13 SMARTER WAYS TO DRY YOUR DOG(S)

Welcome to my blog post about the many smarter ways to dry your dog after a bath! Drying your furry friend can be a fun and bonding experience, but it can also be a bit of a challenge. Luckily, there are many different methods and tools available to make the process of drying your dog easier and more efficient. In this post, we’ll explore some of the most popular ways to dry, as well as some lesser-known techniques that you may not have considered before. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time dog owner, we hope you’ll find some helpful tips and tricks to make bath time a breeze!

Note: *This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you purchase using one of these links. As always, I only recommend products I use + love or have researched and have considered what would make the best choice for you! 

What are the most popular ways to dry? 

AIR DRY and Towel Drying

TOWEL DRY

HUMAN HAIR DRYER

HIGH-VELOCITY DOG DRYER

Many of these very useful ways to dry your dog are well-known and used on a regular basis in shops and at home. I’m here to review and offer a few new smarter tips to make drying go faster and allow you to do more than dry. Let’s start with an equipment list that is essential and not so essential l for this task.

Equipment List

Terry cloth towels ( 2-4) or 

Microfiber towels

High-velocity animal dryer – K9 Mini

Water peeler nozzle (will speed drying)

Floor  fan

Earplugs or headphones – protect your ears now before you lose your hearing

Tip #1 – Air and Towel Drying

Yes, you can air-dry a dog, but could take several hours or days to completely dry.

• First, use your hands to “wring out and squeegee” excess water from feet, ears chest, underside, and tail.
• 2-3  terry towels until they’re soaking wet, then grab the next one. Rub and press out moisture with towels. Be sure to dry the ears and ear tips, tail, feet, belly, face, down the legs as well as the entire back.
• Towel until the hair is almost dry to the touch.
• Brush thru the hair while wet with a slicker brush to help separate hair strands so air can get in between them. 
• Air dry in a warm environment to prevent mold and odors.  
• Let the dog sit under a fan in a warm room or with the fan directly on the dog. 
• I recommend you use some type of drying appliance to completely dry your dog because air drying alone can take hours or days.

Tip #2 – Using a human hair hand dryer

Holding a human hair dryer- for an hour and a half can’t be all bad. They still come out dry…eventually. Not recommended, but if that’s all you have. Be careful with the temperature. Here are a few more tips to get your dog used to the dryer

• Use a slicker brush to separate hair strands so air can get in between.
• Make sure the temperature is not too hot. 
• Alternate temperatures. Select cool for 2 minutes, and then warm if warm alone is too hot. 
• Don’t hold too close to the skin. 
• keep the dryer and hair moving.

Tip #3 – Using a high-velocity animal dryer

Why use a high-velocity dryer for dogs? It will dry the hair faster. I promise it’ll be the best investment you can make if you’re going to groom or bathe your dog at home.

• You can remove loose hairs on shedding pets more rapidly
• You’ll have the ability to do a large percentage of de-matting on some coat types. 
• You’ll get a clear view of the skin conditions. You may see skin warts, wounds, lumps, bumps, crusts or “ooey-gooey. By catching abnormalties early, you may save your dog’s life or get treatment before things get serious.
• Keep the nozzle moving.
• Blast water off the skin first, instead of drying the top of the hair first. CAREFUL —Some dryers have heating elements and some are warmed by the heat of the motors. YOU DON’T WANT TO BURN THE DOG
  • For short-haired dogs- remove the nozzle head and just use the hose end.  Or use the water peeler
  • For Medium length hair dogs–  Golden retrievers, etc. use the Water Peeler
  • For Long- haired dogs – poodles, doodles spaniels. Use the Water Peeler

Tip #4 – The Dryer I Use: The K9 Mini

I’ve used this dryer for many years to prove a point. With the right technique and the right “tools”, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get your dog not just dry, but dried for a number of other reasons in other words, a multi-purpose. The dryer lasts for years and years, easily repaired and American-made. The K9 Dryer Company has several other dryers for professional use.  

Tip #5 – The Water Peeler Nozzle adds more p-o-w-e-r to your drying.

• Adds more airflow power to a semi-weak HV dryer for faster drying. 
• A full 3 inches wide. 
• gives you the most control so you can point it where you need it
• Prevents “whip knots”
• More maneuverability around legs, ears, and faces.
• Less noisy and offensive to a dog or your ears. You control where the flow of air goes. 
• The Water Peeler can help move mats away from the skin to closer to the ends. Gives you the ability to leave longer hair and avoid shaving close. 

This nozzle shape makes the difference. Take my word for it. IMPORTANT NOTE: Only fits dryer hoses with separate screw bands.  

HOW TO DRY FASTER

Tip #6-Focus on the skin using the Water Peeler nozzle. 

• The goal is to blow water off the skin first. 
• Bury the water peeler nose nozzle into the hair. 
• KEEP THE NOZZLE MOVING IN CIRCLES- Don’t stay in one place too long. (Try counting `1-2-3, then move to another spot.  
• Hold a dry washcloth on the hair to keep water from splashing back on the coat.
• WARNING: be careful if you’re using a dryer with a heating element, this process may burn the dog’s skin.  Turn off any heat or switch between cool and heat every minute or so.  
• Hold the tip on its side. Blowing air across the hair. The ends of the hair across a distance will dry simultaneously. 

Tip #7 – Save time, Multi-task and Multi-focus while drying

Don’t waste time focusing on one aspect of drying. You can 

• Get the hair straighter for easier trimming. 
• Focus on tangles or mats. Dry hair is easier to detangle.
•  check on the health of your dog, at the same time. The Water Peeler can split tangles in half.  
• The Water Peeler can help move mats away from the skin to closer to the ends.
• Gives you the ability to leave longer hair and avoid shaving close. 
• Focus on blowing the water off the skin FIRST.x

Tip #8 – Use a Large circulating fan 

While towel drying, while you do nails or clean ears, or with a high-velocity dryer, Run a circulating fan at the same time. 

• Save time
• Sucks up hair in the room 
• Lets you multi-task while you clip nails or you can Dry the dog’s ears or face or back end. 
• While towel drying Run a circulating fan at the same time. 

Tip #9- Drying Ears and Faces

Try to be careful with forced air around ears, eyes, or noses. Here’s how to do that.

• Ears- Turn the HV dryer to the lowest blow strength setting.
• Use a small washcloth to cover the ear canal. 
• Then- Hold the ear flap in one hand, and point the water peeler or flat nose nozzle down toward the floor. The Airflow will go down the side flap of the ears to dry them. Never point the nozzle directly at a dog’s eyes or into the nose.

Muzzles– instead hold the nozzle so it points toward the floor while pressing close to the side of the muzzle. Airflow will go along the side of the muzzle and cheeks. The water peeler will give you the most control.

TANGLES AND MATS

 The Water peeler gives enough air flow power to move conditioned mats away from the skin to the middle of hair strands so you won’t have to shave so close to the skin. 

Tip #8- Blow out tangles and dislodge mats –

Note: Thoroughly Dry mats are easier to brush to remove than damp or wet ones. 

• Hold the water peeler close to the skin to dry the roots first.
• Go in circles quickly to work the knots tangles out. They should move away from the skin and closer to the hair ends. 
• The Water peeler can dry and gently lift the mats away from the skin. It also allows the powerful air to detangle snags as you go. Tangles happen by rotation, try going in circles on them. Your tools matter and techniques matter. 

CLEANER DRYING

Tip #9- Dry your dog in the bathtub

• Good HV dryers will blow dead skin and excess hair onto tub or shower walls instead of all over the room. 
• Run a circulating fan while you dry so it sucks up hair floating in the room. 

DE- SHEDDING 

Tip #10 – deshedding hair is a PROCESS.

• The first step to deshedding is to shampoo and condition with a shampoo made for the purpose of deshedding to help the excess hair relax and release.
• Towel dry as much as you can
• Hold the Water peeler close to the skin, 
• Go in circles or in any direction to loosen dead fur. 
• Run a high-velocity floor fan to suck floating hair into it. 
• Note about brushing: clean dry hair or soaking wet hair is easier to brush than damp.  Click here to learn why you should count 1-2-3 when grooming your dog

Tip #11 – Fluffing 

is when the hair strand is happy and full of air! What you are really doing is” splitting or parting hairs”.  Separating each strand from the other. When the hair is clean and free of oils and dirt, the power stream by a dryer and the shape of the nozzle can separate the hair strands.  The separation makes the hair strand fluffier because there’s air in between the strands. 

• Hold the water peeler close to the skin blowing water away from the skin and go in circles to get the fluffiest outcome. 

(illustration by Iv San Bernard USA)

Tip #12 – To “straighten” curled or wavy hair 

You can relax waves and curls, by holding the nozzle flat against the skin so the hair blows across several inches of hair. Once they’re not curled, they become straighter and upright like a lawn. So that trimming more hairs is easier. 

Tip #13 – How to flatten hair so doesn’t stick up or out

• Towel dry
• Lay the water peeler on its side and let the HV air blow across the hair in the direction you want the hair to lay. 
• Note about brushing: clean hair or soaking wet hair is easier to brush than damp or dirty.  Click here to learn why you should count 1-2-3 when grooming your dog. Never brush a dry coat. Always use a light detangling spray. Stazko Conditioning Anti-Static Detangling spray is what I recommend.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, drying your dog after a bath can be an easy and rewarding experience. From towels to high-velocity dryers, you have multiple options to help make the task easier. Understanding the different types of fur, how wet or damp your pup is, and what type of environment you are in will greatly influence which grooming tool or method works best for you. With all the available options on the market today, it has never been easier to keep your pup dry and happy!

Note: *This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you purchase using one of these links. As always, I only recommend products I use + love or have researched and have considered what would make the best choice for you! 

©2020 | K9 Kids Co, LLC  |  All Rights Reserved www.thek9kidsfanatic.com

Resource List: 

Water Peeler Nozzle -The Electric Cleaner Company water peeler attachment is a must-have for any pet owner. With its easy connector and efficient airflow, you’ll be able to get your furry friend looking fabulous in no time.

• 6 in x 4 in x 4 in
• Water peeling nozzle
• Compatible with all K-9 dryers in the ECC collection

K-9 Mini Dog Dryer–By the Electric Cleaner Company- Compact! Powerful! Ideal for shows, large or small dogs  Easy to store and transport. An awesome machine for groomers to start out with. Great for small and large dogs. Two speeds, 1140 watts, 114 CFM, 25,000-32,529 FPM, 9.5amps and 18 gauge steel body. Includes 10-foot hose, blower tip, and filter. Don’t mess with cheap dog dryers!

Stazko Anti-Static Conditioning and Detangling spray

• 13 SMARTER WAYS TO DRY YOUR DOG(S)
• Neabot Vacuum Dog Clippers– Beginners need this to trim their dog’s hair Fast!!
• Pet Safety During a Disasters
• Why you should count 1-2-3 when grooming your dog
• What to Wear for Safe Grooming