Dog Drying Product Reviews

If you have a dog that loves to get wet at any given opportunity, you might be on the hunt for the perfect tool to help dry them before they soak everything around them. Thanks to our partners, Pets & Friends, we were sent some Henry Wag accessories to be reviewed by Animal Friends dogs, so you know whether you should give them a go for your pooch.

The canine critics

Let’s take a look at the wet dogs putting these drying products from Pets & Friends to the test.

Faye and Olive

Olive is a 1.5-year-old Labrador who is always happy and full of energy! Olive is a water baby at heart, and I can’t keep her out of the sea, lakes and streams and she has to walk through every puddle on the pavement.

Emma and Smokey

Smokey is the definition of a gentle giant. Don't be fooled by his big size, as in his mind he’s still a puppy! He is very loving and always gets beside himself with excitement when I come home after being out for the day, and he loves to climb in my lap for snuggles all the time.

Lucie and Valentine

Valentine is a 3-year-old Podenco Maneto x Daschund former street dog, rescued from Spain. He loves snoozing under the blanket, going to the park to play with his squeaky ball, and spending time with his Abuela ('Grandma') who practises her Spanish by talking to him (and he understands every word!).

Henry Wag Pet Microfibre Cleaning and Dry Towel

This Henry Wag Pet Microfibre Cleaning and Dry Towel is designed to easily remove dirt and water from your pet’s coat. More absorbent and quick drying than regular towels, it’s perfect for day to day use or travelling.

Pros

• Soft and gentle on skin
• Very Absorbent
• Multiple uses
• Washable
• Easy to wash
• Good size

Cons

• Took a while to dry
• Thin material

Longevity 4/5

Faye and Olive

No threads from the microfibre after using the towel. I have washed this towel and it also dried fine. I can see me using this rather than an old bath towel that we keep aside just for Olive.

Emma and Smokey

I believe this towel will last a long time due to it being washable, and it feels like good material that won’t rip or fray easily.

Lucie and Valentine

Whilst we’ve not had the towel for very long, it seems like it would last well.

Comfort 4/5

Faye and Olive

Olive is very short-haired with not much fur on her tummy. I imagine this is very comfortable and soft on her skin while I am wiping away any mud.

Emma and Smokey

Smokey does not normally enjoy being towel-dried, however he allowed me to dry him using this towel with ease. The material of the microfibre has made this product extra soft, so I imagine it feels gentle and safe on his skin. Drying Smokey with this towel felt like I was just stroking him or petting him as normal and must have felt nice for him too because he was totally relaxed!

Lucie and Valentine

This towel is super soft which makes it more comfortable for Valentine than traditional towels however, because it became very soggy very quickly, Valentine didn’t want to have it next to him for very long.

Value for money 4/5

Faye and Olive

While the price is probably a little bit more than what I want to pay, after using this towel I would purchase this again. It is easy to grab an old towel and assign that as the dog’s towel, however I prefer how soft this is for Olive’s skin.

Emma and Smokey

I would say this is great value for money and I am actually surprised at how cheap it is for such a good quality towel. I would 100% recommend!

Lucie and Valentine

The small sized towel measures a whopping 70x100cm, so you do get a lot of towel for your money without it being too bulky, but… I’m not sure I could justify the spend when we found the towel didn’t work very well for Valentine.

Would I buy this in the future?

Faye and Olive

Yes, I would definitely buy this in the future.

Emma and Smokey

I would not hesitate to buy this in the future because of the value for money. If anyone is looking for a specific towel just for your dog, I would definitely say to get this one. It feels great for your dog’s skin, it makes towel drying a lot easier, and there is the added bonus that your dog feels like he is getting a cuddle when being dried!

Lucie and Valentine

This isn’t something we would buy again as it’s not really suitable for Valentine’s needs. I can see how it would be great for other dogs with different fur types though.

Where or when would you use this product?

Faye and Olive

I use this product after every walk with Olive. She is let off the lead every day and chases the ball. With the ground being so wet she gets muddy, so this is needed. I would also use the product before putting my dog in the car just to dry her off before going home.

Emma and Smokey

I would use this product after I have given my dog a bath, as the microfibres soak up any excess water when rubbing him with it. I would also take this out with me if I knew we were going somewhere Smokey would get wet.

Lucie and Valentine

Post walks on paws and on his tummy.

Final verdict 5/5

Faye and Olive

For us, this is just perfect. There’s nothing else to say.

Emma and Smokey

I really like this towel because it doesn’t have a rough texture like normal towels, and actually feels very soft due to the microfibre. As my dog does not normally like being towel-dried, the texture of this towel has allowed me to dry him with no complaints. It also dries quickly too!

Lucie and Valentine

We found this towel okay for paws and tummy post-walk, but it didn’t do the best job post-shower or swim for Valentine. Valli has short fur but it’s very dense and holds in a lot of water – after an initial dry-off with this towel, it was a bit too soggy to use again.

Henry Wag Drying Coat

The Henry Wag Drying Coat is made from highly absorbent microfibre material, designed to efficiently remove dirt and water from a dog’s fur and to protect car and home interiors.

Pros

• Easy fasten
• Warm and soft
• Easy to wash
• Excellent fit

Cons

• Not as quick as a towel

Longevity 3/5

Faye and Olive

Seems very thin for a drying coat. I have another brand of drying coat and it is a lot thicker and better quality.

Emma and Smokey

I think this drying coat will last longer because it is washable, so no matter how muddy or wet it gets you are able to clean it and reuse it again. Smokey also does not try to chew or eat this, which is a bonus!

Lucie and Valentine

We haven’t had the coat for long enough to give full marks, but it does seem to be very well made.

Comfort 3/5

Faye and Olive

As this is too small for Olive this is very uncomfortable. If this did fit, I imagine it would be okay, however there is no give in the chest so if they sit/lay down it seems it would be uncomfortable.

Emma and Smokey

Smokey does not normally like feeling like he is constricted, so I don’t tend to wrap him in any towels, especially his head. However, to my surprise, he very much enjoyed the use of this coat. He allowed me to dress him in this and fasten him in with no problem, and he even let me pull the hood over his head. The material is so soft and warm, so not only does it dry but it also keeps your pup warm and feels very comfortable. Smokey took himself off for a snooze in front of the fire whilst he had this on, so it’s safe to say he felt snug!

Lucie and Valentine

Valentine was more than happy to wander around in this coat post-shower. His only complaint was that it didn’t cover his big ears very well!

Value for money 4/5

Faye and Olive

Personally, I would not pay this for this drying coat; the large size measurements seem off for Olive the Labrador and it is too thin for how wet Olive gets after running around fields in the morning.

Emma and Smokey

I think this product is good value for money; in my opinion it is affordable, and I believe it would be a good investment. It would be great to take with you if your dog likes to end up getting wet on a walk. I would keep it in my car and put it on Smokey so that he can warm up on the way home, and then by the time you get there he might be dry.

Lucie and Valentine

We’ve previously bought Valentine a different, cheaper drying coat which was also made from microfibre but didn’t fit very well or absorb very much, so it now lives in the back of a cupboard! This one is more expensive but will get used more because it actually fits him, so we feel it’s worth spending the extra pennies to get better quality and fit.

Would I buy this in the future?

Faye and Olive

No, I would not purchase in the future even it was the right size.

Emma and Smokey

I would definitely buy this in the future. It is one of those products that you don’t realise you need until you have one. This has made drying my wet doggy into a better, more comfortable experience for him. It is especially beneficial for those dogs who don’t enjoy being towel-dried, as the soft material will dry fur on its own when worn.

Lucie and Valentine

Possibly; it’s been great so far but we need to see how much use we make of this one first.

Where or when would you use this product?

Faye and Olive

If this product fitted, I would use it after a rainy walk where Olive is damp rather than soaking wet.

Emma and Smokey

I would use this product whenever I bring my dog home wet after being on a walk. It’s not hard to wrap him up in, and he can go and do his own thing while he dries. I would also take this with me in the car if I ever took him out anywhere, in case he got wet.

Lucie and Valentine

I think we will use this mostly to pop Valentine into after a walk on a really rainy day, before he gets back in the car – less muddy doggy ick all over the car!

Final verdict 4/5

Faye and Olive

This wasn’t the coat for Olive unfortunately - it was too small and too thin, which is a shame as it would be great to buy as a set with the towel and rug!

Emma and Smokey

This is my favourite product out of all the ones we tested. Normally, Smokey does not like being wrapped up in things such as towels, especially around his head, but he really loved this coat. It was so easy to get this on him, and he even let me pull the hood over his head with no fuss. When he shook himself, as dogs do when wet, I could tell the coat worked well as he was dry in no time at all.

Lucie and Valentine

We found this drying coat really useful after an initial dry-off with a towel post-shower. Valentine usually likes to run around shaking out his fur and rubbing his damp self all over everything (especially our bed!!) after a bath. This time, he was still able to do this in his coat but without us needing to clean up afterwards!

Henry Wag Grey Microfibre Noodle Mat

This Henry Wag Microfibre Noodle Mat is said to be perfect for removing dirt and water from your pet's coat and can be used as a bed liner, on the floor, in the car boot or even as a towel.

Pros

• Multiple uses
• Easy to wash
• Very soft

Cons

• Noodles can be bitten off
• Size not as expected

Longevity 4/5

Faye and Olive

Seems good quality and stayed soft after a wash which isn’t the case with some of these towels.

Emma and Smokey

Whilst I have not had the mat for very long, I can already tell it is not going to last long-term. My dog likes to chew up everything, especially dog beds and soft toys. Because the blanket is on his bed, he has started to chew it, and with how often we need to replace his bed, I can’t see the blanket lasting a long time.

Lucie and Valentine

Whilst we’ve not had the mat for very long, I’m not sure how well it will survive being washed. We’ll probably put it into a separate bag in the washing machine to keep the noodles intact and hopefully avoid fluff sticking to everything else!

Comfort 5/5

Faye and Olive

Olive was unsure of the texture at first but always lays on it after her walks now. Her paws hang off depending on the position she lays in, but she seems to enjoy the softness of this rug.

Emma and Smokey

Top scores for this one because it is very soft and Smokey loves cuddling into it as he is going asleep.

Lucie and Valentine

Top scores for the Noodle mat because it’s so gentle. Normal towels can be harsh on the soft skin on Valentine’s tummy, so he was much happier having his paws and tummy wiped with this after his walkies!

Value for money 4/5

Faye and Olive

The product is a reasonable price and as mentioned Olive does enjoy this product. However, I do believe this could be cheaper, especially because a size Large to me looks more like a Medium size.

Emma and Smokey

I think it’s a great product and definitely worth the money, the only reason it was not best suited to my dog is because different methods of drying work better for his personality. However, I can see why many people would use this because it is very handy to protect furniture etc.

Lucie and Valentine

We think it’s a great product and worth the money.

Would I buy this in the future?

Faye and Olive

This isn’t a necessity, I think drying Olive off is good enough for me and Olive, however if you have carpets/your dog goes on the sofa, this would be useful to put down to make sure the dirt you missed does not go on your furniture. If I was to buy in the future, as a Labrador owner, I would get an XL.

Emma and Smokey

I personally wouldn’t purchase it for Smokey, only because of the way he is and that he would probably like to eat it! For better behaved dogs who don’t destroy everything they own, I think it would be a great item to have. Also, you can use this as a mat in your car to protect the seats or boot if you have taken your dog on a particularly muddy or wet walk. The only reason this would not apply to me is because Smokey gets severely travel sick, so we hardly take him anywhere in the car. If I was to get another dog that didn’t eat all of their beds and toys, and I was able to take them out in the car, then I would not hesitate to purchase this product.

Lucie and Valentine

Yes! Assuming this one stands up to being washed, we’ll definitely be getting a couple more, but in a size up.

Where or when would you use this product?

Faye and Olive

I use this product after I have taken Olive on a walk. She lays on it most nights. This would also be suitable for in the back of your car or in a motorhome/campervan/anywhere your dog may lay damp.

Emma and Smokey

I think it’s definitely more suited to winter months and rainy days, however if you were to take your dog to a beach on a hot summer’s day and let them splash about in the ocean, then it would be perfect to dry them then too. I think it’s also ideal to put in your car as it gives protection for your upholstery and provides added comfort for your dog!

Lucie and Valentine

We’ve been using this post walks on paws and tum and after Valentine has been in the shower (he likes being squeaky clean and fresh!). I can also see us using this in the car post walks in future.

Final verdict 4/5

Faye and Olive

It’s a good product and reasonably priced, so you can’t really go wrong.

Emma and Smokey

It’s a great idea to have a drying mat that you can put in your dog’s bed so that they can dry off as they lie down or roll around in it, however, my dog does not tend to lie in his bed unless he is going to sleep. This means he would not naturally go and lie in his bed after a walk, so it is not the most beneficial way of drying him.

Lucie and Valentine

We loved this product, but maybe not for its originally intended purpose. Valentine isn’t really a dog bed sort of pup - he much prefers snuggling wherever we are - so we found we were using this as more of a towel than a mat. I can, however, see us using it as a mat in the back of the car after longer wet/muddy walks in future!