Bichon Frise vs Maltese
Side by side
Bichon Frise
Maltese
Height
Males 24.1–29.2 cm; females 24.1–29.2 cm (breed club figure)1
Males 21–25 cm; females 20–23 cm2
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Daily brushing
Exercise
A modest amount
Health
Sudden-onset diarrhoea (more likely)8
Class
Lap dog
Lap dog
Which suits you
Size
The Bichon Frise is much larger: about 6.8 kg (15 lb) as an adult, against 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) for the Maltese.
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Bichon Frise holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out, the Maltese sheds through the year.
Grooming
The Maltese needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Bichon Frise needs brushing a few times a week.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (Bichon Frise: friendly with everyone; Maltese: sticks close to its people).
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Bichon Frise
Companion & toy · Small
In temperament the Bichon is cheerful, sociable and quick to learn, qualities that suited its years as a performer.
Maltese
Companion & toy · Toy
In temperament the Maltese is gentle and affectionate, lively and playful, and quick to respond to its people.
Breed traits
Day to day
Bichon Frise
Maltese
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Suits a first-time owner
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Bichon Frise
Maltese
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Friendly with everyone
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Bichon Frise
Maltese
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Bichon Frise grows to the heavier adult, about 6.8 kg against the Maltese's 3.5 kg.
Bichon Frise
Maltese
More comparisons
Compare the Bichon Frise with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Bichon Frise breed page. ↑
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- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
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- 9Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 10Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 11American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 12
Parts of this page were written by AI ·