Dog owner defends dyeing pet's fur to resemble 'The Grinch' for Christmas

A pet owner who dyed her miniature schnauzer red, white and green to resemble "The Grinch" has defended the dog's Christmas makeover.

Ashley Spielmann's pet pooch, Rizzo, went viral after his human companion shared a clip to TikTok showcasing his fetching new festive look.

In a video that has been watched nearly 10 million times, the young dog can be seen undergoing the dye job, which leaves him closely resembling the iconic Dr. Seuss character, albeit in canine form.

Christmas is a time for family and for many Americans that includes pets with the 2021-22 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners survey finding 45 percent of dog owners were planning to buy a gift for their four-legged friend.

Rizzo's family have found a different way to get their dog in the festive spirit, though.

"We love Christmas in our house and absolutely love the Grinch," Spielmann told Newsweek. "My younger children watched the movie every night last year. So because schnauzers naturally have grumpy faces I thought we would do something fun and he would be the perfect Grinch."

Rizzo is a relatively new member of the family having been purchased in April as a mate for their black female miniature schnauzer, Sosa.

He's already making quite a big impression though if the reaction to the video is anything to go by. According to Spielmann, Rizzo's dye job was done by the groomer, whom he visits every six weeks, using dog-friendly coloring.

"Our groomer has used color for other dogs here and there so I talked to her about the hair color being safe and asked if she could do the Grinch and she jumped on it and did an amazing job," she said.

Spielmann said that the process was a relatively quick one, too.

"We took both our schnauzers to get groomed and their appointment started about 11:30 a.m. and she was done by 2 p.m.," she said. "So not any longer than a normal grooming appointment."

The results left Spielmann's kids stunned at the transformation.

"They were shocked," she said. "They also said he looked weird. Now they just call him the Grinch instead of Rizzo."

Spielmann shared footage of the makeover to social media, where it quickly got a reaction. Some dog lovers were in awe of the results.

"That is actually an amazing groom, like the little beard is perfect, his fur looks so healthy," one TikTok user wrote, with another commenting: "this is the cutest thing ever."

However, Rizzo's Grinch transformation has not been without its critics.

"I feel bad. He or she looks so sad," one user said. "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," another wrote. A third, meanwhile, commented: "poor thing, looks like he don't like it."

Spielmann acknowledged that their efforts have created "creating quite the controversy" on social media, but she's not letting it get to her.

"Honestly nothing surprises me anymore. In this day and age I expected it," she said. "My goal in doing this was to spread happiness, smiles and the Christmas spirit."

But while some have expressed reservations, Spielmann said she received a message about Rizzo's new look that really lifted her spirits.

"I actually had a lady message me on TikTok who told me that the day she saw my video while she was in radiation therapy for cancer," she said. "She said it made her whole day. It was so awesome, this complete stranger who is going through one of the hardest things, that my dog could make her day."

She hopes her video can inspire others to follow suit.

"I hope it starts a trend and we see all the holiday pets or a bunch of colored Grinch pets everywhere," she said.

As for any further festive makeovers, Spielmann urged fans to simply "wait and see."