15 Amazing Examples Of Creative Dog Grooming

Virtually every breed of dog will require grooming at some point in its life. Be it a good brush and bath at home, or a complete styling in the local doggy salon. From the short haired breeds to the the most hirsute of hounds, it’s good to pamper your pooches now and again. Though for some dogs, getting a simple trim just isn’t enough. The rise of creative grooming competitions has led to amazing examples of what people can create with a dog, a pair of scissors and a lot of talent. Here are some of the most amazing creative grooms you will find.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

In the jungle, the mighty jungle. This is truly an amazing design! Making this poodle resemble a lion would of been enough of a challenge for the designer, but also adding those animal images has really set it apart from the pack (or pride). All of the giraffe is created from the poodle’s hair, no extra accessories have been added. While on the opposite side of the design is an equally well created zebra picture (you can just about see the black and white stripes on its inside back leg). There are few examples of dogs being made to look like wild animals later on in this list, but this is the only one where three different beasts are incorporated into the one design.

Also, in case anyone was wondering, the tail is indeed stuck on – some things just can’t be made if there’s not enough hair, or dog, to create them

Super Dog-Bowl

A brilliant concept for a creative groom. The entire outfit is a shaped perfectly around the dog’s body. The shirt and pants blend naturally into the poodle’s shaved sections, making it look like it’s actually wearing a real football uniform. The sweat bands/socks are a particularly nice touch too. The poodle’s round head makes a great helmet, with the designer even sticking a logo onto it, just for that extra bit of authenticity.

The absolute pinnacle of this creative groom, however, is the use of the dogs muzzle as part of the helmet guard. It’s rare that something which has a practical use for dogs can be incorporated into a design so well.

All we needs now is a tiny little football, some more players, plus maybe a team of cheerleader poodles, and we’re ready for a game. Also be prepared for lots of “are you the quarter-bark?” comments from people.

Golden Tiger

The reason Poodles and Bichon Frises are most commonly used for creative grooming is because of their curly, easily styled coats. Shaping these kinds of complex designs into most other breeds just doesn’t work as well, mainly because their hair will not stay in place. However, with a bit of imagination, a little shaping and plenty of (dog friendly) dye, it’s still possible to make a non-curly haired dog into a masterpiece of creative grooming.

Here we have an example of a non-curly coated dog that has been transformed into a wild animal. This golden retriever hasn’t had a great deal of its natural coat altered, but through the clever use of colors and a little bit of shaping, it makes a convincing little tiger. Only the black and orange parts of the dog have been dyed, the ‘white’ sections are actually the retrievers natural coat. An excellent design for keeping any unwanted visitors out of your garden.

May The Force Be Woof You

Anything to do with Star Wars is always going to be a winner in my book. So you can imagine my reaction when I saw this creative groom based on the classic movies. Somehow the designer has made the dog look like an instantly recognizable, albeit furry, Yoda. Adding the ears and giving him green feet is impressive, but also making the dog’s coat look exactly like Yoda’s hooded robe – now that takes some talent.

But wait – that’s not all. As if making a canine version of Yoda wasn’t enough Star Wars related designs on one dog, there’s also an Ewok shaped into the dog’s back! These little creatures were never every Star Wars fans favorite, but it seems their hairy faces are just perfect for incorporating into creative grooms. If George Lucas was to have a dog, this should be it – although he would probably spoil the whole thing by adding Jar Jar Binks onto it somewhere.

Jim Henson’s Dog?

Another example of multiple designs a one dog. This time showcasing a few of the puppets from that famous all-singing, all-dancing, group… The Muppets. The actual dog itself is a perfect recreation of the (slightly) crazy and frenzied drummer Animal. This is an excellent imagining of the character, with Animal’s wild and colorful hair copied perfectly on the dog. Also on show is the red and yellow t-shit he so often wears, blended perfectly into the poodle’s hair. You may also notice Animal’s trademark brown pants and piece of string belt.

Despite appearing to be missing her snout, Miss Piggy makes an appearance on the dogs hip, while on the opposite side (unseen) is her usual object of affection – Kermit the Frog. While one of the most impressive aspects of this design is the use of the dog’s tail as Gonzo’s extra large nose; it makes for a great effect when it’s happy and starts wagging it about.

Chow Chow Panda

Chow Chows are beautiful looking dogs. They have huge manes, adorable faces, upturned tails and purple tongues. Plus, like all dogs, they are incredibly cute when they’re puppies. If any dog was going to make a convincing panda bear, it would be a Chow Chow. Here we have two of them – a puppy and an adult – looking so much like real pandas that you would expect them to start eating bamboo and climbing trees.

Again, like the golden retriever/tiger from earlier in this list, there has only been a minimal amount of styling needed to create this effect. First the dogs are washed and blow-dried to give them a fluffy, puffed out appearance. Then black colored dye is added to the legs, ears and around the eyes. The Chow Chow’s unaltered, natural coat acts as the panda’s ‘white’ sections, which completes the look. Now they resemble a real life Kung-Fu Panda and side-kick.

The Walking Dog

If you think all creative grooms consist of dogs looking like animals or other such cute imagery, then you’d be wrong. Like something from an animal version of The Walking Dead, here’s a designers interpretation of a zombie dog. It takes a huge amount of skill to make this poodle actually look like some flesh-rotting zombie. By altering the length of hair around the body, adding an exposed skeleton to some sections, and using a green dye to give it that classic zombie look, this dog wouldn’t look out of place shambling after Rick Grimes and company.

By also adding a touch of ghoulish blue to the face and ears, plus the hanging green hair to the chin and ear tips, the illusion of an undead canine is complete. Surely the groomer who did this must have a great time at Halloween, especially when sending this dog to greet Trick or Treaters.

My Little Poodle

From starting out as a Hasbro toy in the 80’s, there has been a big rise in the popularity of My Little Pony in recent years. Here is an example of one of the most breathtaking, colorful grooms you will see based on the My Little Pony brand. This creative groom is less about the styling and more about the use of color and props. The dog really does look like a giant version of one the toys it’s based on. The added mane, ears and tail are used to make it resemble an actual pony. While the dazzling coloring and love hearts on the hip complete the My Little Pony image.

This would be the perfect dog for the large number of bronies (adult male fans of My Little Pony) out there. It would certainly get you plenty of attention at one their conventions, or pretty much anywhere else for that matter.

Desert Dog

Another dog done up as an animal, though this time not so much a wild beast, more one usually associated with travelling across deserts. The most difficult part of attempting to make a dog look like a camel is adding its humps. There’s not a lot of hair to work with on the dog’s back, certainly not enough to create the huge humps camels are known for; whichever groomer has styled this piece has done an excellent job in that respect. By massing the hair together and styling it into a shape, the illusion of a hump is created.

The yellow dye gives it the camel color needed. While the accessories around the ears are a nice touch. Yet again, like the previous footballer dog, we have an example of some practical dog equipment being incorporated into a groom: The headcollar makes a perfect camel’s harness, while also being handy for taking this little pooch for a walk.

Like A Dog With A Bone

Much like the previous zombie dog, this a another creative groom that doesn’t fit into the cute and cuddly category. This amazing effect that is created by using just a small amount of dye and a little bit of shaping. The dog’s natural white coat is used as the bone sections, with the black color added in the right places to make it look like a ghostly skeleton. The pom-poms on the dog’s back are a great representation of it’s spine. With the black around the eyes completing it’s spooky appearance. There’s definitely something eerie about this work, hats off to the groomer for creating something so imaginative.

It just goes to show that some of the most creative grooms don’t need a load of different designs and a myriad of colors in them to stand out. Sometimes the simplest ideas prove to be the best. This one proving that, as so often is the case, less is more.

World’s Smallest Horse

An amazing piece of creative grooming. If the idea was to create a look that completely mimicked something else, then this is pretty much perfect. The way the saddle is designed into the dog’s back is faultless, with the only accessories added to it being the stirrups. The use of colored dye emphasizes the the saddle’s seat, while there is also an insignia added to the side. Meanwhile, the dog itself looks so horse-like it could be mistaken for a very small pony. The hoofs and mane in particular giving the impression that a tiny cowboy’s about to show up and ride it off into the sunset.

The other thing people may notice about this groom is the way it makes the dog bear an uncanny resemblance to a rocking horse. Though having it in a childs bedroom and suddenly see it walk about would perhaps be a tad creepy.

Proud As A Peacock-Hybrid

Wow! Peacocks are certainly known for their ostentatious looks, and this version of one is no different. As the bird best known for its enormous and eye catching tail, the groomer has decided to add it as an accessory to this creative groom, there’s not a lot you can do with a poodle’s small tail. The rest of the dog matches the peacocks bold colors and patterns perfectly. Notice the ‘eye’ style designs and colors on it’s back half, as well as the heavy use of purples and blues. What people may not see is the way the designer has also created some wings on the dog’s front half.

Keeping with the peacock’s outlandish looks, there’s also a feather placed on the dogs head, and if you look closely at its feet, you will notice it has nail varnish on. Maybe not very authentic when it comes to peacocks, but it seems somehow appropriate and in keeping with the theme.

Terrier Of The Seven Seas

Arrrrrr….now here’s a salty dog if I ever saw one. This mini Jack Sparrow is a cut above some of the other designs. Just look at those marvelous pirate boots: shaped and dyed perfectly. Again it’s another excellent example of how to make a dog look like it’s wearing pants, with the lighter colored middle section giving a great belt effect. The dog’s natural white coat color has been used to show the upper part of the outfit, rather than dying the whole of its body.

Don’t forgot, you can’t have a pirate without his accessories: his pistol, headband, earrings and necklace really give him that Caribbean look. Also on his belt is Sparrow’s famed compass, which points to whatever the holder’s heart desires – bones maybe? And I know it’s not strictly true to the movie character, but i think a toy parrot on its shoulder would be a perfect addition to the design. It’s worth pointing out that the dreadlocks are fake, another thing that’s better added as an accessory, rather than attempting to create them from the dog’s own hair.

Dog As A Canvas

Rather than making a dog look like another animal, person or thing, this creative groom actually uses the dog’s hair to display a picture. It may look simple, but it’s incredibly difficult to use a dog almost like a canvas in this way. The marvelous effect of coloring the whole dog blue to match the sky is an inspired idea. The white clouds are, in fact, the dogs natural coat color left untouched. The way the rainbow is placed in between these sections, and with the ‘sky’ peeking between them, would of been an extremely complex process. The dog’s pink colored feet add a nice touch to the whole thing.

The dog on show here is actually a miniature poodle. These are not used for creative grooms as often as their much larger relations – the standard poodle. This is because their smaller stature can make this kind of highly detailed work much harder to achieve, another reason why the groomer who did this dog should be given extra credit.

Teenage Mutant Ninja… Dogs?

You know you’re a good creative groomer when most people wouldn’t be able recognize your finished piece as even being a dog! This is truly the best example of creative grooming you’re ever likely to see. Aside from the eye mask, every part of this ninja turtle design is done using only the dog’s hair and dye. There isn’t one section that wouldn’t of required immense skill to create. The incredibly complex shell, the ridged underbelly, the brown pom-pom feet and shaping the dog’s head to look like a turtle’s, all done perfectly to create the most incredible looking groom. Even the colors that are used have different shades in them, rather than just one type of green or brown. Doing this gives a whole extra dimension to the piece

This perfect replica of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle member Leonardo (the blue mask gives it away) will take a while to be bettered. Until then, it will stay as the most amazing creative dog groom you will ever see.