Teddy Bear (Shichon)

Most small dogs want to be near you. A shichon wants to be on you. This is a lapdog in the truest sense, bred from two companion breeds whose entire job for centuries was sitting with people. In 25 years of training I have met very few teddy bears that needed a job or a hobby. They need a couch, a person, and a soft brush, in roughly that order.

The temperament is the easy part. They are gentle, patient, and slow to anger, which is why they land so well with kids and with older owners. I have fostered a couple of these little crosses and placed them with seniors in apartments, and they were the calmest dogs in the building. Energy is genuinely low. A short walk and some play in the living room, then they melt into your lap. They are not your trail dog and they will not wear themselves out in a yard, so do not buy one expecting an exercise excuse.

Now the part that decides whether you love this dog or resent it: the coat. The whole “teddy bear” look is a soft, dense, low-shedding coat scissored into a round shape, and a coat that does not shed is a coat that traps every dead hair against the skin. Skip a few days of brushing and it felts. I have seen owners surrender shichons to rescue with mats so tight the dog had to be shaved to the skin, which is heartbreaking and completely preventable. Brush down to the skin three or four times a week, book a groom every four to six weeks for that round trim, and clean the ears while you are at it. People who are happy with their teddy bear and people who are miserable with one are almost always separated by that one brushing habit.

Training is a softer story than the cuddles suggest. They are smart enough and they want your approval, so sit, down, and the basics come along fine with short, upbeat sessions and food. The catch is housetraining. Both parent breeds are notoriously slow to housetrain, and a shichon inherits that plus a stubborn streak. Crate train, keep a tight schedule, and do not get loose about it at four months thinking you are done. Stay consistent and most come around; get sloppy and you will be cleaning up for a year.

On health, this is a small dog with small-dog and flat-ish-face problems. Watch the teeth, because the small jaw crowds them and dental disease is the most common issue I see. Watch the eyes and ears, both of which the Shih Tzu side brings. Luxating patellas show up in the smaller ones. And because some shichons carry the Shih Tzu’s shorter muzzle, a few snore, snort, and overheat in summer, so do not march one around in July heat. Buy from a breeder who health-tests both parents and you stack the odds your way.

Get a teddy bear if you are home a fair amount, you want a soft cuddly dog that fits a condo or a quiet household, and you are honest about the brushing and the haircut bill. Skip it if you travel constantly, you want a low-touch dog that grooms itself, or you are buying the round face without budgeting for the upkeep that keeps it round. If you like the idea but want to compare, the Maltshi is the close cousin (Maltese instead of Bichon), the Cockapoo is a touch more energetic, and the purebred Bichon Frise parent is worth a look on its own. The shichon is one of the gentlest companion dogs I know. It just asks for your lap and your brush.