You might not think that there is much to drying your dog after you are done grooming them, but there are actually 3 different ways that we will discuss. They are the cage dry, the fluff dry and the towel dry. These aren’t the only ways to dry your dog, but they are 3 of the more popular ways.

Fluff Drying: One of the more difficult to get right, the fluff dry method is used on longer haired dogs such as the Afghan, Sheepdogs and Poodles. For fluff drying you will need a high speed floor dryer. The thing that makes fluff drying more difficult is that you not only have to dry the hair, but you also need to straighten it at the same time. First, direct the warm air from the dryer at the part of the coat that you will be working on. At the same time you will need to brush that hair with quick, yet even strokes until the hair finishes drying, and if all goes well the dry hair will be straight. It’s important to learn this skill as it will make a large difference in how the finished job will look. It takes some practice, especially around the head and ears, and also the legs.

Cage Drying: The second method of drying that we will discuss is the cage drying method, sometimes called the kennel drying method. With the cage drying method you will need to attach the cage dryer onto the kennel and then put the dog into the cage, on a towel, until he is dry. This is a simple way to dry a dog, and very effective, but care must be taken to properly ventilate the cage to avoid suffocation. Sometimes the dog may be too big for the kennel and in that case you will need to dry your dog on a grooming table using a floor dryer.

Towel Drying: The towel drying method is effective with small breeds such as the Chihuahua, and mini pins. You will need to rub the coat briskly until it is dry. Many times this method is not used because the cage drying method is much quicker and more effective, but if a towel is the only thing available then this method will work just fine. Make sure when using the towel drying method that the dogs coat is dry before you take them out.

If you read my last post you will know what you need to do the basics of dog grooming. These tools that I am listing below are not as necessary for grooming your dog but will sometimes come in handy. More often than not you can not do without one or more of these dog grooming tools, especially once you’ve used them.

Hydraulic Grooming Table: This is a more sophisticated grooming table than the one we spoke about in our first article. The hydraulic grooming table can be raised and lowered from about 29″ up to almost 36″. This is a great help when grooming large breeds that you may not be able to lift up onto a stationary table. This type of grooming table should also be able to be folded and put away for easy storage.

Matting Comb: This heavy comb helps to remove mats on longer haired breeds of dogs.

Nail Clippers: For different sized breeds of dogs you will want different types of nail clippers. For smaller dogs you will want to get the scissor type, for a medium breed dog the guillotine type clipper is best and for larger dogs you will want a more robust clipper that is a pliers type to help with thicker and harder nails.

Oster Blades: For removing hair off of dogs these blades are numbered. The higher the number, the more hair it removes. The small animal clipper (A 2) is great to use although it does require interchangeable heads and that makes it a little less convenient. The A 5 model is a single piece clipper that has blades that snap into place. This is by far the easiest to use.

Oster Spray Lube: This is used to cool the blades as well as keep them lubricated. It also helps to prevent clipper burns and that’s a good think, just ask your dog.

Rubber Brush: Great for short haired breeds. I use this one on our lab.

Scissors: There are several options and well as sizes available that will handle any type of coat that you may have in front of you on the table.

Silk Handkerchief: used to polish shirt haired white dogs

Small Pin Brush: used for long haired small dogs

Stripping Knife: The fine stripping knife is used on sensitive areas like the head and ears while the coarse stripping knife is used elsewhere on the dog’s body.

Although it is not necessary to have all of these grooming tools available, especially if you are only doing one or two dogs, they can be quite handy to have if you are working on a particular breed. Having the right tools will help you to have a more successful and pleasant experience when grooming your dog that both you and your dog can appreciate.

If you are going to groom your own dog then you should make sure that you are well stocked with proper grooming tools. The basics of what you will need are a brush, and comb and possibly some scissors. Of course different types of coats on a dog will necessitate different types of grooming tools. For example, longer hair dogs will need a different type of brush than a shorter haired variety of dog. The same is true for straight coats and curly coats, but the basic list of dog grooming tools that you will need are as follows.

Bore’s Bristle Brush: For a long hair dog this is a great tool for removing undercoats and in removing mats that might have occurred in the undercoat.

Bristle Brush: These come in 3 basic varieties, stiff, medium and soft. They are used on short haired breeds and are good for regular brushing and for removing undercoats on longer haired breeds

Chamois: For a short haired breed you can’t beat the chamois for polishing their coat.

Comb. Try to get a steel tooth comb that is medium on one side and fine on the other, that way you can use it on most breeds of dogs

Snap-on Comb: If you want to do a quick clean up on your dog you can’t beat the snap-on comb. Simply slip it over a blade and it will leave a uniform clean cut coat on your dog. The snap-on Comb comes in a few different sizes.

Hound Glove: Used for grooming various short haired breeds in the hound family

Cage Dryer: This is a drying fan that attaches to the cage and dries the dog while it is inside the cage. Most cage dryers come with a heater so the dog isn’t too cold.

Floor dryer: Used mainly for “fluff drying” the floor dryer directs air onto the dog and helps to dry it. The floor dryer generally has a long arm and can be moved into various positions depending on the type of dog you are drying.

High Speed Floor Dryer: Similar to the other floor dryers except this on have a higher speed motor on it for fluff drying long hair breeds such as Poodles and Sheepdogs.

Grooming Post and Loop: Try to find a grooming post that is portable, so it can be attached to the table anywhere you need it. The loop fits over the dogs neck to keep him in place and keep him from hurting himself.

Grooming Table: A grooming table is typically about 2 to 3 feet and folds for easy moving and storage. They are about 30″ high and typically come with a rubber matting on the top of the table for comfort and to keep the dog from sliding around. A table this size is quite versatile and can be used for many different dog breeds.