Drying our St. Bernard was the reason I bought the Flying Pig Flying One dog dryer. The blower we already had was not keeping up with her heavy coat. I wanted an upgrade that could move more air and make that part of grooming less of a struggle.
After unboxing the purple Flying One, trying the controls, checking the heat with a thermal camera, and using it on our dog, my first impression was strong: this feels like a serious step up in airflow. But power is only part of the buying decision. Heat, coat cleanup, and filter maintenance matter too.
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My Flying Pig dog dryer review: was the upgrade worth it?
For our St. Bernard, I was impressed. Even at the lowest blower setting, the Flying Pig moved a substantial amount of air. When I used it on her, loose hair flew off her coat despite the fact that she had already been groomed. Turning the airflow up made the difference even more obvious.
That is the strongest reason I would consider this dryer: a large, heavily coated dog whose grooming routine is being held back by an underpowered blower. I would be more cautious about buying it just because it looks professional. Your dog needs to tolerate the experience, and you need somewhere practical to handle the hair it blows loose.
I did not time a complete wet-to-dry session against our old blower. This review shows the power difference I experienced, not a measured promise that it will save a particular number of minutes. I also have not used it long enough to make a years-long durability claim.
Watch my unboxing and St. Bernard test
What came with my Flying One
My setup included the dryer, a 10-foot hose, round and flat nozzle attachments, a spare filter, and the instruction guide. The steel housing felt heavy-duty in my hands, and the rubber feet gave the unit a stable place to sit during the demonstration.
The hose connections use a locking clip. I showed how the fitting locks into place and how rotating it releases the connection. The nozzle-end fitting also gives you a place to hold the hose. That is useful when working around a dog rather than repeatedly moving the dryer itself.
Airflow: the feature that stood out most
At 2:23 in the video, I started with the speed dial turned all the way down. The air was already strong enough to visibly move the skin on my hand. When I increased the setting, the hose started moving too.
Flying Pig’s Flying One specifications list 240 CFM of air volume and 28,000 FPM of air speed. Those are manufacturer figures, not measurements I took. My demonstration is useful for seeing the airflow in action, but it does not establish where this model ranks against every other grooming dryer.
The variable dial is more useful to me than a simple all-or-nothing blower. I can begin at a lower setting and adjust rather than immediately running full power. The two supplied nozzles also give me different ways to direct the airflow, although I did not run a timed nozzle comparison.
What happened when I used it on our St. Bernard
The dog demonstration begins around 5:32. I started at the lowest setting, and a surprising amount of loose hair came off her coat. She had already been groomed, which made that moment stand out. Then I turned the blower up to show the stronger airflow.
This is why I see the Flying Pig as a practical upgrade for our situation. The old blower was not doing enough for her coat; this one clearly had more force available. It also showed me that I need to plan for cleanup. A dryer blows loose hair away from the dog; it does not collect it like a grooming vacuum.
The clip is a short demonstration on one dog, so it cannot tell you how every pet will react to the sound or airflow. Start gradually, give your dog breaks, and stop if the experience is distressing. More available power does not mean every part of the coat needs maximum speed.
The heater works—and it deserves attention
The Flying One has a heater-off setting plus low and high heat. With the heater off, I could still feel warmth from the air and motor. When I switched the heater on, the change was noticeable quickly.
Starting around 3:24, I used a thermal camera to look at the nozzle and the table area exposed to the airflow. The displayed readings climbed from roughly 74°F early in the demonstration to a reading around 154°F later in the higher-heat test.
Those numbers are surface readings from my demonstration, not a direct measurement of the moving air or the dog’s skin. A thermal camera sees surfaces, and readings can vary with the target, angle, distance, and settings. The test shows that the heater can make things hot quickly; it does not establish a safe temperature to use on a pet.
For grooming, follow the supplied instructions, keep the nozzle moving, and monitor both the warmth and your dog’s comfort. Avoid directing concentrated airflow into the eyes or ears. I would not use the highest heat simply to chase a shorter drying session.
During my check, the dryer’s outer housing stayed cool to the touch while the hose became warm. That was a helpful handling detail, but a cool casing does not mean the air at the nozzle is cool.
If you are interested in the tool shown in that demonstration, here is my thermal camera affiliate link. It is optional; a thermal camera is not required to operate this dryer.
Filter cleaning is part of owning this dryer
At 4:34, I showed the rear filter access. The retaining knob unscrews, the cover comes off, and the reusable filter can be removed. The spare filter makes it easier to rotate a clean one into service.
In the video, I described cleaning after about two to three hours of use. Treat that as the routine I discussed, not a reason to ignore a filter that collects hair sooner. Check it regularly and follow the care instructions supplied with your unit. Switch off and unplug the dryer before removing the cover; if the instructions allow washing the filter, let it dry fully before reinstalling it.
For me, this is the maintenance step that makes the most sense to prioritize. A powerful blower needs an unobstructed intake. Keeping the filter clear supports airflow, while neglecting it works against the feature I bought the dryer for.
Who I would recommend it to
- A good fit to consider: Owners of large or thick-coated dogs who groom at home regularly and find their current blower underpowered.
- Worth weighing carefully: Owners of dogs that struggle with blower noise or strong airflow, or anyone with limited space for cleanup.
- What I liked: Strong airflow at the low setting, an adjustable speed dial, a long hose, easy filter access, and the solid feel of the housing.
- What needs care: Heat settings, loose hair blowing around the work area, and regular filter maintenance.
Would I buy the Flying Pig dryer again?
Based on this first test, it is the kind of upgrade I was looking for. Our St. Bernard’s coat was the problem I needed to solve, and the Flying One gave me substantially more airflow to work with. I was impressed by the build and how much loose hair it moved.
My buying advice is to focus on that use case. If an underpowered blower is making grooming a big dog frustrating, this model is worth a closer look. If you only dry a small, easy-care coat occasionally, the same investment may be harder to justify.
Check the Flying Pig Flying One dryer in purple on Amazon. Confirm the model, included accessories, and current price before ordering. I may earn a small commission through this link at no extra cost to you.
What grooming tool would you like me to test next? Let me know in the comments, and browse more of my hands-on product reviews.