# "Creative dog grooming" what do you think of it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429 "2010-04-26T18:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/1 "2010-04-26T18:43:32Z")
There are a lot of photos here: [http://www.pawnation.com/2010/04/27/dog-grooming-contests-spark-controversy](http://www.pawnation.com/2010/04/27/dog-grooming-contests-spark-controversy) I’m wondering what the Dopers think of this… ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/2 "2010-04-26T18:46:20Z")
(For those not wanting to click on the link, it’s dogs that have been groomed into bizarre shapes and had their fur dyed to make them look like lions, peacocks, train sets, and more) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/3 "2010-04-26T18:48:47Z")
I foresee a 12-page flame war. It looks stupid, but as long as the dye doesn’t hurt the dog it’s no big deal. And as a bonus, it’s a great way to find out which people on the street have more money than sense and like to obsess over their dogs. I can see that as a big hand in avoiding some people I wouldn’t want to talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/4 "2010-04-26T18:54:08Z")
I said that I laughed at some pics, esp. the panda and Captain Jack Sparrow one, but felt bad for some of the dogs. I don’t think it’s cruel but I wouldn’t do it to my (hypothetical) dog. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/5 "2010-04-26T18:54:30Z")
I…really don’t know. If the dogs enjoy it, and the people can afford it, I guess it’s their business. It seems kind of similar to child beauty pageants, though - some adult imposing their will on other beings who can’t really protest. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/6 "2010-04-26T18:59:21Z")
It looks dumb, but to each their own. As long as it doesn’t hurt the dog, I don’t think it’s anything to get too upset about. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/7 "2010-04-26T19:05:18Z")
I think it looks stupid - some of the designs are pretty ingenious, but they still look stupid on an actual dog, I think. Most dogs dislike being groomed, too, so I can imagine they don’t enjoy having peacock feathers stuck to them. I wouldn’t call it cruel, the dye doesn’t seem like it could harm the dogs, and a dog doesn’t know what he/she looks like so it’s not like they care, but I wouldn’t do it even if I had the money to throw around. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/8 "2010-04-26T19:19:39Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I foresee a 12-page flame war. Only if someone brings up professional wrestlers. I’ve said too much. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/9 "2010-04-26T19:49:14Z")
I like it. I would never get it done to my hypotheitcal dog but I think it looks cool. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/10 "2010-04-26T19:54:02Z")
Definitely for people with more money than sense. I love those dogs that wear antlers at Xmas, tho’. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/11 "2010-04-26T20:20:46Z")
Where is the “This is all hideous” option? Because “stupid” really doesn’t cover it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/12 "2010-04-26T20:21:59Z")
Silly, but I don’t see anything wrong with it. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/13 "2010-04-26T21:31:41Z")
I think it’s goofy, and I feel sort of bad for the dogs because I know my dog gets annoyed sitting still long enough for me to trim him, shampoo him and blow his fur dry (usually, if it’s not cold out, I just let him air dry so he gets less crabby). I can’t imagine how pissed he would be if I made him sit still long enough to look like a lion or have a giraffe spray painted on his ass. However, the dogs in the pictures look sort of pleased with themselves, so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/14 "2010-04-26T21:41:10Z")
I would never do it to my dog, but it made me smile. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/15 "2010-04-27T00:13:48Z")
It’s no more ridiculous than many of the standard grooming done for a dog show. I mean, the standard show poodle cut? Those looped-over topknots on the various lap dogs? The dust ruffles on cocker spaniels? I mean, _really._ And we’re not talking about dogs who get a bath and brush every couple months–these are dogs who have been groomed every couple weeks from early puppyhood and have become blase about the process. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/16 "2010-04-27T01:04:16Z")
> [@](#): > > It seems kind of similar to child beauty pageants, though - some adult imposing their will on other beings who can’t really protest. This is how I see it. (Although I confess the “lion” looked pretty cool.) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/17 "2010-04-27T01:06:26Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > I think it’s goofy, and I feel sort of bad for the dogs because I know my dog gets annoyed sitting still long enough for me to trim him, shampoo him and blow his fur dry (usually, if it’s not cold out, I just let him air dry so he gets less crabby). I can’t imagine how pissed he would be if I made him sit still long enough to look like a lion or have a giraffe spray painted on his ass. > > However, the dogs in the pictures look sort of pleased with themselves, so who knows. Some of them do look sort of pleased with themselves. My dog would never sit for it (and isn’t the ‘groom into strange creatures’ type anyway). I do appreciate the creativity and did smile, but I also feel a little sorry for the dogs. However, they all look far happier than Aubrey O’Day’s little pink dyed fashion accessory. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/18 "2010-04-27T01:08:55Z")
I have a close friend that owns an akita mix. This is a beautiful white dog that wants to grow up to be lapdog and get patted by everyone, but was constructed out of muscles and leftover sabretooth fangs. Even when she is groomed and leashed, people are afraid of her. (sensible, but disappointing for the doggie) Last I year helped groom the dog and added vibrant pink polka dots all over her. I used a dog-safe color, the dog did not appear to mind the grooming, and had the BEST DAY EVAR! People were sweet talking her as soon as they saw the dots. Everyone asked permission first, but the dog finally got the petting and praise she felt she deserved. She wagged her tail so much the curl unwound. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/19 "2010-04-27T01:21:25Z")
Stupid, waste of money and time, shows more money than sense. I can see coats and booties, they actually serve a purpose. The occasional costume at halloween and christmas, maybe. This is just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429/20 "2010-04-27T01:30:14Z")
These are the same people as in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Poodle? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-dog-grooming-what-do-you-think-of-it/537429.md?page=2)