How to Fluff Your Bichon Frise

Bichon Frises are often compared to walking cotton balls, as they have a curled double coat that is mostly white, with shadings of cream or apricot around their ears or on their body. Bichons are a good breed for allergy sufferers, as their hair grows thick and full but they do not shed.^{[1]XResearch source} As a dog owner, you will need to brush your Bichon Frise regularly and bathe her at least once a month to create a healthy, fluffy coat. Maintaining good grooming practices on a consistent basis will ensure your Bichon Frise looks her fluffiest every day.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Doing “Fluff Drying” After a Bath

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1
Towel dry your dog after a bath. Once you have bathed your Bichon Frise, usually done at least once a month or twice a month if your dog's coat tends to get dirty or matted, you should use a towel to dry your dog. Blot and press the towel against her coat, and avoid rubbing her coat with the towel as this can lead to tangles.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Make sure you use the towel and squeeze out excess water on your dog's paws and tail. Try to get off as much water as possible with the towel without rubbing her hair.
2
Apply a high velocity dryer to your dog's hair. Do not use a human hair dryer at this point, as it is not powerful enough to dry your dog's hair and can burn your dog's skin. Look for a high velocity dryer at your local pet store or ask your groomer to recommend a brand. There is a smaller dryer available called a Super Duck that you can use if you do not want to invest in a high velocity dryer.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Make sure that as you dry your dog's hair, you hold the nozzle very close to her hair, against her skin. The dryer should be on a low setting, as you do not want to burn your dog's hair or skin.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Hold your dog's nose down and dry your dog's face and head, keeping the nozzle close to her skin and moving in and out with the dryer. Be careful of your dog's eyes and mouth as you dry her face. Do not direct the airflow directly into your dog's ear holes or her eyes.
- Work your way back from your dog's face, drying one area at a time. This will straighten your dog's coat and create a “powder puff” look. Try to dry as much water from her hair so her coat is separated and dry to her skin. Don't forget to dry the top and bottoms of her paws, as well.
- Try holding the dryer in one hand and a brush in another. Work in small sections, using the brush to fluff the fur as it dries. Then, move on to the next section.^{[5]XExpert SourceMarie Lin
  Licensed Pet GroomerExpert Interview. 2 November 2020.}
- If your dog's hair starts to dry on its own before you can apply the high velocity dryer to it, use a small spray bottle of water to spritz the dried area before you dry it. This will ensure it dries fluffy, rather than flat.
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3
Use a slicker brush or a pin brush. These brushes can be found at your local pet store and are great for brushing your Bichon Frise without damaging her hair. Look for a slicker brush with a rubber base and a head of soft wire. Avoid slicker brushes with hard wires as they can hurt your dog.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Once your dog has been dried with a high velocity dryer, you can finish off her fluffy look by giving your dog a brush with the slicker brush and a hand dryer.
- Put the hand dryer on a medium heat setting and always move it along your dog's body as you dry her. Holding it in the same spot can cause that spot to get too hot for your dog's comfort level and can lead to burned hair or skin.
- Hold the slicker brush in your other hand and move it in quick, light strokes as you move the hand dryer along your dog's hair. Make sure you brush your dog's hair up and out as this will give her hair more body and fluff. It will also remove any curls in her hair, giving her an even, straight look.
- Use the slicker brush over your dog's body, moving from the bottom of her body, including her feet and paws, to her head and face. When you get to your dog's face, hold the hand dryer further away from her face and move it around so the air does not blow directly on her eyes or nose. Use the slicker brush under her head, on her chin, and her ears, but do not use it on the hair around her eyes or nose.
4
Apply the steel comb to finish the fluffy look. Move the comb up and out, starting at your dog's head, to give her a final fluff. Owners who do a solid job on brushing and drying their dog's hair will likely not have any trouble combing out their dog's hair.^{[7]XResearch source}
- The comb should go all the way through your dog's hair, combing in and out so the hair is fluffy and full of body. You can alternate between the slicker brush and the comb to make sure your dog's hair is fully combed out and fluffy.
- If you come across any tangles or mats, use the comb to gently pick apart the mats, rather than pull at them. Lift the comb in and out of your dog's hair to break up the mat with a gentle whipping action, working carefully in sections so you do not pull at your dog's hair.^{[8]XResearch source}

Part 2

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Brushing Your Bichon Frise Daily

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Give your dog a brush at least once a day. Brushing your dog once a day will ensure her hair stays healthy and fluffy until her next bath. You should use a slicker brush as well as a steel comb to give your dog's hair a good, thorough brush. Coat care is essential for Bichon Frise, as their coats require a lot of attention to stay clean and full.^{[9]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.Go to source}
- Brushing your dog's hair daily will also remove the old hair and allow the new hair to grow properly. Grooming your dog after a bath will also be much easier if you maintain a daily brushing schedule.
Brushing a dry coat will cause the coat to break and irritate your dog's hair and skin. Use a hydrating spray, found at your local pet store, and give your dog's coat a quick spray before you start brushing.^{[10]XResearch source}
3
Brush up and out for a fluffy look. Use the slicker brush first, moving up and out from your dog's skin, to help maintain a fluffy look. Work in sections, moving from your dog's bottom to her head. If any hair dries before you brush it, use the hydrating spray to wet it slightly again.
- Hold your dog's head by placing your thumb on her nose as you brush her head. Avoid brushing too hard around her ears, eyes, and mouth.
4
Apply a steel comb at the end of the brushing session. Once you have given your dog a brush with the slicker brush, use a steel comb to give your dog's hair extra fluff. Comb out and up with quick strokes, moving from your dog's bottom to her face.
- If you come across any tangles or mats, you can use a detangling spray on the area to help loosen up the hair. Always pick at the tangles, rather than pull.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Grooming Your Bichon Frise

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Use professional grooming tools. Many Bichon Frise owners bring their dog to a groomer every four to six weeks for a professional bathing and grooming session. If you are trying to reduce your care costs or are looking for a way to try trimming your Bichon's hair for a fluffier look, you should always use professional grooming tools to get it done right. You can find many of these supplies online or at a professional pet grooming supply store. To groom your Bichon, you will need:^{[11]XResearch source}
- A professional electric hair clipper that can fit several blade sizes made for animals.
- Blades: You will need skip tooth blades, which are made for cutting and trimming your dog's body. They should not be used on your dog's face, ears, or genital area. Look for blades in #4, #5, and #7. The #7 blade will give the closest cut, but you should have several blades to give you some room to adjust the trim and cut of your dog's hair. Keep in mind the higher the number on the blade, the closer the cut will be on your dog's hair.
- Blade wash: This is a special wash made for cleaning your blades after use. Keep your blades in good condition by vacuuming off any hair on the blades and washing them in blade wash after a grooming session.
- Snap on combs: These combs snap over the blades to give your dog a nice fluffy look. They are inexpensive and come in several different sizes. Usually when you order your blades, there will be snap on combs available that come with the blades. For a fluffy, full look, use a snap on comb over the #40 or #30 blade.
- Cool lube: You can find this product at your local pet store. Cool lube is great for cooling down hot blades on your clipper when you are grooming your dog.
- Stainless steel scissors: Look for high quality scissors at your local pet store or at a hair dressing supply store. The scissors should feel solid and comfortable in your hand as you cut.
- A grooming table: If you groom your dog at home after her monthly bath, you may already own a grooming table. You can find grooming tables at your local pet supply store or you can make your own grooming table. The table should be wide enough and long enough for your dog to fit on comfortably and have a grooming arm and a noose to help keep your dog in place as you groom her.
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Use the #4 or #5 blade to even out your dog's hair. Attach the #4 or #5 blade to the clippers. Then, attach the snap on comb to the blade. Do a first pass over your dog's hair to clip any long hair off. This will give you an even surface of hair to work with when you trim your dog's hair to fluff it up.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Place on finger on the base of your dog's skull and begin by clipping below your finger so you do not clip any head hair. Continue from the base of your dog's skull and lay the blade flat against your dog's coat. Do not point the teeth of the blade down, as they are very sharp and avoid pushing down hard on the clippers.
3
Work from your dog's head to her tail. Apply a light pressure as you move from the base of your dog's skull to the base of her tail. Work in long, fluid motions and try not to clip a few inches and then stop. This will create ridges in your dog's hair, as opposed to a nice even surface of hair. Move the clipper one long stroke at a time and start in another area next to the area you just completed. Overlap each area as you clip.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Be careful when you get to your dog's rib cage. Clip carefully in this area, as it can be very sensitive and take care when you get to the tuck up. The tuck up is where the front of your dog's rear legs meets her body. There is thin skin in the tuck up area that can get caught in the blade teeth so work very carefully and apply very little pressure on the clippers in these areas.
4
Clip your dog's rear legs. Picture your dog's legs as having four sides and be very careful when clipping the back sides of your dog's rear legs. You will need to clip each side of your dog's legs, as well the tops of your dog's feet. You can then move from the base of your dog's ear to her shoulder and down the front of her leg on both sides.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Make sure you also clip from your dog's Adam's apple to the end of her chest. You will need to lift your dog's legs to get to any hard to reach areas. But do not use the clippers on her genital area.
- Once you are finished doing a complete first pass with the clippers, spray the blade with Cool Lube to cool it off.
5
Use a slicker brush with the clippers on your second pass. Using the slicker brush will give your dog's coat a smooth finish with a fluffy texture. Make sure you brush your dog's hair against the lay of her coat as you clip again over her hair. Continue to clip, then brush her hair against the lay of the coat, clip, and then brush again until there is no more hair that can be clipped off. Your dog's hair should continue to become more fluffy and full as you clip and brush her.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Clipping your dog's hair on the second pass will make her hair appear a little choppy. Fix this by using a steel comb to comb her hair up and out all over her body, except for her face. Use the scissors lightly over her coat to even out her hair. Stand back and look at your dog at this point. If you notice any uneven hair, scissor it off so there are no stray hairs and your dog has a nice, even fluffy look.

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How do I make my dog's coat fluffy after I bathe her?
Marie Lin
Licensed Pet Groomer
Marie Lin is a Licensed Pet Groomer and the Owner of Marie's Pet Grooming, a grooming salon based in New York City. Marie has over 10 years of pet grooming experience specializing in dogs and cats. She earned her pet grooming certification from the American Academy of Pet Grooming New York in 2009 and is also a member of the National Dog Groomers Association of America. She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Hawaii Pacific University in 2007.
Marie Lin
Licensed Pet Groomer
Expert Answer
The key to fluffing up a dog's coat is to dry while you brush. It takes some skill, but work in small sections, holding the dryer in one hand and the brush in the other. Once that area is dry and fluffed up, move on to the next section.
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If your dog is nervous about the hair dryer, set the dryer on low. Start with their back legs first, then work your way up to the front of the dog.^{[16]XExpert SourceMarie Lin
Licensed Pet GroomerExpert Interview. 2 November 2020.}
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