[0hmyd0g]

There seems to be different ways to groom a shorter type Bichon Frise trim on a pet rather than a show style. The way I learned in school was to use a #4 or 3 3/4 on the body, chest, and scissor the head, neck, hips and legs. Sort of like a kennel clip on the body but with a Bichon head (round but shorter to match the body) and feet and tail. I have had one customer point out it was different than when she had it done from another groomer, but the body length was perfict. My question: When you clip a bichon this short (like a #4 on the back on sides) what other parts do you clipper and what parts do you scissor? Your pictures are welcome, and next time I groom a bichon, I will take one myself

-Angela

[Graco22]

It depends on what the owner wants. If they want the dog to look as bichonlike as possible, but easier to maintain, I will use a #4 Wahl Stainless attachment on the body, scissor the legs, scissor the rear angulation, and scissor neck and head in porportion to the body. If they just want a bichon head, and a shorter body style, I will use a 4F all over the dog, and just scissor the bichon head in porportion again. Sometimes owners think they want certain cuts, then see it and change their minds. I have one bichon owner that changes her mind about his cut EVERY time. So we are always taking the neck off, growing it back, shorter cheeks, fuller legs, shorter legs, etc. I never know what I am going to be doing on the dog till she comes in. LOL

[Love's_Sophie]

I haven't had to really full scissor a Bichon in a looooong time But, we do alot of them in 3\4's blades, 4 blades, and comb attachments at our shop...

[0hmyd0g]

Do you guys scissor from the hock up to the hip, or do you use the same blade as on the body and scissor from the hock down to the foot? Do you scissor the chest between the front legs?

[Graco22]

I will blend off the hip with the body blade, then scissor down the leg. I scissor in the angulation behind the bum down to the foot, but will run the body blade or a step shorter where my angulation will be tight, in the bend of leg. I usually run the blade down the chest and between the front legs and belly on pet trims, then just scissor in a tad where the chest meets the front legs to give the dog a chest if it doesn't already have one there. Alot depends on the conformation of the dog though, on where I can get away with using a blade, and where I have to scissor in correct conformation. Little things like giving the dog a chest, and correcting angulation in the rear can take a not so well put-together pet into a nice looking specimen of the breed.

[Love's_Sophie]

It all depends on how short of a trim I am doing...longer trims I will scissor the legs, or only lightly run the blade down them, just to help begin the process of evening the coat. On shorter trims (like #5, and #4's), I will run the blade everywhere.

I always scissor the head