Blow Drying
Grooming & Handling · 17 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to enjoy being blow dried.
**Safety:** When in use, keep the blow dryer moving, around 1 to 2 feet away from Your Dog. If your blow dryer is particularly loud, ear protection for you and Your Dog is recommended.
**Puppies:** Getting your puppy happy about being blow dried is wonderful socialization during the puppy window (around 4 to 16 weeks), when puppies learn what is safe and normal in their world. Because a young puppy usually has no fear to undo and soaks up new experiences fast, you can often run this plan in **proof mode** (proof levels 1 and 2, the harder review steps) so your puppy breezes through it faster than an adult dog might need. Keep every rep positive and let your puppy set the pace.
Training steps
Turn on the blow dryer for 1 second from the farthest distance it's still audible
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Move the blow dryer into the far end of the house and close the door to the room it is in before turning it on so it makes noise for 1 second, then turn it off and hurry Your Dog to give them a few treats.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Turn on the blow dryer for 1 second from a distance
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Move the blow dryer into another room before turning it on so it makes noise for 1 second, then turn it off and toss Your Dog a few treats.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Turn on the blow dryer for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, turn on the blow dryer so it makes noise for 1 second, then turn it off and feed a few treats.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Turn on the blow dryer for 5 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, turn on the blow dryer. When Your Dog notices the sound, prompt them over and feed treats for 5 seconds, then turn it off.
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Turn on the blow dryer for 10 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, turn on the blow dryer. Wait for Your Dog to come over on their own, then feed treats for 10 seconds before turning it off.
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow air near Your Dog for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Turn the blow dryer on and, when Your Dog approaches, blow air 1 to 2 feet beside them for 1 second before feeding a treat.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow air at legs for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Turn the blow dryer on and, when Your Dog approaches, give their leg a quick puff before feeding a treat.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow air at legs for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Turn the blow dryer on and, when Your Dog approaches, blow air at their leg for 3 seconds, then feed a treat.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry legs for 10 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Feed treats continuously.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 10 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed treats continuously.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 15 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 20 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 30 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 45 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 1 minute
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 1 and a half minutes
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Blow dry for 2 minutes
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Focus all around Your Dog's body. Avoid blowing them directly in the face. Feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during blowing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Congratulations! You now have a dog who loves to be blow dried.
Keep the positive association strong by giving Your Dog a lot of high-value treats every time you blow dry them.
If Your Dog starts avoiding the blow dryer, that's completely okay! Simply Drop back to a step they're comfortable with and work through the plan again or restart the plan with proof steps. Go at Your Dog's pace and do as much training as they need.