One of the interesting things about dogs is they vary widely in size and maturation rate based on breed. Unlike domestic cats who tend to have a common size range, dogs can weigh just a few pounds or well over 100 pounds, making it tough to know exactly when your dog has reached maturity. In the case of the bichon frise, your pup will have reached his full size well before his first birthday.
Small, But All Grown Up
Even when he's fully grown, your bichon frise pup won't be very big. This little dog stands between 9.5 and 11.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs anywhere from 10 to 18 pounds. That's a fairly significant range for a little fellow, but if you know who his parents were, they'll give you an idea of your bichon's ultimate size. The Health Resource Center of the Bichon Frise Club of America recommends switching a bichon puppy from puppy to adult food at 6 months of age, which is when most of his growth has occurred. However, he may continue to gain weight and fill out the rest of his first year. On DogChannel.com, veterinarian Karla Rugh notes a bichon puppy less than 3 months old should be fed at least four times a day; between 3 and 5 months of age, the puppy should have three meals a day and at 6 months, he's ready for an adult schedule of one or two meals per day.