Elevate Your Grooming
a large white standard poodle with rainbow colored ears and a low red top knot pictured before its groom
front view of a large white standard poodle with rainbow colored ears and a low red top knot pictured after its re-coloring and groom
profile view of a large white standard poodle with rainbow colored ears and a low red top knot pictured after its re-coloring and groom
Encourage Repeat Clients with Fun “Forever Rainbow” Features typography
Encourage Repeat Clients with Fun “Forever Rainbow” Features typography

by Blake Hernandez

For me, an add-on is that little something extra that stands out, making your work one of a kind. And, as an added bonus, your clients pay a little more for it. Rainbow ears, tails, or even drop-coat legs can be a super quick and flashy way to add on to your groom and keep your clients coming back again and again.

My concept behind these “Forever Rainbow” ears (or any body part), is to add some fresh colors at each appointment. This is because doing an entire makeover with color can be time-consuming and uncomfortable. But with this concept, you get to refresh the same areas with less dye and little effort, and it is still something new and exciting for your clients.

Fig 1)

I like to use a cupcake tin to keep my colors organized and together. The pigments are often so dark in concentrate form that you could get them confused, so sitting the dye bottles in front of the colors will “label” them for you.

Fig 2)

Here I am spanning open the coat to find hair that has faded greatly or hasn’t been dyed yet.

a cupcake tin placed in front of a white standard poodle sitting on a grooming table, two dye containers sit in two of the tin cups
close view of gloved hands fanning the long hair on a standard poodles ear
Fig 3)

Once you separate out a lock of hair that you are happy with, band the rest of the hair that you aren’t going to dye to protect it.

Fig 4)

With gloves on, work in the desired color until fully saturated.

a gloved hand grasps a lock of ear hair as the rest are held back with a band
gloved hands fully saturate the lock of ear hair with deep blue dye
Fig 5)

To keep the dye from transferring, use foil to wrap the sections as you dye them.

Fig 6)

Separate out the next section of hair you wish to dye and choose the color.

This dog already had lots of warm colors, like red, orange and yellow, but not many cool colors, so I added blue and green this time. Next time I will probably add purple and pink.

the deep blue saturated lock of hair is folded into a piece of foil
a second lock of ear hair is separated
Fig 7)

Repeat the dye process, wrapping each section in foil as you go.

Fig 8)

Once I’m finished with the dye, I take a big piece of foil to wrap all the smaller sections together, that way if she shakes her head, it’s more likely that only the larger pieces will come off and not the smaller ones protecting the dyed coat.

Now, just let the dye process following the manufacturer’s instructions, rinse, dry and style!

As you can see, it’s not about it being a crazy transformation. This method is more about keeping those regular clients coming back and giving their dogs a new pop of color at each visit without as much effort as a full dye job would take.

a dark green saturated lock of hair is folded into a piece of foil
a dark green saturated lock of hair is folded into a piece of foil
close view of the standard white poodle with both of its ears wrapped in foil
close view of the standard white poodle with both of its ears wrapped in foil

Now, just let the dye process following the manufacturer’s instructions, rinse, dry and style!

As you can see, it’s not about it being a crazy transformation. This method is more about keeping those regular clients coming back and giving their dogs a new pop of color at each visit without as much effort as a full dye job would take.

Back to Issue