If you're looking for a mild tempered dog to give your family companionship, a Bichon Frise is the perfect solution. These sweet little dogs are excellent companions for any family, and their long lifespan means that they can spend years with you and your children. One of the most important things to remember about the Bichon Frise is that their lovely white coat requires daily combing to prevent mats, which can lead to more severe skin conditions.

There are two basic cuts that you will find in the Bichon Frise breed - the show cut, and the Bichon Frise puppy cut. Most owners who have no intention of showing their dogs prefer the Bichon Frise puppy cut, as it is much shorter and easier to maintain. Giving your dog a puppy cut may be the perfect solution for you if you don't plan on entering your dog into any competitions.

Even if your dog has a Bichon Frise puppy cut, he will still require daily maintenance and weekly baths to keep his fur free from dirt and mats. It is important to remember to comb your dog out completely before bathing so that the mats do not become a permanent part of your dogs coat, otherwise you may have to shave your dog completely to allow the fur to grow back normally.

If you take your dog to a groomer for his cut, you need to remember to take him every six to eight weeks, in order to keep the cut short enough to properly maintain.

Other grooming tips that anyone with a Bichon Frise needs to remember are that the hair around the eyes need to be trimmed regularly. And even with a Bichon Frise puppy cut the hair needs to be pulled from inside the ears every time you comb the mats from their fur.

The hair around the eyes needs to be trimmed on a regular basis, as well. This way your dog can see and be seen.

If you are planning to show your Bichon Frise, then you need to remember that a Bichon Frise puppy cut will actually disqualify your dog from competition. The cut required for competing is much fuller, and needs to be maintained on a weekly basis, rather than every six to eight weeks.

But if you have no plans to enter your dog into any shows or competitions, then the Bichon Frise puppy cut is certainly the better (and easier) way to go.