Bichon Frise grooming in Gloucester, MA

The breed standard describes a soft, dense undercoat and a coarser, curlier outer coat that together feel like plush or velvet and spring back when patted. According to the AKC, the Bichon sheds very little because the shed hair is caught in the undercoat, and that hair has to be brushed out to prevent mats. So the coat can look round and fluffy from across the room while loose hair quietly packs down near the skin.

The friction points on a Bichon are the usual ones on a coated small dog: behind the ears, the armpits, the inside of the back legs, under a collar or harness, and the plumed tail where the dog sits on it. Because the outer coat is curly and the undercoat dense, a tangle at the skin can hide under a perfect surface until a comb finds it. White hair also shows tear stains, grass and sand, which is why Bichon owners think about whitening.

The AKC is specific: a Bichon needs a bath and a clipping at least once a month, and most pet owners take theirs to a groomer every four to six weeks. Four weeks keeps the round shape crisp and the undercoat from packing down. Six weeks is the outside edge, and it works best for a shorter pet trim that is brushed well at home.

Push past six weeks and the packed undercoat begins to felt at the friction points. De-matting is billed at $15 per 20 minutes and agreed at check-in after the coat assessment, and a coat matted close to the skin may need a shorter trim to start over, which means giving up the round look for a cycle. Booking the next visit at pick-up saves $5 and keeps the four-week rhythm on the calendar.

Brush two or three times a week at the minimum and daily at best, as the AKC suggests, working in layers to the skin with a slicker brush and finishing with a metal comb. Then the face. The AKC's tear-stain guidance singles out dogs in the Bichon family, and it recommends a quick face grooming every day to keep stains at bay. Sudden heavy staining, or discharge that turns yellow or bloody, is a question for your vet.

A white coat meets a lot on Cape Ann: wet sand at Wingaersheek on its odd-numbered dog days from October 1 to April 30, mud on the Dogtown Common trails in spring, and road salt in winter. Rinse and dry after each, and book whitening when the coat has dulled. If your Bichon comes to daycare, the groom can ride along: drop off between 6:30 and 9:30 AM on a weekday and collect a clean dog in the afternoon window.