Pets In Color

'He doesn't care about the colour, he loves his mama so much': How pet owners are dyeing their dogs' fur as bizarre fashion statements

By Victoria Wellman

Published: 17:50 EST, 9 April 2012 | Updated: 04:28 EST, 10 April 2012

Bright colours are in this spring, from the vivid greens, pinks and blues of skinny jeans to the colour blocking on Jessica Simpson latest Louboutin-esque sandals.

But, apparently unsatisfied by following the trend themselves, some people are now expecting their dogs to carry off the look too and are dyeing their fur in a kaleidoscope of colours.

In an interview with Anderson Cooper recently, two such pet owners explained that not only do their loveable pooches not mind their original hair-dos, they love the attention they receive as a result.




One canine guest named Swinger, who sported a bright green mane with red spotty ears, sat patiently while his owner told Anderson: 'He's good on the tables, he's used to this, he's been doing this since he was very young.'

'I don't think he cares, I don't think it matters, he aims to please me. He loves his mama so much' she boasted confidently about her dog's beauty regime.

But such extreme methods of dog grooming as exemplified by Swinger, prompt the question of whether the animals are suffering from the practice.

Asked how she achieves the look for her dog, Swinger's owner replied: 'Regular hair dye, and a lot of time and a ton of patience,' adding later that the dye was vegan and non-toxic.


Human hair dye is notoriously dangerous for a pet that can easily turn around and lick the chemicals off its coat, and can cause irritation to the skin underneath the hair.

Colouring dogs' coats became a huge fad in China in 2010 when pictures began to emerge of owners and petting zoos that had dyed their dogs to look like wild animals.

Chow Chows were given the colours of panda bears, the soft fluffy coats lending themselves well to the look of their black and white counterparts.


Golden retrievers were made to look like tigers with perfect black stripes.

Online pet experts encourage the use of safe, edible dyes like food colouring or Kool-Aid mixed with fresh water but considering how unlikely an owner would be to give their dog Kool-Aid to drink, one wonders whether this is even an acceptable alternative.

For Anderson's guests, there's apparently no harm in what they're doing to their pooches. One even went so far as to say: 'I wanted my beagle painted like a zebra before he got married.'

Which prompts yet another question, and perhaps a few hundred more.