| Original Message |
Love my lilac pooch. (no login)
Posted Jul 5, 2004 5:56 AM
Dyeing a dog using Kool-Aid is just as harmless as giving it a bath, in fact, may be safer. I'm thinking of a nice shade of red or maybe auburn brown tones for my cockapoo. He ate a plate of lasagna the other night and it left his face a very charming shade of sienna. It looked more his personality than the drift snow color he is now. He looks like a girl dog white. I think maybe you've been dipped in a nice shade of green yourself. Trinity, I would think you could find something more constructive to do than tattle on what a person such as yourself would call a waste of time. These aren't people who get off on pulling pranks on their pets. These are people who love their pets and would never do anything to harm them. Kool-aid....Now That's creative......Right On!!!! I think it's a creative and fun, perhaps unusual way to spend time with your pet, I also think the pet loves it, but in no way, shape or form is this animal cruelty. I believe without a doubt that these people who dye their pets would stop in a heart beat if they thought for a second that their pet was in harms way. Although it is an unusual concept,I think it is a brilliant show of love, literally!!!! Sounds like fun for all.
This is as safe as you can get:
It takes about 15 small packages of Kool-Aid to do a small dog, Steck says. Be sure to buy the no-sugar-added kind. You don't want your dog to attract bees or flies.
"Also, get a flavor you like, because it really smells," both during and after, she added.
"I've found that red (cherry), blue (blueberry), purple (grape), green (lemon-lime) and orange work well," she said. "Yellow (lemon) doesn't take well at all. And don't be fooled by fruit punch. It looks blue on the package, but it's really pink."
Remember that you can mix colors. "For a brighter purple, for example, add some blue and pink."
The dyeing process is fairly simple:
"Start with a clean, dry dog. Mix about three packages of Kool-Aid to each gallon of warm water; pour, spray or smudge the mixture on your pooch" and let it dry. That's all there is to it, Steck said.
"The key to the Kool-Aid is to use heat. Put it on warm, by using warm water." If you like, make it pasty by adding conditioner for easier handling and thorough covering of hair. You could even blow-dry the newly colored locks, as long as your dog doesn't mind blow-dryers, she said.
"The color will last about a week, then fade, or you can wash it out."
The type of dye you use may depend on the color you want and on your dog's hair, Steck said. Generally, Kool-Aid doesn't produce intense colors, and short-haired dogs don't dye as well as long-haired ones.
Temporary dyes are available in spray form and sell for about $2 or $3 a can. "One can will cover a small dog; larger dogs need two or three," she said.
Just remember that commercial colorings are meant for people, not dogs. Most contain chemicals, so if the dye is used at all, it should be used sparingly and cautiously and washed out as soon as possible.
Another complicating consideration: Many dogs don't like aerosol sprays.
When applying dyes, be sure to protect your dog's eyes and ears. And if your dog is allergy-prone, do a test swatch first, Steck said.
As for why one would bother to dye a dog in the first place, Steck responds: "Because it's fun." But, she stressed, no matter how much fun it may be for you, if it's not fun for your dog as well, it's better to let the idea of dog dyeing die.
|
|
|