Bathing Procedure Overview

A clean dog will dry faster, look better, feel amazing and optimize your styling options. One of the most important things to get right here is to rinse your dog thoroughly as any shampoo residue can cause the dog to itch.

To Bath the dog

Lift the dog into the tub. Make sure the dog is secure and comfortable. for big dogs, place a towel under their chest or waist to help lever them up and in.
Test the water temperature before pointing the nozzle at the dog. The water should be the cooler side of warm.
Starting at the back of the dog, slowly wet the coat.
Continue wetting the back by moving along the spine toward the head.
Keep the nozzle close to the dog's skin – this will soak the coat properly.
Now move the nozzle towards the shoulders. Thoroughly wet one side, working down the shoulder, upper arm, forearm to the foot. Continue back towards the tail, soaking the chest, rump and hind leg. Do the same on the other side.
When both sides are saturated, wet the head. Be careful to avoid the ears, eyes and nose. The water pressure should be reduced for the head. Direct the water flow behind the ears and wet the head allowing water to gently wet the eyes and nose.

Shampoo and rinse

Apply the shampoo and massage it into the coat with your fingers to produce lather. You will need more than one application to get the dog clean. Shampoo until the coat feels “squeaky clean”.
Start at the back of the neck, work towards the tail. Then from the shoulder to the foot, chest, rump and down the hind leg. Do the same on the other side.
When the coat is clean, rinse thoroughly.
Keep the nozzle close to the dog's skin and work with one hand to push water from the coat.
Run a slow stream of water over the eyes to wash away traces of shampoo.
When the dog is thoroughly rinsed, apply skin and coat conditioner.
Apply the conditioner to the entire coat. Massage the conditioner into the skin.
According to manufacturer's instructions, some conditioners may be left on the coat.
Thoroughly rinse the conditioner following the shampoo rinsing instructions above.

Prepare the dog for drying

Remove as much water as you can with your hands by scooping the coat in the direction of the hair.
You may like to use a towel or chamois to dry the dog before moving on to the drying method best suited for the coat type.

Remember

The dark warm environment of the ear canal is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which are the primary causes of ear problems. Take care not to get water in the ears as this may cause mild irritation to the dog and/or lead to an ear infection.
In small dogs, as little as a few teaspoons of inhaled water may cause a severe reactions impairing their ability to breathe and may even drown the animal. It is extremely important to avoid getting water into the nasal cavity of a small dog.