Keeping your Bichon in TIP TOP Condition
How to Groom Your Bichon Frise
Your Bichon Frise must be groomed daily to care for his/her coat, skin, nails, ears, eyes, and teeth. This is a great time for you and your Bichon to bond, as well as an ideal opportunity for you to inspect his body for changes that may be signs of illness (which can be recognised early).
Getting Your Bichon Used to Grooming
As soon as you get your Bichon Puppy home start grooming from day 1, then he/she will start to enjoy it. And the more your Bichon enjoys grooming, the easier and more fun it will be for you as well.
- Start a consistent grooming routine (the same time daily if possible).
- Keep grooming sessions short.
- Reward your Bichon Frise with treats for staying still and allowing his feet, muzzle, and ears to be touched.
Coat/Skin Care for Your Bichon
Brushing and Bathing
Brushing and bathing your Bichon will help to keep his/her coat and skin healthy. Brushing is necessary to prevent tangling and remove dead hair that can get trapped in the coat. This should be done daily and depending on the length of your Bichon's coat should last from 10-30 minutes.
Brush your Bichon's coat on the sides, chest, neck, belly, legs, and tail. Avoid sensitive areas such as the nose and eyes (these have to be done very gently). While brushing, always have treats handy in case you accidentally make your dog uncomfortable. To brush your Bichon's fluffy double white coat, you will need the following tools:
Tools and Procedure
- Wide-toothed comb
- Avoid long strokes, which only fluff the outer coat and miss the undercoat leading to bunching and matting. Instead, part and lift the fur, and comb it in small sections from the skin out to the ends. Avoid rough strokes that may break or damage the coat.
- Small fine-toothed comb(use one for finishing work and for combing the face).
- Slicker brush (slicker brushes are useful for fluffing and removing debris from the coat).
- Pin brush (a pin brush with polished tips may be handy for additional brushing after the coat has been combed).
- Clippers & Scissors (yYou will need professional clippers with a set of blades. A high quality set of blunt-tipped, curved and straight scissors for trimming and shaping).
Removing Mats
When you encounter a mat, hold the fur next to the skin to keep it from pulling. First try to separate the mat with your fingers, next, starting at the bottom of the mat, comb through to the end. Move higher up in the mat and work the comb down again to the end. This method prevents the tangle from tightening. Repeat until the mat is removed. But if all else fails you may have no choice but to cut this out with scissors.
Bathing Your Bichon
Before bathing, make certain that the coat is free of tangles and mats. Your Bichon's is small enough to bath them in a laundry sink or even a deep kitchen sink. Just attach a sprayer hose to your taps making it easier to rinse.
Tools and Procedure
- Wet your dog's coat thoroughly with warm water.
- Wet his head as well, but tilt it back so that water doesn't get in his eyes.
- Avoid getting water in his ears, or gently insert cotton balls into the opening to keep out water.
- Lather your Bichon Frise well with a mild or whitening dog shampoo, rubbing your hands with and against the coat in circles.
- Once you've shampooed your Bichon, rinse him/her thoroughly, making sure to get every last bit of soap out of the coat.
Dry him/her with a towel or a hair dryer set to a low setting (preferably a specialist dog hair dryer, which blows out cold air) being sure not to burn or frighten him. The Bichon's coat must not be allowed to air-dry, because this can cause the coat to droop and turn in on itself as it curls
Bichon Frise Nail Care
When a Bichon's nails grow too long, they can affect his gait uncomfortably. You'll know that his nails are too long when you hear them clacking against hard floors. Depending on your dog, his nails will need to be cut every few weeks. If your Bichon still has dewclaws (the nails farther up the inside of the legs), they may need to be cut more frequently.
Tools and Procedure
To cut your Bichons nails, youll need two things:
- Nail clippers, get a small-sized pair of pliers-type animal nail clippers, available at any most pet stores. Dont use scissors or nail clippers made for humans.
- Styptic powder or gel
Styptic powder or gel will stop the bleeding if you cut your dog’s nail too far.
Trim each nail just a tiny bit at a time or you’ll risk cutting the quick (this is the blood vessel inside the nail). In a dog with light-coloured nails, you can see the quick as a pink line running up the middle of the nail nearly to the end. On darker nails, you can see the quick by holding a flashlight under the nail. If you do cut the quick, dip the nail into styptic powder or gel to stop the bleeding.
Bichon Frise Ear Care
Check your Bichon's ears once a month for signs of mites or illness, and bring him to the vet if his ears have:
- A colour different from the skin
- Red blotches
- A strong, unpleasant odour
Tools and Procedure
Even if your Bichon's ears are healthy, it's still a good idea to clean them each month. To clean his ears, youll need a warm, damp cloth; cotton wool balls; and dog ear cleanser. Wrap a warm, damp cloth over your index finger and wipe down the visible inside portion of the ear.
- Moisten a cotton ball (not a cotton bud) with dog ear cleanser, sold at most pet shops.
- With the cotton ball, clean only the visible area inside the ear (Do not stick anything deep into the ear).
Bichon's are particularly susceptible to ear infections because of the amount of fur that grows under their ear flaps, in the exterior of their ear canals. It is standard practice to remove excess ear fur in the Bichon by pinching a tiny amount of fur between the fingers and quickly but gently plucking it out, or you can use tweezers if preferred.
Bichon Frise Eye Care
Keeping your Bichon's eyes clean will improve his appearance and also help ward off infections.
Tools and Procedure
To clean your Bichon's eyes, you'll need a moist cloth. Always remove discharge from the corners of his eyes by wiping it away carefully with a moist cloth. If he/she seems to have constant eye discharge, bring him to the vet. If your Bichon's brows or eyelashes are interfering with his eyes, you can trim those hairs away carefully.
Bichon Frise Dental Care
To keep your Bichon's teeth and gums clean and healthy, brush them twice weekly.
Tools and Procedure
To brush your Bichon's teeth, youll need a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste, all of which are sold at pet shops (Never use human toothpaste on a dog)
- Put a little toothpaste on the toothbrush.
- Rub the brush against the front of your Bichon's teeth. You need to brush the backs of the teeth.
If you don't brush your Bichon's teeth regularly, plaque will build up, and plaque can then only be removed only via a thorough cleaning at the vet. Vet cleanings require full anaesthesia, which can be stressful and can't be given to older Bichon's or those with certain health issues (and can also be very costly)
