Bichon Frise puppies grow toward an adult weight of 12.0–18.0 lb (5.4–8.2 kg) under the American Kennel Club standard, which gives one range for both sexes; the charts below give the typical weight and the usual range at each month, for males and for females.
Quick answers
- Adults weigh 12.0–18.0 lb (5.4–8.2 kg); the AKC standard does not separate the sexes for this breed.
- At 6 months a Bichon Frise on course for the AKC adult range typically weighs 11.3 lb (5.1 kg) if male or 11.1 lb (5.0 kg) if female — about 75% of adult weight.
- At 12 months a Bichon Frise is around 92% of its final weight.
- Fully grown at about 14 months.
Bichon Frise weight chart by age
Male Bichon Frise weight by age
| Age | Typical | Usual range | Lightest 1 in 10 | Heaviest 1 in 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 months mo | 1.73.8 | 1.4–2.13.0–4.7 | < 1.1< 2.4 | > 2.6> 5.7 |
| 3 months mo | 2.75.9 | 2.2–3.24.8–7.1 | < 1.8< 3.9 | > 3.8> 8.4 |
| 4 months mo | 3.68.0 | 3.0–4.36.7–9.5 | < 2.5< 5.5 | > 5.1> 11.1 |
| 5 months mo | 4.59.8 | 3.7–5.38.2–11.6 | < 3.1< 6.8 | > 6.2> 13.6 |
| 6 months mo | 5.111.3 | 4.3–6.09.4–13.2 | < 3.5< 7.8 | > 7.0> 15.3 |
| 8 months mo | 5.812.8 | 4.9–6.810.7–15.1 | < 4.0< 8.9 | > 7.9> 17.4 |
| 10 months mo | 6.213.6 | 5.2–7.311.5–16.1 | < 4.3< 9.5 | > 8.4> 18.5 |
| 12 months mo | 6.313.8 | 5.2–7.411.5–16.4 | < 4.3< 9.5 | > 8.7> 19.1 |
| 18 months mo | 6.714.7 | 5.6–7.812.3–17.2 | < 4.7< 10.3 | > 9.0> 19.9 |
| 24 months mo | 6.815.0 | 5.7–8.012.6–17.6 | < 4.8< 10.5 | > 9.2> 20.4 |
Female Bichon Frise weight by age
| Age | Typical | Usual range | Lightest 1 in 10 | Heaviest 1 in 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 months mo | 1.84.0 | 1.4–2.23.2–4.9 | < 1.2< 2.5 | > 2.7> 5.9 |
| 3 months mo | 2.86.1 | 2.3–3.35.0–7.3 | < 1.9< 4.1 | > 3.9> 8.7 |
| 4 months mo | 3.78.2 | 3.1–4.46.8–9.7 | < 2.6< 5.6 | > 5.1> 11.3 |
| 5 months mo | 4.59.9 | 3.7–5.38.3–11.7 | < 3.1< 6.9 | > 6.2> 13.7 |
| 6 months mo | 5.011.1 | 4.2–6.09.3–13.2 | < 3.5< 7.8 | > 6.9> 15.3 |
| 8 months mo | 5.812.7 | 4.8–6.810.6–15.0 | < 4.0< 8.8 | > 7.9> 17.4 |
| 10 months mo | 6.113.5 | 5.1–7.211.3–15.9 | < 4.2< 9.3 | > 8.4> 18.5 |
| 12 months mo | 6.213.8 | 5.2–7.511.4–16.4 | < 4.3< 9.4 | > 8.7> 19.3 |
| 18 months mo | 6.614.5 | 5.5–7.812.1–17.2 | < 4.6< 10.1 | > 9.1> 20.1 |
| 24 months mo | 6.815.0 | 5.7–8.112.6–17.8 | < 4.8< 10.6 | > 9.4> 20.7 |
These figures are for a Bichon Frise heading for the AKC adult range: half of such puppies weigh within the usual range, 1 in 10 weighs less than the lightest figure, and 1 in 10 more than the heaviest. Standards like this one often sit below what pet dogs actually weigh, so a puppy above these figures is not necessarily overweight.
Weigh on the same scale at the same time of day where you can. The trend across several weighings tells you far more than any single row.
Reading the range
The American Kennel Club gives one range for both sexes, 12 to 18 lb, so the male and female charts above share one adult range. The breed standard itself sets height only.
A 6 lb spread is narrow, because the standard holds the breed to a tight height band. A Bichon well outside the chart is worth a closer look at its condition.
How a small breed grows
Bichons Frises reach roughly 25% of adult weight at 2 months, about 53% at 4 months, and around 92% at 12 months.
A toy breed is already at 30% of adult weight by 2 months and past 90% by its first birthday. A Bichon Frise that still looks unfinished at 10 months is therefore usually on schedule rather than behind, and is close to full size by its first birthday.
Where to go next
- Puppy weight calculatorEnter a Bichon Frise puppy’s age and weight to estimate its adult weight.
- Compare across small breedsThe same curve applied to every small breed on the site.
- Puppy growth chart by ageAll five size classes in one table, and what the ranges mean.
- Body condition scoreThe 9-point scale vets use, and why it beats the scale alone.
Other small breeds
Frequently asked questions
What is the average weight of a Bichon Frise?
An adult Bichon Frise weighs 12.0–18.0 lb (5.4–8.2 kg), according to the American Kennel Club breed standard, which gives one range for both sexes.
How much should a 3 month old Bichon Frise weigh?
At 3 months a Bichon Frise on course for the AKC adult range typically weighs 5.9 lb (2.7 kg) if male and 6.1 lb (2.8 kg) if female. The usual range is 4.8–7.1 lb (2.2–3.2 kg) for males and 5.0–7.3 lb (2.3–3.3 kg) for females. A typical puppy is around 39% of its adult weight at this age.
How much should a 4 month old Bichon Frise weigh?
At 4 months a Bichon Frise on course for the AKC adult range typically weighs 8.0 lb (3.6 kg) if male and 8.2 lb (3.7 kg) if female. The usual range is 6.7–9.5 lb (3.0–4.3 kg) for males and 6.8–9.7 lb (3.1–4.4 kg) for females. A typical puppy is about 53% of the way to adult weight.
How much does a 6 month old Bichon Frise weigh?
At 6 months a Bichon Frise on course for the AKC adult range typically weighs 11.3 lb (5.1 kg) if male and 11.1 lb (5.0 kg) if female. The usual range is 9.4–13.2 lb (4.3–6.0 kg) for males and 9.3–13.2 lb (4.2–6.0 kg) for females.
How much does a 12 month old Bichon Frise weigh?
At 12 months a Bichon Frise on course for the AKC adult range typically weighs 13.8 lb (6.3 kg) if male and 13.8 lb (6.2 kg) if female. The usual range is 11.5–16.4 lb (5.2–7.4 kg) for males and 11.4–16.4 lb (5.2–7.5 kg) for females. That is about 92% of final weight, with the rest filling in over the following months.
How big will my Bichon Frise get?
Dogs of this size that were weighed both as puppies and as adults ended up at about 1.9 times their 4-month weight, in records from US veterinary clinics. The calculator on the home page uses those records for the puppy’s own age and weight, and returns a range rather than one number.
When is a Bichon Frise fully grown?
Height is usually settled first; weight keeps filling in for longer. On the growth curve for its size, a Bichon Frise stays above 95% of adult weight from about 14 months, and the last 8% after its first birthday comes on slowly.
Do male and female Bichons Frises weigh different amounts?
The American Kennel Club gives one range for both sexes, 12 to 18 lb, so the male and female charts above share one adult range. The standard sets one height band for both, 9½ to 11½ inches, so a grown Bichon’s weight depends on its frame rather than its sex. Check condition by hand, because the coat hides the outline.
What size class is a Bichon Frise?
A small breed, defined by adult weight. That classification determines the growth curve used here: veterinary research shows dogs of similar adult size grow at similar rates regardless of breed.
Is my Bichon Frise puppy underweight if it is below the chart?
Not necessarily: 1 in 10 healthy puppies weighs less than the lightest figure in the table. What matters more is the trend. A puppy that drifts from one part of the range to a lower one is worth checking: look at its body condition and ask your vet about its diet. A single low reading is not a diagnosis.
How can I tell if my Bichon Frise is a healthy weight?
Body condition tells you more than the scale. You should be able to feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat without pressing, see a waist from above, and see the belly tuck up from the side. A dog can sit inside the weight range and still carry too much fat.
Why do Bichon Frise growth charts disagree with each other?
Most published charts come from one breeder’s litters or from unsourced rules of thumb, and many do not say whether the figures are for males, females or both. The ranges here come from centile curves fitted to millions of veterinary bodyweight records, scaled to the AKC adult range, and split by sex.
Does neutering change how much a Bichon Frise weighs?
The research behind these curves found neutering shifted growth trajectory only slightly, by less than the variation between individual dogs, so separate curves were not needed. Neutering is associated with a higher chance of becoming overweight in adulthood, which is a body condition question rather than a growth chart one.
How much does a Bichon Frise weigh in kg?
An adult Bichon Frise weighs 5.4–8.2 kg for both sexes under the American Kennel Club standard. On course for that standard, a male typically weighs 2.7 kg at 3 months, 5.1 kg at 6 months and 6.3 kg at 12 months; a female 2.8 kg, 5.0 kg and 6.2 kg. The charts above give every month in kilograms, with a switch to pounds.
How much does a female Bichon Frise weigh?
The American Kennel Club standard gives one range for both sexes, 12.0–18.0 lb (5.4–8.2 kg); it does not publish a separate female figure. On course for that standard, a female Bichon Frise typically weighs 8.2 lb at 4 months, 11.1 lb at 6 months and 13.8 lb at 12 months. Weight stays above 95% of the adult figure from about 14 months. The female chart above gives every month.
How much does a male Bichon Frise weigh?
The American Kennel Club standard gives one range for both sexes, 12.0–18.0 lb (5.4–8.2 kg); it does not publish a separate male figure. On course for that standard, a male Bichon Frise typically weighs 8.0 lb at 4 months, 11.3 lb at 6 months and 13.8 lb at 12 months. Weight stays above 95% of the adult figure from about 14 months. The male chart above gives every month.
Where these numbers come from
Adult weights are the breed standard figures published by the American Kennel Club. The month-by-month ranges are estimates rather than measurements of this breed: they come from growth centile curves built from 8,754,779 bodyweight records from preventive-care and healthy visits, filtered from nearly 15 million collected at US primary-care veterinary hospitals and published open-access by Salt and colleagues, and scaled to the adult range above.
That research found dogs of similar adult size grow at similar rates regardless of breed, which is what makes the scaling valid. The records were collected between 1994 and 2013 and describe dogs attending veterinary clinics rather than an idealised population.
The derived table, the filtering steps and the known gaps are all published, so the arithmetic here can be checked rather than taken on trust.