How do I blow dry the head?! My head trims are horrid! Poor doods!

[jenn D]

So thanks to you guys grooming in general is going well! I have great tools including my handy dandy xpower pet dryer. It helps so much with getting a nice blown out coat for an even clip! Thx for the recommendations. My current problem is my dogs hate to have their heads blown dry, even on a low speed. Therefore their heads aren't blown out but get all crazy curly naturally drying and I cannot do a nice face cut at all! Seriously, my doods have uneven wonky heads now. I have other questions too for parts of the body as I am getting more detailed but those can wait. It looks like my five year old trimmed their faces! Yikes! Help oh wise ones!!!

[Teresa Joyce]

Hi Jenn,    Most dogs dislike to have their heads dried with a HV dryer - some of them dislike the noise, some of them the air around their ears and some the air blowing across their eyes.  I would not use any nozzles on the head.  I can usually get most dogs to allow me to dry their heads with a HV on low without a nozzle if I can figure out what they are uncomfortable with by holding my hand over the ear or shielding the eyes with my hand.  You can try drying it using a slicker brush for brushing while drying the hair with a stand dryer with low to medium heat depending on how close you can get to the head.  This will take longer to do and may not get the hair 100% straight but it will get it pretty close.   If you don't have a stand dryer, you can try a quiet blow drier and brushing.  Go slow with either dryer and start off with the air far away and gradually move it closer to the head. As soon as the dog objects, move it back and try moving it in again in a few minutes.   Another thing I do with pups that are especially fearful is to put my arm out where they can see it and blow it on my arm and tell them its okay.  Good luck!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

My 2 like having their heads blow dried the least as well, but they're getting better about it each time. I think it may be more my learning curve on the best techniques, than their adjustment to the procedure. What I do is first make sure they have cotton balls in their ears before I start on the head. I always use the lowest setting on the HVD without any hose attachments, and always hold the ears closed when I work around the ears. I also shield the eyes when working on the top of the head, holding my hand like a visor. They seem to allow me to blow dry close to their eyes as long as their eyes are shielded. For the beards I work from below, holding the hose nozzle a good six inches away. They always try to avoid having their beards dried, and I allow them to turn away, but I always start again. Eventually the beards do dry. Through this entire process I take the time to brush the hair periodically with a slicker brush, which helps to straighten the hair. My doodles heads never look as good as my professional groomer's results, but with each groom I'm getting closer.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

One more thing... I always do the head last. Actually, I start at the rear and work my way forward. It not only allows the doodle to sit down half way through the drying process, but accustoms them to the HVD so that by the time I get to the head its not as big a deal as it would be if I started on the head.

[GBK]

If you do the head last you can also sneak a few passes of the blower on their head while you are doing the rest of the body.  They still hate it, but never know when it's coming :)

[jenn D]

Thanks everyone. At least I know I am in good company. :) I appreciate the suggestions as I move forward. :)