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The Corgi Bichon is a charming, playful, and affectionate hybrid resulting from crossing the Pembroke Welsh Corgi with the Bichon Frise. Though this isn’t a super trendy designer dog breed (yet), these sweet and adorable pups have a lot to offer their owners. Read on to learn more about the Corgi Bichon to determine if it’ll be the right breed for you.
Breed Overview
Colors:
Fawn, sable, black and tan, red, white, cream, apricot, buff
Suitable for:
First-time dog owners, families with children, apartment dwellers
Temperament:
Alert, affectionate, peppy, intelligent, playfulAlert, affectionate, peppy, intelligent, playful
The Corgi Bichon blends the playful and cheerful temperament of the Bichon Frise with the fun-loving and sometimes stubborn nature of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. They’re highly affectionate and bond tightly with their humans, offering many years of companionship and love.
Corgi Bichon Characteristics
Corgi Bichon Puppies
The Corgi Bichon puppy is a high-energy, bold pet that loves to wrestle with their siblings and yearns for guidance from their owners. They’re endlessly curious and playful and will thrive being the center of attention in your home.
The Corgi Bichon may be a challenging hybrid to find as these pups aren’t as popular as other designer dog breeds. In fact, we were unable to find any breeders in our research dedicated solely to producing this hybrid. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find one. These pups definitely exist, but you may have better luck finding them at your local rescue or animal shelter versus adopting one from a breeder.
Corgi Bichon Origin & History
The exact origin of the Corgi Bichon mixed breed is unknown. However, this is likely a new hybrid developed as a result of the increased interest in “designer dogs” over the last two decades.
We do, however, know all about the history of the Corgi Bichon’s parent breeds.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was developed in Pembrokeshire, a country in the south-west of Wales. They are descended from the Spitz family of dogs and were initially bred to herd cattle.
The Bichon Frise is a Franco-Belgian breed developed specifically for their domestic companionship. They were favored companions for noblemen and noblewomen of France and Italy, though they do have a history of being circus performers.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Corgi Bichon
The Corgi Bichon is an amiable and outgoing mixed breed with high energy and a large dog mentality, all packed into a small body. They are active and animated and always want to be part of the action.
This mixed breed can happily spend their day being a lap dog, but only if they have adopted their Bichon Frise parent’s temperament. Corgis are not lap dogs, but they still will want to be included with their family members for all the fun activities and adventures.
The intelligence of the Corgi Bichon can vary greatly depending on which parent your pup inherits their intelligence from. Pembroke Corgis are considered the 11th most intelligent dog breed, while the Bichon Frise is in 45th place. Their Corgi side falls into the “excellent working dog” category, understanding new commands within 5 to 15 repetitions and obeying the first command 85% of the time (or better). The Bichon Frise falls into the “average working/obedience intelligence” category, understanding new commands within 25 to 40 repetitions and obeying the first command half the time (or better).
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡
The Corgi Bichon’s excellent disposition can make them a fantastic dog for families. They’re known to develop extraordinary bonds with their humans, so these pups can be lifelong friends for your young children. They may prefer older children simply because they’ll be more respectful and understanding of boundaries.
This mixed breed may inherit herding instincts from their Corgi side, which means they may try to herd your kids and nip at their heels. Young children should always be supervised when in the presence of your dog to ensure not only their safety but your pup’s as well.
The Corgi Bichon’s loyalty, combined with their natural alertness, can make them fantastic watchdogs. Despite their small size, they have a pretty loud bark and are likely to be very protective of their owners.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽
The Corgi Bichon can get along with other pets they share their home with. However, the Corgi’s herding instinct can sometimes mean a bit of chaos in homes where they feel they need to chase and herd smaller pets.
Early socialization is vital in promoting a harmonious multi-pet or multi-species home. Additionally, animals that are raised together are generally more likely to get along than those introduced at varying life stages.
Things to Know When Owning a Corgi Bichon
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
Like all dog breeds, the Corgi Bichon thrives on a high-quality, complete, and balanced diet approved for their current life stage. Puppies have different nutritional requirements than their adult and senior counterparts, so ensure you feed them a puppy-specific formula until your pet is at least one year old. Once they reach around seven or eight years of age, your vet may recommend switching them to a senior diet to ensure their needs are being met. Dog food formulated for seniors often contains vitamins and minerals their aging bodies need for optimal health.
Dogs fed a well-balanced food should get all the vitamins and minerals their bodies need, though your vet may recommend some supplements depending on your pup’s overall health. In the case of the Corgi Bichon, supplements containing glucosamine or chondroitin can be great for joint health, while omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to support coat and skin health and act as an anti-inflammatory.
This breed may be prone to obesity and its related conditions, so it’s essential to keep a close eye on portion sizing to prevent overfeeding. Treats should also be included in your pup’s daily caloric intake to ensure they don’t account for too much of their daily diet.
Exercise 🐕
The Corgi Bichon will require around an hour of physical activity daily to prevent boredom and its associated problem behaviors. Well-exercised and mentally stimulated pups will be less likely to dig or chew if they’re alone for too long or are allowed to get bored.
If they follow in the footsteps of their Corgi parent, they’ll require a lot of mental stimulation. Remember, this breed was initially used for herding, so these pups will thrive best in environments where they’re given a job to do.
Fun activities for your Corgi Bichon can include obedience and agility training, rallying, herding, fetch, and tug-of-war. If your pup takes after the Corgi side more, they’ll likely prefer more mentally stimulating and athletic activities, while the Bichon Frise side is inclined to enjoy more laidback activities like walks and games.
Training 🦮
The Corgi Bichon is a highly trainable mixed breed, thanks to their innate desire to please their humans. They genuinely enjoy being loved and thrive on attention, so the more positive feedback you give your pup during training, the quicker they’ll catch on.
However, Bichon Frise dogs have a reputation for being hard to housebreak, and Corgis can sometimes be stubborn, so keep that in mind as you begin training. Sessions should be consistent but short to keep your pup’s attention.
Grooming ✂️
The grooming regimen for a Corgi Bichon will depend entirely on which parent the pup has taken after.
Pembroke Corgis have thick, weatherproof double coats. They shed year-round, but especially so in the late spring or early summer. Daily brushings with a slicker brush or comb can remove some of the shed before it has a chance to detach and float around your home. Baths can be helpful during shedding season to loosen dead hairs.
The Bichon Frise has a long double coat consisting of curly hair. They don’t shed much and are actually an excellent option for some folks with allergies; however, it is essential to remember that no dog breed is 100% hypoallergenic. If your Corgi Bichon takes after their Bichon parent, you will need to brush them daily to prevent knots and mats, and monthly trips to the groomer are necessary to keep them looking neat and tidy.
Health and Conditions ❤️
While the Corgi Bichon should be a relatively healthy mixed breed, these dogs may be prone to the same health conditions as their parents.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis can be born with or develop abnormal joints, which may lead to elbow and hip dysplasia. They’re prone to a congenital heart condition known as patent ductus arteriosus and a spinal degeneration illness called degenerative myelopathy. They can also inherit a bleeding disorder known as von Willebrand’s disease, which inhibits their ability to form blood clots.
Bichon Frise may be prone to developing diabetes mellitus and eye conditions like corneal dystrophy and cataracts. They are also one of the most commonly diagnosed breeds with struvite and calcium oxalate bladder stones.
Both Corgis and Bichon Frise can be prone to dental disease.
Minor Conditions
- Dental disease
- Eye conditions
Serious Conditions
- Heart conditions
- Joint conditions
- von Willebrand’s disease
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Diabetes
- Bladder stones
Male vs Female
The most significant difference between male and female Corgi Bichons is their appearance, and even so, the difference in size is negligible compared to other dog breeds.
Males can be anywhere between 10 and 12 inches in height, while females are between 9 and 12 inches. Weight-wise, both sexes can weigh as little as 12 pounds (if they favor their Bichon Frise parent) or as heavy as 31 pounds.
There is little to no difference between the sexes in terms of temperament.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Corgi Bichon
1. Corgi Bichons may be prone to separation anxiety.
The Corgi Bichon bonds so tightly with their humans that they can develop separation anxiety if they’re left alone for too long. Dogs with this condition may howl excessively, have accidents despite being housebroken, chew things, dig up your yard, drool excessively, and even try to escape.
2. Corgi Bichons can adapt to numerous living environments.
This hybrid can be a fantastic apartment dog. However, they will still require daily exercise outdoors, especially if your apartment building doesn’t have an outdoor, dog-friendly courtyard.
3. Corgi Bichons can be a good dog for first-time owners.
The Corgi Bichon can be a fantastic dog for the first-time dog owner. Their highly affectionate nature, easy-to-manage size, adaptability, and intelligence ensure they’re happy in most environments and get along well with most people, even children.
Final Thoughts
The Corgi Bichon is an adaptable hybrid breed that will fit in beautifully with many different lifestyles. Their easy-to-manage size makes them suitable for homes and apartments. However, their high energy levels will require daily outdoor exercise to prevent problem behaviors that often result from boredom.
These dogs are known for their affectionate, loyal, and playful temperaments, but they can also have a streak of stubbornness. They’re perfectly suited for first-time dog owners who are willing to put in the time and effort to ensure their pups get the training and socialization they need.
Potential owners should familiarize themselves with the parent breeds of the Corgi Bichon so they have a good understanding of what they’re getting themselves into. They don’t have many unique care requirements other than a nutritious diet, daily exercise, consistent training, and loving owners to bond with.
Featured Image Credit: Left- Dany Store, Shutterstock | Right – Spill Photography, Shutterstock