Grooming By Breed & Bathing Page
O & P
R & S
This is the bathing page. Most dogs are bathed the same way, but grooming needs can vary significantly by breed. The links above cover some of the most popular breeds and how to groom them.
The Short Hair Grooming link above covers short-haired dogs specifically, as their grooming routine differs from that of long-haired and double-coated breeds.
How to Bathe Your Dog
When I brought my first Cocker Spaniel home in 1993, I had no idea what I was getting into — or how little I knew about grooming a long-haired dog. I bought some brushes and a set of clippers and figured I was ready. I was not even close.
The more I learned, the better I got — and the more I wished someone had laid it all out clearly from the start. It would have saved me years of trial and error. That’s what this site is for. Take what’s useful, leave what isn’t — you know your pet better than anyone.
Where to Begin
I always start with the bath. You wouldn’t paint on a dirty canvas, and the same logic applies here. If your dog hasn’t been bathed before, expect some resistance — possibly a lot. The earlier you start, the calmer they’ll be, and the easier bath time becomes for both of you.
Before You Start
Everything you need to bathe your dog is included in a package (or you can buy each item individually) and is available on your breed’s grooming page.
Have everything within reach before you begin:
- A plastic apron
- Shampoo (and conditioner if you use it)
- A shammy towel and a microfiber towel
- A metal close-tooth comb (for long-haired dogs)
- A sprayer or a cup
Put the apron on before you start. If you don’t have one, add a third towel to the list — for yourself. You don’t want to be fumbling with an apron while holding a wet, squirming dog in the sink.
Eye & Ear Care
Eyes and ears need attention before the bath begins. Many dogs are prone to buildup, irritation, or staining, so taking a moment to clean these areas helps prevent discomfort and infection.
Eye Care (Before the Bath)
- Use pet-safe eye drops to flush out debris if your dog has weepy or irritated eyes.
- Wipe the corners of the eyes with a soft cotton pad.
- For dogs prone to staining, apply a tear stain cleaner under the eyes.
- Never scrub — the skin under the eyes is delicate.
Ear Care (Before the Bath)
- Dogs with floppy ears are prone to ear infections because their ear canals don’t get enough airflow. Keeping their ears dry will reduce the risk of ear infections.
- Place a small piece of cotton in each ear to prevent water from entering during the bath.
- Do not push the cotton deep — it should sit gently at the opening.
- Clean the ear leather and around the ear canal thoroughly. If it’s neglected, the hair underneath can mat badly and become painful to manage.
You can find ear cleaner, eye drops, and tear stain remover in our Grooming Tools Collection.
Wetting the Coat
Wet your dog thoroughly from head to tail, down to the skin. A sprayer makes this easy, especially for the underside. A cup works too, but it takes much longer and is harder to control.
If you don’t have a sprayer, I’m putting together a page showing how to convert any standard faucet into a dog-washing sprayer — it’s a simple fix that makes a big difference.
Shampoo
Choose your shampoo based on your dog’s coat type, but let specific needs guide you too: itching, whitening, shedding control, flea and tick, or no-tear formulas all have their place. I cover breed-specific recommendations on each breed’s page, but you know your dog best.
Professional groomers always dilute their shampoo. The standard ratio is:
1 tablespoon of shampoo in a 12–16 oz bottle, then fill the rest with warm water.
The grooming package includes a shampoo dilution/spray bottle, so you’ll always have the right tool for mixing and applying your shampoo.
If your shampoo specifies a ratio like 16:1, 20:1, or 32:1, follow the label. If it doesn’t say, use 10:1.
Each breed page also includes a coat-specific bath bundle so you’ll always know exactly what to use.
Shake gently — you don’t want a bottle full of foam. Apply the diluted shampoo and scrub thoroughly, getting under the legs, belly, and anywhere dirt tends to hide. Rinse until the water runs completely clear.
Conditioner
Long-haired dogs collect stickers, burrs, and debris in their coats. If something is stuck and won’t brush out, apply a generous amount of conditioner to the area. Use a metal close-tooth comb, hold the hair above the tangle, and work from the ends toward the skin.
Drying
Before lifting your dog out of the sink, squeeze as much water as possible from the ears and feet. Place them on the microfiber towel and use the shammy to absorb water from the belly, feet, and ears first — those areas hold the most.
Keep moving to a dry section of the towel as you go. Once the shammy is saturated, switch to the microfiber towel and rub firmly until no more water comes out. The drier the coat before blow-drying, the faster and easier the finish will be.
What Happens After the Bath
Grooming:
Once your dog is towel-dry, it’s time to move on to the grooming page, where we will learn about drying, trimming, or styling. Each coat type has different needs, so the next steps can vary widely from breed to breed.
To keep things simple, everything you need to know — including tools, techniques, and coat‑specific grooming steps — can be found on your breed’s grooming page.
Go up to the top of the site and pick your dog’s breed, or the breed that’s the closest match to your dog’s coat type.
On that breed page, you’ll find:
- The Bathing Package and Grooming Package built for that coat
- The tools, shampoo, and products that actually work for that breed
- Step‑by‑step grooming instructions written specifically for that coat type
- Tips to help you avoid mats, frizz, and irritation
- Breed‑specific problem areas (like Cocker Spaniel ears)
This is where you stop guessing and start grooming with confidence.
Bathing is the foundation of every great groom. When the coat is clean, dry, and prepped correctly, the rest of the grooming process becomes easier, faster, and far more effective.