The dog does have consent. It behaves. It is not trained to do so. It does it because it likes it. It likes being pampered and groomed. These are poodles we are talking about, they are high maintenance. Sure, there are some that don’t like the grooming at all, and we do know, and we CAN tell when they DON’T like it. *We don’t color those dogs*. Personally, I can’t keep my dog out of my shop. She jumps up on the table. She gets jealous when I groom my other dog. The dog doesn’t know how it is suppose to be groomed and it doesn’t know it’s being colored. It doesn’t look at the TV and think that it looks like a football player, or a camel. It just knows it got groomed and it feels good, and people are giving it attention. The other dogs don’t treat them any differently. Only ignorant humans do.

Many people assume that we must make them stand on the table for hours. it can take up to 60 hours to do this, but that is 60 hours, over 3-4 months time. I usually work on my dog for 3-4 hours, every other week. She has to get bathed every 2 weeks anyway, just to keep her clean and healthy. Properly bathing and drying a standard poodle can take anywhere from 2-3 hours. The creative stuff usually only adds an hour onto their regular groom time. Keep in mind that we are professionals. We use the correct equipment, tools and have the schools to work quickly and efficiently.

The only reason it’s illegal in some states is because long ago, people use to color baby chicks and bunnies, then abandon them in droves when the novelty wore off. Many laws state “it is illegal to dye fowl or rabbit” and then some added “or any other animal” some added “or any other animal for sale” so as long as you are not going to sell the dog, you can color it. These dogs are in no danger of being abandoned. Just to be SURE that it is not harmful, I have blood yearly and sometimes bi-yearly blood tests done. My vet confirms there is no harm caused. I have 2 friends who also color their own dogs… AND THEIR VETS DOGS get color too.
Do you know why so many groomers don’t think this is cruel, and are defending it? Because they have seen REAL cruelty. They have seen dogs with maggots, dogs so matted that their coats come off like pelts, and dogs left out in the yard all year, with seeping ear infections, only to be groomed so their owners can take them to the vet and pretend that they take care of them. And guess what? That’s not illegal, which is truly sad.

These dogs do not walk around looking like this all the time. Most people go to 3 shows a year, the color fades with bathing. The other 362 days of the year, they are just dogs. They catch ball, chase cats, play in the mud, swim in the pool and sleep on my couch.

I have 1 dog I color, and 1 dog I don’t, because he is 8 and due to bad breeding, has many congenital problems. But if I walk him, I usually add some color to his ears… Why? Because if I walk him as a white poodle, no one stops to pet him. But if I just just add a little green to his, 10 people will stop and 3 will take pictures and he loves THAT.

We don’t treat them like toys, we treat them like dogs, like our partners, and we couldn’t do it if they objected. We love them. I don’t really give a crap about what some ignorant human thinks. the only thing that matters is if my dog likes it or not.

There ya go!

And thanks to all of you who gave the benefit of the doubt, or could see that these dogs are well loved, taken care of and happy.