Panda Dogs

quote:

---

Pet shop owner Hsin Ch'en told photo agency Central European News that he can't keep up with demand for the chow chows who are dyed to look like pandas.

Story continues after panda dogs ...

---

quote:

---

"The cute breeds like French bulldogs and Labradors were the favorites, but now it is the panda dog," Ch'en, who owns a store in southwest China’s Sichuan province.

He said the technique is not harmful to the dogs.

"There are no chemicals or cruelty involved," Ch'en said. "But the price of the dog does rise significantly because of the amount of grooming that goes into it. People don't mind paying the extra though - they like the fact that heads turn in the street and they can tell their friends: 'I have a panda dog'".

Ch'en said he came up with the style himself.

"I perfected the technique here and now it is spreading across the country," he said. "With a bit of careful grooming and coloring it is easy to turn a chow into a panda dog in about two hours. Then the look will stay with the dog for around six weeks and the owners bring them back for some touching up."

---