Bichon Frise: Grooming
Being the fortunate and proud parents of a Bichon
Frise comes with cares and responsibilities. As a
Bichon owner taking good care of your cutie’s coat,
pads, nails, teeth, and ear and eye is an important
task
With a regular grooming and bathing schedule coupled
with a monthly visit to your professional groomer
you can maintain your pet’s white puffball style. It
can also be a meaningful and mutually gratifying
experience for the two of you. You know how much you
enjoy being pampered at your stylist’s or spa? So
does your pet. Bichon Frise grooming when done
lovingly and gently can be an enjoyable experience
for you and your pet. Bichon Frise Grooming care
can be broken down into daily and monthly routines:
Daily:
- Brushing & Combing (daily or 2-3 times a week)
The trademark Bichon Frise white puffy ‘big hair’
appearance comes with a price.)
Remember how good it feels to have someone brush
or comb your hair? Remember how close you felt,
how you let your guard down with your hairdresser?
Frequent or daily brushing is the perfect
opportunity to bond with your Bichon and check for
fleas, rashes and general skin health. Your Bichon
will enjoy the attention and brushing from you
just as much as you did with your stylist. Since
Bichons don’t shed and also to prevent dead hair
from matting you should brush/comb your little
puffball daily or at least 2 to 3 times a week.
Comb your Bichon regularly using a Greyhound comb
with med/coarse teeth. Check especially behind the
ears, under the legs and at the base of the tail
for matting. Then brush with large slicker brush
in opposite direction of hair growth. Next the
smaller slicker brush in smaller areas. Brush the
tail out with the pin brush and follow up with the
comb.
* Kay’s Tip: Working in rows Kay uses a pin brush
to carefully comb the hair from the base out and
gently fluff the hair.
- Dental Care
Brush your dog’s teeth daily to remove excess food
and cut down on bacteria. To control tartar and
effective cleaning you should brush your dog’s
teeth using a canine toothpaste and toothbrush at
least two times a week. Check your dog’s mouth
regularly for bad breath, bleeding gums, tartar
buildup, and any lesions or growths. Follow with
an annual dental checkup to keep those pearly
whites gleaming.
Weekly:
Using blunt tipped scissors remove excess hair
around and between toe pads.
Clip toenails every two weeks. Ask your
veterinarian or dog groomer to show you the best
way to do this.
Monthly:
Always comb your Bichon’s hair before bathing to
prevent matting. Wash your Bichon Frise with a
gentle baby shampoo carefully avoiding the eyes.
Then follow by blow-drying on a low to medium
setting while brushing out the coat with a slicker
brush. You also want to protect your dog’s ear
canal by inserting a small piece of cotton while
bathing.
Using blunt scissors carefully trim excess hair
around the eyes. Also remove any unwanted hair
from your Bichon’s ears with blunt tipped
tweezers. Ideally the earlier in your Bichon’s
life that you can establish a regular brushing &
grooming routine the easier it will be on you and
your pet.
Since your Bichon Frise is high maintenance a
monthly visit to a trusted professional groomer is
advisable. The Bichon look has a distinctive style
unique to its breed. Refer to photographs and
drawings to see how the general appearance should
look. Usually the ears, beard and mustache are
trimmed closely while the tail is kept long and
flowing. Remember your Bichon IS NOT A POODLE.
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