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Year of the Dog: America’s Top 10 Shelter Dog Makeovers

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According to the Chinese calendar, 2018 is the year of the dog, which makes the annual Dirty Dogs Campaign even more poetic. The brainchild of pet industry leaders Wahl and GreaterGood.org, the campaign, now in its seventh year, donates funds and grooming supplies to rescues and shelters nationwide in an effort to transform more than 20,000 dogs each year and better their chances at finding a fur-ever family. Ten of these amazing makeovers have been chosen to demonstrate that a good bath can make the difference between life and death.

View hundreds of amazing shelter dog makeovers in the Dirty Dogs Before & After Photo Gallery(dirtydogsgallery.com).

"Most dogs enter shelters wearing the effects of their harsh lives, making it difficult for adoptive families to see the lovable animal underneath the matted fur and dirt," says Steven Yde, division vice president for Wahl. "And while rescue organizations work tirelessly, the sad truth is that less than half of these dogs are getting the grooming they need due to a lack of resources."

Dirty Dogs Photo Gallery & Contest

Since 2012, Wahl's pet shampoo donations have helped rescues and shelters nationwide transform more than 100,000 dogs and get them ready for adoption. Hundreds of these amazing makeovers have been captured through the Dirty Dogs Before & After Photo Gallery (dirtydogsgallery.com). What makes this gallery unique is that visitors can see what each dog looked like when they arrived at the shelter or rescue, and how they looked after they were cleaned up. The site also allows visitors to search for adoptable dogs in their area, learn more about the dogs' backgrounds and stories and share their favorites on social media.

dirty dogs contest

To promote the gallery and help get the dogs adopted, Wahl is also launching the seventh annual Dirty Dogs Contest (dirtydogscontest.com). Ten of the most dramatic transformations from the gallery have been selected to participate in the contest. Public votes will determine the top three winners. The animal shelters and rescue groups affiliated with these transformations will receive monetary grants to further support their efforts. First place takes home $5,000, second place receives $2,000 and third place earns $1,000.

The Dirty Dogs Contest runs from August 8 – 21, 2018. To vote for one of the shelters, visit the Wahl Pets Facebook Page. Winners will be announced August 22, 2018. In addition to shampoo, Wahl offers doggie deodorants and wipes. To purchase Wahl pet products for yourself or for your favorite shelter, or to learn how to groom your own pet, visit WahlUSA.com. You can follow Wahl Pets on Facebook and Twitter.

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