Summarize the following:
Use warm water to rinse out all traces of soap. If any shampoo remains in your dog's coat while you blow dry it, the soap can cause dryness and skin irritation. Make sure that the water is warm, not hot. Since poodle hair is so dense, it can take a long time for water to thoroughly saturate it. It is crucial that you do not rush the process and patiently make sure that all traces of shampoo are out of the coat before proceeding further. Avoid spraying the poodle's eyes with water and do not let any of the suds get into the dog's eyes, either. You may wish to protect the poodle's eyes by applying a thin coat of petroleum jelly or mineral oil around the outer perimeter of the eye. You may have to "knead" the poodle's coat as you rinse it to make sure that all traces of shampoo are scrubbed out. After washing your poodle with water and dog shampoo, consider applying a dog conditioner to the coat. The conditioner will improve the health of your dog's coat and will make the blow drying process easier. Follow the instructions on the dog conditioner regarding proper application. Some conditioners should be left in, while others will need to be rinsed out. You could also opt for a detangler spray instead of a conditioner. Detangler will not offer the same overall health benefits for the poodle's coat, but it will still make combing and drying the coat easier. Gently brush your dog's wet coat with a slicker brush to remove any knots that developed during bath time. A slicker brush is a special type of brush that has thin metal wire tines poking up from a foam or rubber base. The design of the brush makes it easier to remove tangles and dead clumps of loose hair. Note that you could also use a large plastic comb during this stage. The comb will help you remove large knots but may not remove as many fine tangles as a slicker brush would.
Rinse thoroughly. Consider applying a conditioner. Comb out any knots.