A grooming dryer is a piece of equipment that can be quite helpful when grooming pets, especially dogs, as well as cats and other types of animals. These dryers come in a wide range of sizes and styles, depending on the intended use and how much of the time the dryer is likely to actually be in operation. Some common types of grooming dryers are those that are cage-mounted, handheld or stand-mounted. Each type is available in a range of sizes to suit virtually any need.
A busy grooming shop will most likely have several cage-mounted grooming dryers. These hook to the bars of the cages where the animals are placed after being bathed. With some models, the dryer unit is freestanding and its hose, or hoses, hang on the front of the cage. The dryer can be set to blow anything from cool to hot air, usually with a flow that can be set anywhere from gentle to quite strong. Due to the limited space inside the cage, the animal’s coat receives a high volume of moving air which helps to dry its coat in relatively short order.
Stand-mounted grooming dryers are another common choice for grooming shops. This type of dryer is freestanding and is mounted on a pole with wheels to allow for easy movement. There is usually an adjustable nozzle that can be aimed at any part of the animal that the groomer wishes. Many types of animals, especially poodles and other dogs whose coat benefits from being brushed as it dries, are placed on a grooming table while they are dried. Stand-mounted grooming dryers let the groomer have both hands free to work on brushing and clipping as the animal is dried.
The most common grooming dryers used by those who groom their own pets are the handheld type. These often look something like a canister vacuum cleaner, and the dryer sits on the floor or another surface while the groomer holds a flexible hose and aims warm air at the pet. Grooming dryers such as these tend to be more awkward to use, as the groomer needs to use one hand to hold the nozzle, but they are typically the most affordable type of grooming dryers. Attachments are available for the grooming table that hold the hose in one position, allowing the stream of air to be aimed where needed while freeing up the groomer’s hands.