# Who knew?!



## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

Sheldon got a bath today (he was LONG over due). We started with raking out as much of his loose fur as possible (took about half an hour...thank god I brush him every other day), then bathed him. Finally, I tried out a blow dryer (mostly to see how he'd react to it)...he loved it!! Now he's especially soft and silky...I'm going to have to blow dry from here on out, it makes such a big difference!!!!!!!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Did you use a human blow dryer? Wait til you try a dog blow dryer--you'll be hooked for life.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

It was a human dryer, professional grade (my SO's sister is living with us, and she's going to the Paul Mitchell cosmetology school...love it!). How much is a dog one? =D


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

iBaman said:


> It was a human dryer, professional grade (my SO's sister is living with us, and she's going to the Paul Mitchell cosmetology school...love it!). How much is a dog one? =D


Here's a good little starter dryer: Air Force Commander 2-Speed Pet Dryers | PetEdge.com

Of course prices go on up into the thousands of dollars, but the more powerful the dryer, the more dead hair it will blast out and the quicker your dog will dry. If you get a really powerful one, you don't even have to touch your dog with a brush unless you want to.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

O.O I now know what I want for my birthday...thanks!!!!


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

hey freestep what dryer would you recommend for power for a long coat to dry her off really quick and of course blow out dirt and loose hair for regular groomings... of course without spending a fortune. I like the one you linked but wondering if that is powerful enough to get through her long thick coat quickly.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

This one has three speeds and good power, you get a lot of bang for the buck:
K-9 III Blower Dryer | PetEdge.com

It's going to be VERY loud, so use ear protection!

At $400, it's not super expensive (the one I use in my shop is around $700).


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I'm seriously going to consider the pet dryer Freestep posted. I'm afraid that we are not getting him dry enough when he gets a bath & his coat is staying damp for too long, even tho we use several towels on him.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

You'll never regret buying a good force dryer! I wouldn't want to groom dogs without one, I don't know how they did it before force dryers were invented. You'll be amazed at how water, dead undercoat, and debris is blasted out of the coat. Another important thing is that it lets you see every inch of the dog's skin, so you can discover any ticks, foxtails, bumps, and skin conditions. 

Many dogs don't like the force dryer at first, so take it slow. Put it at the lowest speed and start at the base of the tail, working your way forward and gradually increasing the power; be careful around the face and ears. If you put cotton in the dog's ears it can be helpful. I've found that most large dogs learn to really enjoy the force dryer, especially when used on their magic spots (chest, side of neck, base of tail), it's a nice massage!

The only thing the force dryer doesn't work well for is the areas where the hair is very short and dense, like the lower legs and the top of the head, but I find that those areas will air dry just with a good toweling. At the shop, I put the dog in a cage with a warm or room-temperature cage dryer to finish the process. You could do the same with a crate and a fan.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Freestep said:


> Here's a good little starter dryer: Air Force Commander 2-Speed Pet Dryers | PetEdge.com
> 
> Of course prices go on up into the thousands of dollars, but the more powerful the dryer, the more dead hair it will blast out and the quicker your dog will dry. If you get a really powerful one, you don't even have to touch your dog with a brush unless you want to.



Just for the record, I used this dryer at the boarding facility I worked at and it randomly caught on fire after I turned it off. I had been using it for about 30 minutes prior. Just be careful!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Shaina said:


> Just for the record, I used this dryer at the boarding facility I worked at and it randomly caught on fire after I turned it off. I had been using it for about 30 minutes prior. Just be careful!


Whoa, really?!? That is SCARY! I have heard of dryers starting fires but not while turned off! 30 minutes is a long time for a force dryer to run, and they do generate quite a bit of heat as they have a pretty high amp draw. That's why I think it's better to have the most powerful dryer you can afford--the less time it takes to dry the dog, the better.


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