Brush your Poodle thoroughly before you begin bathing him. If a Poodle has a tangled or matted coat when you start the bath, you won’t be able to wash out the accumulated dirt.

The mats and tangles will also become more difficult to comb out.

Attach a hose to your bathtub faucet. This will ensure that you’ll have access to plenty of running water throughout your Poodle’s bath.

Make sure all the supplies you’ll need are nearby, because once you’ve started your Poodle’s bath you’ll want to stay next to him.

That will help you reassure him and prevent him from jumping out of the bathtub.

You’ll need a shampoo developed specifically for Poodles or other dogs (the “no tear” type is best) along with a sponge, towel and brush.

Gently place cotton balls inside your dog’s ears to avoid shampoo and water entering the ear canals. This is a good idea until you’ve become an accomplished dog-bather.

Using plenty of warm water, get your Poodle soaking wet. Work the water through his coat all the way down to his skin. Then apply shampoo and wash along his spine.

Bathe his legs and underside next.

Be particularly careful while you’re shampooing his head. You want to avoid any shampoo or water going into his eyes or ears.

You can prevent stinging by placing a few drops of mineral oil into your Poodle’s eyes.

You’ll need to vigorously massage the shampoo through the layers of your dog’s coat all the way down to his skin.

Poodles have coats that naturally repel water, so you’ll need to work a bit to create a good lather.

If your dog’s coat is especially dirty you might need to shampoo him twice to remove all the grime and oils that have accumulated.

Because soap residue can cause skin irritation in Poodles, removing all traces of shampoo from your dog’s coat is a vital step in the bathing process.

Poodles must be rinsed with clear warm water several times. Work the clear water all the way down to the skin by using your fingers.

Rinse your Poodle again, even if you’re certain all the shampoo has been removed. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

You’ll shorten the drying time and reduce the potential mess if you squeeze as much water as possible out of your dog’s coat before lifting him out of the tub.

With a towel, rub your dog’s coat briskly to absorb excess water and prevent him from becoming cold.

Place your Poodle in a drying cage or other enclosed area, and use a blow dryer to dry his coat.

Make sure you use the coolest setting of the dryer. Keep him in the cage until he’s completely dry, and then brush him thoroughly.

However, if your Poodle is a show dog, remove him from the drying cage when he’s still a little damp.

You can then fluff his coat by brushing it while directing the blow dryer at the area you’re working on.

This technique will give you the “powder puff” look you need to compete successfully.

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Article written by:

Edie MacKenzie