Beetree, does that come in a size XXXL ?  :-)

Oops....

LOOK! On SALE, too!

  IS IT MADE IN CHINA????


   just could not resist!!!!

YR

Here ya go YR,

I looked up your Challengair 2000EV and i think this is the same blower the vet i use to work with just purchased. So i have used it when i've dropped in to borrow the tub when it's too cold to wash the dogs outside.
With the condenser nozzle (the one that comes to a point) turn the blower on about half way. Start at the top on the head and place the nozzle almost against the skin. Water whould fly off in the direction of the coat's growth. Work the nozzle back and forth in slow waves across the top of the dog's neck and slowly work down to the shoulders. Do not hold the nozzle in one spot as it will get hot. Once you have the bulk of the water off the neck go back to the top of the head and start fanning the nozzle back and forth with a slight flick of the wrist. You should be holding the nozzle like a big pen. At this point most dogs are a little annoyed with the dryer by their heads.
Turn up the speed to almosy full blast. Go on and blow the bulk of the water off the body of the dog and then start back at the neck and fan the nozzle through the entire coat. I always follow the growth of the hair on non poodle/bichon type dogs. Fanning the nozzle allows it to lift the hair and also helps break the water/static hold the undercoat has on the guard hairs. Make sure the dog is getting dry from the skin to the ends of the hairs. Most people skim the nozzle through the upper coat which feel pretty dry to the touch. But if you run your fingers through the coat backwards or start brushing you will still feel water in the coat next to the skin.
I could show you this in about 10 minutes but i'm trying to write it out and still make sense so it takes much longer.
Drying a shepherd should take about 30 to 40 minutes to get the dog bone dry. Or you could get the bulk of the dog "nearly" dry and then place the dog in a crate and use a regular box fan, set on medium to allow the dog to air dry. ( When i was grooming a lot of dogs, the got bathed, a quick blow out with the blower until they were nearly dry and then put in a large kennel/run with a fan to finish drying. This allowed me to get the next dog started while the first dog was drying. I could have up to 8 dogs in different stages of wash/blow out/drying and keep everyone moving effictently.
When i was ready to finish the dog and remove any still loose coat i would put them back on the drying table and go back over the whole dog while brushing with a slicker. A really hairy shepherd blowing coat could easily fill a 30 gallon trash bag. also one last note, unless your dog is use to being blow dried don't try and blow dry the whole head. Instead use a towel and get the dog as dry as possiable and let the air do the rest. Rather then blow out an eye or get it in the dogs ear because they are freaking out.

As for brushing your shaved dog don't worry too much for about a month. Then use either a rubber curry brush. The round one used by horse people cost about $2.00 or a soft slicker brush. But the more you stimulate the skin and remove dead and damaged coat the sooner he will regrow it. Don't be suprised if only the undecoat grows back at first. It seems to replace faster than guard hairs.

Fry, thank you so much for the detailed explanation of how to dry a GSD. That is how I have been drying mine but I haven't ever put them in a crate with a fan - that's probably why I always felt it took sooo long. I insist on bathing my dogs after they swim - which next month will be at the beach. I'm already dreading the approx 2 hours of bathing/drying/cleaning up each day. I guess most folks aren't as anal about sand, but it gets stuck in their coats and they itch all over the place. Baths are the only way to go.

My female showline has a very thick coat and it takes a solid 45 minutes to get her totally dry, with hair flying everywhere. My male workingline has a very tight, short coat, but he's much bigger than my female so has more surface area to dry. Both stand to be groomed for hours on and and are very quiet during blow drying. I have a horse too and grooming is one of my fav things to do. All my animals learn to love it and relax! The dogs take naps while I use a dremel on their nails every week, too.

Thanks again for your long reply :)

A cheap box fan from Walmart and a short bungie cord do wonders. You could have the male fan drying while you work on the longer coated female. Once you have her to your liking take the male back out and work his coat with the dryer. In the mean time use the fan on your girl to finish drying little stuff like her ears and face. Places where most dog do not like being blow dried.
Also a great tip for drying near the ears if to fold then closed so air don't bother them as much. You can gently pinch them shut, fold them over or down and get the water off the thick hair on the back of the ear base.
Before you head to the beach see about ordering that Best Shot shampoo kit. It really does reduce drying time and gets the unwanted loose hair off your dogs. It will also leave them looking so shiney and clean. Th kit is Shampoo, Conditioner and Spray. Use the conditioner as a rinse on shepherds and watch the dead coat come out in gobs. Rub it in reaslly well and i always rined it out because i felt it was a bit too heavy tp leave on a GSD coat. Towle dry to removed some of the water or ask them to shake! Spray the coat with the finishing spray. Rub it in with your finges and then go to town with that blower.
http://www.bestshotpet.com/combo-kits-gift-bags/  hey i found them!!! The kits.

Wash, Plenish, Mist Combo Kit

I don't work for these people but this product made the last 5 years of my groomer career so much more enjoyable because it cut time, made clean and fluffy dogs and didn't tear up my hands.

It sounds like the groomer shaved down your GSD because he was matted. You said, "

I have no doubt they may have found some matting. It's impossible to avoid with a longcoat

When I look at the origingal picture, I can see all the red-tinted, dead, under coat on his back and sides. Matts are not impossible avoid. But it looks as if this dog hasnt been brushed out in a long time. The groomer either didnt have the time, skill, or work ethic to de-matt your dog. Or maybe it was not even possible to de-matt this time.

The ONLY person to blame is the person that gave permission for the job to be done.

Brush the dog *weekly* with a slicker while it is short. Then a rake as it get longer. The natural coat will return in about a year, as the cut (shaved)
hairs shed out and are replaced by normal/natural hair.