Bichon frise coat and sweater sizes

Everything about sizing a bichon depends on when it was last groomed. Freshly scissored into the round show shape, the chest tapes 2 in bigger than it did a day before the appointment, and the neck disappears into the head. Six weeks later the measurements have moved again. For a bichon, the honest answer is: measure the week you order, in the coat the dog will wear it in.

Numbers to start from

The AKC standard puts the breed at 9.5 to 11.5 in at the shoulder and 12 to 18 lb; sturdier than the look. On the breed charts the Doggie Style Store lists an 18 in chest and a 14 to 18 in neck, both over a full coat; The Foggy Dog does not list the breed but its 15 to 25 in small-harness range is where bichons sit. Back length is 11 to 14 in on most adults; the breed is roughly square. Take all of that as a starting point from measured dogs rather than a rule.

Sizes from our charts

Worked out from the size charts on the product pages for the measurement range above. Your dog's own tape measurement is what decides it.

In practice a bichon in a pet clip is a jacket M, a Heritage Turtleneck M (L if the neck reads over 12.6 in, which under a full head of coat it often does), and a vest S. The Fireside Cable-Knit ends at a 16.5 in chest; a small bichon in a short clip fits the XL, a show-groomed one does not. Measure before ordering it.

The coat is a sponge

The bichon's double coat, a soft dense undercoat under a curly outer, is the one that soaks up rain, holds it, and takes the afternoon to dry. A wet bichon also mats, and mats on this breed are a groomer's shave-down. So the piece to own is the one that keeps water off: the All-Weather Jacket, rain-shedding shell and lining, chest zip, leash clipped to the jacket. Size M on most adults, S on a small female in a short clip. The back is cut short for the chest size, which on a square little dog is close to full coverage.

For drizzle without the full lining, the Quilted Vest S covers a 16 to 21 in chest with a belly strap that takes up the difference between a fresh groom and a grown-out one. That adjustability is the reason to prefer the vest on a breed whose chest measurement moves by the month.

Knits, and the head

A pullover has to pass a bichon head, which is mostly hair and rounder than the neck. Choose the size whose neck number is clearly above the dog's, open the collar wide with both hands, and bring it over in one motion. The Heritage Turtleneck stretches; its fold-down collar can be worn folded, which leaves more room at the throat. The dog does not need a knit for warmth in normal cold (the undercoat does that), but a bichon in a summer shave-down in November does.

Knits worn all day on a curly coat mat it. A walk, then off.

Shipping and returns

Free US shipping. Orders ship in 1 to 2 business days and usually arrive 4 to 9 business days after that. 60 days to try and return, which on this breed means ordering in the coat it will be worn in and trying it on the day it arrives (Shipping & Returns). Where the tape goes, through a cloud: how to measure your dog for a coat.

Questions

Fresh groom or grown out, which do I measure?

Whichever the dog will be in for most of the season. If you groom every six weeks, measure halfway between and order for that.

Jacket S or M on a 14 lb bichon?

Almost always M. The S is a 15 in chest and a bichon in any coat is past that.

Does the jacket crush the coat?

For a walk, the back and sides flatten and spring back. A show coat the week before a show is better left alone.