Actually Lobey’s 2 bichons rarely get washed at all. They were on a “no wash” regime for 18 months but now they are on a minimum wash regime. About one wash every 6 months or so.
One of Bichons descendants, way back, is the Spanish Water Dog
http://www.spanishwaterdogclub.co.uk/
and as such have Lanolin in their coats which stop the rain soaking in more than half an inch or so. This is kind of important when you live, as we do, in the West Coast of Scotland!!!  .
I try to comb mine every week but sometimes that slides to once a month. . They are usually all fluffy for about 2 days after a grooming session but quickly return to the curly, wild, ragamuffin look that they normally are.
I cut and groom them myself as I learned to do on the Internet.
http://canbichon.tripod.com/beautyshoppe/
then to
“BARBARA'S BICHON GROOMING LINKS” further down the page.
We tried the Angles Eyes with our eldest (4 year old Mull) as he had very bad Tear Staining, but Coll, now 18 months, was fed on James Wellbeloved right from the start and he has never had any Tear Staining problems.
When I looked more into this, it transpires that the Tear Staining is cause by a reaction between Beef Products and the Tears which causes Yeast and it is this yeast which causes the Brown Staining. This can also appear around the mouth.
I switched Mull onto James Wellbeloved foods also and the staining stopped immediately, despite the fact that he also has blocked tear ducts, another reason, I have been told, for tear staining. Okay it took a while for the stained hair to grow out but that has completely gone now and I have seen no more staining what-so-ever.
Mull however is sporting a slight brownish tinge around his ears but this is the residue of ointment that he had for an ear infection.
James Wellbeloved foods contain no Beef Products. By the by, I have nothing to do with this company. I only use their products.
Both Mull and Coll are fed on both their Wet Pouches and the Dry Kibble.
Really the main problem with Bichons is that they do not think of themselves as dogs at all and that their main purpose in life is to teach humans how to pander to their every need.
I have been told that there is moves afoot to change their breed name to Velcro Dogs, because the Cling!!!!!
For anyone , whether you are owned by a Bichon or just thinking about being adopted by one (or more), then the series of 10 books by Joan Briggs are a must.
http://www.thebriggs.plus.com/books.htm
Very entertaining reading material and I promise you, you will read them again and again.
Sorry to the original writer for stealing your topic.
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Lobey.
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Topic: 1st trip with puppy
