How I cut an eight hour drying job down to three or four hours

If you have ever had to completely dry a heavily coated dog, you know that getting the dog clean is often the easy part. Drying is another story.With my Bergamascos, a full bath and dry used to mean an eight hour drying process. Over the years, and through a lot of trial and error with different dryers, air movers and fans, I have managed to get that down to about three to four hours.There was no magic dryer that suddenly cut my drying time in half. What made the difference was learning that different types of fans do different jobs well. I stopped looking for one machine that could do everything and started using different types of airflow at the same time.This is not meant to be another tutorial on how I dry a Bergamasco. I have already made videos showing my complete drying process, including how I use a Shop Vac first to actually suck as much water as possible out of the flocks before I begin drying.This article is specifically about the equipment.I have owned and tried a ridiculous number of fans and dryers over the years. Some have been great. Some sounded much better on paper than they worked in real life. Some inexpensive pieces of equipment have been surprisingly useful.

If you are a breeder, groomer, or owner of a heavily coated dog, hopefully I can save you some of that trial and error.

First, CFM does not tell the whole story

When you start comparing dryers and fans, it is very easy to get hung up on CFM, or cubic feet per minute. I did too.The problem is that a 2,000 CFM axial fan, a 2,000 CFM centrifugal air mover and a grooming dryer do not necessarily deliver air to the dog in the same way.I have learned that the shape and direction of the airflow matter enormously.A big conventional or axial fan can move a tremendous amount of air over a broad area. That is great for general drying, although some of these fans will practically blow the crap out of the dog.An air mover is different. I can put it on the floor, change its angle and aim a concentrated stream of air exactly where I need it. That is incredibly useful for areas that take forever to dry, especially the legs, rear, chest and underside.While the air mover is concentrating on one of those difficult areas, a broader fan can keep air moving across the rest of the dog.That is why I no longer think the answer is simply “buy the fan with the highest CFM.” It is about coverage, concentration, warmth, positioning and continuous airflow.

My old EDIC Aqua Dri: still the one to beat

My favorite individual air mover has been an old EDIC Aqua Dri 3004AD PT.Unfortunately, this particular model is discontinued. The older 3004AD series was also subject to a recall, so I am obviously not suggesting that anyone go hunt down an old used one.But it is important to this comparison because it is my benchmark. Mine is rated at about 2,400 CFM and has a centrifugal blower. What I love about it is not simply how much air it moves. It is how usable that air is.I can reposition the unit and target the parts of the dog that need the most help. It gives me a strong, concentrated stream of air and will simply keep running.That last part becomes important when I use it with my Double K dryers.There is a current EDIC Aqua Dri 3004ADN, which is the machine I would be most interested in as a modern replacement. Published specifications rate the newer machine considerably higher in airflow than my old one.I have not owned or personally tested the current 3004ADN, however, so I am not going to tell you that it performs like mine just because the name and specifications look promising.It is just one I would seriously consider based on my experience with the older Aqua Dri.

Double K ChallengAir 560: very good, with one aggravating catch

I also own two Double K ChallengAir 560 cage dryers.

These dry very well.Their biggest advantage for me is the warm air. The Double K does not move anything close to the amount of air claimed by some of the restoration air movers, but the warmth really does help speed drying.The downside is coverage.The fan opening itself is much smaller than the opening on my air movers. One Double K simply does not cover enough of a Bergamasco for me. I much prefer using two.My other complaint is the 30 minute safety timer.I understand why it is there, but in real life I find it annoying. I am not sitting beside the dog staring at the dryer for four hours. I am doing other things.If the timer shuts the dryer off and I do not notice immediately, I can lose 10, 15 or 20 minutes of drying time before I realize it needs to be reset. Over a long drying session, that adds up.This is actually one of the reasons my favorite setup has been my old EDIC Aqua Dri in front of the dog with my two Double Ks positioned where I want the additional warm air.When the Double Ks time out, the EDIC is still going.That combination gives me strong, continuous airflow plus targeted warm air. For me, it has worked better than expecting any one machine to do the whole job.

Master Equipment Blue Force: the hoses did not work for me

I also owned the Master Equipment Blue Force Cage Dryer with the cage hose kit.

On paper, this one sounded great. It is rated at up to 2,000 CFM and the hoses seem like they should make it easy to direct air exactly where you want it.In practice, I was disappointed with the hoses.They simply did not deliver enough useful airflow for what I was trying to do.I eventually took the hoses off completely, and the dryer was much better without them. Used wide open, I thought it was a good dryer.But it was still not as effective as my old Aqua Dri.That experience was one of the things that convinced me that published CFM alone is not enough information. How that air actually gets from the machine to the dog matters.

What about an inexpensive air mover?

This is where I think things get interesting for breeders and owners who do not want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars experimenting with grooming dryers.

The B Air Vent VP 25 is a small commercial air mover rated at about 900 CFM. It is inexpensive, lightweight and can be positioned at different angles.I have not personally used this one to dry a dog yet, so I cannot give it the same endorsement I can give equipment I have actually owned.But this is exactly the type of fan I have found extremely useful.For someone looking for an affordable way to add targeted airflow to an existing drying setup, I think small commercial air movers deserve a serious look.You do not necessarily need the word “dog” printed on the equipment for it to be useful for drying dogs.

The Ryobi Air Cannon: an affordable broad airflow option

I also own a Ryobi 40V 14 inch Hybrid Air Cannon Fan.

This is an axial fan rather than a centrifugal air mover, and Ryobi rates it at over 2,000 CFM.It is also something people can easily find and buy without going through a grooming or restoration equipment supplier.I would put this in a different category from the Aqua Dri or B Air.The Ryobi gives you broad airflow. That can be very useful for keeping a large portion of the dog drying while a more concentrated air mover is aimed at a stubborn area.What it does not give me is the same precise targeting.Large conventional fans can move an enormous amount of air, but they also tend to blow air everywhere. Sometimes they practically blow the dog away along with everything else in the room.For general drying, though, that broad airflow is useful.This is why I think a combination of a broad fan and a directional air mover can make more sense than buying several identical fans.

Powr-Flite F5 (PDF5) interesting, but I have not tried it

The Powr-Flite F5 (PDF5) is another machine that interests me.It is an axial restoration air mover rated at about 3,000 CFM. In other words, it moves a lot of air, but in a broader pattern than the centrifugal Aqua Dri.I have not owned one.I would love to borrow one and see what it actually does on a Bergamasco, but I do not particularly want to buy another commercial fan just to satisfy my curiosity.Because I already own the Ryobi Air Cannon, I can at least experiment with that style of broad axial airflow and see how useful it is compared with the Aqua Dri.The Powr-Flite may be excellent. I just cannot personally recommend it without having used one.

Why I use several types of fans at once

This is probably the most important thing I have learned.

I am not trying to find one fan that dries the entire dog perfectly. I am trying to dry the entire dog efficiently.A heavily coated dog does not dry evenly. The legs, rear, chest and other dense areas can stay wet long after easier areas are drying nicely.So I manipulate the air movers and point the strongest concentrated airflow at those areas.At the same time, broader fans keep air moving over the rest of the dog.My Double Ks add warm air, which speeds evaporation.And I run a dehumidifier at the same time.That last part is easy to overlook. I am pulling an enormous amount of water out of a dog and putting it into the air in the room. I want that moisture removed rather than allowing the room to become increasingly humid while I am trying to evaporate more water out of the coat.Everything is working together.

Dog Drying Fan Comparison Chart — Fan comparison chart

My preferred setup

If I am drying one of my Bergamascos, my favorite combination has been my old EDIC Aqua Dri in front, two Double K ChallengAir 560s, additional broad airflow as needed, and a dehumidifier.

The EDIC gives me the strong, continuous airflow I want.

The two Double Ks give me warm air and allow me to work on more than one area at once.

If the Double Ks hit their 30 minute timers and I am busy doing something else, the EDIC never stops.

A broader fan can keep the rest of the coat drying while I concentrate the air movers on the areas that are holding moisture.

It is a balancing act more than anything else.

My trusty EDIC in blue, two Double K’s along the sides and here I have my Master Equipment Blue with hoses disconnected

What would I buy today?

If you are drying one pet dog occasionally, I would not tell you to recreate my entire setup. If you have a Bergamasco, a Puli, Komondor or any flocked or coated breed, then the investment may be worthwhile. Drying the dog quickly and efficiently will prevent the mildew odor, will allow you to bathe your dog more frequently and will keep your dog more hygienic. These breeds have unique requirements as far as drying goes. So this investment is not ridiculous. If you have more than one of these breeds, I think it’s absolutely essential.

Rather than putting your entire budget into one expensive grooming dryer, I would consider having different kinds of airflow available.A good directional air mover would be high on my list because of how useful I find concentrated, positionable airflow.I would also want some source of broad airflow for general drying.And I do genuinely like the Double K 560. The warm air works. I just think its smaller coverage area and mandatory 30 minute reset are important limitations to know before spending the money.For someone on a smaller budget, something like the B Air is particularly interesting because it provides the type of directional airflow I like at a much lower price.The Ryobi is also worth considering if you want an easily available, multipurpose fan that can provide broad airflow and be used for plenty of other things when you are not drying dogs.

The current Aqua Dri 3004ADN is probably the machine I am personally most curious about as a replacement for my old favorite, simply because of how well the original Aqua Dri has worked for me.But until I actually use one, I am going to call it a promising option rather than a recommendation.

From eight hours to three or four

Years ago, drying one of my dogs could easily turn into an eight hour ordeal.

Today, I can generally get the job done in about three to four hours.

That improvement did not come from buying one incredibly expensive dog dryer.It came from figuring out how to remove as much water as possible before drying, how to use different kinds of airflow at the same time, where to concentrate that airflow, when warm air helps, and how much difference humidity in the room makes.

If you are a breeder or regularly groom heavily coated dogs, that is probably my biggest recommendation: think about the entire drying environment, not just the dryer.The best setup is the one that keeps as much of the dog actively drying as possible while giving you enough control to concentrate extra airflow where it is needed most.After years of experimenting, that has made a much bigger difference for me than anything printed on the side of a box.

Best Dryers and Air Movers for Heavy Coated Dogs: What I Actually Use