Grooming a Bichon Frise is a regular task for Bichon owners, and you should start working with your dog when she is a puppy.
Be sure to start this process as early as possible,preferably when your Bichon Frise puppy is about 12 weeks of age.
The Bichon Frise Coat
Bichon Frises have a double coat-an inner coat and an outer coat. The inner coat is softer than the outer coat.
A Bichon’s hair does not fall out or shed. It continues to grow, and so must it must be trimmed routinely.
All adult Bichon Frises have hair that becomes tangled and matted if it is not brushed and combed out every day.
However, when Bichons are puppies, their hair is softer and does not matt. Matting starts to be an issue when they are about a year old.
That doesn’t mean that you can neglect their grooming, though. You should brush your puppy frequently, so she will be used to your handling her. And she will be used to feeling the brush and comb.
How to Groom a Bichon Frise
You will need to brush and comb your Bichon Frise daily. And you may have to practice a little before you get good at grooming!
A quality, stainless steel coarse/medium greyhound comb, slicker brush and pin brush are what we use and recommend.
- Use your Slicker Brush first to remove any debris, dirt or grass from the coat. When using the slicker brush, brush against the grain or in the opposite direction of the hair growth. If your dogs are anything like ours, they sometimes like to roll around in the grass. As a result, leaves and grass clippings often become entwined into their coats.
- Next, use your greyhound comb on your Bichon Frise.Work small sections at a time until you have done the entire body except for the tail and ears. When combing, try to comb up and out from the skin.If you come across any tangles or mats, be very careful and as gentle as possible when removing them. The removal of these tangles, if not done delicately, can be very painful for your Bichon Frise. We always try to break apart these mats first with our fingers, beginning furthest away from the skin going inward.
- After you have broken the mat down, then use a few teeth on the end of the comb to finish removal and smoothing out the hairs. If you come across some very stubborn mats which seem impossible, just take some scissors and clip them off, making sure that you don’t come into contact with your dog’s skin.
- At this time use your slicker brush again. Brush the entire coat making sure you go in the opposite direction of the hair growth.
- Finally, we like to use the pin brush for grooming the tail and ears. On these two areas, you will want to brush in the direction of the hair growth. The tail and ears are very sensitive on the Bichon Frise, so be as gentle as possible. If you are not gentle, your white fluffy friend will let you know.
Grooming a Bichon Frise takes time and dedication. So make it as enjoyable as possible, for both of you. And, the earlier you introduce regular grooming to your Bichon Frise puppy, the easier it will be.
My Recommendations to Make Grooming Easy
- The PRO Quality Dog Slicker Brush -You are going to love this slicker brush! It removes mats and tangles easily, including dead skin and hair, grass and debris. The brush has an ergonomic design with an anti-slip handle, and it is safe for people with arthritis or carpal tunnel to use. The teeth are metal, but they are gentle on your dog’s sensitive skin. And, best of all, it is self-cleaning. You push a button, the teeth retract, and you just wipe all the hair and debris off easily. It also comes with a 5 year, money back guarantee. You can’t go wrong with this one!
- Safari® De-matting Comb - good for dogs with medium to long coats. The de-matting comb can be adjusted for right or left hand use.
- Pin Brush - Perfect for sensitive areas on your dog, this pin brush has gentle stainless steel pins. Ergonomically designed, it’s easy on your wrists and hands. It comes with a 10 year, 100% money back guarantee that you will be happy.
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