Who uses dog hair dryers and how do you like them?!

First off I want to tell everybody today is Kosmo's birthday too!! It seems like there is a lot - we're going to celebrate when Faith comes home with Linda's boys and hopefully someone else too and have a little "pawty."

With the new addition of our family, I think it may be time to invest in a dog blow dryer. Thus far I've been working with a regular human conair ceramic blow dryer. It works fine but it takes me a while because it's hot air and I have to move it around constantly. Also his hair ends up being a frizz ball when I am done with it.

I am looking into getting a doggy hair dryer since I will do twice the work. How do they work? Are they that much faster than human hair dryers? What ones do you have?

Cathy Moon ~ Sorry to call you out! :flwr: but I think I remember you have the house hair dryer - how do you like it and how does it work??

I'm looking into that one - here is the link:

http://www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=191794

Lemme know what you guys think! I have no choice but to dry their hair in this time of year as it's too cold outside not to!

Sara, yes I have the 'doghouse' hairdryer, and I like it much better than using a human hairdryer on my pups. I learned how to use it by going to a grooming place that has a do-it-yourself dog wash included. They show you how to do everything, even showing you the correct water temp for washing a dog, which is cooler than humans like! Then they show you how to use the dog dryers, and you can actually watch them professionally drying and grooming dogs while you're there. We learned a lot in one visit. It's a bit expensive, so we only went the one time.

The difference between the human and dog dryers is the dog hairdryer has a greater volume of air coming out of it and very little heat. I use it with the little flared fitting on the end. The idea is to blow the water out of their hair, so you always have the flared end against their skin and you slant it and let it blow the hair in the direction it grows, so it actually makes their hair lay nice and flat.

Keep it away from their face and eyes and never, never let it blow into their ears. To dry the undersides of their ears, you flip an ear over the back of their neck and blow straight down the ear, slanted towards the end of the ear without blowing into their ear opening.

I use a grooming table to dry my cavs, and can do Geordie and Chocolate by myself, but hubster has to help with India because she tries to climb on me. :roll:

After they are nearly dry, I put a coat on them to flatten their hair down. They just wear it while the next dog is getting groomed. In the winter they go out for potty just before their bath, so I don't have to let them out for a few hours afterwards.

Very informative post. Thanks Cathy.

How long does it take to dry them with the house dryer? My wrist gets
tired using the human dryer on them...especially when there are 3 of them! (Looks like you can relate, Cathy! )

Cathy,
What size drying coats to you use? Where to you find them?

They really work?

Thanks!

Nancy
Teddy and sweet, little Katydid

lmallicoat said:

How long does it take to dry them with the house dryer? My wrist gets
tired using the human dryer on them...especially when there are 3 of them! (Looks like you can relate, Cathy! )

Click to expand...

I think it is faster using the dog dryer, because you are literally blowing the water off their hair, but I have never timed it...
I can relate to the tired wrist problem, so I give them a break half way through and let them do their zoomies for a few minutes. :lol:

nlg679 said:

Cathy,
What size drying coats to you use? Where to you find them?

They really work?

Thanks!

Nancy
Teddy and sweet, little Katydid

Click to expand...

I don't use a drying coat, I just have a shearling winter coat that I bought from Old Navy. It is about 13" long down the back, size S, and you can adjust the fit with velcro at the neck and sides. I make it fit closely to hold their hair flat after I'm finished drying them, and it actually keeps the chills away in winter:
http://www.jbpet.com/Shopping/produ...oduct_id=153-0257&category_name=ClothingCoats
I only have the one coat, so they take turns wearing it after they are dried.

Sara:
If you are planning of purchasing that dryer when they are re-stocked let me know.
I am also going to check a few Canadian websites out for dryers.
as I also use a human hairdryer.

Funny Cathy Moon I had a coat like that for Dudley and returned it.
Oh well will just watch for them to go on sale again.

Linda, I loved the coat on Dudley! After I saw it we went to Old Navy and purchased one. It's wonderful for after baths. I was going to buy 2 more, but my dogs really don't need to wear coats, as they don't stay outside in the cold very long.

Very clever Cathy Moon!
I have a fleece lined squall jacket for Teddy and that might just work, too!
I will try that in two weeks....just gave the bath and trimmings yesterday.
Next time I will straight-jacket him!
I am also tempted to get that doggy dryer.......