MAINTAINING THE PET BICHON COAT

A bichon owner writes about her pet:

I love it when she has a full fluffy coat. My groomer does not. My groomer tells me that if a comb doesn't go though her hair from the skin out in one stroke that is matting. What is your take on that comment? How do I keep her coat under control? Is it better to comb or brush her out daily? Is there some kind of conditioner that I can use between grooming to keep the matting under control? How long should her coat be during the winter months (we live in New Jersey).

BBird responds:
I come from the perspective of that of a bichon owner and that of a veteran groomer of 34 years. I would like to address both sides of what appears to be something of a conflict between the groomer and this bichon owner. Those of us who make a living grooming recognize this tension point.... the owner wants a grooming that appears unrealistic to the groomer. Just what is "realistic"? I think that is what this owner wants to know. My experience is that maintaining a fuller Bichon Frise coat requires a expressed partnership between the pet owner and the groomer based on an agreement about what is realistic.

Firstly, the groomer is right. If the comb can't go through the coat from the skin to the ends of the hair, the coat is matted. It is not fair to expect a groomer to spend a great deal of extra time de-matting a thatched coat. And the Bichon Frise undercoat will pelt into a thatch if not combed and maintained properly. I also recognize, however, that there is a range of willingness among groomers for combing Bichon coats. Let's face it: Some groomers just don't want to deal with a full coat, even if it is maintained. The fuller coat takes considerably longer to groom than a short coat, even when combed. Other groomers, such as myself, charge more for Bichon work and welcome full coats and love to scissor. So let's be real and understand that the willingness to spend time in blow drying, combing, and scissoring a Bichon coat varies from groomer to groomer. Really, groomer willingness is our first and foremost factor.

The quality of home maintenance and the grooming interval work together as our second important factor. Notice the word "quality" as applied to home maintenance. It does not matter a hoot that you brush daily, if you miss the same spots every day ("He doesn't let me comb him there.") or only brush the ends of the coat, it's not as good as a thorough combing once a week. While brushing fluffs the coat and lifts out debris, combing separates the hairs from each other, and removes loose under fuzz. You've got to comb, sorry.

Products are another factor, what shampoo and conditioner is used can make a big difference to the success of the maintenance time at home. I am of the firm opinion that the Bichon coat needs some conditioning. While over conditioning can cause the coat to become too soft and to be really hard to shape and scissor, failing to condition can set the coat up to tangle quickly. Also, the choices of grooming products can make the fluff drying and combing of the coat easier or not. Bichon Frise coat responds very well to the use of products that contain silicones, such as Best Shot, or Chris Christensen Ice on Ice or After Bath Rinse. If you are somehow reluctant to use silicone based products, the Eqyss Premier shampoo and Cloud Nine conditioner work well with these coats. In between groomings, a leave-in conditioner can be misted on the coat, or a coat spray used while combing out. Again, I like the Chris Christensen Ice on Ice, or the Eqyss Pet Rehydrant spray for this maintenance support. For working out bad tangles behind the ears, at the base of the tail, inside the legs, and other trouble spots, nothing works better than a dab of silicone gel product such as Eqyss Survivor or Cowboy Magic Detangler and Shine. These products were developed originally for detangling horse manes and tails and have what it takes to create maximum "slip."

On a related note, I'd like to point out to groomers that if you use the right products, a moderate amount of tangling of Bichon coat can be brushed and combed after the bath. In fact, it is easier after the bath when the coat is conditioned. I only tackle seriously large knots the size of my thumb or greater before the bath. You would be surprised at what you can brush out using silicone products, without a lot of extra time. The old adage of always combing out BEFORE the bath need not apply. That's the old way, based on yesterday's products.

Another factor that can make or break the equation is the nature of the individual coat. You can have a willing groomer, a dedicated owner, great products, and a coat from Hell. I can say "Hell" because this is my Blog! It's true. Some Bichon coats are just impossible to maintain. Some are too cottony, others are too wirey. Either extreme can be an excessive challenge. There can be a huge difference in coat texture from one Bichon to another. Groomers love to scoff when owners claim that the coat matted practically "overnight." Well, guess what? I've got a Bichon like that!

There is one final factor that can influence what is a realistic expectation of coat length and grooming. This is the dog's tolerance of grooming. Some dogs seem to come out of the womb hating grooming. I swear it seems genetic some times! I know that groomers like to put the responsibility squarely on the owner for not training the dog to accept grooming. Yes, training is important. A dog that has a basic tolerance for picking at its coat can be trained to be reasonably cooperative for grooming. There are cases, however, where all the owner's efforts to start the dog on the table as a puppy and be firm and consistent were ineffective because the dog had a resistant attitude to the whole thing. If you add a difficult coat to difficult behavior you have a recipe for a short groom.

So what is the right length for a pet cut on a Bichon Frise in New England in the Winter? It is a sum of several factors: groomer willingness to deal with full coated grooming, owner effectiveness at home maintenance, grooming interval, products and techniques, coat quality, and dog's tolerance. With all of those factors working in concert, you can maintain as much coat as you want. If any one these factors drops out, it can be a "deal breaker."

Maintaining a fluffy Bichon requires a partnership between groomer and pet owner and the dog. It requires a willingness to work with longer coat and develop skills at combing and home maintenance, and working with the dog to increase the tolerance for the procedures. No groomer is going to want to put the dog through something that seems like torture for the sake of a "look." If the dog hates it, the coat is terrible, or there isn't time to do the homework involved, then a shorter cut is appropriate. For me, "short" is a #4F blade or a #3 3/4 blade (3/8" or 1/2"). But for some groomers, that is "full".

The public needs to recognize that there are pet stylists and there are pet barbers. The pet stylist is the groomer who likes to do scissor work, who works from a foundation that is the breed standard, and charges according to the time and effort involved. The pet barber is a groomer who is doing primarily efficiency trims and is working on a time/money formula that does not allow the kind of time it takes to deal with full coats and much scissor work. Although the industry does not recognize this distinction, it exists and there is a place and rationale for both. This leads us to a final factor in our equation: the price of the groom. Expect to pay more for a grooming that takes more time. The price factor might influence what is realistic.

I hope this has helped both sides. Pet owners need to understand that what is realistic depends on the groomer willingness, your ability to be effective at home maintenance, and your dog's coat and behavior. Groomers need to understand that products and techniques can make a big difference. We need to be willing to try new products and evolve with the times. Also it is appropriate to charge more for full coats according to the time it takes.

Before I leave you tonight, I want to apologize to the fans of the GroomBlog for not publishing anything lately. I have not deserted you, but I've been prioritizing. It's extremely important that I finish writing the second edition of my book on shampoos, "Beyond Suds & Scent - Understanding Pet Shampoos and Conditioners", so that I can teach another online course soon. I hope you understand.
TTYS, BBird