dryers

If you have a larger dog or a dog with a longer coat – then it’s better to invest in a “proper” dryer rather than using a human hairdryer. It’s so much quicker to dry the dog with a professional dryer as they are more powerful than a human handheld dryer. 
Again – have a look at Marketplace, local buy and sell sites, Facebook groups for second-hand grooming equipment- there are often second-hand dryers for sale there. Don’t be afraid to get a second-hand dryer as they usually have a long life span. 
If you want to buy a new – look at Amazon/eBay/Wish/AliExpress -they will have the best prices and the quality is ok for someone that is doing their own dog.

There are two types of professional dryers. One is called a blaster and it’s more or less just a motor in a cast with a long hose. It’s like a hoover but the hose is attached where the air blows out.

This is a very strong dryer as it blows the water away from the coat. It can be a bit scary for the dog to start with. But if you take it slow and allow the dog some time they usually get used to it.
Don’t use it on the dog’s head – it’s too powerful and it will be very uncomfortable for the dog. 

Some of them come with a heating element – but I recommend that you don’t use the heat as it’s easy to burn the dog’s skin. The warmer the motor gets -the warmer the air that comes out will be and that heat will be enough. If you have added heat you can easily burn the dog’s skin if you keep it blowing in the same spot for too long.

Some blasters are sold together with a stand and a separate arm that you can attach instead of the hose – and that will then turn it into what we call a stand dryer. This is handy as you will have both hands free when working on the dog. 

There is a flexible holder that you can get that attaches to the table and you attach the hose at the top and it will hold the hose for you so you have both arms free. 

The other type of dryer is called a stand dryer. That is a dryer that is attached to a stand and has an arm coming out where the air blows.
The benefit of a stand dryer is that you don’t need to hold it-so you have both of your hands-free to brush/hold the dog. 
They have a less powerful airflow -so they are less scary for the dog.

If you want to splash out – get the one that has the stand and extra arm option and you now have a combination dryer – one that you can use both as a blaster and a stand dryer. They usually cost twice as much as just the blaster.

A new stand dryer is around 3-5 times more expensive than a blaster depending on the make/model.