If you brush a Poodle’s coat in small sections as the dryer blows on each section, the hair will dry faster, look straight and plush and be easier to scissor finish. In professional grooming salons, this process is called fluff drying. Fluff drying is very important because it prepares the hair for proper finishing.

Here’s a few tips on how to fluff dry your poodle’s coat at home.

While your Poodle is still standing in the tub, gently squeeze the hair on the topknot and ears, the body, the legs and feet, and the tail to coax out as much water as you can. Wrap the dog in a large, absorbent towel to soak up the additional moisture, take him out of the tub, and carry him to the grooming table.

Remove the wet cotton from his ears, and use fresh cotton to dry any damp areas inside the canal or underside of the flaps. Continue blotting the coat—don’t rub, you’ll only tangle or break the hair—with dry towels to absorb as much of the excess moisture as possible. If you plan to use a volumizing gel or mousse, apply it now, and squeeze the product into the damp hair with your fingertips.

Poodle hair should always be dried with a hair dryer, not only to speed up the drying process but, more importantly, to lift and aerate the hair and make it as straight as possible. (The higher the velocity of the dryer, the smoother the hair will be when the dog is dry.) If the coat is left to dry naturally, it will be curly, kinky and rather difficult to finish with scissors.

Set your hair dryer on warm, never hot, as too much heat at too close a range can strip much of the natural oils and moisture from the hair.

A fine-wire slicker is a good choice to dry a pet Poodle’s hair that will be clipper-or scissor-finished. A slicker brush should not be used, however, on the long mane coat of Poodles in show condition.

Speak to your dog in soothing tones, hold the dryer about 6 inches away and direct the nozzle at the area to be brushed. As a stream of warm air blows on a section of the hair, brush it from the skin outward, using a sweeping upward stroke to lift the hair. This will help to separate each hair and eliminate any tendency to curl.

The ideal brushing motion is a light, gentle stroke that does not pull out or break off the hair. Always remember that during the drying process, wet hair is pulled and stretched. While healthy hair has considerable elasticity, there are limits. When it is wet and brushed improperly, especially when warm air is blowing on it, the hair can be overstretched and weakened.

Just as with the brushing process, the drying process can be made more efficient by establishing a routine, for instance starting at the back and working forward, drying the head and ears last. As soon as the section you are fluffing is completely dry, move on to another section, and brush and thoroughly dry it in the same manner.

If you don’t dry thoroughly as you go along, the curl will return immediately, and mats can set in the damp hair. Continue until the Poodle is completely brushed and dried down to the skin. Use gentle strokes when drying the hair under the chest to avoid scratching the nipples with the wire brush.

Speed is paramount during the drying process. You want to reach every part of the coat before it dries by itself. It’s a good idea to keep a trigger-spray bottle close at hand filled with either of the following:

• A non-oily coat dressing or finishing spray.
• One to 2 tablespoons of creme rinse diluted with water.

Spray this on the hair to dampen any areas that are drying too quickly to keep them from becoming curly or frizzy.

After the hair is dry, stand the Poodle on the grooming table and go through the coat with your hands to check for dampness, especially behind the ears or in the hard-to-reach areas under the legs. Carefully brush or comb the coat once more to see that all small mats near the skin have been removed.

Everything should be completely dry. When it is, comb your Poodle to lift and separate the individual hairs and prepare the coat for scissors finishing. The best time to finish grooming the coat is immediately after the bath when the hair is clean and straight.