Grooming: 10 tips for safe drying

Use your dryers as intended. For example, stand dryers are designed to produce warmer air (sometimes 130 degrees Fahrenheit or more) than heated cage dryers because they are designed to be used on a pet being worked on in the open air. The temperature of a stand dryer is controlled when it is used as intended because the groomer's hands and arms are exposed to the airflow while brushing and fluffing the dog. The nozzle directing the warm air is constantly moved as the groomer works, and the heated air also dissipates into the open room. However, many groomers use stand dryers pointed into enclosed cages to dry animals. This is dangerous. A dog's normal body temperature is 100.5–102.5F. If heated air at 130F or more is directed at a pet in an enclosed cage, the animal can quickly become overheated or suffer skin burns.

Minimize machine-drying time by using absorbent towels to remove as much water as possible from the coat before drying.

Understanding how pets regulate their body temperature. Dogs and cats do not cool their bodies like humans do, by sweating, but rather by panting to draw cool air through their mouths and moist airways. They produce extra saliva when they are too hot, which helps cool their breath as the saliva evaporates during inhalation and exhalation. It is therefore clear that if the air the dog breathes is too hot and humid—as is the case in a drying cage—the dog can easily overheat.

A wonderful alternative for those who choose to cage-dry their pets is to use fans instead of dryers. Fans provide constant room-temperature airflow over the animal, which opens up the coat and increases the rate of water evaporation. As long as the air in the grooming environment is warm enough to prevent chilling, this can be an excellent option.

Fresh drinking water should be available for dogs that are being cage-dried.

Heated cage dryers should never be used for muzzled animals or short-snouted (brachycephalic) breeds such as pugs, Shih Tzus, Persian cats, etc. Extreme caution should be exercised when using heated cage dryers on very young, elderly, or pets with breathing difficulties.

High-velocity dryers are a gift for groomers, but they present certain safety concerns. This type of dryer works by moving large volumes of air through the animal's coat to physically push water away from the hair shafts. The motor noise and the noise created when the air meets the animal and the surfaces around it are loud. Protect the animal's sensitive ears with cotton, a Happy Hoodie, or both. The high-volume air pressure can irritate already sensitive or compromised skin and can injure pets if it is blown into the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, anus, or genital area.