Grooming Instructions for a Bichon Frise

The bichon frise, with its powder-puff appearance and affectionate personality, can be a wonderful canine companion. All that charm requires careful grooming though. Starting when your bichon is a puppy will give her plenty of time to get used to the grooming process. You can ease your way into the process as well since your puppy will have only soft fur until just before she turns one. You'll deal with only a few mats here and there until your pup becomes an adult and grows coarse guard hair.

  1. Coat Care

    • Bichons do not shed, which makes their coats prone to matting when dead hairs aren't removed on a regular basis. Brush and comb your dog's hair daily to keep her coat healthy. Having your dog lie on her side while you brush makes proper grooming easier. The basic technique behind brushing your bichon involves going up or backwards. Use a pin brush---an oval brush with wire bristles---and move it up from the skin instead of brushing down against the skin. When you brush your dog's head, move the brush toward her face rather than toward her neck. Direct the brush towards the spine when grooming your dog's sides. Make sure you also brush your dog's ears, legs and tail. Use a detangling spray on its ears and tail to work out tangles before brushing. Use a coarse-medium comb to undo knots and mats, starting from the end and working your way towards the skin.

      Bathe your bichon at least once a month or as often as necessary if his coat becomes dirty. Make sure you've worked out as many mats and knots as possible before bathing or the water could pull them tighter. Put cotton balls in his ears to protect them from water. You can use a shampoo for dogs with white fur to protect its coat color. Be careful when washing so that you don't get shampoo in your dog's eyes, and rinse thoroughly. Dry your dog off with a towel immediately and use the pin brush and comb for any remaining mats. Use a hair dryer on a cool setting and a slicker brush---a square or rectangular brush with wire bristles--- to get rid of the curl in your bichon's coat and make it puffy. According to the American Kennel Club, the hair on a bichon's tail, ears and face should be kept longer than the rest of the body hair, but the facial hair should be trimmed to give the head a rounded appearance.

    Dental Care

    • Keeping your bichon's teeth and gums clean can protect his health. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, periodontal disease, which affects the gums and can cause serious damage to major organs, develops in over 85 percent of dogs and cats aged four and up. Use a canine toothbrush to clean your dog's teeth daily. Angle the brush so that the bristles reach under the gum line and work from the back of the mouth to the front. You should spend a total of thirty seconds brushing. Apply toothpaste specially designed for dogs to the brush at least twice a week to clear away plaque. Enzymes in the toothpaste prevent plaque from hardening into tartar, which reduces the risk of gum infection or disease.

    Pad and Toenail Care

    • Groom your bichon's pads weekly to remove debris or knots that can cause discomfort and to provide better traction. Use blunt nosed dog-grooming scissors to snip away hair growing around and in between the toe pads.

      Use toenail clippers to trim your dog's nails at least every other week. Clip just below the pink vein, or quick, that runs the length of the nail. Use a pair of clippers that comes with a styptic dispenser or apply styptic powder, which can be found in pet stores and drugstores, to your dog's nail if bleeding occurs. If you're nervous or unsure about clipping your dog's nails, ask your veterinarian or groomer to show you how it's done.