Small dog, sociable workout
A senior Bichon Frise does not need long distances; she needs company, variety and a reason to prance. This sturdy little breed often stays playful well into old age, so exercise works best as two or three short outings woven through the day — a morning pavement walk to greet the neighbourhood, an afternoon potter in the garden, and an evening game indoors — rather than one tiring trek that leaves her sore the next day.
Let her sociability set the route. A Bichon who gets to pause for admired greetings and interesting doorways is exercising her mind as well as her legs, and she will walk far more willingly than on a forced march around an empty field.
Protecting small knees and a white coat
Bichons can carry a weakness in their kneecaps, and senior joints dislike repetition. Discourage launching off sofas and beds — a ramp or a lift down is kinder — and avoid making stairs her main form of exercise. Hallway fetch with a soft toy on carpet gives her chasing and returning without slippery floors or high impact, and it ends cleanly when you put the toy away while she still wants one more throw.
Her profuse white coat changes the practicalities. Wet pavements leave her legs muddy and matted, and grit irritates small paws, so choose drier, even routes in winter, rinse and dry her feet afterwards, and keep the hair between her pads trimmed so she grips confidently. On hot days that dense coat argues for shade and shorter midday outings.
Indoor play is real exercise for a Bichon
Rain need not cancel the day. Hide-and-seek, where a family member hides with a treat and calls her once, sends a senior Bichon trotting from room to room with purpose. Gentle trick refreshers — spin at her own speed, paw, settling on a mat — give her applause, which this breed values as highly as food.
Keep sessions brief and end on success. Five sparkling minutes twice a day suit her better than a long training slog, and a dog who is free to wander off mid-game is telling you her concentration, if not her legs, has finished for now.
When cheerfulness fades, pay attention
A Bichon who stops bouncing to greet people, hesitates at a kerb she used to hop, skips on a hind leg, or licks one knee repeatedly is showing you something specific. Senior Bichons also commonly develop cloudy eyes and slower responses, so avoid routes with fast off-lead dogs who may barge into a dog who did not see them coming.
Contact your veterinarian if a hind-leg skip becomes frequent, if she cries getting up, if itching and ear scratching flare alongside reduced activity, or if she simply seems less herself for more than a few days. Small breeds hide gradual change behind good spirits, so a clear note of when the bounce went missing is genuinely useful at her appointment.
A shared rota in KinsLe through Care Teams lets family members assign a senior Bichon's morning walk, garden potter and indoor game in turn, with each completed session marked by a timestamp so her exercise stays lively and evenly spread.