Bichon Grooming Techniques

One of the most attractive qualities of a bichon frise is the hair coat. White and fluffy, this trademark characteristic requires a high amount of upkeep. While the work of a professional groomer is hard to beat, it can be quite costly, especially since bichons need to be groomed every couple of weeks. However, if you want to attempt to groom your bichon yourself, there are a few techniques that you should follow.

  1. Types of Bichon Cuts

    • There are three different hairstyles in which bichons are typically groomed. The easiest style is the lamb cut, also called a shave down. This cut is usually given to bichons who are matted or when owners prefer to have their bichons cut short. Another cut is the modified puppy cut, in which just the body and part of the chest are shaved, leaving the hair on the legs and head a bit longer. The most complicated style is the fuller cut, which involves using only scissors to cut the hair.

    Lamb Cut

    • The first step in performing the lamb cut is deciding how short you want the hair. If the coat is very matted, try using a No. 7 blade on your clippers. To leave hair that is mat-free fairly short, use a No. 4 blade. Begin the haircut in the genital area, while the blade is still cool. Most groomers use a 10 blade when trimming the genital and stomach areas. To trim the stomach, raise your bichon so she is standing on her back legs and you are holding her front legs. Shave to the first or second set of nipples.

      When shaving the body of your dog, do so in the same direction as the hair grows. If you go against the grain, you will not only risk catching your bichon̵7;s skin in the teeth of the blade, but you will also be left with a cut that is uneven.

    Modified Puppy Cut

    • The modified puppy cut typically leaves the bichon with a hairstyle that resembles a panda. The hair on the body and part of the chest is shaved short, while the hair on the rest of the body is scissor-trimmed and remains longer. When shaving your bichon, only shave the body ̵1; do not go down into the legs. Only shave the chest from the Adam̵7;s apple to the breastbone. Use your scissors to trim the rest of the body to an even length.

    Fuller Cut

    • It is generally very hard for a novice to cut a bichon in this type of hair style. Scissors are used on the entire body to trim the hair into an even length. This haircut can only be performed on bichons who have very high-quality coats that do not have any mats or knots. Use a comb as a guide while scissor-trimming to help keep the length consistent throughout the body. Trimming the head on bichons is typically done with scissors. Bichon heads are usually trimmed into a round shape.