Blow dryer

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

I am getting a dog blow dryer for Mother's day! Strange gift, I know, but its what I want. Does anyone have any recommendations? Which one works best or which is quietest? Thanks for any help!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Hey Lori -- I know Barb has a preference and am sure she will respond.  I know I've asked this before but I can't find her answer.  I decided not to get one.  When I was going to though I was going to get one on the tall stand that rolls.  That way my hands could be free to fluff or brush rather than having to hold the dryer.

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

I have a two speed metro air force, and it's excellent. 

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

PS:  It's not on a stand or anything.  I just hold the end of it in my hand and move it around.  I don't really like the stand anyway.  I did buy something called the third arm, which attaches to the table and can hold it.  However, the air comes out so focused I don't really understand the point.  Maybe if I had a different attachment, but I wouldn't really want to leave Lola unattended up on the grooming table, anyway.

[GBK]

I have had the Bear small blower for three years now and love it!  Small enough to throw in the car for our beach vacations, and strong enough to dry my curly two. 

http://www.amazon.com/B-Air-Dryers-Power-Velocity-Dryer/dp/B002NXM4...

This one does blow warm air, never hot, so the pups get dry pretty fast..

[Star and Goldie]

I looked at the Bear and thought $100 wow that's incredibly expensive but then I went and looked at the names of some of the ones that others posted and saw them from $200-$500. Woah! I flagged to follow this discussion since I was interested in a dryer myself but looks like I'll have to search the likes of Craigslist or somewhere used.

But the Bear does look nice and like the most reasonably priced ones out of the ones I scoped out.

[Star and Goldie]

GBK, how long does it take to dry using the Bear I? I see there is a Bear II that says it doubles the drying time but it also doubles the price.

[GBK]

Does it double the drying by using higher heat or blowing more air.  I would want neither myself.  The Bear I has two speeds and it is pretty darn strong on the high setting.  I use the low setting on their faces and Kona especially hates to have her face and ears blown. 

The drying time is probably no longer than 10-15 minutes, unless they are really long. I let them air dry a little too.  I always try to have good intentions of doing one one weekend and the other the next, but it never happens that way.  They both get done and my back and legs pay for it the next day :)

I would buy another of these in a heartbeat.

[Star and Goldie]

It looks like the Bear I is a 2HP motor- 33,000 FPM, 165 CFM and 7.4 amps and the II is a 4HP- 40,000 FPM,  210 CFM and 13.2 amps and the II has twin turbine motors vs only 1 motor on the I... though I'm not exactly sure what all that means.  Just sounds beefier along with a beefier price. I'm sure people with bigger and multiple dogs may prefer the II but it appears that the I holds it's own up against the II :)

[GBK]

Yup , sounds like more power, not always something the dogs like.  The highest power on the I makes their skin move :)  Enough power for my two, big and little, and I have the denser curlier coats too.  Good luck shopping!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

I like the looks of this dryer. Some of the blow dryers had reviews that said you needed to use ear plugs for the dogs. Do you do that with this dryer? I'm a little scared I would "lose" a cotton ball in their ear canal.

[GBK]

Nope, not that loud.  Probably not as loud as your vacuum cleaner.  Mine don't mind the noise at all just the blowing in their faces :)

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Great! Thanks! I think this is the one I am getting.