Smooth drying is used to dry the coat flat against the body to enhance body shape whilst leaving it lying glossy and “smooth”. It is achieved by first lifting the coat to dry the dog’s skin and then laying the coat down as the coat hair dries so that it conforms to the dog’s body shape.

Short coated dogs like Labradors are dried with this method to leave the coat sleek and “velvet” to the touch. It can also be applied to breeds where the hair has a little more length to it, such as German Shepherds.

There are many silk and double coated breeds that are presented with their body coats smooth-dried close to the body to enhance the long flowing furnishings on legs and undercarriages.

Irish Setters, English Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers and Border Collies are some of the breeds presented in this way. The Border Collie has a much longer and denser coat but it is also smooth-dried so the body coat lies flat.
To smooth dry your dog you will need:

• a high absorbency cloth;
• a towel;
• a blaster if desired; and
• a hair-dryer.

Begin by squeezing water from the coat and using a towel until the coat is drip free. A blaster can be used if appropriate. The dog can be placed in a drying cabinet for a short time if desired, but if you choose to use a cabinet to start the process, use it for only a few minutes because the coat will not lie smooth if it has dried in the wrong direction.

A hand dryer or a stand dryer can be used with the aid of your fingers to ruffle or move the coat so the skin can dry. Finish by smoothing the coat as it is drying towards the tail with your hand or a brush.

When you think the dog is dry, leave him to cool for five or ten minutes and then run your fingers through the coat in the wrong direction to check for damp. Keep checking the dog for signs of chilling, particularly during the colder months.

Once dry, brush with a bristle brush to achieve a smooth glossy finish. Sacking can be applied to help to keep the hair straight on dogs whose coat has a tendency to curl again as soon as moisture reappears within the coat.

The advantages of smooth drying are that short coated breeds develop a beautiful natural luster to the coat and their coat sits close to the body, the dog’s body shape and muscle structure are more defined, and it enhances the furnishings of some breeds.

The disadvantage is that it can take a lot longer than one might think to thoroughly dry a short, thick coat like that of the Labrador. This is because moisture can continue to build within the coat for some considerable time as oily sebum is absorbed into the skin and excess water is pushed upwards from the surface layers of the skin.

What is Sacking?

Sacking is the term used when a breathable mesh coat is put on a dog during or immediately after the drying process to help to keep the coat free of waves and curls. The mesh coat is often applied to show dogs that have coat texture which deviate from the desired breed requirements.

Drying the Coat By Artificially Generated Heat

When you are drying the dog with any form of artificially generated heat, the coat at the point of airflow contact should be moving at all times. You can achieve this by using your fingers to move the coat or by working with your brush to cross the airflow as it focuses on the coat.

There are a few reasons for this:

• If you cannot feel the heat arriving on the dog, you are failing to monitor the heat at skin level and the dog risks getting burnt. By holding the brush in your hand and using it to cross the airflow, you can feel and monitor the heat of the drier.
• Steam can build up in the coat if the hair is not moved during the drying process. This can result in scalding of the skin. The brush or your hand should therefore be moving the hair at the point of airflow contact.
• Brushing with the help of an airflow separating the coat gives you a very clear view of the skin so you can monitor for burns or scalds. You may also find any abnormalities of the skin that your health check may have missed. You should be watching and monitoring the skin and coat whilst you are working so you should not miss anything!
• Make sure that you are brushing (and watching) where the airflow makes contact. If you are brushing elsewhere, the skin is likely to get burnt.
• It is a waste of effort, energy and time if you are brushing a wet coat in order to dry it straight whilst the coat is being dried curly by the hair-dryer in an area that you are not brushing. A drier with a large output nozzle spreads warm air over a large area. This may result in areas being inadvertently exposed to heat and the hair drying without being brushed.
• Once the coat has dried curly, you cannot straighten it without wetting it again so your coat presentation may not be good enough to style correctly.
• The warmer and stronger the airflow, the quicker you have to work. The coat will dry much more quickly than the skin once heat is applied and you must keep the coat moving to prevent a build-up of steam and obtain your desired drying finish.