in their back yard. However, they don’t have the experience or knowledge in breeding Bichon Frises, which is why they are not considered responsible breeders.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all of these small dogs that are bought from backyard breeders will be of bad quality. However, buying from them is risky for more than one reason, which is why you might want to proceed with the purchase with caution.

Many backyard breeders are dog owners who have ended up with an unwanted and unplanned litter that they now want to sell. Essentially, there is nothing wrong with that.

However, backyard breeders don’t really care who they give their dogs to. Even when they truly want to provide their dogs with proper care, they do not know how to conduct a proper screening process, so they won’t have any way of knowing whether they’ve picked the right owners.

Many backyard breeders don’t sell the pups at their homes as this isn’t a proper breeding site. Instead, they use various selling platforms such as eBay or Craigslist.

Not just that, but they cannot provide you with any certification about the dog’s background or health as they don’t have any. Chances are they are also clueless about the breed, and will immediately state that they are not accountable if something happens to the puppy you’ve bought.

Because of all of this, they can sell their pups at a fairly lower price compared to reputable breeders. Many of their dogs will be sold at a price of between $700 and $1,500.

However, some backyard breeders will sell their pups at a higher price, sometimes even up to $2,000. Don’t let the price be the only thing that will make you want to buy a dog from someone.

Puppy Mills

Puppy mills are, as their name suggests, a place for breeding puppies. They are sometimes known as large commercial breeders. Their only goal is to breed as many puppies as quickly as possible, so they can sell them and profit.

Purchasing a Bichon Frise puppy from a puppy mill is never a good choice. Dogs from puppy mills are often bred and raised in an unsanitary environment, and they aren’t given any socialization or dog training. They are often even starved as there are too many dogs that require feeding.

Puppy mills will never sell dogs at their premises as they breed dogs in bad facilities. They won’t have any medical paperwork as they don’t conduct any tests. Many puppies that they will present to you will be dirty or look sickly, and they won’t guarantee that their dogs are healthy.

Also, the only thing you’ll be required to do in order to buy a puppy from them is to give them your money. In fact, they sell puppies at a much lower price than regular breeders. You can buy dogs from them for as low as $700.

Also, many pet stores buy their puppies from puppy mills. We would never recommend getting a Bichon Frise from either of these places.

How Much Does It Cost To Adopt A Bichon Frise?

If you would like to become a Bichon Frise owner, but don’t feel like paying such a high initial price or don’t think that buying dogs is a morally good thing, you can choose to adopt a Bichon Frise from a local animal shelter or a rescue organization.

This is likely the most affordable option. If you have wondered how much a Bichon Frise puppy costs at the shelter – he won’t cost you a thing! You’ll only have to pay an adoption fee, which is the same for every dog at that specific location.

As such, you can get a Bichon Frise at the mere cost of between $50 and $500!

However, there is a catch. While adopting is a good deed since you’ll be providing an abandoned dog with a new home, you need to be aware that you won’t have any insight into the dog’s background.

As such, you might get an unhealthy dog with lots of health issues that are in his genetics. Not just that, but there’s no way of knowing whether your pooch is purebred or a mixed breed!

At the same time, many abandoned dogs have been abused or have come from a place they were neglected in. As such, they might require some additional obedience training and socialization, or a special type of dog food. All of this can increase the monthly maintenance cost.

How Much Does A Bichon Frise Cost Per Month?

The expenses don’t just end once you’ve bought your Bichon puppy. You’ll still have to spend a certain amount of money on them each month on items such as dog food and toys.

We’ve already listed all of the costs in the charts above. Still, here is an in-depth overview of most of them:

Dog Food And Treats

Bichon Frises are small dogs. As such, they won’t eat a large amount of food. This is a good thing as you’ll be cutting down on costs.

However, they have many health problems, which is why the dog food you buy for them has to be of high quality. Fortunately, there are many good brands and products online on sites such as Chewy and Amazon.

If we look at the average cost of good brands and the amount of food that a Bichon Frise requires, you can expect to pay approximately $85 on kibble each month.

Also, most owners love to give their dogs treats from time to time, especially as positive reinforcements. Just remember that treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of their daily food intake.

With all that said, you can expect to spend around $25 on dog treats.

Grooming Items

Bichon Frises are hypoallergenic dogs that don’t shed that much. The same can be said for many other curly dogs such as Poodles and Maltese. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t require regular grooming.

While visits to a professional groomer are an expense on their own, you will also need to invest in some grooming items. It’s important to keep in mind that Bichons are expensive dogs when it comes to coat maintenance. They require the best brush and the best shampoo in order to keep their white coat looking the best.

You can expect a good brush to cost up to $40, and a good dog shampoo costs at least $10.

Dog Items And Toys

Each dog has its own set of required items. Many are deemed necessities. For example, every pup requires a food and a water bowl, which usually costs around $11!

Also, each dog requires a dog bed. While Bichons need a small bed, choosing a high-quality one is essential as they can spend up to 20 hours in one! These are not active dogs, and they can spend most of their day lying down. A good, cozy bed for small dogs usually costs around $40.

Dog toys, especially chew toys, are a necessity for such playful pups. Fortunately, chew toys aren’t that expensive, and you’ll likely spend only $23 on them.

Cleaning Supplies

If your puppy isn’t potty trained yet, expect him to make some messes. A good urine cleaner can do wonders to get rid of bad odor and smell. For a cleaning supply, they aren’t cheap, but they are not too expensive either. Expect to pay around $25.

You’ll also need a poop scooper so the dog’s feces doesn’t stay in your back yard for days. It can be purchased for $20.

Additional Expenses

There are some expenses that aren’t exactly a necessity, but they can make your life and, more importantly, the life of your Bichon puppy much more comfortable. Here’s what they are:

• Doggy day care services are a good option for a young pup that needs to be socialized. This usually costs around $15 a day.

• Pet walking services are designed for owners who are busy working and don’t have enough time to take their pup for a walk. You can expect to pay about $15 a day. Just remember that Bichons are prone to separation anxiety, and being with a professional dog walker isn’t the same as spending time with their favorite family member.

• A professional trainer isn’t a necessity for small dogs, but it can help if you have a dog with a temper. For this service, you should pay around $100.

• On the other hand, a professional dog groomer can help provide your dog with the care that you cannot provide. You should take your Bichon to a groomer 6 to 10 times a year. Each service will cost you between $40 and $60.

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses can be hard to predict. This is because they will depend on your dog’s overall health and genetics.

In general, Bichon Frise dogs are prone to many health conditions. Most of them are orthopedic, such as hip dysplasia and patellar luxation. This is why regular checkups with your vet are a necessity.

Still, if you buy a healthy dog from a reputable breeder, you can expect him to live to his full lifespan, which is 10 to 15 years.

Flea and tick medications are something that needs to be done annually, and you can expect to pay $50 for them. In general, an annual vet visit costs around $150.

Some costs are one-time only. For example, if you want to have a microchip on your dog, this will cost you, on average, $45. If you want to neuter your Bichon, this will cost you around $50. However, spaying is more expensive, and this will cost you up to a few hundred dollars.

Unfortunately, if your dog happens to get sick, the treatment can be very expensive. Some surgeries can cost $1,000 or more, and certain medications need to be taken lifelong.

Is A Bichon Frise A Good Dog For You?

Photo from: @barbi.bichon

Now that you know how much a Bichon Frise costs, it’s a good moment to determine whether this is the right dog breed for you.

Bichon Frises are small dogs that make an amazing family dog breed. As they are well-mannered and calm, they usually won’t require expensive dog training and socialization. They also don’t cost much to feed, and their items such as toys and beds are rather affordable.

However, they require bimonthly groomer visits, and they are prone to some health conditions that can be very expensive to treat.

Not to mention their fairly high initial price!

As such, it’s important to be certain that you can afford to take lifelong care of your dog. Your Bichon will likely be with you for more than a decade, and you need to be able to provide him with everything he needs throughout the years.

If you have the means to take care of a Bichon Frise, we welcome you to buy one. These pups are great for all families, including the ones with small kids.