When it comes to grooming your large dog, one of the most daunting tasks can be drying out your dog hair. It’s a hefty job for most pet parents. In this article, we are going to discuss the best practice to dry your large dog's coat in 30 minutes.
Now there are many families who give their dogs a bath at home, dog bathing is not that difficult. The biggest problem is how to dry their hair completely? The truth is a 10 minutes bath but 1 hr to dry the dog.
Dogs tend to instinctively shake off excess water after getting wet, but you still need to dry them. Make sure to completely dry your dog's coat after bathing. And prepare a towel with good absorbency, a dog hair dryer, and a pet needle comb.
Every dog is different, not only in coat type but also in their temperament. So, it’s important to make your dog as comfortable as possible while drying.
Table of Contents
- Why drying your dog is important?
- How long does it take to dry a dog?
- Steps to dry your dog thoroughly and efficiently in 30 minutes?
- Tips for drying your dog's coat
- How To Introduce A Dog Dryer to your dog？
- Is it okay to let your dog air dry?
Why drying your dog is important？
Photo by Autri Taheri on Unsplash
A dog’s coat soaks up a lot of water. Unless you get all the water and moisture out, you have a wet dog running around your house. Well, that's not okay!
What is the risk of not drying your dog in a short period of time?
Here are some reasons why drying your dog’s hair is important:
- Better Appearance: Drying your large dog until its coat is completely dry will make him look his best. The hair will be fluffy, full of body, and clean. A good blow-out will remove dust, allergens, and dead fur from your dog's coat.
- Cleaner: Your dog's fur will look cleaner after drying. This is because a wet, moist coat will immediately pick up all kinds of dirt if your dog is allowed to run and play while he's still wet.
- Less Stinky: Damp, moist dog coats will harbor some foul or moldy smells. These smells can defeat the point of bathing your dog in the first place.
- Prevents infections: A wet, damp coat may lead to matting and infections. It will provide an ideal environment for fungal infections and other skin conditions such as hot spots.
How long does it take to dry a dog?
It shouldn’t take long, but it depends on the coat and the dog breed.
- The longer your dog’s coat is, the longer it will take to dry. If your dog’s coat is thicker and longer, the drying process can seem very challenging.
- The shorter it is, the faster it will dry. For short-haired or thinner-coated dogs, drying can seem like an easy step.
- Dog breeds with a lot of wrinkles or loose skin, like Bulldogs and Pugs, will take a little extra time to dry regardless of the drying method you’re using.#3
Steps to dry your dog thoroughly and efficiently in 30 minutes
While bathing is the first step in cleaning your furry companion, drying is equally as important.
Step 1: Dry the hair with the towel or dog bathrobe
Photo by it_is_a_pancke_life on Instagram
Use an absorbent towel to dry the dog's hair as much as possible. You should have at least one towel near the bathtub. For large dogs, you may need to use more than one towel to start the drying process.
Use the towel to gently squeeze water out of their coat. Start rubbing your dog’s head and work backward to their tail, you should use a towel to gently squeeze water out of their hair. Similarly, as you dry them off, you should work from your dog’s backside down to their belly, legs, and paws as you dry them off. The goal is not to dry the coat completely but rather to prepare it for effective blow-drying.
Step 2: Test the temperature of the wind flow
First, you should understand that it’s the airflow, not the heat that will remove excess water from your dog’s coat. Most of the time, you will be using the hot air mode.
Before you dry your dog with the dog hair dryer, you can try to point the dryer to your own skin first. The perfect temperature of the dryer wind flow is slightly higher than the human body.
Step 3: Blowing the water out with hot air mode follow the direction of the hair growth
Dog dryers nowadays have so many settings. The higher the airflow, the faster your dog's coat will dry. Use hit air mode the first time blowing out the whole body hair from the roots. You can start from the back tilting the dryer 30-45 degrees, and get close to the back. This place is not very stimulating to the temperature. Moving in the direction of the hair growth so that the water from the root can be blow out, sweeping the dog's whole body. And be alert to not blow the head. Normally, you can blow out 60-70% of the water.
Step 4: Blowing the water out with hot air mode against the direction of the hair growth
The second time you use the dog hair dryer, you can blow the hair against the direction of hair growth. And don’t forget to get close to the skin before you start blowing. Once it’s done, you can blow out 20% of the water on your dog.
Step 5: Blowing the water out with cold air mode and follow the direction of the hair growth
If you have a button for cool air, you can use it intermittently so you don't overheat your dog. The hair on your dog might be messy as the second blowing is against the flow. Then, you can use the comb and dryer to style the hair in cold air mode. And it’s necessary to check on every inch of hair to see if it’s completely dry.
Tips for drying your dog's coat
Drying should be seen as a good thing and not as something to be avoided. Here are some handy tips for drying your dog after bathing them.
- Dogs can shake up to 70% of the water from their coats by themselves. So, let them shake and encourage them to do it just before you get into the house.
- Do not use any dog hair dryer to blow directly into the dog's ear canal! It might cause severe damage.
- Use a towel to dry the hair on the head
- For double-coated dogs, the hair will return to moisture after blowing. You need to use hot air to sweep the whole body again. If it is a sunny day outside, you can walk the dog outside under the sun for about 10 minutes so that it will not return to moisture.
- A loud dryer will only make your dog more scared. It is recommended to use a quiet sound dog hair dryer to dry the head as the ears and eyes are more sensitive areas. You can comb and style the hair while blowing.
- Human hair dryers are suitable for dogs and pose a host of risks. They get very hot and can burn your dog. The air they put out is concentrated. So, to avoid burning your dog’s skin, you constantly need to move them around.
- We recommend using the dog dryer outside for your dog to avoid a flurry of fur and moisture. The dog hair and flying moisture can create a whole new level of mess inside.
- While you are blow-drying, use your free hand to brush through your dog's coat as you go. This will help speed up the process.
- While you are brushing and drying, keep your eyes open for skin problems so that you can address them timely.
- Dogs just love all the extra attention and one-on-one. Make drying a positive experience filled with praise and rewards.
How To Introduce A Dog Dryer
If your furry companion is not properly introduced to a dog dryer, it won't fancy the unwelcomed blasts of air and noise. You need to desensitize your dog to the dryer. When introducing your pet to the dryer, you need to go slowly.
- Always start with the lowest setting on the dryer, especially for dogs who have never had a dryer used on them before.
- Brush it out while you dry your dog. It will help to avoid painful tangles.
- Encourage positive associations with the dog dryer! Use a positive reinforcement approach to get your dog to enjoy the experience. Rewards, praise, and treats can go a long way.
- Keep the hose as far back as possible during the initial use.
- Avoid concentrating the dog dryer in one spot as the heat could bother your furry friend.
- Keep the dog dryer away from your dog’s face, ears, genitals, and other areas with thin fur. It will get too hot and really hurt your furry companion!
- Watch your dog carefully for body language and distress signals. If your dog shows any distress or upset, stop immediately.
Is it okay to let your dog air dry?
Wondering if you should let your dog air dry, the answer is no. You should consider drying your dog to be a vital part of the bathing process. However, it's occasionally okay if your dog has short hair or sensitive skin.
Wet and moist fur can lead to fungus growth in between your dog's paw pads and armpits. At least use a soft towel around your dog to gently soak up the excess water. Also, your dog won't smell very good if you let them air dry, even if you used a great shampoo.
Final thoughts
Just like bathing your dog is a vital piece to the grooming puzzle, so is drying your dog.
No matter how you choose to dry your large dog's coat, remember to keep the environment comfy and friendly for your dog. Give your dog lots of love, praise, and their favorite doggie treats to make it a positive experience for them. Your fur buddy will want to come back again and again!
Have you ever used any dog dryer on your dog? Do you have any dog drying tips to share? Feel free to share your thoughts. We would be happy to hear from you!
Until next time everyone!
