ALTERNATIVE PET BICHON TRIM

This is an example of a bichon groom that is neither full (show coat), nor short all over. Many in between lengths can be discovered. Snap-on combs offer an alternative to scissoring the pet, saving the groomer precious time, and saving the pet owner-groomer precious anxiety over scissoring. The before/after shots of this groom are not dramatic, as Daisy is groomed every two weeks. Let's take a look. Here is Daisy all bathed and fluffed.

In order to keep her short, as her owners prefer, I take the whole body down with a #1 Laube snap-on comb. One if my personal Big Gripes is that each manufacturer of snap-on combs has a unique sizing system. The #1 Laube comb leaves hair 5/8". In the Romani combs, the #1 leaves 1/2" and the #0 leaves 5/8. The Laube #0 leaves 7/8". How confusing! It makes it very difficult to discuss snap-on comb grooming. I used the #1 Laube comb and took it from the withers back and over the rump down the backs of the rear legs. I clipped from under the chest all the way under the dog, standing the dog up and running the clipper w/comb down the underside. I clipped over the shoulders, but not too high up the neck or the neckpiece can suddenly look like a mohawk. Careful right there!

That left a short body, short front, short rear, with hair left on the head, legs, and neck.


Because I love to scissor and seem to do well, I scissored the legs and any spots where it was a little uneven. Some groomers have snap-on comb grooming down so well that they barely have to scissor at all. Clipping against the grain is highly touted by master comb groomers, although I am not that brave on my bichons. One could use a longer snap-on, say a Laube A comb (leaves hair 1") on the legs. The head and neck are still going to be scissored. Here is Daisy finished.


There you have it! The dog is short and easy to care for, but still has the bichon look. The head is a typical round bichon taken a little shorter. The neck is fuller and tapered into the withers. As mentioned above, a tricky place is blending the neck into the shoulder. It is easy to take the clippers too high and too deep and suddenly the neck looks horrible. The other mistake is to leave too much in the area between the shoulder and the neck, making the dog look like a turtle. I think we need to do a whole article on this little area. Stay Tuned.

Meanwhile, I must say goodbye to Daisy for this year. She belongs to folks who only winter in Tucson, and live 9 months of the year on the East coast. I am always delighted to hear from them in December and so sad to say goodbye in February. Who wouldn't be sad to lose an every-two-week bichon with great owners! Would you believe that having me to groom Daisy in Tucson is one of the main reasons these people return every year? I should tell the Chamber of Commerce. Grooming bichons well can give you extremely loyal clients! Bye, Daisy, see you next year, God Willing!