The poochon dog is a hybrid breed between a poodle and a bichon frisé originating in Australia. The poochon is an energetic, sociable, affectionate, playful dog, very loyal and dependent on his handlers, so much so that he can suffer from separation anxiety. Education, however, does not usually give many problems, the best form of training being positive reinforcement.
With regard to care, we must especially take into account that they must be offered long daily walks, as well as keeping their fur sanitized so that knots do not form. Regarding their he alth, although they are usually very he althy, they have a higher risk of endocrine, eye, bone or blood diseases as their parents have a greater predisposition to suffer from them. Keep reading this page on our site to learn more about the poochon dog, its origin, character, characteristics, care, education, he alth and where it can be adopted.
Origin of the poochon dog
The poochon dog consists of a hybrid between the small poodle and the bichon frize, it is not a pure breed as such today. The poochon is also called by names such as bichon poodle, bishapoo, bichon poo, bichpoo, or bich-poo.
This hybrid breed originated in Australia in the late 1990s, being bred to satisfy the desire of families who they were looking for an active dog, sociable with children and hypoallergenic. This hybrid quickly caused interest in the United Kingdom and the United States, where they also began to develop it. Today it is very widespread.
This is a dog recognized by the International Designer Canine Registry and the Designer Dogs Kennel Club.
Physical Characteristics of the Poochon Dog
They are small, but robust dogs with a abundant and woolly coat The physical appearance will vary depending on whether it looks more like one or the other of the parents, especially the size of the poodle, which can be very different. In addition, these other characteristics of the poochon stand out:
- The average weight is between 4 and 10 kg, and the height between 20 and 30 cm.
- Its head is proportionate, with round, very dark eyes.
- The snout is flat and the nose is dark, brown or black.
- The spine has a curve that makes it aesthetic and striking.
- The body is proportionate and robust.
Poochon colors
Poochon fur is fluffy, shaggy, wavy or curly, dense and very soft. The color of this fur can be very varied, including the following colors:
- White.
- Sun tanning.
- Apricot.
- Brown.
- Gray.
- Black.
- Tricolor.
Poochon Dog Character
Poochons are energetic, vital, playful, intelligent, friendly dogs and affectionate with their families, children included. They also get along well with other dogs, especially if they have been trained as puppies.
Being so playful and energetic they demand a lot of attention and frequent trips outside. However, they have a tendency to bark when left alone for a long time, as they are very dependent on the company of their caregivers, as well as suffering from separation anxiety, manifested with destruction of household objects.
Poochon Dog Education
The poochon inherited from the poodle its high intelligence and learnability, so it is not a very difficult breed to train, even at very young ages. They usually learn well with few repetitions. In addition, the strong bond with their caregivers makes the task much easier.
As with other dogs, the best type of training is the one that is done with positive reinforcement, which consists of a form of conditioning in which good conduct or behaviors are rewarded, without punishment for bad ones. Positive reinforcement has the advantages of not being traumatic and being faster and more efficient than other forms of learning.
Poochon dog care
The main care of the poochon dog are detailed below:
- Long walks and exercises to release your great energy, at least an hour a day.
- Games at home as a combination of exercise outside the home.
- Ear cleaning to prevent otitis at least once a week.
- Daily teeth cleaning to prevent tartar and periodontal disease.
- Frequent brushing, every two days, to prevent the formation of knots.
- Bath every few weeks or once a month at the dog groomer to trim the hair if necessary.
- Trimming nails regularly and as long as they are long.
- Routine vaccination and deworming.
- Frequent veterinary check-ups, at least once a year.
- Food according to the physiological moment, age, activity and individual climatic conditions with a complete and good quality feed for the canine species. The daily amount must be well controlled so as not to overdo it, they have a tendency to be overweight as they are very gluttonous.
Poochon Dog He alth
The life expectancy of poochons is estimated to be between 12 and 15 years Being a first generation hybrid, they tend to appear less frequently hereditary diseases, however there are several common diseases in the bichon and poodle and they must be taken into account when we have a poochon, being especially controlled with veterinary check-ups. These pathologies are:
- Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease): an endocrine disease in which there is deficient production of mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) and glucocorticoids by part of the adrenal glands. The main symptoms are anorexia, weight loss, weakness, intermittent vomiting, muscle tremors, dehydration, lethargy, and hypothermia.
- Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease): an endocrine disease in which there is an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone. The most frequent symptoms are polyuria-polydipsia, obesity, distension of the abdomen, bilateral symmetrical alopecia, enlarged liver, thinning of the skin, increased appetite, exercise intolerance, muscular atrophy, anoestrus in females and testicular atrophy in males..
- Progressive retinal atrophy: disease in which the photoreceptors of the retina (rods and cones) progressively degenerate. The retina is the part of the eye that focuses the images detected by the lens and converts them into electrical signals that it sends to the brain via the optic nerve to enable vision. If this structure degenerates, vision is progressively lost until it can cause total or partial blindness in the poochon dog.
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: consists of avascular necrosis of the head of the femur, the thigh bone that joins to the hip It occurs when blood stops reaching the area, causing ischemia, wear and necrosis of that part of the bone. The main symptoms are hip pain, tenderness, cracking, lameness, and muscle atrophy.
- Patella dislocation: The patella is a small bone that sits in the trochlea, which is a part of the femur that articulates in the knee joint. Sometimes that patella can be displaced, causing dislocation. In this case the dog will present clinical signs such as lameness, annoyance and discomfort.
- Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: pathology in which the dog's red blood cells are destroyed by the immune system, causing a decrease in hematocrit (% of total red blood cells), with consequent signs of anemia such as tachycardia and tachypnea, pallor or yellowing of the mucous membranes, weakness and lethargy.
Where to adopt a poochon dog
Poochons can be somewhat hard to find as they are not a very popular breed. Before adopting it, moreover, we must stop to think if we really have the time that these dogs require, since if we work many hours away from home and when we are at home we do not have time to dedicate time to games or long walks, it is better not to adopt this breed.
If, on the other hand, we are capable of offering everything these dogs need, adoption is the best way to acquire one. You can ask at refugios y protectoras nearby the availability of a copy. If they do not have them, sometimes they can report on others that have them or some way to be able to adopt them. Another way is to search the internet for a rescue association for these dogs or their parent breeds, if their hybrid offspring do not exist.
