NOTE : Before grooming your Bichon, it's important to make sure that you will be able to do the job. If your curly-haired pooch is matted, detangling the mats can be painful for your dog and time consuming for you. Also, if your dog is a little rowdy, grooming at home may not be as manageable for you. 

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Supplies You Will Need:

• a slicker brush

• whitening shampoo

• conditioner (optional)

• finishing spray (optional)

• pet grooming clippers

• grooming shears

• dental spray (optional)

• ear wash (optional)

• nail clippers and pet nail grinder

• blow dryer​

 

Bathing Your Bichon

When bathing your Bichon, it is important to brush them first as water will tighten any existing mats. Our dogs tend to mat under their front legs. To prevent matting, daily brushing is important. After brushing your dog, put him/her into the tub and wet them from head to toe. I use a cup to help with smaller areas, especially the face. After wetting your Bichon, lather whitening shampoo on their entire body. With our puppies we use Johnson and Johnson no more tears shampoo, its safe for their skin and eyes. Lather extra shampoo on your dog's paws and tear stains. I generally allow the whitening shampoo to sit for a while to get a brighter affect.

While I let the whitening shampoo do its work, I clean my Bichon's teeth and ears. There are several ears washes available, I use a recipe I found on the internet. We use Sentry Petrodex Dental Spray for cats and dogs. You literally just have to spray their teeth making sure to spray all of their teeth. I then proceed to rinse off the shampoo. If their fur is not as soft as usual, I will proceed to condition him as well. If their fur is soft, feel free to skip this step.

 

Blow Drying 

Blow drying a Bichon can be very tricky and is one of the most important steps in grooming your Bichon. Towel dry your dog until he is damp, then proceed to brush him with the slicker brush. I brush down strokes on his body and legs, for example, from the top of the shoulder brush down to his paws. I brush down strokes from under his eyes to the bottom of his muzzle and brush the top part of his head straight back. After this step, your Bichon should have a wet, straight, or slightly wavy appearance. I then proceed to blow dry him while brushing his fur in every direction to get it bone straight. There are certain parts of my dog that don't straighten completely, and this is fairly common.

While blow drying, constantly check the blow dryer to make sure it's not too hot by blowing the air on the back of my hand. Remember, dogs are more sensitive to heat than humans are so, if it's hot to you it's definitely hot to them. After your dog is completely dry and straight it's time to grab the clippers.

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Clipping Your Bichon

Give your dog one last brush before using the clippers. (I use Wahl pet clippers that I bought from Walmart for about $30 or so. They came with a couple of different guards, scissors, a comb, and an instructional DVD.) Then cut the bottom of the paws but don't go between the paw pads. Cut around the rectum being careful not to cut the rectum itself. Then, use a number 3 ( 3/8") guard for his body. Shave in downward strokes being careful not to shave their legs as the legs will have to be scissored. It's easier to not shave just above the leg to easier blend their legs when you scissor them later. Do not shave the head either as that will need to be scissored as well.

After shaving the body, brush the body and the legs straight down. Try using a picture as a reference to how the legs should look. The front legs should be rounded and straight. Hold the scissors straight down and cut a straight line from the body to the end of the paws. Try not to make big changes because, when you cut too much, it's much harder to fix as opposed to not cutting enough. Cut the bottom of the paws in a circle. When cutting their legs, I've noticed it's easier to go with the line that's already there and cut the pieces that deviate instead of cutting a whole new line. Do the same thing for the back legs except remember to leave a bend for their knee. The Bichon's head is the most important part of grooming. The head should be rounded at the top and flat at the bottom for the utility cut (pet cut). Brush the top up and the bottom down. Cut the ears so that they are even to the bottom of the chin to make sure they blend well. Then round off the top of the head to blend into the ears as well. Be sure to make certain the head is bigger than the body to give a true Bichon look.

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Tips for Grooming Your Bichon

• A young puppy will more than likely not be able to be groomed this way as their coat is thinner and less curly. The adult coat comes in at 6-8 months and that's when this type of grooming will work. If you do have a puppy, brush them daily to get them used to being groomed.

• Try and try again. Your first time cutting your dog probably won't be perfect but if you keep at it eventually, you'll get there

• The more you groom your dog, the more they will eventually sit still

• The tail just needs to be combed, it is meant to be bushy

• Be sure to trim the eye area carefully so your Bichon doesn't constantly have hair falling in his/her eyes

• Try a sanitation trim on the bottom so their poop doesn't get stuck on your dog's bottom

• Be patient, grooming can be time consuming