Washing the Inside of Your Dog’s Ears
Water in the ears gives bacteria an ideal breeding ground and can lead to infection, says Ditto. “And water in the nose might cause irritation, discomfort and reverse sneezing and/or coughing,” she adds.
To keep water away from your pet’s ears, nose and eyes, Birmingham recommends using a wet cloth to clean your pet’s entire head.
When you pre–bathe a dog such as the Sheltie I mentioned earlier, you set yourself up for a much easier groom. Here is how:
If you have been in the group of groomers who “brush first, wash later,” I hope you will give this method a try. I believe you will find that your job was easier and faster, while achieving superior results. 
I asked if she was brushing the dog before bathing it, and she was. I reminded her that brushing out a clean, conditioned coat was far easier than working on a dirty one, and recommended she get the dog in the tub. I suggested that after he was nice and clean, she saturate his coat with conditioner and try brushing out the tangles in the tub, removing dead coat with the help of the conditioner, then rinsing and drying. An hour later she messaged, “He’s done. He looks fabulous. Thanks!”
Over the weekend a groomer friend in another state sent me a message, “I am grooming a huge Shetland Sheepdog that has not seen a brush in years. My hands hurt. Are there any tricks to get this dog groomed faster?”
Out of the hundreds of dogs I groom, there are two that are impossible to use a dryer of any kind on. One is a Standard Poodle that will viciously attack any dryer and/or the person using it, and the other is a Lhasa Apso that has hated the dryer his entire life and hates it extra now that he is a very old man. Both dogs are pre–clipped, then bathed and finished damp. Their owners understand that the haircuts won’t be perfect and are grateful that I am willing to work with their pets’ personality issues to get the job done as best as I can.
Do you groom dogs wet or dry?
Unlike people, who get haircuts with wet hair, always start with a dry, clean dog, Benesch said, and only use the tips of sharp shears to trim your dog’s feet, face and tail, which will prevent you from cutting your dog if she moves suddenly.
How To Properly Brush Your Dog
It is recommended that you brush your dog when their coat is dry. Wet hair can make mats worse and more difficult to remove. If you want to brush your dog’s hair following a bath, let their coat dry prior to brushing.