I thought of this thread and want to share what an online friend of mine posted about her puppy mill rescue, Betsy. Betsy is a bichon.

I just wanted to say a few things I've been thinking about recently. I never wanted a Bichon, I never liked small dogs and thought they were all yappy little things with bad attitudes.
I never really got engaged with Betsy's training until about 2 years ago. Until that point, Betsy was a sweet dog; but she didn't really understand anything. She was your typical Puppy Mill pup, reserved and quiet. She could do basic obedience of course but she wasn't really 'switched on' and didn't know how to interact with other people.
I was at an Agility show and I heard someone say 'It's only a Bichon, what can you do with that?' That was it! The next day, I took Betsy out by herself and really started to build foundations and bond with her - in the way I had with my other dog, but not with her.
All I can say is how much I regret wasting 3 years letting her sit in the background! She is like a sponge when it comes to learning new things! But she is not easy! It takes a lot of repetition and hard work, but we are getting somewhere! She has come on in leaps and bounds (Literally) in Agility; is learning new tricks all the time and I feel so much more connected with her!
I love watching her come out of shell! I love my little Marshmallow, and all her strange quirks!
So, don't waste another second! Get out there walk your dog, play ball, teach them a trick, join a class! You won't regret it!

I hope this gives you some ideas as well.