The Yorkie Bichon, a.k.a. the Bichon Frise Yorkie is a cross between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Bichon Frise.
You might also hear the Yorkie Bichon called a “Yorkiechon” or a “Yo-Chon.” No matter what you call him, this mixed breed dog fits comfortably into the category of “super-cheerful” when discussing small-breed dogs.
The Yorkie Bichon Temperament and Personality
Here are some of the more notable personality traits and behaviors of the Yorkie Bichon temperament:
Cheerful
There's the yappy dog that loves to bite your ankles. And there's the jubilant dog who stands on his hind legs to greet you when you come home from work.
The Yorkie Bichon is the latter.
As I said above, the Yorkichon is a mixed breed comprised of a Bichon Frise and a Yorkie – two adorable dogs that, when bred, produce an even more adorable dog.
Is an even more adorable dog even possible? Well, let us see…
Energetic
Are you sure you can keep up with this little fella? He’s a bundle of energy, that’s for sure.
Happy-Go-Lucky
This dog has infectious joie de vivre that will make living every day of your own life even more pleasant.
Intelligent
The Yorkichon is a smart boy. This may mean he can be stubborn at times, but no worries – you should be able to train that out of him.
Plus, his intelligence means that he'll learn quickly, even if he fights you at first. Eventually, he will come around to understand that you are the boss of him and not the other way around.
One Tough Cookie
The Yorkie Bichon is not intimidated by his own size. He'll think nothing of barking shrilly at the next stranger who dares encroach upon his property and his family.
He may be small, but he'll go down fighting to protect the ones he loves most.
Friendly
Keep this in mind if you have other dogs: while the Yorkichon gets along with everyone from children and cats to dogs of every size: he is only good at socializing if you introduce him to it at a young age.
Take him to the dog park, take him to the house of your friend that has a pet – whatever you need to do, do it so you can socialize him with other animals.
The sooner he mingles, the better off you'll all be.
He Goes to Extremes
One of the most difficult things to deal with in a dog is separation anxiety. With the Yorkie Bichon, unfortunately, it is a roll of the dice whether you get a clinger or not.
If he takes more after his Yorkie parent, then he will be just fine if you need to run out for a while, or even during the day while you’re at work. However, if he takes after his Bichon Frise parent, then he will not cope well with wide swaths of alone time.
Curioser and Curioser
The Yorkie Bichon is always up for an adventure, investigating any little thing that strikes his fancy.
Because he has such a high level of curiosity, make sure you keep an eye on him that he isn’t getting himself into trouble. You don’t want him chasing after a bee or following a raccoon or other animal with whom he could end up in a fight.
Also, because he’s so curious, this can make him destructive. Be sure to nip that bad quality in the bud before things get worse.
Barking
The Yochon’s high-pitched bark makes him a good watchdog.
Just be sure to train him on when the appropriate times are for him to use his bark, else he can become a nuisance to everyone around him.
Plus, if he barks when nothing important is going on, you won’t believe him when something important does happen.
Yorkie Bichon Training
House Training
The best way to housetrain your Yorkie Bichon is to use a crate. If you use newspaper or piddle pads, the dog often has difficulty transitioning to going outside to use the bathroom. (Let’s face it – there’s no newspaper or piddle pad in the backyard, so how’s he supposed to know what to do?)
I recommend a wire crate or puppy pen over a plastic crate simply because it’s easier for the dog to see out of it and feels less like a jail.
Grooming Helps
Also, for the Yorkie Bichon, grooming is a part of the training. The more you groom your dog, the less trouble you will have, and the more likely he will be to sit nicely for his grooming sessions.
While he’s young, brush him, touch his feet, and brush his teeth as often as possible, and you should have zero problems doing these essential tasks when he’s an adult.
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your HavYorkie Bichon dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
The Yorkie Bichon Appearance
On average, the Yorkie Bichon height is about 9 to 12 inches as an adult. A healthy weight for this dog is between 6 and 8 lbs. when full-grown.
As far as colors go, you can end up with lighter combinations that include white, cream, or golden, as well as, darker combinations that combine blue, brown, gray, or black.
Grooming Needs of the Yorkichon
For a little dog, the Yorkie Bichon sure can shed!
While he may not need as much maintenance as, say, a Husky, you will still need to brush him a minimum of three times a week.
Because Yorkies and Bichon Frises tend to have a lot of hair in the face area, you might want to take him to the groomer regularly to get this hair trimmed, especially around his eyes and ears. A dog’s gotta be able to see if he's going to keep watch!
Plus, if the hair around his ears gets too long and dirty, it can lead to ear infections.
Bathing
The Yorkichon is not a stinky dog by nature, so you don't have to bathe him any more than you would normally bathe a dog.
So long as he doesn't have any skin issues that would require bathing him more often, you can get away with bathing a Yorkie Bichon about once a month.
Aside from that, taking care of a Yorkichon is no different than taking care of any other breed.
Additional Tasks
Make sure that you pay regular attention to his teeth and his nails (brushing for the former, trimming for the latter), and be sure to check that his ears are clean and free of build-up.
Fair warning, though: if you’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog, you’re never truly going to find one. While some dogs may be easier for people with allergies to own, the only way to know you’re allergic is to snuggle up next to one.
Nevertheless here is a list we put together of dogs that are considered hypoallergenic.
Staying Healthy: Yorkie Bichon Health Issues and Tips
On average, the life expectancy of a healthy Bichon Frise Yorkie mix ranges from 10 to 12 years. That's pretty good for a dog.
Of course, every breed comes with their own brand of health concerns that you must be aware of and watch out for.
Mixed breeds, in particular, may be prone to more health issues than purebreds. This is because they can potentially inherit issues common to both of their parents’ breeds.
Diseases and Health Issues
As far as a Yorkie Bichon goes, some of the more common ailments to affect this breed include:
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
- Reverse sneezing
- Collapsed trachea
- Kneecap issues (eg: Patellar Luxation)
- Hypothyroidism
- Teeth and eye problems
- Bladder issues
- Sensitivity to vaccinations
- Allergies
Of course, this doesn't mean that when you settle on a mixed breed, you will definitely end up with a sick dog. But it is important to be aware of the issues that a particular breed may be more susceptible to. That way you can take measures, if possible, to prevent them, or to otherwise look out for them.
Helpful Dog Health Resource:
Note: Don't let the many issues above scare you. The best way to approach health problems is to prevent them in the first place. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is a great place to start. Get a copy to keep at home. It will help you prevent the painful health issues that can plague your lovely Yorkichon dog from expressing his winning personality and maximizing his life expectancy.
How Often to Exercise Your Yorkichon?
Because a Yorkie Bichon is a small dog, you probably assume that he spends the entire day running around like crazy until he drops from exhaustion later that night.
This is, essentially, true.
The Yorkichon is ideal for apartment living because he doesn't really need an entire backyard to run around in. He is perfectly happy covering as much ground as possible while he’s inside.
You should still take him for at least one walk every day to get him some fresh air. What's nice about the Yorkichon is that you can let him off the leash from time to time, provided the area where you're walking is safe.
You don't want to do this in a large park, though, as he may be able to take off after a bird or small animal, and you'll be unable to keep up. But in a gated dog park or fenced-in backyard, taking him off the leash is perfectly fine – and fun!
After about 2 to 3 hours of exciting play, the Yorkiechon will want to call it a day and take a nap.
Finding the Perfect Yorkie Bichon
If you’d like to bring your own little Yorkie Bichon home, you can do so in one of two ways: you can buy one through a breeder or adopt one at your local animal shelter.
Yorkie Bichon Puppies for Sale
The average price of a Yochon for sale is between $400 and $900.
If you’re charged more than $1,000 for a Yorkie Bichon mix, then you are probably getting ripped off. And if you’re charged less than $350, there is probably some kind of problem with the dog, be it temperament or health-related.
Yorkie Bichon Adoption and Rescue
If you are planning on bringing a Yorkie Bichon into your home, adoption is a great way to go. When you adopt your new best friend, you’re also giving an animal in need his “furever” home.
Something you should know is that most Yorkie Bichons available for adoption are adults. But adopting an adult dog comes with its fair share of perks. For instance, older dogs typically have prior training, so that’s one less thing you have to deal with.
Adopting a mixed breed dog can go one of two ways: you may be either more likely or less likely to find one. You may be more likely to find one because people tend to surrender “mutts” more often than purebreds. However, you may be less likely to find one because the particular mix you’re looking for may be rarer.
Either way, let the shelter know what you’re looking for. That way, if they don’t have that particular dog “in stock,” they’ll give you a call once they do.
Yorkie Bichon Breeders
Some people would rather purchase a Yorkie Bichon for sale from a breeder. If you decide to go this route, you need to be extra careful to make sure you’re not funding a puppy mill or untoward breeder with your money.
Puppy Mills vs. Ethical Breeders
To say that pet overpopulation is a problem in this country is a gross understatement. Every day, animal shelters are sharing posts to social media, begging people to adopt their dogs before they euthanize them.
There’s nothing wrong with these dogs. There just simply aren’t enough homes for them. And puppy mills do nothing more than add to the problem by putting dogs out into the world who have issues that make it difficult for them to live with.
Ethical breeders, on the other hand, take exquisite care in creating happy, healthy puppies that anyone would want to bring home and keep for the long haul. They care just as much about getting good homes for their pups as you do about giving their pups one.
Meet and Speak with the Yorkie Bichon Breeder in Person
Always start by getting referrals of good breeders in your area, then make an appointment to visit those breeders in person.
When you arrive, make sure the dogs live in clean, humane conditions. They shouldn’t be in cages all the time or filthy with their own excrement. If the breeder loves her dogs and cares about her work, you’ll be able to tell right away; likewise for the breeder who doesn’t.
Once you think you’ve found your breeder, don’t be shy to ask questions. Get as much information as you can on Yorkie Bichon diseases (see above) and whether the parents of the pup you’re interested in had any health problems. Ask to see their medical records while you’re at it.
A good Yorkichon breeder will have just as many questions for you because she wants to make sure her puppies get good homes.
She will probably ask you to sign a contract agreeing to get the puppy spayed or neutered when appropriate. She will also probably demand that you return the puppy to her if you’re not a good fit, rather than dumping the puppy at a shelter
A Final Word About the Yorkiechon
Well, that about sums up what it's like to live with the Yorkie Bichon temperament.
These dogs are friendly, fun, and protective little creatures who will worship the ground you walk on and will love to be in your company. Owning a Yorkie Bichon is like owning a doll-shaped dog who also happens to be alive.
He loves to run around outside, but he also loves to be inside just as much. And you can take him off the leash, so long as you have him in an enclosed space where he can’t just take off after prey.
Just be sure to socialize him often to help him become the well-rounded dog he was always meant to be!
The Yorkie Bichon temperament makes this lovable little scamp a joy to own.
More Bichon Frise Mix-breeds
If you did not find what you looking for maybe our article on the Top Bichon Frise Mix will answer your question. Or you can check out each Bichon mix directly by clicking on the links below:
- The Bichpoo – Bichon Frise Poodle Mix
- The Shichon – Bichon Frise Shih Tzu Mix
- The Maltichon – Bichon Frise Maltese Mix
- The Chi Chon – Bichon Frise Chihuahua Mix
- The Kashon – Bichon Frise Cairn Terrier Mix
- The Goldichon – Bichon Frise Golden Retriever Mix
- The Chonzer – Bichon Frise Miniature Schnauzer Mix
- The Glechon – Bichon Frise Beagle Mix
- The Corgi Bichon – Bichon Frise Corgi Mix
Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.