Jorge Bendersky, a celebrity dog groomer in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, saw a grooming problem with the dogs of New York, a problem that is common to the dogs of America, if not the world: not enough glamour.
“In the summer, they cut the dogs’ hair short, so you’ve got to supplement the glamour,” he told DNAinfo.com. “Having no hair is no excuse not to be glamorous.”
So, fellow dog owners, you knew you had to supplement the glamour, didn’t you? YOU MUST SUPPLEMENT THE GLAMOUR!
But how does one supplement the glamour? Bendersky shows you the way. Two words: Glitter tattoos. Two more words: Tramp stamp. Put them all together and you get tramp stamp glitter tattoos. And that is Bendersky’s million-dollar idea, which dogs are completely on board with. Take it away, Bendersky:
“Dogs are like humans, and when they accessorize they get attention. A pink dog does not know it’s pink, but when people are smiling and taking pictures, it gets attention,” he said. “So, a dog likes to get tattoos.”
QED, haters.
His clients agree.
“When I’m in Central Park, tourists are constantly stopping to see him,” said Joanie Pelzer, who has an 8-year-old Chihuahua named Hubbell with a glitter heart stamped on his hip. “He absolutely loves the attention.”
So, what exactly is a glitter tattoo? It’s not that big a deal. First, you press a stencil into the dog’s fur. Then, you fill it with canine-safe glue. Finally, you throw some dog-friendly glitter on it. Done. Anyone can do it. Jorge Bendersky can do it, for $100 a pop.
“It’s all about the tramp stamp,” Bendersky said.
When does one choose to tattoo one’s dog? Fallon O’Brien, who has a 7-year-old Chihuahua named Fletch with a butterfly tattoo, knows just the time.
“Sometimes, my dog and I dress in the same color if we’re going to a red-carpet event. During the summer, it’s just too hot to have him wearing outfits like that,” she told DNAinfo.com. “The tattoo is a good option.”
Totally. Perfect call to go with the tattoo.
“I go to a lot of events, and people dress up their dogs in expensive outfits,” she added. “It was something I could do to make my dog stand out that wasn’t that expensive.”
Let me remind you: One hundred dollars.
To its credit, DNAinfo.com talked to the ASPCA for this story, who said glitter tattoos aren’t inherently dangerous, as long as the products are nontoxic.
“There are numerous products on the market that are meant to ‘beautify’ pets, and safety truly depends on the individual product and whether the ingredients are potentially toxic or not,” said Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center. “Pets explore the world with their mouths and are likely to groom and lick any topical agent off their skin or fur.”
Jorge Bendersky seems like a good guy and a solid groomer. We don’t want to be too hard on him — he’s separating fools from their money. But really, the last problem dogs have is not enough glamour.
What do you think? Would you give your dog a glitter tattoo?
Via DNAinfo.com; photos via Jorge Bendersky’s Facebook
