How much does a Bichon Frise cost per year?

After the first year, a Bichon Frise costs approximately $2,400 per year on average, covering food ($415), vet care ($490), grooming ($715), and insurance ($540).

smalldog14 yr lifespan

How Much Does a Bichon Frise Cost?

Q: Is a Bichon Frise expensive to own?

Bichon Frises have a lifetime ownership cost of approximately $35,230 over 14 years. Annual running costs average $2,400/yr, putting them in the mid-range for annual ownership costs.

The Bichon Frise is a small-sized dog whose ownership costs reflect its size, coat, and energy level. Expect to budget for frequent grooming sessions to keep their coat healthy and free of mats. Routine preventive care — vaccinations, parasite control, and annual check-ups — makes up most of the ongoing vet budget. Day-to-day costs are driven mainly by food, routine vet care, and basic supplies.

Get My Personalised Estimate

$4,030

First Year Total

inc. one-time setup

$2,400

Annual Ongoing

per year from year 2

$35,230

Lifetime Estimate

over 14 years

What these figures assume: US national average pricing, own home (no pet deposit), standard food, grooming at the breed's typical frequency, insurance and professional training included, no daycare, routine dental care only. See how this is calculated or change these assumptions.

First Year Costs (inc. setup)

Purchase / Adoption Fee

Varies by breeder vs rescue

$325

Initial Vet Visit & Vaccinations

Spay/neuter, microchip, health check

$490

Starter Supplies

Bed, crate, collar, bowls, toys

$555

Training Classes

Basic obedience recommended

$260

First Year Food

$415

First Year Vet Care

$490

First Year Grooming

$715

First Year Insurance

$540

Total$4,030

Annual Ongoing Costs (Year 2+)

Food

$415

Vet Care

$490

Grooming

$715

Pet Insurance

$540

Supplies & Toys

$165

Total$2,400

Budget for emergencies

We recommend keeping $2,000 in a dedicated emergency fund for unexpected vet bills.

What Bichon Frise costs actually look like

The Bichon Frise is a small-sized dog breed living an average of 14 years. Grooming is its largest running cost at $715 a year, or 30% of the annual total — well above the 21% a typical small dog spends on it, and the line most worth planning around.

At $2,400 a year it is dearer to keep than 78% of the 64 small dog breeds costed here. Across 14 years that compounds to about $35,230.

Annual cost alone is misleading over a lifetime. The Pomeranian is cheaper year to year at $2,310, but lives 16 years to the Bichon Frise's 14 — so it reaches $38,895 in total, $3,665 more. Longevity is a cost, not just a comfort.

These figures are US national averages — your actual costs will vary based on your city, lifestyle, and whether you use a breeder or rescue organisation. Use our calculator above to get a personalised estimate.

What drives Bichon Frise costs

The Bichon Frise is a small dog with a large dog's grooming bill. At about $715 a year, grooming is its single biggest running cost and roughly 30% of a $2,400 annual total — the white, curly, low-shedding coat does not drop hair, which means it keeps growing and mats tight to the skin if left. A full professional groom every four to six weeks is maintenance, not indulgence, and a neglected coat ends in a sedated strip-down costing several times a routine appointment.

The same coat is why the breed is popular with allergy-sensitive households, and that trade-off is worth stating plainly: you are exchanging shedding for a standing appointment. Owners who learn to bath, dry and clip at home can move a real share of that $715 onto their own time, but the frequency cannot be reduced without the coat suffering.

Medically the breed's pattern is chronic and low-grade rather than catastrophic. Atopic dermatitis is the classic Bichon problem — recurrent itching and skin infection managed over years with medicated washes, diet trials and sometimes long-term medication, each cheap on its own and expensive in aggregate. Dental disease, luxating patellas and bladder stones round out the list. This is precisely the cost shape insurance handles badly once a condition is established, so cover taken out before the first flare is worth considerably more than cover taken out after it.

Written by Darren Newland. Health information here summarises published veterinary and breed-health sources for cost-planning purposes and is not clinical advice — we do not have a veterinarian on staff. Talk to your vet about your own animal.

How to save on Bichon Frise costs

→Learn to maintain the coat yourself. At $715 a year, grooming is one of this breed's largest running costs. Booking a professional groom quarterly instead of monthly, and brushing and bathing at home in between, is the single biggest saving available on a Bichon Frise — typically $286–$358 a year.
→Insure early, before anything is pre-existing. At $540 a year, insurance is one of the larger predictable costs — but Bichon Frises insured as puppies see lower premiums and, more importantly, no pre-existing-condition exclusions. Every condition that appears before cover starts is excluded for life, which is why waiting is the expensive option.
→Adopt rather than buy. Rescue organisations typically charge $150–$400, against $325+ from a breeder — a difference of about $50. Adult dogs from shelters usually arrive vaccinated and desexed, which also removes part of the $490 initial vet bill.
→Do not over-buy on food. Food is a modest $415 a year for this breed. Bulk buying saves little at this volume and risks the bag going stale, so buying a quality food in sensible quantities beats chasing bulk discounts.
→Build an emergency fund. We suggest $2,000 in a dedicated pet savings account for a small breed. A single emergency surgery runs $3,000–$8,000 without insurance, and four in five owners face an unexpected veterinary bill at some point.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Bichon Frise cost?

A Bichon Frise typically costs $4,030 in the first year, including the purchase or adoption fee ($325), initial vet visits ($490), supplies ($555), and the first year of food, grooming, and insurance. Annual ongoing costs from year two are approximately $2,400/year.

How much does a Bichon Frise cost per month?

After the first year, a Bichon Frise costs approximately $200/month on average. This covers food ($35/month), vet care ($41/month), grooming ($60/month), and insurance ($45/month).

Is a Bichon Frise expensive to own?

Bichon Frises cost approximately $2,400/year to maintain — in the mid-range for annual dog ownership costs. Over their 14-year lifespan, total costs come to around $35,230.

How much does a Bichon Frise puppy cost?

A Bichon Frise puppy from a reputable breeder typically costs $325. Rescue or shelter adoption fees are usually $150–$400 and often include initial vaccinations and desexing. Remember the purchase price is just one part of the first-year cost of $4,030.

Why is grooming so expensive for such a small dog?

Because the coat never sheds. A Bichon's curly white hair keeps growing rather than dropping, so it mats tight against the skin without a full professional groom every four to six weeks — about $715 a year, roughly 30% of the breed's $2,400 annual cost. Letting it go does not save money: a matted coat usually has to be clipped off under sedation, which costs several times a routine appointment.

Does the Bichon's low-shedding coat really help with allergies?

It helps with shedding, which is not quite the same thing. The coat traps hair and dander rather than releasing it into the home, which many allergy-sensitive owners find easier to live with, but no dog is truly hypoallergenic. The trade-off is financial rather than medical: you exchange vacuuming for a standing grooming appointment that costs about $715 a year and cannot safely be skipped.