7 Safe Dog Hair Dyes for Your Dog

dog hair dyes
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Halloween? Paint some pumpkins on your dog.

Christmas? Make him look like Santa Claus.

Easter? Draw some eggs on your dog and put a bunny ribbon on his head.

Coloring dogs is the hottest new trend in pet grooming.

It can be a green, grinch, blue, purple, multicolor design or a leopard, chocolate chip, zebra, or a rainbowy unicorn pattern…whatever tickles your creative fancy!

While it’s loads of fun to color your pooch and cherish your eyes with the outcome, there are tons of concerns, such as is it OK to dye dog hair? What are the side effects of dog hair dyes? Which dog hair dyes are safe for dogs? And so forth.

Let’s put all of these concerns to rest with a list of the top 7 safe dog hair dyes that don’t cause skin issues, itchiness and are dog coat-friendly.

Warren London Critter Color Temporary Dog Hair Dye

Key Features

Active Ingredients: Reverse osmosis water, acrylates, copolymer, gerbanben ii, approved coloring, triethanolamine

Material: Paste

Stay time: Temporary

Best For Age: More than 12 weeks old

Packaging: Cream Jar

Lasts For: 2 to 3 washes or fades on its own within a few weeks

What Is Good?

    It’s temporary and washes out in 2 to 3 baths or fades on its own within a few weeks
    Non-toxic Formula
    Easy to apply—it can be applied with a spray bottle, brush, fingers, or airbrush
    Can be easily washed off from hands

What Is Not So Good?

    Works best on white or light furs only
    You require a blow dryer to seal the dye better. But it takes a lot of drying time, especially if the dog is giant and has a thick fur
    Can take hours to dry

Owpawz Opawz Dog Hair Dye Gel Bright

Key Features

Active Ingredients: Purified water, cosmetic, toiletry and fragrance approved cosmetic colorant dyes and pigments, cellulose thickening agent and preservative

Material: Gel

Stay time: Permanent/ Semi-permanent

Best For Age: Older than 6 months

Packaging: Tube

Lasts For: 8 washes

What Is Good?

    Unique packaging style—just squeeze the tube to dispense the dye
    Completely non-toxic for your dog
    No ammonia or peroxide
    Colors last longer
    Works best for fine and soft-haired dogs
    Takes only 20 minutes
    Colors don’t bleed into their coat when rinsing

What Is Not So Good?

    In dogs with wirehaired coats, the colors wash away more quickly
    Can’t be used on young puppies
    The black hair dye from this brand is not as great as other variations

Crazy Liberty Dog Hair Dye

Key Features

Active Ingredients: Aqua, alcohol, benzyl alcohol, dimethylpolysiloxane emulsion, lactic acid, glycolic acid, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carbomer, sodium citrate, perfume, colorant agents

Material: Thick Liquid

Stay time: Permanent

Best For Age: Older than 6 months old

Packaging: Tube

Lasts For: More than 15 washes or fades away after 3 months

What Is Good?

    Ingredients are totally harmless as it uses plant and fruit juices AHA (α-hydroxy acid) as a dye extract to give the intensive color
    Includes olive extract that nourishes and restores the fur, protects the color from bleaching under UV rays
    Soothes the dog’s skin
    Penetrates deeper into the coat without affecting its humidity
    Protects against thermal damage and gives the glamorous sheen coat
    Takes 10 minutes on a white coat

What Is Not So Good?

    Can’t be easily cleaned from carpets, floors, or walls
    Some may find the scent not-too-natural
    If the dye got in the eyes, rinse immediately else, it would cause irritation
    It can get a little stuck—cut off the tip and use it to avoid getting stuck

Opawz Hair Chalk Paint Pen (Dog Hair Dye)

Key Features

Material: Hair Chalk

Stay time: Temporary

Best For Age: older than 6 months

Packaging: Pens

Lasts For: 1 wash

What Is Good?

    Environment-friendly and non-toxic
    Works best on short-haired
    Easy to apply
    Colors don’t transfer to your skin when you touch them

What Is Not So Good?

    Not suitable for double-coated dog
    Not effective on black coats
    Shampooing is required to wash it out

Willbon Pet Dog Hair Dye

Key Features

Material: Hair Chalk

Stay time: Temporary

Best For Age: older than 6 months

Packaging: Pens

Lasts For: 1 wash or fades away after 2 days

What Is Good?

    Non-toxic, non-allergenic, and non-damaging
    Pens are easy to draw any kind of design
    Hair chalks are water-soluble, making it convenient to wash out

What Is Not So Good?

    Works best on short-haired animals than long hair
    It appears like crayon on your dog’s hair than applying a spray or powder
    It can mat your dog’s hair

Petway Petcare Pet Paint Spray

Key Features

Material: Liquid

Stay time: Temporary

Best For Age: Older than 6 months

Packaging: Spray Bottle

Lasts For: 1 wash

What Is Good?

    Colors seals quickly
    Propellant-free
    Non-toxic and free from harsh chemicals
    Environment-friendly
    Does not include any harsh chemicals which will harm your dogs
    Overspray on walls, carpets, floors, clothing, or hands will wash off easily

What Is Not So Good?

    Coloring results may vary with dog breed and his hair thickness and color
    It may be costly for some customers

Top Performance Dog Hair Dye Gel

Key Features

Active Ingredients: Purified water, cosmetic, toiletry, and fragrance association-approved dyes and pigments, cellulose thickener, glycerin and preservatives

Material: Gel

Stay time: Semi-permanent

Best For Age: Older than 12 weeks

Packaging: Cream Jar

Lasts For: 4 to 6 washes or fades away after 2 to 3 weeks

What Is Good?

    Completely non-toxic for dogs
    Lasts 4 to 6 washes
    Smells good
    The gel is easy to apply as compared to liquid dyes
    Takes only 15 minutes on white or light dogs (you can leave it for more time to get more intense shade)

What Is Not So Good?

    May cause allergic reactions if your dog already has skin allergies
    It works best on softer coated dogs
    The vampire red color is not so good—looks like cotton candy pink
    Can take more than 30 mins of dark dogs
    You’d need to wet the fur first

What Hair Dye Is Safe for Dogs?

A hair dye that doesn’t contain harsh and toxic chemicals is safe for dogs.

The above-mentioned hair dyes are non-toxic and safe to use on dogs. However, we suggest that you consult your vet for confirmation.

What Happens if You Put Human Hair Dye on a Dog?

When you use a human hair dye on a dog, “it can cause chemical burns, sores and dog hair shedding” says Vet Info. “Do not use products made for humans. This cannot be stressed enough. Human hair dyes contain hydrogen peroxide or bleach to lift the natural color. Both chemicals are extremely harsh.”

These dyes are toxic and can cause serious health concerns if your dog licks his fur. Furthermore, human hair dye also contains chemicals and artificial colors that are only suited for the human pH level—which is completely different from that of a dog’s.

Therefore, don’t even think about using human hair dye on dogs. Period.  

How to Dye a Dog’s Fur Safely?

  1. Don’t let your dog lick the coloring by using a cone collar.
  2. Make sure to avoid your dog’s eyes, wounds, or any other sensitive body parts.
  3. Perform a patch test before using.
  4. Consult a vet to find out if the color dye won’t hurt your dog
  5. If you are not sure about how to do it, don’t take risks. Hire a professional dog groomer.
  6. If your dog has sensitive skin, it’s best that you don’t dye your dog’s hair to prevent an allergic reaction.
  7. Avoid sensitive areas.
  8. Follow the instruction labels on the dog hair dye you are using.

How Long Does Dog Hair Dye Last?

A permanent dog hair lasts for at least 20 washes, a semi-permanent dog hair dye lasts for 4 to 6 washes, and a temporary dog dye lasts for one wash only.

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