Why do groomers use dryers to dry dogs? Grooming has changed a lot since the days of drying with a human hand dryer.
Today's salon owners want to increase their revenue and decrease their time. It is a very competitive business. Groomers are expected to be as efficient as possible. It is not enough to clip, bathe, and brush a pet. Groomers have to produce results quickly and do so with a minimal amount of time used per pet. This is advantageous from a business standpoint, but it can also lead to injuries for the groomer if the proper equipment isn't in place.
One of the most time-consuming parts of the grooming process is drying pets. In order to increase productivity and efficiency, it's important that your equipment be able to dry pets quickly and efficiently.
Pet dryers work by removing excess moisture from hair using moving air and heat. The air volume, speed of the air flow, and the temperature of the air determine how quickly the drying occurs.
Choosing the right dryer can be challenging. Do you need one that produces heat, or one that just blows air? Do you want a blaster/dryer with one motor, or two, or even three? How much horsepower do you need?
You can easily compare different features by going to manufacturers' websites or researching them through pet supply catalogues. Price alone should never be how you choose your dryers—you should also consider quality, durability and safety factors before making any final decisions on which product best suits your needs!
What to look for when drying a pet
The groomer's number one tool is the blaster.
It's what they use to take their grooming to the next level, and it's what can make or break the dog's haircut. High-velocity blasters are powerful and fast and are the most common in any salon. A groomer will typically have a blaster in their wet room—for blasting water out of the coat, and a stand dryer for finish drying, but not all dryers are created equal.
Single vs two motor blasters can be distinguished by their size and shape: the long single canister has two motors in series airflow; the large "twin" canister or wider box dyer has two motors in parallel. A large double coated Golden that would take over an hour to dry with a hand blow dryer might take 42 minutes with a single motor blaster.
High velocity blasters are a gift to groomers
The "go-to" blaster is often the HV (high-velocity) blaster—a powerful tool that blasts water off a dog's hair and skin, removing dead undercoat while speeding up the drying process. The more motors inside the dryer are important, generally speaking: more motors mean more power, which means shorter drying time. Take the Clipit Twin Turbo motor blaster/dryer, this incredible machine has an unbeatable, adjustable air-flow volumne. With 4-lockable castors, it offers increased manoeuvrability, portability and stability for hassle-free grooming on the go. It's ideal for large pets with long or thick hair.
Another great benefit to using a high velocity dryer is that it allows for an even distribution of heat throughout the coat. This helps prevent hot spots from forming during drying, which could otherwise lead to discomfort or irritation for your client’s pet.
Fur–type dogs use the same dryers as non–fur types. The only difference is that they may need to be dried more thoroughly, especially if they are air–dried.
The flat–head nozzle on a variable speed blaster can be used to gently push through the coat from the skin outward, saving brushing time. Even a fur–type dog that has a completely pelted undercoat can be saved. These natural coat types should never be shaved anyway.
The same dryer settings for non–fur types can be used for fur types as well, but you will have to check them more often. If the hair is thick in some areas and thin in others, then try using a different setting on each area to avoid damaging the thin spots with too much heat or drying time—just don’t set it too high on either one!
Poodle and other curly–coated breeds should be dried on low heat and low speed for about 20 minutes per side, but don’t forget to check them every few minutes so you don’t overdo it! The ideal blaster/dryer for smaller dogs is the Variable Speed Blaster from Clipit. With an air flow (from 25M/S - 65M/S) this blaster/dryer is at home in any mobile grooming van and salon. Easy to carry with you, its lightweight, compact and comes with 4 attachment nozzles and a 2.5 metre hose.
Safety Precautions when drying a dog's coat
Drying a dog with a high-volume dryer can be loud, so it’s important to protect you and the animal’s sensitive ears. Cotton, Happy Hoodies, and other materials are available to keep the pet comfortable. The pressure from high volume air can irritate skin that is already sensitive or compromised and can injure pets if it is blown into the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, anus or genital area.
The high velocity of these dryers can result in static electricity build-up in the hair shaft which will cause the hair to fly around in the salon. To avoid breathing in this shedded hair, groomers should use a full face mask, to prevent absorption of coat dander, otherwise it can lead to Groomers Lung. To read more about Groomers Lung, go to this helpful information How To Prevent Groomers Lung.
High velocity dryers should not be used without professional–grade hearing protection. The requirement for hearing protection for anyone within range of these dryers in a smaller space such as a mobile unit or a single–room salon is singularly important. To protect your hearing, the best equipment to use, is a set of Groomers Ear Defenders. Lightweight, but robust these provide you with adequate hearing protection.
One of the most common questions we get asked from groomers is, “What should you use to dry dogs?” We always answer with a smile, because it gives us the opportunity to tell them that there are many different ways and styles of drying dogs in grooming.
Depending on what kind of business you have and how many dogs you groom each day, your drying method will change. If you are a mobile groomer or single–room salon, then your drying method will be different than if you have a large facility with multiple rooms.
Gone are the days when groomers used towels to dry pets. A high velocity dryer that is pointed directly at the pet's undercoat, allows the accumulation of dead undercoat that is at the telogen or exogen phase to easily fall out and be removed. If you want to read more on the phases of coat, then read A-Z Dog Coat and Skin Terminology.