Its actually a wonderful combination of tough but good pampering of dogs.

first the warm buckets, two, of water to wet their fur. Then a thorough massage for shampoo for about 10 minutes, then leaving the soap for 5, so the dogs get a bit cold after the warm buckets but now dripping in the winter...then another rinse with three buckets of warm water and massage. then a towel dry. then a brushing. Then back in the house. Billy is a wuss about it all. Whiskey does not even need his collar to be washed - he obeys and seems to love it. Billy has to constantly be coerced with love and a bit of force. He may one day learn to enjoy it. This fear of water has to be conquered before he dies. It will be a real breakthrough that day: the day he actually swims. He will have been healed of his biggest so far childhood trauma suspected before us: nearly drowning very very young. He will be very wise and brave by then and forever grateful to us all. 'This is fun' he may even think, while he takes his first real swim.