Natural drying is, as the name implies, the process of drying the dog naturally, without the aid of generated heat and without interfering with the coat by brushing whilst it is drying. It is a procedure used mainly on short coated breeds that can be left in a warm place to dry their coats with the aid of their own body heat or sunshine.

Some coated breeds are also encouraged to dry naturally so that their coats dry with natural curls and waves in. The soft silky coat of the Irish Water Spaniel, for example, dries in natural curls.

You will need:

• a high-absorbency cloth;
• a towel;
• a blaster if desired;
• a dry day if drying outside; and
• a brush or comb to suit the coat type.

The coat should be towel dried until there is as little moisture in the coat as possible, and blasting can be done, providing it does not affect the coat presentation.

Once you have reached this stage, brush or comb the coat through gently so that you separate the hair out or lay it down, depending on the coat length. Take care when doing this because the skin is vulnerable and tools used with too much vigour can be damaging.

The dog can be left to run around in the sunshine, or put in a warm area where his body temperature will dry him from the skin surface outwards. If it is a windy day, you would be wise to periodically check a long coat for tangling.

If the dog is to be confined whilst drying, make sure that the area provided is large enough for him to move around in, as he needs to generate heat in order to keep warm.

There are several advantages to natural drying. The coat dries from the skin outwards, so moisture can escape rather than increase in temperature. It is therefore less likely that the dog’s skin will be harmed. The coat dries to exhibit its natural structure.

Smooth coats lie sleekly on the body, whilst long coats display curls and waves. It is useful for drying nervous dogs, especially any that are particularly noise-sensitive, and it is very economical!

The disadvantages are that it can take a long time for the coat to dry if the dog is heavy-coated, and long coats may start to curl and may even form knots, particularly if the dog rolls around on the grass in an effort to speed up the process.

If you are allowing your pet to dry naturally within the home, do not forget to keep him away from carpets, beds and chairs. Even a drip-free dog can be very wet!

Caution: 

If you decide to dry a dog in the sunshine, he must be able to move out of the sun if he wants to. Either leave him loose to move around or, if you are restraining him, make sure that shade is available within reach. Water must also be within reach at all times and the dog should be checked regularly.