If you want to rescue a Bichon Frize instead of buying a puppy, good for you! You can keep checking local animal shelters for Bichon Frize dogs, but that can be iffy at best. However, you can ask animal shelter workers if they know of any Bichon Frize rescue groups in your area. Breed rescue groups exist for just about every breed of dog imaginable. Since the Bichon Frize is such a popular breed, chances are there is a Bichon Frize rescue group just a short drive away.
Another great place to find a good Bichon Frize rescue group is online. Bichon Frize rescue groups often have websites that not only feature dogs they have for adoption, but are also great sources of Bichon Frize information. Although these are great dogs, they do have special needs, especially with grooming. Assuming a bichon is assuming a great commitment.
There are many places online to find reputable Bichon Frize rescue groups. One is Petfinder.com, which can help narrow down your search considerably. Another is the Bichon Frize Club of America website, which includes a great section on rescue organizations in the nation. However, there is no complete national Bichon Frize list on the web. Prepare to spend some time with your favorite search engine to find a Bichon Frize rescue group near you.
You may come across websites that claim to be Bichon Frize rescues but are really just virtual fronts for puppy mills. If the rescue group offers more than two breeds, be careful, especially if those breeds don’t have much to do with each other. Bichon Frize and Toy Poodle would be a logical rescue breed combination as they have similar needs. But a Bichon Frize and English Bulldog rescue group should make you very suspicious. If they offer to accept orders for puppies, it is definitely a puppy mill and not a genuine humane rescue group.
There will be some telltale signs of a website that is from a genuine Bichon Frize rescue group. First of all, you will need to fill out a very long adoption application form. That’s just to get an interview with one of the volunteers. You should also be prepared to arrange all transportation yourself. A true dog rescue group will not offer to send their dogs (unless it’s in the immediate area).
Another sign is that pictures of Bichon Frize dogs will not look like any of the show dogs you see at televised dog shows. They will often appear too large, their coats too curled, and their coats full of spots. They are still Bichon Frize, but they do not show Bichon Frize quality. Although some rescue dogs will have pedigrees, most will not. However, there is no real guarantee that a Thoroughbred’s written pedigree is the absolute truth. Be more concerned about the character of the dog than its appearance.