# Luck o' the Irish!!



## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

Here is Shamus in green...my husband who is a 6"4 260lbs Police Officer was so embarrassed to take him out to potty!:tongue:

This is him in the bathtub letting the color set.










This is a few days after. It came out a nice mint green! He is a cream poodle so his ears had a different tint.


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

how cute!! I may be biased though being Irish and all!!


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

I like the bath tub pic. Too cute!


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

The bathtub pic kinda looks like he is a really tiny pup in a toilet bowl :rofl: I always thought green would look terrible but he looks great, the tinge he ended up is really good. 

It's Australia Day here this weekend, our national colours are green and gold, and he would be just perfect to take to the Australia Day breakfast we're going to on Monday morning :smile:


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

Blue Fox said:


> The bathtub pic kinda looks like he is a really tiny pup in a toilet bowl :rofl: I always thought green would look terrible but he looks great, the tinge he ended up is really good.
> 
> It's Australia Day here this weekend, our national colours are green and gold, and he would be just perfect to take to the Australia Day breakfast we're going to on Monday morning :smile:


he does look like he is in a toilet bowl!!! how funny


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

OMG...looks like the Grinch who Stole Christmas! LMAO! :rofl:

I love the few days after pic, such a lovely minty green, like 
double mint gum. :tongue:


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## Michelle Underwood (Aug 15, 2008)

How cute! Now I really want to put some color on Baxter! lol


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

That is cute! I keep looking at all mine and thinking hmmm...

What did you use? I am thinking of "trying" it with kool-aid, since I am guessing that would be the easiest to rinse out if I don't like it.


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

I used food coloring. It's safe and it washes out in a few weeks...like 3 or 4. I used a big bottle and let it set on him for about 45 mins. I used it right out of the bottle...no diluting it. If it was watered down the color would have been even lighter! ugh! I'm gonna try red or blue next! Word of advice....wear gloves! It takes a while to come off your fingers too!:banghead:


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

IPP said:


> That is cute! I keep looking at all mine and thinking hmmm...
> 
> What did you use? I am thinking of "trying" it with kool-aid, since I am guessing that would be the easiest to rinse out if I don't like it.


um, no it wouldnt!! :tongue: I dye wool all the time using Koolaid and itis pretty permanent!! Alos the kids have used it to do their hair and it stays in quite a while!!


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

tannerokeefe said:


> um, no it wouldnt!! :tongue: I dye wool all the time using Koolaid and itis pretty permanent!! Alos the kids have used it to do their hair and it stays in quite a while!!


Thanks for the tip! That could have been bad...I have some cherry kool-aid and was REALLY thinking of doing some valentine's day themed poodles. I think Heidi would look cute as a pink and chocolate poodle...LOL!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

charity said:


> I used food coloring. It's safe and it washes out in a few weeks...like 3 or 4. I used a big bottle and let it set on him for about 45 mins. I used it right out of the bottle...no diluting it. If it was watered down the color would have been even lighter! ugh! I'm gonna try red or blue next! Word of advice....wear gloves! It takes a while to come off your fingers too!:banghead:


How big a bottle are we talking here? I didn't even know they made food coloring in larger bottles. Where did you get it?


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

Its in dark brown glass bottle. Made by McCormick. It is a 1FL OZ bottle. Shamus is a small boy though...so keep in mind if your poodle is on the larger size you'll need to get more than one bottle. I used the whole bottle on him. I'm sure most of it went down the sink!:tongue:I bought it a Wal-Mart (of course!) LOL! :dog:


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

tannerokeefe said:


> um, no it wouldnt!! :tongue: I dye wool all the time using Koolaid and itis pretty permanent!! Alos the kids have used it to do their hair and it stays in quite a while!!


You are correct that cool aid is pretty perm. I groom a little maltese that is dyed pink or purple after every hair cut. The owners get him clipped simi short but still a bit of fluff. They only groom him every few months but they wash him inbetween. The coolaide stays put until I clip it off. 

For real temp. easy to wash coloring, you cant beat blow pens, you don't even need shampoo to get most of the color from them out, just dump water on your dog and it disapears. The other easy to wash option is spray on food coloring. They sell it in the crafy or cake decorating section. Comes in a small arosal can. I haven't yet used it myself, but I hear it comes off easily.


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

So do the blow pens dye tend to rub off?

Just wondering what is safe for not coming off on everything...I have a red couch so I am just thinking of if I use something I don't want my whole house to end up tinted in the same color I did one of the dogs. LOL


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

The food coloring is best I think. I did a lot of reading on dying dogs before I made my choice. It is safe, last a few weeks(just long enough to not get tired of it!) and after I let it set(about 40-45 mins.) I rinsed him and used the blow dryer. He was dry and the color didn't rub off onto my light blue carpet or me!! LOL :high5:


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

No, so long as they are dry the blow pens will not rub off. I have however read that food coloring may rub off onto hands or furnature. The article I saw that mentioned this as a problem refered to people boosting the brightness of coolaid colors by adding a little liquid food coloring to the mix.


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## Yorkiecrazy (Jun 17, 2008)

That is too cute!!! I like the mint green he turned. :rofl:


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Love the green, we are planning on doing that to Jenny for St. Pats. I almost did the blopens on Jenny, I thought the sidewalk chalk would come out easier. I was wrong LOL. 3-4 weeks is too long for me, so I won't be doing the food coloring. I never thought of the spray on food color, I use that to make 4th of July cupcakes every year, It's a real mess. Once its dry it will stay put?


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

I don't know how long it will stay put but supposedly it won't rub off??? I didn't even know they made pary on food coloring like that until I ran across a u tube video on coloring and that was what the lady was using to stencil.


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

Ok..to add to the coloring topic! I know that someone wants to do their puppy pink for Valentine's day so here ya go! I will give you the run down on how I turned Shamus PINK tonight! I put him in the sink and dampened his coat. Then I used two 1oz. bottles of McCormick's red food coloring. I colored his whole body then carried him to the bath tub to let the coloring set. I only let it set for about 20 min. and then thought I could rush it up a bit by blow drying him. So I did. Then I rinsed him and blow dried him again. I used the comb while I dried him. I took pics! In person the color is darker. I will take some more tomorrow in the light. So he is now a nice dark Fluorescent Pink.

This is the pic right before we went to the kitchen!









This is in the tub setting...









This is two after pics!


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

OMG...that looks good. Okay, I am going to try to do one of my parti-color girls with some red and hope for pink. 

That sounds pretty easy, but with all the snow we got last night I will have to wait a few days before I can get to the store! 

I am going to try it on Dolly I think, she never stays outside for long, so she is less likely to get really wet them have her color run all over everything. She has the most markings on her as well, so if it looks silly then at least there won't be so much pink to look at between her black! LOL


How did you get that green out of his hair so fast? I mean what shampoo did you use to pull it out? If this turns out bad (ummm did I mention I wasn't going to tell hubby my plan?) then I need to have a plan of action for getting it out besides shaving all her white hair down to the skin...

Funny story...I dyed my hair green for St paddy day my senior year...part of a senior prank/dare, anyhow it would NOT come out. I used semi-permanent and I still had streaks of green in the back at prom time...it didn't show in my prom pictures which I am glad for today! LOL


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

It (the color) doesn't run like you'd think it would. Even in the rain when they go potty. It fades with time and "soap" and water. But it does look great! Would look better on a girl! LOL


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

When he was green it faded pretty easily. In three weeks I could only see traces of it here and there mainly in the sun light. I will take pics of Shamus this time every week and let you see how the color fades over time. I will list when he has a bath just so you can get a time line!


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## pagan-poodle (Sep 30, 2008)

Awwwwwwwwwww hes lovely bless him how did you keep him in the bath long enough to do that lol bet when he shook you was green too


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## txtori (Jan 29, 2009)

Question, when you dye the dog with food colorring or kool-aid, do you was it out after you put it in to pertect the coat, or just leave it, and enjoy? Do they get sticky?


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

I leave in it for a while to make sure the color takes. Then I rinse the daog wil warm water, til the water runs clear over them, then blow dry.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

IPP said:


> OMG...that looks good. Okay, I am going to try to do one of my parti-color girls with some red and hope for pink.


Fear not IPP, it's super difficult to get actual red, most reds come out pink wether you want them to or not. I had to use a really really dark almost black red ("vampire red" was the name on the bottle) to get Jazz the bright cancy cane red that she was at christmas. Even blow pens come out lighter than you expect them to though they ARE red, but turned pink overnight on Jazz. I don't know that it would even be possible to get a dog red with food coloring, though I wish it were. 

Wish my cat was a little friendlier, she is all white with perdy blue eyes. How cute would SHE be pink!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

txtori said:


> Question, when you dye the dog with food colorring or kool-aid, do you was it out after you put it in to pertect the coat, or just leave it, and enjoy? Do they get sticky?


Yes you wash it after you let it sit on them a while. The longer it sits, the darker the color in most cases. It should be sticky, if's it sticky then you didn't rinse them well enough. 

Cool water will set the color better than warm water will.


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

WonderPup said:


> Fear not IPP, it's super difficult to get actual red, most reds come out pink wether you want them to or not. I had to use a really really dark almost black red ("vampire red" was the name on the bottle) to get Jazz the bright cancy cane red that she was at christmas. Even blow pens come out lighter than you expect them to though they ARE red, but turned pink overnight on Jazz. I don't know that it would even be possible to get a dog red with food coloring, though I wish it were.
> 
> Wish my cat was a little friendlier, she is all white with perdy blue eyes. How cute would SHE be pink!


It was super easy! I used a 1 oz bottle of Durkee Food coloring in red, I bought 2 but one did fine. I got her wet but not soaking, put it on like you would a topical flea app...pushed the bottle against the skin and let out small amounts for even coverage. it was hard to get her nose and feet well, but i didn't want to stress her out too much. 

I used the blow dryer on her while it set for 30 minutes...I fed her a tiny treat about every 5 minutes during that part. In between treats i combed with the buttercomb to help spread the coloring out, then after 30 minutes of drying combing I rinsed with lukewarm water. 

I rinsed until it ran clear, then blew dry her. I gave her a break, then went back and brushed her out. It took about 1 hour with everything and she looks good! 

Here are 2 pics...one before brushing then right after I was done brushing. I know I need a better brush so no making fun of her curly hair! LOL


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

I wonder if you could use frosting coloring to get an actual red or a more vibrant tone of any color. Its EXTREMELY concentrated and kind of gel like. It also comes in alot more colors than food coloring.


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## txtori (Jan 29, 2009)

Is it like food coloring, or sweetend with sugar? Will it be sticky?


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Its a food coloring its just not liquid. I don't think it would be sticky.


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> Its a food coloring its just not liquid. I don't think it would be sticky.


I used to use that stuff when I worked at Dairy Queen to decorate ice cream cakes. You can get at least a few colors at GFS...I had to run there a few times when we ran out of red or blue. They probably have more colors now there...and yes it is BRIGHT! 

I DO KNOW that if you put it in a cooler it comes out in more of a harder consistency, which would be good for lines, ect. Like candy cane stripes, tiger stripes, ect.

Next time I go to the city I will have to get some! What is the next holiday coming up besides Valentine's Day...maybe something for Mother's Day or something.


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

IPP said:


> I DO KNOW that if you put it in a cooler it comes out in more of a harder consistency, which would be good for lines, ect. Like candy cane stripes, tiger stripes, ect.



That's good to know never put it in the fridge. Walmart has tons of colors in the craft area with all the cake decorating supplies. Let us know if you try it. I'm wary of it just because I don't want anything that lasts too long.


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> That's good to know never put it in the fridge. Walmart has tons of colors in the craft area with all the cake decorating supplies. Let us know if you try it. I'm wary of it just because I don't want anything that lasts too long.


Some types you are supposed to refridge...but if the gel is too hard then if left out on the counter for a few minutes then it will become more jelly like.

I will see how long the regular food coloring stays in before I try anything else...like you I don't want to be stuck with it forever!


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## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

She looks great! Good job!!!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> I wonder if you could use frosting coloring to get an actual red or a more vibrant tone of any color. Its EXTREMELY concentrated and kind of gel like. It also comes in alot more colors than food coloring.


You can give it a shot but I don't think so. A true red is about the hardest color to get. Blow pens are a very light pinky red when applied, so I would guess that the frosting stuff would be the same. I know you cannot get red with food coloring. To get red, you'll have to use an actual dye, and it will have to be a very very dark one. We used manic panic in Vampire red for Jazz's candy stripes and in the in person the dye in the bottle looks almost black, a very dark maroon. The photo of it on the website shows the dye as it is inteded to look on the hair so it doesnt look so dark. 

Keep in mind that any color you put on your dog will always come out lighter than it appears in the bottle. 

before


and after the 1 hour process time, bath, and blow dry


Those of you that keep your dog's hair groomed need not fear that a dye will last to long on your dog, like it is doing on my dog. It's been a ummmm about six weeks since the finial application and she still stiped, but much lighter pinky peachy stripes. However, the dye fades well, and if you are getting your dog groomed and not trying to grow them out (like moi) what doesn't fade will be clipped out next time you cut the hair. So about a month-ish before the color is gone?


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

Dolly's feet and mouth are already white again...but those are the parts I didn't get really good when I dyed her. 

I am going to bathe and groom her sometime today...Kikyo is up before her...but I bet A LOT of it will come out. 

Dolly needs a good bath since its been a couple weeks so I am betting that most of it goes down the drain! Hopefully she will be a bit pink for Valentine's Day...if not I will dye her again! Still have the other bottle of red food coloring, and I am thinking of keeping her pink most of the time. 

She comes to "Pinky" now and when you say it she just wiggles all over...I figure if it makes me smile and therefore makes her happy too, then it will be worth it!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

IPP said:


> I figure if it makes me smile and therefore makes her happy too, then it will be worth it!


That is sort of my answer when people ask me, sometimes impolitely, why Jazz is dyed. Rather than be rude and tell them to mind their own, I tell them it's because it spreads smiles, and that makes HER happy. They can't really argue with that, which is nice, because some people do try and argue with your choice to color your dog. 
I had one guy right before christmas say he was going to call animal services because Jazz was abviously abused.... LoL, I pointed to the other owner of the shop and said, there is animal services right there, no need to waste minutes on your cell phone! (the other owner is pres. of the board for the local aniaml authority and county shelter.)


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