There’s a new dog trend taking over the US and it requires just about as much primping as any animal, human or otherwise, could possibly stand. It’s extreme, it’s creative and it will have you either laughing or crying.
Welcome to the world of ‘creative grooming,’ where your pooch can become anything from a panda to a Star Wars character. Owners of these ultra-particular brand of show dogs don’t mess around, nor do the groomers, who spend up to two hours prepping the poodles for their onstage debuts. Two hours that include trimming, shaping, sculpting, dyeing and beyond! It’s no wonder the big winners can take home up to $5,000!
Hailing from Florida, pro animal photographer Ren Netherland travels all across the country capturing these daffy dogs as they undergo their absolutely insane transformations.
The dogs become almost unrecognisable, transforming into the characters they are portraying.
Ren explains of the process: ‘The owners have to grow out their dog’s hair in preparation for the show – so that it’s long enough for them to make something.’
The way the show is run, spectators actually get to watch the dogs being groomed. According to Ren, the highlight of the event is ‘when the poodles fist come onto the stage, they just look like normal poodles. Suddenly they are transformed before your eyes into something colourful and completely different.’
Ren, who has obviously been around a lot of these events, insists that the dogs seem to enjoy the spa-like treatment and attention, but views on this will of course differ.
So what do you think? Is this animal loving or animal cruelty?
About the author
Born and raised in LA, India studied Drama at the University of Southern California before shifting her focus to the visual arts. After moving to London in 2013, she co-founded the iOS app ArtAttack which focused on connecting emerging artistic talent with galleries and collectors. Following that she worked at Albany Arts Communications, a boutique Art PR firm in Fitzrovia before joining Culture Trip. Aside from art and theatre, India's other passions include travel, food, books and dance.
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