Article on Drying with Heat

[dog5626]

There is an article in the Official Grooming Directory 2016 brought by the WPA and Pet Product News written by a Greg Crisp. It's about more groomer liability in the last 12 years, the value of heat and dryers, and heated cage drying. He talks about putting a dog in a cage with unheated air can cause hypothermia, stress and discomfort to allow a dog to shiver in a wet coat with unheated air blowing on it, and can be potentially fatal for older dogs with heart conditions, etc. He also states his views are "in spite of popular views to the contrary". Of course he writes that too hot is the biggest risk. It's IMO a must-read article to advance learning and the whole magazine has lots of good stuff in it.

[Particentral]

There is an article in the Official Grooming Directory 2016 brought by the WPA and Pet Product News written by a Greg Crisp. It's about more groomer liability in the last 12 years, the value of heat and dryers, and heated cage drying. He talks about putting a dog in a cage with unheated air can cause hypothermia, stress and discomfort to allow a dog to shiver in a wet coat with unheated air blowing on it, and can be potentially fatal for older dogs with heart conditions, etc. He also states his views are "in spite of popular views to the contrary". Of course he writes that too hot is the biggest risk. It's IMO a must-read article to advance learning and the whole magazine has lots of good stuff in it.

Well you aren't supposed to take a dog right out of the tub and use a fan or cold air! COMMON SENSE! BUT I know not of one case of dogs dying from being under a fan. I can list ten dogs last year in the USA that died under heated dryers, and that is only the ones we know about. I never see any stress from the cool air drying either.

I never say that heated cage dryers should be BANNED either just made safer because they are NOT SAFE in the manner in which they are made.

[Particentral]

There is an article in the Official Grooming Directory 2016 brought by the WPA and Pet Product News written by a Greg Crisp. It's about more groomer liability in the last 12 years, the value of heat and dryers, and heated cage drying. He talks about putting a dog in a cage with unheated air can cause hypothermia, stress and discomfort to allow a dog to shiver in a wet coat with unheated air blowing on it, and can be potentially fatal for older dogs with heart conditions, etc. He also states his views are "in spite of popular views to the contrary". Of course he writes that too hot is the biggest risk. It's IMO a must-read article to advance learning and the whole magazine has lots of good stuff in it.

BTW he is the president of Double K industries which SELLS HEATED DRYERS

[Brit]

Excellent article. We use heated dryers, but NEVER a cage dryer at all. NEVER a fan. All pets are hand dried and that brings me lots more business.

[123Linda]

We never use fans or any kind of cage dryer. We have a sign in the window that says no cage drying. We do not badmouth groomers that use them. But I would say that sign has brought me DOZENS of new customers who have heard bad things about cage drying. That's a lot of free clients and thousands of dollars from a $20 sign.

[yankeedoodlepoodle]

Guess I will join. We went no cage dryers or fans about 3 years, and we do advertise it and we got LOTS of new customers by hands on only drying. As someone with staff it also gives me more peace of mind that they don't create a problem. I don't trust timers either, but there is another BIG plus. I think the coats look better on most dogs with hand drying. I have signs that we don't use cage dryers on our door, front counter and brochure and if I do an ad it is in the ad. 123 got dozens and we got many dozens over the 3 years and great word of mouth.

[4them]

I would never put a fan on a wet dog unless the shop was HOT. In my ac shop it would chill a dog.

[absolutebichon]

I didn't realize so many of you are cage dryer free. As a spa I have never used fans or cage drying. Not wrong, but not spa in my opinion. If you say you are a spa being hands on only makes sense and I charge a little more. I agree I felt SO GOOD when people ask if we use cage dryers and say no. There is more peace of mind I agree too. One of the better decisions we made.

[Naturally Furry]

Question about going "cage dryer" free. We do use cage dryers. Either on low heat or no heat, depending. The kennels are all open and are in the same room that we groom so the dogs are also always being supervised. For the majority of pet's they are usually 95-100 % completely dried with the HVD & or hand dryer. We do have a couple of dogs though that just can not handle the HVD so we have to completely kennel/air dry them.
So my question is, if you do not have kennel dryers, how do you dry these kind of dogs?

[dog5626]

I think a lot of groomers would go to a Stand Dryer which has heat or a Variable Speed which may or may not have heat. When you say hand dryer are you talking about the kind a human would use. I use those too but just for minor stuff. I also have a small dryer that can be hung on a cage or used to sit on or near the grooming table. It is very very quiet and has heat and plenty of power. I have had it for 4 years and it has been worth every penny especially for table drying small dogs and I now use it in my mobile van. I have never used it as a cage dryer because I was cage free, but I think if I opened another shop and wanted to take in more dogs I would want to figure out a way to make the right temperature work. Would putting a dog in a cage and covering the back and one side with a towel and blowing warm pleasant air towards its feet from a little distance be more comforting for a dog and still get it dry? Seems like it would.

[cockerlvr]

Question about going "cage dryer" free. We do use cage dryers. Either on low heat or no heat, depending. The kennels are all open and are in the same room that we groom so the dogs are also always being supervised. For the majority of pet's they are usually 95-100 % completely dried with the HVD & or hand dryer. We do have a couple of dogs though that just can not handle the HVD so we have to completely kennel/air dry them.
So my question is, if you do not have kennel dryers, how do you dry these kind of dogs?

Stand dryer for sure. I have a Border Collie I dry 100% with my stand dryer. I don't charge more, but mom knows it takes me more time and generously tips me for taking the extra time with her poor boy. She has always tipped well, but when I put her dogs comfort over my time and money she shows her appreciation.

[petstimes2]

I agree I just don't like the results of cage drying, at all. Coats just don't look great.

[Particentral]

Cage dryers have their place. I use them to finish ears and faces on dog that hate drying, after blowing them out and brushing them in the direction I want the hair to go. Not a 100% cage dry even on short haired dogs.

Just like any tool if a cage dryer is used correctly the results are fine. Not competition or show quality maybe, but well enough for clients. I am NOT going to stress a dog out to get a perfectly straight coat. Owners do not care either. They want happy comfortable dogs.

NOW as for heat versus cool the heated dryers get too hot IMO. The heated dryers IMO get too hot to be safe. If the manufacturers would control that I would not have a gripe at all. the is NO EARTHLY REASON for a dryer to get up to 175 degrees! NONE.

My back room only has ambient air with box fans and two floor dryers. I have to watch the temperature in that room when out heat is on because it will get 85 degrees in there. TO me that is too hot! SO we then turn on the air or open the window. SO why on earth do dryers get so freaking hot? No reason IMO.

Maybe they should be looking into their own practices instead of bashing groomers who choose to use a safer alternative. THEN I will listen to what they have to say

[dog5626]

Parti I am sensing some underlying issue between you and Double K and/or Greg Crisp. I never read that article as an attack on you or other groomers, just as additional information to add to the quest for safe and professional drying.

I agree with you 100% that a dog's well being need not be sacrificed for a stick straight coat (which I prefer a little curl on curly coated dogs anyway) and would also agree that most owners want clean, neat and happy. I also agree that I want heat but not that much!

[1mobilegroomer]

I did not see any bashing at all by Greg Crisp. Good article, his opinions. Your writing style Parti seems angry, to me it makes your good points less. You do have good points. There was no bashing.