Is It Okay to ‘Decorate’ Your Dog?

Dyeing dog’s fur has come under scrutiny time and time again, namely when celebrities dye
their dog bright colors. In 2015, Parisian fashion model Lia Catreux caused outrage when she posted a photo on Instagram of her dog dyed bright pink, with many calling it animal abuse. Jersey Shore television personality Snooki and Jwoww also came under fire back in 2012 for dying their dogs pink and purple.

Some may think it’s cute, but the dye can affect the dog’s health and safety due to the toxic chemicals. There are hair dyes specific for dogs and food coloring and Kool-Aid can also be used. But there are no completely safe dyes for animals and what’s more, no studies show if there are any long term effects.

As anyone who has had their hair colored or highlighted will tell you, the dye can cause burning, itching and skin irritation. Dogs may have the same reactions. It’s also possible that their skin is more sensitive to the harsh chemicals, such as ammonia or hydrogen peroxide.

During the dying process, a dog could potentially lick his or her coat and could ingest some of the hair toxic hair dye. If they do, that could cause an emergency situation, leading to nausea, vomiting diarrhea, as well as other serious health issues. Dying dogs fur is such a serious issue that it’s illegal in some states. These laws were enacted to protect small animals, particularly around Easter and other holidays. People have even been fined for dying their dogs.

People color their hair for cosmetic reasons but dogs don’t have any understanding of this and it could stress them out. If you have a shy dog, dying their fur so they are bright pink may draw unnecessary attention to them. Dogs don’t care if their fur is colored and it doesn’t increase their overall well-being … so why do it? Dogs already have beautiful, natural coats that range in many different colors.

Painting Nails 

Similar to dying dogs fur, dogs don’t have any understanding of why they are having their nails painted. Similar to human hair dye, human nail polish can be toxic for dogs if they try to bite or lick the polish. Inhaling the fumes could make the dog sick. According to the website, Healthy Pets, “testing done on nail products from California salons, several polishes labeled toxin-free actually contained one or more of the “toxic three” chemicals: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde.” 

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/should-you-decorate-your-dog/?utm_source=Green+Monster+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=29128b391f-NEWSLETTER_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbf62ddf34-29128b391f-106919241