The Bichon Frise
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 by Mike CronkCountry of Origin: Canary Islands
Group: Non-sporting
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Height: 12 inches
Weight: 10-15 lbs
Color: White
AKC Rank 2006: 29
The Bichon Frise
The Bichon has historically gone from being a favorite of the well to do (Frances I and Henry III) to near extinction around WWI. It was brought to the states in the 1950s but didn’t really gain popularity until 1971 when it received AKC recognition. This companion dog is good with children, sensitive, responsive and affectionate. Our experience in the shop has been very good—they are generally calm and friendly. This is a blessing because their haircut involves a lot of scissoring as well as brushing. The time it takes demands patience on their part.
Most pictures of Bichons show a very dense, long white coat. If this is the case, the haircut calls for a full round head with thinning at the top of the nose. The top of the head to the front of the eyes is scissored so the hair does not fall into the eyes. The neck is scissored and blended to the head. The body is scissored anywhere from 1-2 inches in length and the legs are scissored into full cylinders. The tail is left full and long.
Yet we see very few Bichons that truly have the coat or are the size that the breed calls for. If the hair tends to be silky in texture and lays flat, then the full round head appearance is impossible—many of our Bichons just don’t have the coat.
The full breed groom would require monthly visits to maintain, while scissoring the same style, but shorter, lasts longer. Most of our Bichons have their bodies clipped from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in length with tighter legs and head as well. We do have a few Bichons that get a 1/2 inch clip all over with a short, round head and scissored tail.
Our recommended grooming appointment would be 4 to 6 weeks if once a week your dog is thoroughly brushed at home