# Questions about grooming



## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Squirt is in a puppy cut, her hair is about 1" long. After a bath I have been brushing it and letting it air dry. How long will I be able to let it air dry and not blow dry. Can you have a Havanese in a longer coat and not blow dry?

Are there any specifics to know about blow drying? I've read most of the posts and I don't read any mention about air temperature. Can you set the dryer on warm, or must it be cool air? Do you blow and brush, or can you just blow without brushing?


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I do use the warm setting when it is cooler outside. I just try to not hold the dryer in one place.

I've heard some people let their dogs air dry, but I have only done that for spot washing. I find that the hair tends to tangle much more easily whereas the blow drying separates each hair and makes it look nicer and stay clear of mats longer.


----------



## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

When it gets cold, I bring a portable heater into my room and close the door to heat up the air. I have never let mine air dry so I can comment on that. I was always scared of the matts it would cause.


----------



## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Well, if it is still warm in South Florida and Squirt's hair is short...I doubt she'd mat much if you let her air dry. I've only let Gucci air dry a few times and that was when she was much younger and had WAY less hair than she does now. I'm afraid she'd mat too badly.

I use both cool and warm air to dry her, usually cooler around her face and alternate with the warm dryer. I have both a hands-free dryer and a hand-held dryer I alternate. I always brush as I blow, otherwise......she'd mat.

Kara


----------



## dboudreau (Jan 12, 2007)

In the summer I will let Sam "airdry" but I brush him every half hour or so until he is dry. In the colder weather I blowdry. I set the dryer on the warm setting. I was told by a Prof. Handler/Groomer, that you can use the hot setting when you first start drying when the dog is really wet, (the wet hair will keep the dog from over heating) but I stick to the warm setting.


----------



## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I have let Dora air dry but it takes several hours and who likes every part of the couch wet then she goes outside and dirt sticks too bad! Now that I have the fancy dryer, she is done in 10 mins. I usually have her totally brushed before a bath (learned that mistake a few times!) and then I just blow dry her. Not much brushing... if I see a matt when I am blow drying, I get out the comb but usually I just use the pin brush to guide the hair I want dry at the time. 

Amanda


----------



## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

I never blew Smarty dry until I started to show her at 6 1/2 months. I used conditioner, brushed her out and let her dry, that was when the weather was very warm and we went out on the deck to dry. I blow her coat now because it is cooler and her coat is much longer.

I love the curly short puppy coat.


----------



## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Thanks, this eases my mind. It is always warm here in the Florida Keys, and I am relieved to know that I can air dry her for quite a while yet.

What kind of a dryer will get a dog dry in 10 minutes?


----------



## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I used the cool setting the other night because I thought I'd read somewhere that you shouldn't use warm air because it wasn't good for their skin. Of course I could be wrong. However when I stopped for a minute and he was shivering I quickly changed the setting to warm, thinking I'd rather risk drying him out a little than freezing him to death. It worked fine.

I have air dried him a few times but he looks so much better when I blow dry him.


----------

