Animal photographer Ren Netherland travels across America to different grooming competitions and captures some of the wildest dog transformations for his Extreme Pets collection. His series reveals the wild lengths that dog owners go to at these competitive events. From putting on costumes and props to having their fur sheared and dyed, these pets look nothing like they used to.
Netherland’s images prove just how significant hair styling and coloring are to a dog’s appearance. With a little yellow poof and a pair of ruffled pink legs, one dog is instantly transformed into the likeness of Big Bird. Another dog has a saddle thrown on along with hair extensions to mimic the long mane and tail of horse. There’s a growing number of these unique grooming techniques and it’s an unusually entertaining sight to see the creative transformations of these loyal pets, but it raises the question of whether the makeovers are in fact humane. Is it art or animal cruelty?
