Dog grooming competition – in pictures

Ever thought your dog wasn't jazzy enough, and that maybe with a pair of scissors and a tin of spray paint you could have the best-looking mutt in town? You're not the only one. These are the unsuspecting stars of a canine grooming competition in America, where the wackiest-looking pets can win their owners up to $5,000. Animal photographer Ren Netherland has captured the best and the worst designs imaginable

  • A fine entry from Pennsylvania, where an unnamed and unsuspecting poodle is sporting a hammerhead shark design, complete with yellow bouffant
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • The reverse angle, here, (because you know you want to see it) features a Jaws-style great white shark sculpted into the fur. Top marks – though the dog is apparently less than amused by the needless pink detailing on its rear leg
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Another poodle (the dog of choice for grooming) featuring a novel avian design. Subtlety not being key to this effort, the juxtaposition of rear parrot and front flamingo is offset by classic detailing such a the bird feathers and black beak
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • The caption provided with this photograph explains that the dog is dressed as Yoda from Star Wars, though closer inspection reveals it is in fact Grandpa Munster
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Is that an ewok? Because, quite frankly, if that is meant to be Chewbacca then something has gone badly wrong
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • A sensible design at last; half tiger, half elephant. The execution here is really quite ingenious – the owner saw the potential for a back-leg-to-trunk-conversion and exploited it with precision. Note that this is an Indian elephant, hence the jewels
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • As expected, the reverse angle reveals a cobra
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Moving away from the animal theme, this owner has attempted a mechanical illusion. Question marks exist, unfortunately, as to how the dog would walk using such a rudimentary combination of cog and cranks, and the apparent indecision over the ears has proved costly
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • A design rich in detail, here. Not only does it feature Big Bird and Elmo from Sesame Street, but the Grouch as his sidekick too
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • I'm not sure how this one went down with the judges, but for my money this is not a valid entry. That dragon fly is plastic, for starters
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Confirmation, here, from the reverse angle, of a terrible design
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • This, on the other hand, has victory written all over it. Incorporating Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Pluto, what's not to love? That sour-faced dog needs to cheer up
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • What a misery. When you've got a waving Mickey Mouse on your torso, you could at least raise a quick smile for the photographer
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Here's a slick design. None of the fancy sculpting, just a nonchalant dog sporting a wicked dragon. If only all dogs looked like this one
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • Oh dear, that's a comedown from the previous entry. A confused jumble of ideas in which a jovial hippo is apparently trying to eat a penguin in front of a bemused lion. Not one for the kids
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition

  • OK, this competition has gone wrong. A goldfish on the head with Pinocchio front legs? Maybe dog-grooming wasn't such a great idea after all
    Colourful dogs: Crazy Dog Grooming Competition
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