Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise" Compare Maltese and Miniature Poodle. Which is better: Maltese or Miniature Poodle or Bichon Frise?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Maltese	Miniature Poodle	Bichon Frise
Origins	Italy	Germany France	Spain Belgium
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	33	435	46
Reviews	2	1	4
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Other Names	Maltese Dog, Maltese lion dog	Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Carniche Moyen, Barboncino Miniatura, French Poodle, Pudle, Zwergpudel	Bichon Frise, Tenerife Dog, Bichon A Poil Frise, Bichon Tenerife, Purebred Bichon
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Toy breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1972 as a Non-Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Bichons and related breeds section.	Not recognized by FCI.	Not recognized by FCI.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club The Bichon Frise Club Of America
Price	$600-$800	1000-1500	$700-$1000

General Appearance - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Size	Small	Small	Small
Weight	6.5-9 pounds (3-4 kg)	15-17 pounds (7-8 kg)	7-13 pounds (3-6 kg)
Avg. Weight	6.7 pounds (3.5 kg)	16 pounds (7.5 kg)	10 pounds (4.5 kg)
Height	Male: 8-10 inches (21-25 cm), Female: 8-9 inches (20-23 cm)	11-15 inches (28-38 cm)	Male: 9-12 inches (23–30 cm) Female: 9-11 inches (23-28 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 9 inches (23 cm), Female: 8.5 inches (21.5 cm)	13 inches (33 cm)	Male: 10.5 inches (26.5 cm) Female: 10 inches (25.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Coat	Feathered	Dense Curly Thick	Curly
Colors	White	Apricot Black Brown Gray Silver White Fawn Blue Cream Red Beige	White Apricot Buff Cream
Grooming	Average: The Maltese requires average grooming effort.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Malteses shed none to minimal.	Miniature Poodles shed none to minimal.	Bichon Frises are low shedders.

Characteristics - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Temperament	Active Easygoing Intelligent Responsive Docile Gentle Playful Sweet Tempered	Active Faithful Intelligent Alert Instinctual Trainable	Affectionate Playful Sensitive Cheerful Gentle Intelligent
Intelligent Rank	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.	Outstanding: Miniature Poodle is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Average: Bichon Frise's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Malteses are quite easy to train.	Miniature Poodles are very easy to train.	Bichon Frises are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	Malteses, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Miniature Poodle is a playful breed.	The Bichon Frise is a playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Malteses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Miniature Poodles are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Bichon Frises are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Malteses need a lot of social interaction.	Miniature Poodles need a lot of social interaction.	Bichon Frises need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	High: The Maltese is a very vocal breed.	Average to high: The Miniature Poodle is a vocal breed.	Average: The Bichon Frise barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Malteses are average watchdogs.	Miniature Poodles are good watchdogs.	Bichon Frises are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Malteses strongly protect their territory.	Miniature Poodles are average defenders.	Bichon Frises are not the best to protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Maltese has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Miniature Poodle has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Bichon Frise has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Malteses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Miniature Poodles have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Bichon Frises have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Malteses are not the biggest explorers.	Miniature Poodles tend to escape less than other breeds.	Bichon Frises have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	Malteses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Miniature Poodles have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Bichon Frises don't have an impulse to catch or chase small animals.
Apartment Friendly	Malteses are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Miniature Poodles are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Bichon Frises are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Malteses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Miniature Poodles adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Bichon Frises adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Malteses tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Miniature Poodles tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Bichon Frises tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Stranger Friendly	Malteses are very stranger friendly dogs.	Miniature Poodles are stranger friendly dogs.	Bichon Frises are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Malteses are kid-friendly dogs.	Miniature Poodles are very kid-friendly dogs.	Bichon Frises are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Malteses are very cat-friendly dogs.	Miniature Poodles are cat-friendly dogs.	Bichon Frises are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Malteses are very dog-friendly dogs.	Miniature Poodles are dog-friendly dogs.	Bichon Frises are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Maltese is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Miniature Poodle is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Bichon Frise is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Malteses are usually recommended for elderly people.	Miniature Poodles are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Bichon Frises are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Malteses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Miniature Poodles are usually friendly towards other pets.	Bichon Frises are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Malteses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Miniature Poodles are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Bichon Frises are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Maltese breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Miniature Poodle breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Bichon Frise breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Health Issues	The Maltese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Miniature Poodle is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Bichon Frise is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Collapsed Trachea Hypoglycemia Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Reverse Sneezing White Dog Shaker Syndrome	Addison's Disease Bloat Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia	Allergies Bladder Stones Hip Dysplasia Juvenile Cataracts Patellar Luxation Vaccination Sensitivity
Life Expectancy	15-18 years	14-16 years	12-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	Yes	Yes
Energy Level	Malteses have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Miniature Poodles have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Bichon Frises have a lower energy level than other dogs.
Exercise Need	Malteses exercise need is very minimal.	Miniature Poodles need quite a lot of exercise.	Bichon Frises exercise need is minimal.
Sleeping Need	Malteses sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Miniature Poodles are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Bichon Frises like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	0.5 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1/2 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average to High.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Prefers warm weather	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Prefers average to warm weather conditions
Stinkiness	Medium The Maltese has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Miniature Poodle has a low chance of bad smell.	Low The Bichon Frise has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Maltese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Miniature Poodle is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Bichon Frise is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Maltese vs Miniature Poodle vs Bichon Frise

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	3-5 puppies	2-8 puppies, average 5	2-5 puppies
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