Bichon Frise Care: Bathing

Bathing is a large part of Bichon Frise care. The reason is because this breed does not shed fur, and has long white hair that can easily become matted and dirty. Therefore, in order to keep their pure white coat looking pristine, the Bichon require regular, monthly baths.

The following information is about dog bathing, which you can use when applying this particular Bichon Frise care to your dog.

In order to bathe your dog, you will first need to gather all of the items you will require such as:

• Comb and/or brush
• Dog shampoo
• Dog conditioner (not necessary but may help to get out knots after)
• Rubber mat for bathtub
• Cotton balls
• Spray hose
• Towel
• Small hair dryer
• Dog Cologne (optional)

Once you have all of the above items, you can then begin bathing your Bichon Frise with this step-by- step process –

Step 1 – Give your Bichon Frise a good brushing before you bathe him. You need to make sure all knots and mats are out of the hair, as you will want to make bathing your Bichon as easy a process as possible for the both of you.

Step 2 – Secure a rubber bathmat (or a towel if you don’t have a mat) into a sink. An important part of Bichon Frise care when bathing him, is to make sure he doesn’t slip and hurt himself in the tub.

Step 3 – Place a cotton ball in each ear of your Bichon. Cotton balls will prevent water from entering into the ear canal during a bath. Make sure you remove them once the bath is over.

Step 4 – Place your Bichon in the tub and test the water temperature to make sure it is warm (Note: if you can, purchase a removable spray hose and attach it to your tap to make washing your dog easier.) Once the water is at a tepid temperature or slightly warmer, rinse the entire coat of your pet with the water. Make sure you keep the nozzle of the hose close to your pet’s body, and never spray him directly in the face, and avoid getting water in their eyes or up their nose.

Step 5 – Squirt out some of the dog shampoo in your hand and apply it in small amounts to your dog’s coat. Start at the head and work your way down to the tail. Make sure you clean the rectum under the tail, as well as between your dog’s toes, under the chin and behind the ears. Do not shampoo or scrub near your dog’s eyes.

Step 6 – Thoroughly rinse your Bichon’s soapy coat with warm water. Make sure you get all of the soap off him.

Step 7 – If your Bichon has exceptionally long fur, or he is prone to knots, consider applying a dog conditioner to help prevent tangles. Work it through your dog’s coat just as you did the shampoo, and then thoroughly rinse off. Note: this is optional Bichon Frise care for the coat.

Step 8 – Wrap your Bichon in a towel and remove him from the tub. Take him to a quiet area with few distractions and begin to towel dry him off. Expect for him to have a few violent body shakes as he attempts to dry off his coat. Don’t get mad at your dog for doing this, it’s only natural.

After you towel dry him as best you can, use a small hair dyer and dry his coat the rest of the way (his coat should be fully dry before you allow him to go on his way). Once his coat is dry, you will need to comb it to make sure all mats and knots are out. If there are tangles, spray him with a doggie detangler to make combing easier.

Step 9 – Give your Bichon Frise a nice treat and plenty of praise when everything is over for a job well done. You may also want to spray his coat with dog cologne for a finishing touch if you desire.

Introduce your dog to bathing at a young age, and make sure you talk to him and give him praise throughout the entire experience. You will quickly discover that your dog will greatly dislike baths, and likely always will. Therefore, you need to make this part of Bichon Frise care as painless and quick a process as possible.

Finally, remember to only bathe your Bichon Frise once a month, no more and no less. Washing your dog’s coat every week or every second week is too much. You don’t want to run the risk of drying out your dog’s skin, as this can lead to health problems and be very uncomfortable for your dog. On the other hand, you don’t want to wait to wash your dog every few months, as his coat will become quite dirty, shabby and smelly. If you commit to your monthly Bichon Frise care bath, you won’t have a problem maintaining the health, happiness and wellbeing of your dog.