HAIR OF THE DOGS
Pawsome makeovers in new ABC series
These impeccably coiffed canines are taking over the catwalk. “Pooch Perfect,” ABC’s new dog-grooming competition series hosted by actor and fourth-generation dog-show competitor Rebel Wilson, is shaping up to be a mad parade of dashing doggie topiaries.
On the new show, airing 10 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 teams of dog groomers from around the US (Wilson hosted the Aussie version of the series last year) flaunt their skills in the hopes of winning $100,000 cash to fund their artistic endeavors. In each episode, one crew who misses the mark will be sent home “with their tail between their legs,” Wilson jokes on-screen.
“It’s a competition of the rock stars for the grooming industry. They’re trendsetters,” celeb dog groomer Jorge Bendersky, who is a judge on the show, told The Post of the contestants. “They don’t follow breed standards. They think outside the box — and that box has four legs.”
Joining Bendersky to rate the overthe-top colorful looks are “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star
and animal activist Lisa Vanderpump and vet Dr. Callie Harris.
The show’s grooming challenges result in unbelievable transfurmations: Groomers must shape their dogs’ manes into everything from flowers to faces to, on the premiere episode, entirely different animal species. The ruff-and-ready results included dog versions of a peacock, a fish and a tiger. One bright white pooch was totally unrecognizable as a black skunk topped with a snowy stripe.
In another episode, titled “Feliz Navidog!,” contestants create holiday-inspired canine styles. Alyssa Kasiba, an internationally recognized
groomer from Elgin, Ill., fashioned her poodle into a ridiculously round Halloween pumpkin. The same challenge saw duo Macie Pisa and Corina Stammworthy, owners of Laundromutt in Kenmore, NY, morph an adorable Maltese into a pastel, Easter egg-inspired pooch.
“I push them and push them and push them, and they deliver,” said Bendersky of the groomers. “I think that the viewers are going to be so amazed by the work,” he added, comparing the “mind-blowing” creations to those of a sculptor.
The beauty contest is only half of it. “Safety is always the first concern,” said Bendersky. Harris and
other veterinary professionals oversaw the selection of nontoxic pet care and styling products used on the show.
For anyone at home who feels inspired by the ambitious looks paraded on “Pooch Perfect,” Bendersky urges the use of products specifically designed for pets made with temporary, dog-safe dyes. And he stresses taking great care with the application, too.
“You can try to dye your dog pink — but, remember, that dog is going to shake. So you might end up with pink walls and a pink sofa,” he said. “You’ve got to really plan the logistics.”