Over the Top Grooming | Dog & Cat Health, Wellness, Products and Breed Information

Over the Top Grooming
| Print | By Heather Buono | May 4, 2009 3:43 PM

"Let me put the hoochy in your poochy," creative groomer Carmon Baker announced at the 2007 SuperGroom award show. Apparently, she means business.

Her dog was decked in high heels, fishnet stockings, and fake furry bosoms. This is just one of many examples of an increasingly popular pet market: using dogs as a canvas to create beautiful art.

Although creative grooming may seem like a new concept to pet owners, it's actually been around for quite some time. It began with unusual haircuts and progressed into colored dyes, glue, feathers and a festival of other accessories. These doggy-masterpieces were first introduced at the All American Grooming Show in Chicago, IL in 1980 to mixed reviews. Some people were appalled and dubbed the process as pet torture. Trying to turn dogs into something else by cutting, clipping and decorating them is still a controversial area among the canine community.

Any dog with hair long enough to style can be used for creative grooming, but white standard poodles are the breed of choice. Sandra Hartness, an award winning groomer in the business, has shaped her poodle into everything from a Ninja Turtle to a Grateful Dead bear to win first place in seven competitions. "People think I'm injuring the dog but I'm not. The dogs actually enjoy it because for the moment, they get to be the center of attention." She says that big themes for the 2008 grooming shows include Pirates of the Caribbean and the Wizard of Oz.

So how are these outrageous, over-the-top designs produced? The dogs are colored with semi- permanent hair color for people that lasts anywhere from one to three months, blow pens that children use for watercolor art, food coloring, and even colored chalk- all of which are pet friendly. Florida is the only state in the U.S. that outlaws the coloring of dogs. Other essentials include child-safe glue, hairspray, feathers, rhinestones, pom poms, water, and towels. Voila! A show-stopping dog sensation is born.

Joe Villano, who appears on the TV show "Groomer Has It," loves the different patterns and themes he has seen in this niche market over the past 30 years. "The only thing I would remind these groomers of is that dogs have pores and different skin than we do. They need to be sensitive to the fact that their skin will react differently to products than a human test subjects would." Competitions such as SuperGroom and the Les Poochs Poodle Challenge at Pet Fashion Week give them the stage to shine. After competitions, the dogs are all shaved down while their groomers wait six months before their hair grows back completely. Dogs can only do two contests per year.

Creative grooming isn't just for show. Pet owners everywhere are bringing in their pooches to spruce up their everyday look (without giving them a complete identity crisis!) Coloring the coat and shaving the hair into a Mohawk are the two most pup-ular services! If you'd like to spice up your dog's style, locate a groomer near you.

Comments (8)

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Anonymous January 28, 2009 4:45 PM

many many people including myself find this cruelty it is disgusting to make a dog go through all that and then be dragged around to be displayed just for your entertainment these poor dogs should be running around and playing their lives here are short enough!!! many of you must have control issues and dont know how to give the dog the love and affection they need!

lizz April 6, 2009 11:01 AM

I disagree some pet owners love pets like kids and that is a way to express your self as well as your animal i think there should be more focus on physical abuse more than art

Anonymous May 2, 2009 2:15 PM

Well first poster, maybe some professionals oh, I don't know, CARE about the dogs? There may be bad people, but let's learn something new! THERE ARE BAD PEOPLE IN EVERYTHING! A lot of the dogs enjoy the attention they get as well.

Anonymous June 7, 2009 6:21 AM

I just want to know is it better to cut dogs wet or dry?

Anonymous July 9, 2009 10:32 AM

Poster #1, grow up. Any normal tempered dog LOVES the attention involved in a good grooming. My dog happens to enjoy being "dragged around" everywhere I go.

chele September 18, 2009 1:51 PM

i am a groomer and i have been for over 13 yrs... when you have a poodle who is used to being groomed... they love the competition! they really do. and its not cruel... esp when you know what you are doing. if you would just take a moment and realize that groomers love dogs and cats probably more than you do to put up with the stuff that we do, (and i mean do you spend hours washing, drying, detanging, nursing them back to health, doing anals?) then we would never hurt them in this or any other way!!!!

anonymous October 5, 2009 9:35 PM

I think it is okay but you really need to balance it a little bit of grooming and "dragging" and a a whole lot of playing! and loving! I mean a groomer would never hurt
a dog I mean they spend most of their time detangling and clipping the dogs!!! I think its cruel when it is the whole time and all they are doing is standing looking pretty and then going back in the crate and then standing and looking pretty then back in the crate then standing.... etc.

anonymous October 5, 2009 9:41 PM

oh yeah miss smartie pant how do you know your dog likes being dragged around I bet you can speak doog right? NOT!!!! I agree with anonymous number one I find it disgusting! dogs have better things to do than being dragged to show after show!!

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