The Bichon Frise is a small dog with a fluffy coat.If you are considering welcoming one of these cute little pups into your home, you might be wondering what it takes to maintain their famous puffball look.Bichons need a lot of maintenance to keep their coats clean and well-groomed.To keep your Bichon healthy and looking its best, brush and comb it every day, bathe it and care for its teeth, nails, eyes, and ears.If you want to get the classic Bichon haircut, you need to have it done by a professional once a month.
Step 1: You should brush and comb your dog daily.
As the undercoat sheds and gets tangled up in the outer guard hairs, bichons have a double coat that mats easily.To keep your dog's coat tangle-free, give it a thorough combing and brushing every day with a greyhound comb and pin brush.Even though Bichon puppies don't tangle much, it's important to start brushing them early so they get used to the process.If you want to comb the ends of your puppy's fur, you should brush it with a pin brush.A greyhound comb is designed to comb through medium or coarse hair.You can purchase one from a pet supply store.There are pin brushes in pet supply stores.Put your dog on its side and brush it.The process will be easier for you and your dog.
Step 2: Use a greyhound comb to work through knots.
tangles and small mats are likely to be encountered as you brush your Bichon.Before they get out of hand, it is important to get these out.You can use the end tooth of a medium-coarse comb to work out tangles.Start at the end of the tangle farthest away from the skin, and work your way down to tease out the knots.Dog-friendly detangling spray can help you work through the tangles.It is very important that you do not get any of the spray in your dog's eyes.You can buy a detangling spray for your dog from a pet supply store or online.
Step 3: The dog has hair on its face.
The fur on your dog's head needs to be brushed.To keep the fur looking nice and fluffy, brush the hair up from the base and towards the face rather than brushing it down against the skin.The dog should not be poked with the brush pins.
Step 4: Move to the sides and back of the dog.
The fur is on the sides of your dog's body.You should brush up from the skin to the ends of the fur.The guard hairs first start to grow in the area around the lower back on very young Bichons that are just starting to get their double coat.
Step 5: Use the pin brush to brush the hair on the legs.
You can brush out the fur on the legs by using your comb.Pull out any dead undercoat by brushing up from the roots of the hair to the ends.If your dog likes to lick itself a lot, it is most likely to have tangles on its legs.If you want to brush your dog's legs without pulling its hair, you need to get rid of knots first.
Step 6: Start brushing the undersides of the ears.
The fur on the Bichon's ears is long and flowing.If you want to get rid of tangles, begin with the undersides of the ears.You can use a pin brush or greyhound comb.If you want to brush closer to the skin, move up about 1 inch.Continue until you can easily pull the brush through the hair.Go over the outer surface with the pin brush after you have done the undersides of the ears.If you see signs of inflammation, redness, or discharge, it is time to examine your Bichon's ears.Call your vet if you notice any problems.
Step 7: Start at the ends and work toward the base.
Like the ears, the Bichon's tail has long fur that can become tangled easily.Don't brush the dog's face and body from the base.Instead, take your pin brush and start brushing from the ends of the hair and slowly work your way closer to the skin until you can easily move the brush all the way through the fur from roots to tips.If you encounter tough tangles, use a greyhound comb and some detangling spray.
Step 8: If you notice any sores or bumps during brushing, take your dog to the vet.
If you see any signs of problems, such as sores, rashes, or bumps in the skin, look out for it.Make an appointment with your vet to get a proper diagnosis if you notice any issues.Fleas look like small black or dark brown insects, so keep an eye out for them.Flea dirt looks like tiny black or reddish specks.Bichons are prone to allergies, which can cause their skin to become itchy, red, or rashy.These allergies can affect the ears and lead to infections, so check for signs of irritation or discharge.A brown or reddish appearance may be seen when your bichon is chewing or licking its paws.
Step 9: You can clean the hair under your dog's eyes with a damp cloth.
Many white dogs are prone to tear staining.Keeping the fur under your dog's eyes is a way to prevent this.If you notice your dog tearing around his eyes, you can use a washcloth.Use a blow-dryer on a cool setting to dry the fur after you wipe the washcloth on the area under and around your dog's eyes.It's a good idea to comb out the fur after you wet it.It is possible to wipe the area with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution on a paper towel, but be careful not to get this in your dog's eyes.If your dog has a lot of tear stains, it's a good idea to see your vet to make sure there isn't a serious underlying cause.Don't use eye drops in your dog's eyes unless your vet recommends it.
Step 10: Your Bichon's teeth should be brushed.
Bichons are prone to dental problems, so it is important to keep their teeth clean.Use a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste to clean your dog's teeth.From your vet's office or a pet supply store, you can get dog toothbrush and toothpaste.Do not use human toothpaste on your dog.While brushing your dog's teeth, look for signs of problems, such as red or swollen gums, brown or yellow crust on the teeth or loose or broken teeth.If you notice any issues, you should take your dog to the vet.
Step 11: You should trim the hair around the toes once a week.
It is a good idea to examine your dog's nails and feet once a week.If you see hair growing between the toe pads, cut it with a pair of scissors.This will help keep debris and knots out of the hair between the toes.The long fur, dirt, and tangles around your dog's toes can cause foot pain and make it harder for him to get good traction while walking.
Step 12: Your Bichon's nails need to be clipped.
It is important to keep your Bichon's nails trimmed.To clip the tip of each nail, use nail clippers, scissors, or a nail grinder.Don't trim past the curve of the dog's claws since you might accidentally cut the quick.If you don't know how to trim your dog's nails, have your vet or a professional show you how.If you accidentally cut the quick, keep styptic powder or gel on hand.To stop bleeding, apply it to the nail.
Step 13: Your Bichon's ears need to be cleaned.
If you notice a mild odor, it is a good idea to clean your Bichon's ears after baths.After squeezing a little bit of the ear-cleaning solution into your dog's ear, massage the base of his ear for 30 seconds.After shaking the solution out of its ears, gently wipe the entrance of the ear canal with a cotton ball or piece of gauze.Call your vet if you notice that your dog's ears smell foul, look red, or have a lot of brown or reddish discharge.You need to get a proper diagnosis so you can treat it properly.If you use water to clean your dog's ears, make sure you don't get water in the ears during bath time.The yeast can grow in an ideal environment if the ears are damp.
Step 14: Take care of your dog's fur before bathing it.
The mats and tangles will become tighter and harder to work out if you bathe a Bichon with tangled fur.Before bathing your dog, make sure to comb it with a pin brush and greyhound comb.If you have already brushed your dog's fur, go over it again before bath time to get rid of any tangles you missed.
Step 15: At least once a month you should bathe your dog.
If they get dirty, they need to be bathed at least once a month.When you feel a bath is necessary, set aside time to bathe your dog.If you want to wash your dog's fur, first fill a tub or basin with warm water, then gently wet it, and then lather it up with a dog-friendly cleanser.While you can bathe your dog on your own, it's better to have a professional do it.Whenever your Bichon goes in for a haircut and styling, you should have a bath.
Step 16: White dogs need a cleanser.
If you want your Bichon's fur to look its best, you need to use a whitening cleanser.If you want to buy one from your groomer, you can either find it online or at a pet supply store.If your dog has sensitive skin, your vet can prescribe a special medication.There are a number of white dog grooming products, including Bio-Groom Super White Pet, Perfect Coat White Pearl, and Chris Christensen White on White.Don't use human products on your dog.Dog hair and skin can be damaged by human shampoos.
Step 17: Wet your dog's fur to the skin.
When you are ready to bathe your dog, put it in the tub and wet it with warm water.Work the water all the way to the skin, since this will help the shampooing work its way through the fur better.Water can cause an ear infection, so make sure you don't get it in your Bichon's ears.It is possible to keep water out of the ear canal by putting cotton in each ear.
Step 18: You should avoid the eyes and ears when brushing your Bichon's fur.
If you follow the directions on the bottle, you can wash your dog with a nice lather.The legs, feet, and rear are areas where your dog's fur tends to get particularly dirty.It is important to wash your dog's head and face since you don't want to irritate its eyes and ears.If you like, you can use a dog-friendly conditioner after you wash your dog.
Step 19: Warm water is what you should use to rinse out all of the hair products.
It is a good idea to get all of the hair out of your dog's fur.If you have a hand-held shower nozzle, it would be helpful to use it on a low-pressure setting.If you use conditioner, rinse it out as well.
Step 20: To get rid of excess humidity, towel-dry your hair.
Allow your Bichon to shake out its fur after you wash it.Use a clean towel to gently rub its fur.You should be gentle as you dry your dog.
Step 21: You missed tangles and mats before the bath.
Go over your dog's fur with a pin brush or greyhound comb to get rid of tangles.Detangling spray or leave-in conditioner can be used to work out knots.If you use a detangling spray, make sure you don't put it in your Bichon's eyes.
Step 22: Blow-dry your dog's fur with a hair dryer.
Go over your dog's fur with a blow-dryer.If you want to avoid burning your dog's skin, hold the dryer at least 1 foot away from it.You can find a hair dryer for dogs online or in a pet supply store.
Step 23: While blow-drying the fur, brush it with a slicker brush.
Blow-drying and brushing your Bichon's fur will help it get rid of excess curl and give it the classic "puff-ball" look that it is known for.As you blow-dry the fur, use a slicker brush instead of a pin brush.Don't use a slicker brush to remove tangles since this will pull out too much of your Bichon's undercoat.
Step 24: It is a good idea to take your dog to a professional at least once a month.
Bichons are difficult to groom at home.If you want your dog's hair trimmed properly, take it to a professional every month for a bath, cut, and style.There is a person who has experience with Bichons.The National Dog Groomers Association of America has a directory on their website that you can use to find Bichons' groomers.
Step 25: Take a picture of the style of haircut you want.
Unless you're trying to meet show dog standards, don't feel restricted to the standard look.You can find pictures of cuts you like on the internet.The "panda cut" is a fun Bichon hairstyle that uses an electric trimmer to shorten the fur on the dog's body.The hair is left on the head, tail, and legs.The pet cut is a cut where electric clippers are used to trim the fur close to the skin, leaving some longer fur on the ears.A teddy bear cut is when the fur on the Bichon's body is relatively short, while giving the head, legs, and ears a rounded and puffy Teddy bear look.
Step 26: If you want a lower-maintenance cut, choose a shorter style.
A shorter pet cut is good for dogs that like to run around and play, and it is easier to keep clean and tangle-free.The utility cut is easy to maintain.If your dog is very active or participates in canine sports, you can ask for a sport trim.The panda cut is a compromise between shorter utility cuts and a full-blown show cut.
Step 27: If you plan to show your dog, you should use a classic cut.
The Bichon cut has long, puffed-out fur and a spherical head shape.If you want the classic powder-puff look for your dog, ask for this cut.There are examples of the classic show cut on the BFCA website.