Prize-winning Poodle grooming

Previously, when I’ve posted weird Poodle-do pictures, many readers have asked “why?” Some have lined up pitchforks and torches with murmurings about what they would like to do to the creator of these do’s.

But here’s the story on Poodle decorating:

This is Sandra Hartness, the 37-year-old creator of many of the designs, and her 8-year-old Poodle, Cindy. Some of their most [insert your own adjective here] Poodle-do’s have been a chicken, a camel, a dragon, and a Mutant Ninja Turtle and, of course, this peacock.

These are the results of Poodle grooming contests. Hartness, who owns a pet grooming salon in Yucca Valley, California, started on the competitive grooming circuit eight years ago after learning about them through a trade magazine. Since that time she has won many prizes for her designs.

For the competition the styling is done in front of hundreds of people and has to be completed in two and a half hours. The dogs are allowed to lie down and take potty breaks during the competition.

To color the fur she uses food dyes and chalk, nothing that a child could not safely consume, she emphasizes. Most of the colors wash out easily and the dogs are shaved after the competition. As a safeguard she has Cindy’s blood tested once a year.

Hartness admits to being under a lot of pressure during the competition, but Cindy remains calm and collected, all business. When they’re finished she jumps off the table and wags her tail at everyone.

She has gotten hate mail from people who think she is harming her dog. She stresses that she wouldn’t do the competitions if Cindy didn’t enjoy them.

I would never hurt my dog - she really is my best friend. Cindy never leaves my side. She is like my shadow - We go everywhere together. She even comes to work with me every day.

When I get my traveling bag out to pack for a contest she knows where we’re going and gets really excited. She loves the attention. When she's colored or decorated, she's so much more lively and outgoing. She'll run up to people like, 'Look at me, look at me.’ Her whole personality changes. She loves to be different. Source

So before lighting the torches and sharpening the pitchforks, the thing to remember is that for centuries Poodles have been clipped, trimmed, coiffed, poofed, and generally fussed over. Any dog who would fight grooming would not have been bred since that would be a behavior defect in a Poodle.

Through the centuries, Poodles have gone from being working dogs to being companion animals (as most dogs are today) and they do enjoy Poodle pampering and privileges. See origin of clip (my version).

Comments

[Jean]

I personally knew a guy who had four poodles that he dyed and "creatively" groomed for holidays. He had no children and those dogs were his babies. Like the woman in your blog entry, they went with him everywhere---if they weren't welcome, he just didn't go there. If anyone had said to me that it was cruel to groom them that way, I would have laughed in their face. Most humans aren't treated as well as this guy babied and treated his dogs. And those dogs loved their grooming days and him.

I've had three poodles in my life and none had fancy poodle haircuts. The only thing I ever did outlandish was one bored afternoon I put cornrows in Jason's ears. I thought they were cute and practical but my husband pitched a fit so the 'style' was short lived.

With all stuff that goes on in the world that kills dogs or destroys their trust in humans why pick on people who maybe---just maybe---pamper their dogs a little bit too much. Too much love and attention never killed a dog.

Jean

[betty]

I am sure you love dogs and are very talented. but, the back of the dog...not for me. thanks. betty.

[rosemary]

I saw photos of this contest and i have to admit the doggies were very cleverly poofed and colored. Heck, violet gets excited when she gets a new collar...excuse me, necklace...so i can understand why the dog would get excited.

[Neva]

I have not seen this before..how cool and very artistic!

[Sling]

That looks pretty cool to me!
With the materials she uses,and the precautions she takes,I see nothing wrong with it.

[Nigel, Sola & Co]

That is a trip. Not sure if I'm a fan, but I have never seen anything like it!

[Jackiesue]

I'd like to see them do that to a pitty bull dog..

[Saint Lover]

I think its cool... but wouldnt do it to my own.

[Matt]

Ok, I put my torch away. I like that she had the dog's blood testing to ensure everything is safe.

[threecollie]

Some people...the ones with pitchforks that is...don't seem to understand dogs or having fun.
Dogs love to please.
Dogs love to be cool.
(And don't tell me they don't know what cool is either.) We used to have a crossbred, sort of a prototype border collie, that loved to wear clothes. He got incredibly excited when he saw his little red sweatshirt come out and he strutted like the king of May. What a grin he had! Too bad people are afraid of a little fun.

[schnoodlepooh]

i would never do that to my poodles. i doubt if they would care though. dogs just don't care about that kind of stuff.

[Hudson and Mary Jo]

I have now seen it all. Unbelievable creative is an understatement. I just wish I had that much creativity and time. Hudson and Mary Jo

[Col]

I do realize that this is taking dog grooming to the extreme.. but I do hold a certain amount of admiration for their skill. My attempts at dog grooming leave much to be desired. :-)

[Biggie-Z]

That's cool! Seriously, as long as the dog enjoys it and isn't physically harmed, why do people get so alarmed?

And I have a purple Happy New Year crown - or a pink hat with rhinestone tiara - that would look great with that peacock 'do!

:)

[Lynn Sinclair]

Despite her claims that it isn't harmful, I'm still not a fan. Animals shouldn't be used as an artist's canvas. And, really, there are so many other ways to give one's dog attention.

[Chris]

Oh my goodness, that's quite a "do" that poodle is sporting.

[becca]

Laughing. You have to live a poodle and know a poodle's sense of humor to get this stuff. Of course they don't care about being gussied up as an extension of human vanity. But they love the feeling of people having fun all around them and they love to be the center of attention. I always thought the whole poodle haircut was such a nasty vanity -- and I still hate the tense, hyper-conformist, humorless world of show poodles and those dumb, uptight cookie-cutter topiaries. But it wasn't until my own wonderful (smart, athletic, loving, non-commodified) girl moved in that I understood why people do this. Poodle hair is fascinating, it's wild and gorgeous and fun, and no matter what you have to fool with it all the time. It doesn't just sit there like most dog's. It requires management. You can always just treat it like the enemy and utility clip it, they look and feel great that way, too, but it's not morally superior! Why not have fun? I have three daughters (feminists all, and nobody's commodity) and we always loved to do each other's hair. We often got silly, it was a party, not an exploitation. The coolest thing about our brilliant breed is that they can swim and hunt and do agility one day and enjoy letting you do weird and wondrous things with their hair the next day. The magic of dogs is that somewhere in the dim mists of history they made a pact with humans to cross the great divide - we wanted to make friends with raw nature and raw nature wanted to make friends with us. The world got bigger both ways. I agree that it's not a thing to exploit cruelly, and that it most horribly has been. But not here. It's all part of the reciprocal, rich friendship. Lighten up and hang out with your dog in everything you both like to do, people.

[Ted]

Extreme grooming contests for Poodles. Now I've heard everything.

[Kelli and Fiddy]

Thank you Jan for your article about this because my main concern was what they used to dye them with and now that I know its juices and edibles I kinda like the artistic ability I was just concerned over the dye thing. I lost a dog to cancer so it bothered me a little more. But grapoe juice works lol. Bet they smell good too lol.