Question
I want to dye my dog's fur with a color for part of a costume, and it has to be his whole body.
I have read online about using food dye or chalk and am willing to try that but am unsure. I obviously want to use the most humane method something that won't harm his skin or fur, but I also want to make sure that whatever I dye him with will not bleed (rub off on my hands when petting him or get on his bed) and can come off with a bath or two.
Does anyone have experience with dying dog fur and have advice on what I should do?
Answer
If this is part of a costume (I hope you mean like a Halloween costume and not a permanent change of fur color), you should put your dog in a costume as well instead of dyeing his fur.
- Some people suggest using food coloring, but you have to research whether every single ingredient is safe to be consumed by a dog. Be aware that the color might bleed, get sticky (if it contains sugar) or get licked off by the dog.
- If your dog's natural color isn't white or very light, you need to use more aggressive chemicals to dye it in the desired color.
- Hair dyes for humans is absolutely toxic to dogs. There are specialized hair dyes for dogs, but even they contain dangerous chemicals and cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Even "organic" and "herbal" dyes for dogs are not safe.
- Chalk isn't toxic, but keep in mind that the dust may irritate his eyes and airways. Since you need to cover his whole body in chalk, he cannot avoid the dust by walking away.
You can read more about the bizarre trend of dyeing dogs in neon colors and the negative effects of it in this article from Pets World and this article from Vetco.
So if this is part of a Halloween costume, you could wrap your dog's torso in some cloth resembling the desired color. With some basic craft skills you can easily sew a little dog costume. Have a look at this easy instruction and this very detailed step-by-step instruction.
If you want to change the color of your dog permanently, you should reconsider and accept him as he is.
Answered By - Elmy