How to dry a dog after a walk in the rain (at home, in the car and in the van)

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The back-breaking work of drying off a wet dog after a good walk in the rain, the sea or the mud, or if you're feeling really adventurous, all three is always something to look forward to. Sarcasm intended.

The short version: mud off the paws first, then an absorbent drying robe or towel on the body, then a washable spot for your dog to stand on for 20 to 30 minutes while it does its job.

If, like us, your dogs have a habit of staring at you with a wry smile and then sitting down in the biggest puddle they can find, metres from the front door, you are not alone, and this one is for you. Over the past 16 years of owning Chow Chows, all three of ours have had a completely different, devious, but loving way of making a muddy dog walk or stroll along the beach as wet and as messy as it could possibly be. But we love them anyway, right?

So here are our tips for getting your furry friend dry after a walk in the rain.

Mud off the paws first, while they pant full pelt into your ear. An absorbent layer on the body second, along with a quick belly hug. Then somewhere for them to stand while it does its job, big puppy eyes and all. That is the whole soggy method. What changes is where you are when the wet dog arrives, because a soaked dog at the front door, a soaked dog in the car boot and a soaked dog in a campervan are three different problems with three different bits of kit.

We have two Chow Chows, Storm and Nala, and we deal with all three most weeks from autumn through to spring. Here is what works in each.

Before you leave the house

Two minutes of setup saves twenty minutes of mopping. Before a wet walk, we make sure the towel or drying coat is where we will need it, not in the airing cupboard upstairs. At home that is a cupboard by the door. In the car and the van it lives in the boot.

From October, most of these walks are in the dark too, so it's worth sorting a light for the dog before you head out. We've written up the dog lights we use on our night walks.

At the front door

The shake on the step. Keep the door shut until they have done it. A Chow shake indoors redecorates the hallway, and you will be finding fur stuck to the walls for years.

Paws before body. Mud, then wet. A paw washer, a bucket, or a towel pressed round each foot. Get between the toes.

Coat on, then leave them. A drying robe (or drying coat, it's the same thing) goes on at the door and stays on for half an hour or so. If you do not have one, a microfibre towel wrapped round the body and held with a clip does a rougher version of the same job. The point is that something absorbent stays in contact with the coat while the dog’s body heat pushes the water out.

Mat, not sofa. Ours have a spot on a washable mat by the door until the coat comes off. It took about a week of insisting.

For dogs with thick or double coats there is more to it than this, because the undercoat can stay wet for hours after the top looks dry. Give a thick coat longer under the robe, and check right down at the skin before you call it dry.

In the car

The mistake is driving home with a soaked dog in the boot. Twenty minutes of a wet coat pressed into fabric is how a car ends up smelling of dog for the rest of the winter.

Line the boot or the seat. A boot liner or a seat hammock keeps the water and mud off the upholstery and can be hosed off.

Coat or bag on for the journey. A drying bag zips the dog in and contains the mud, which is why gundog owners love them for spaniels. A drying coat lets the dog move and works better on long or double coats. Either is far better than nothing.

Crack the air con on. A wet dog in a sealed car fogs the glass in minutes.

On the smell. Wet dog smell is bacteria and yeast in the damp coat getting active, like a very sad sourdough. Air freshener masks it for an hour. Drying the dog removes it. If the car already smells, the culprit is usually the boot liner or seat cover, so wash it.

Top tip. A scatter of bicarbonate of soda left on the fabric overnight, then hoovered up, does more than any spray.

In the campervan

A small space and a wet dog is a humidity problem before it is a cleaning problem. One soaked Chow in the van on a cold evening and the windows are running with condensation by bedtime.

Coat on before they get in. Do the shake and the towel outside, under the awning or at the side door. The drying robe goes on before they climb in, not after.

Vent open. Roof vent or a window, even a crack, for the first hour. The water has to go somewhere.

Do not hang wet towels inside overnight. They dry into the air, and the air condenses on the windows and the walls. Wring them out and hang them under the awning, or in a dry bag until morning.

Mat by the door. Same as at home. The dog sits on something washable near the door until the coat comes off.

The bits everyone misses

Belly and chest. Spray from walking gets the underside soaked while the back looks fine.

Ears. Fold them back and dry the inside with a corner of towel.

Between the toes. Mud sits there and so does water.

Under the collar. Take it off for a minute and dry the neck.

Drying robe, drying coat or drying bag?

They are mostly the same thing with different names. A drying robe or drying coat is a towelling or microfibre coat that fastens round the chest and belly, so your dog can still move about while it soaks up the water. A drying bag zips the whole dog in, which keeps the mud contained but means they can't really walk anywhere.

For long or double coats like our Chows', we prefer a robe, because it stays in contact with more of the coat for longer. We now have the Mountain Paws Dog Robe for Nala and Storm, and we'll add how it gets on with two very fluffy Chow Chows to this page.

Should you walk a dog in the rain at all?

For most dogs, yes. A wet walk beats no walk at all. The dogs to be careful with are the small, the thin, the old and the short-coated, who lose heat fast once wet. A raincoat before the walk helps those dogs more than any amount of drying after it. Our two barely notice the rain, which is the Chow coat doing its job.

What we keep where

By the door: two microfibre towels, one drying robe each, a paw washer, a washable mat.

In the car: a boot liner, a drying robe or bag, an old towel that lives there.

In the van: a washable mat by the side door, a drying robe each, a spare towel in the cab.

Frequently asked questions

How long does wet dog smell last? Until the dog is dry at the skin, then it goes. If it lingers after that, it is in the car seats or the dog bed rather than the dog.

Do dogs get cold when they are wet? Yes. A wet coat stops insulating. Shivering means get them dry and warm now, not after the school run.

Can I use wipes on muddy paws? Pet wipes are fine for a light clean. For proper mud, water works better and does not leave anything on the pads.

Is it better to towel a dog or let it air dry? Towel first, then something absorbent left on, then air. Air alone works in summer. In winter it takes hours and leaves the undercoat damp.

Do dog drying robes actually work? Yes, as long as they stay on long enough. A robe keeps absorbent fabric against the coat while your dog's own body heat pushes the water out, so it keeps working for 20 minutes or more after you would have given up with a towel. It's a lot easier on your back too.

How long should a dog wear a drying robe? Around 20 to 30 minutes for most dogs. Thick or double-coated dogs can need longer, because the undercoat stays damp after the top layer feels dry.