Intergroom 2010: Poodles Discover Inner Lady Gaga, Mad Hatter

04/23/2010

The Canine as Canvas

The Academy Award equivalent of the dog grooming world, Intergroom 2010, once again took over the Meadowlands Expo Center in New Jersey last weekend where oodles of poodles were sprayed, sculptured, sprinkled, teased, primped and pimped into Technicolor perfection. The Standard poodle is most often the dog “canvas” of choice because of its thick, grooming-friendly fur and relatively large size.

While many people (including yours truly) often find the extreme primping to be somewhat cruel and unusual punishment for dogs, Intergroom officials assert that the poodles basically love the all the attention.

“People sometimes say, ‘Oh, poor dog,’ ” the M.C. Teri DiMarino told the audience that surrounded the show area at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. “But their perception is limited to their front feet. Really. All they know is that people are paying attention to them. They love it.”

This year’s winners included a Mad Hatter, accompanied by three people fully decked in other Alice in Wonderland costumes, a dog resembling a poodle-size seahorse and poodle groomed as a living memorial complete with reclining angel.

To see the entire slideshow check out the New York Times.