How to Trim Bichon Frise

The bichon frise is a small, nonsporting dog breed. The name is French for curly toy dog. The bichon frise has a double coat, the undercoat being softer and abundant, while the overcoat is coarse and curly. The coat of the bichon frise requires regular brushing and the hair is trimmed occasionally for dog shows. The trim of the coat underlines the contour of the body.

Things You'll Need

  • Conditioner
  • Steel comb
  • Matting rake
  • Dematting spray
  • Slicker brush
  • Pin brush
  • Bath mat
  • Shampoo
  • Towel or a blow-dryer
  • Clippers
  • Blunt-nosed scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Spray some conditioner over the dog's coat to ease the combing and brushing. Dilute the conditioner with water or use only water. A wet coat is simpler to comb.

    • 2

      Comb the bichon frise's undercoat and overcoat, following the grain of the hair. If the fur is matted, use dematting spray and try to take the matted hairs apart with your fingers or a matting rake. Cutting the knots is undesirable, especially if you are preparing your bichon for a dog show.

    • 3

      Brush the bichon's coat with a slicker brush first. Switch to a pin brush.

    • 4

      Prepare lukewarm bathwater and put the dog on a nonslipping mat. Wet the hair and apply shampoo in a straight line. Spread the shampoo on the bichon's coat, but avoid performing circular movements, which could cause knots. Rinse the shampoo.

    • 5

      Apply hair conditioner and rinse well.

    • 6

      Dry the bichon's hair with a towel or a blow-dryer.

    • 7

      Trim the hair covering the body using electrical clippers. The hair on a bichon's body should be shorter and should reveal the natural outline of the body. Use a Number 4 blade to clip the body hair.

    • 8

      Trim the hair on the head to create a rounded shape, using blunt-nosed scissors. The hair on a bichon's head is left longer than the hair on the body in a show cut. Trim the topline to appear level. Cut the hair around the ears.

    • 9

      Trim the tail of your bichon frise. The breed's short tail ends in a plume. The hair on the tail should be longer than the rest of the hair and you only need to remove odd hairs.