Internet Culture

‘Is that even safe for the dog?’: TikToker’s attempt to dye their dog’s fur red sparks debate

‘People do anything, that poor dog.’

Photo of Brooke Sjoberg

Brooke Sjoberg

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A video of a small wire hair terrier with a bright red coat running around a bathroom that looks like a murder scene has garnered 562,100 views on TikTok—but it’s not what it looks like.

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The dog in the video has actually been dyed red, reminiscent of Clifford the Big Red Dog, in a bathroom. Hair dye was smeared along the walls, the tub, and at the bottom of the bathroom door. Posted by @isabeastly, the video and a subsequent video revealing the results has sparked some debate about the practice of dyeing a dog’s fur.

“I saw some girl dye her dog on TikTok and I been wanting to dye my dog for a while,” a text overlay on the video reads. “Omg my landlord going to take my deposit.”

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Some commenters were concerned for the dog’s safety.

“Is that even safe for the dog?” one commenter wrote. “I’m so confused and scared for it, lol I hope it was!”

“Omg that is so not ok Poor baby,” another added.

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To be sure, there are dog-safe semipermanent dye options available at most major pet retailers as well as online, and some groomers offer color services. These semipermanent dyes will last for a certain amount of washes before fading. However, the dyes used to color human hair should not be used on animals, as they contain chemicals that can be toxic to them or cause chemical burns.

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Some viewers thought the result was cute—in the “reveal” video, the small dog has some patches of orange and red coloration. Others are calling for a bathroom reveal, following the mess of the original video.

“Lol he’s so cute,” one commenter wrote. “But I want to see that bathroom.”

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The Daily Dot has reached out to @isabeastly via TikTok DM regarding the videos.


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