Apparently it’s hip to be square. Or round. Or with crazy designs shaved into your fur.
In Taiwan, the latest craze in dog grooming is a either a cube-like cut or a perfectly sculpted poof that looks like someone shaped it with a melon baller.
The reason behind it? Internet fame! The world revolves around “likes” these days, and the more far-out the hair, the higher the hearts. And hey! Sometimes you really gotta go for it—not every dog has the natural star power of Boo.
But crazy trends in dog grooming have been around long before social media, and there are tons of reasons for so-called “strange” hair ‘dos that have been around for ages.
Perfect Symmetry
The aforementioned Taiwanese special! He’s like a lego version of himself, basically. And bound to be a superstar on social in no time, because, you know, he has square hair.
And the before and after of this look really showcases the power of round look. Just because there are no edges doesn’t mean it’s not edgy.
Poodle Pouf
A poodle with a classic cut may seem high-maintenance, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite: they’re super hardworking, thanks to poodles’ super hardworking roots.
Historically, poodles are retrievers and water lovers. But when their coats get drenched in water, the curls start to coil and dread, which is kind of a problem for swimming.
The solution? Keep hair in the parts that matter—on the chest, to keep vital organs warm, around the joints, etc.—and say adios to the rest!
And for classic poodles with, a, uh, twist? Thank France for that. They saw the sculptural haircuts as works of art, and took it to an entirely different level with fingernail polish, bows, dye, and so on. This poodle’s rocking a serious mushroom ‘do, and we love it.
Hair dye + accessories really go a long way.
Doggie Dreads
Flickr
While “doggie dreads” has a nice ring to it, the technical term is “corded.” As wavy or curly hair grows long in dogs like Komondors and Pulis, it starts to coil and form dreadlock-like locks. It also takes on the shape (and action!) of a mop, meaning keeping said dreadlocks clean is a bit of an undertaking.
Temporary Tats
Shaving designs into human heads has been a thing, for, like, ever, but now it’s a thing for dogs, too. Like a temporary tattoo, it’s a way to let your dog express himself—whether it’s hearts, paw prints, or the logo of his favorite NFL team. We can dig it.
