All dogs require grooming of some sort to keep them looking good. Bathing and brushing removes dirt and spreads natural oils evenly throughout the fur. Those dogs whose fur grows like human hair require more intense grooming: haircuts, styling, bathing, brushing and maybe a little coloring.
Western style dog grooming focuses on symmetrical grooming, keeping the dog's body balanced and focusing the onlooker's eye on the body of the dog. It is breed specific with each breed's grooming style standardized. Asian fusion grooming, or Asian freestyle, breaks from Western grooming by giving groomers freedom to focus on making dogs look "adorable" rather than meeting a standard.
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Photographer Grace Chon has captured pictures of dogs that showcase some of the aspects that set Asian freestyle apart from traditional grooming.
Creative Dog Grooming shares that Asian fusion groomers focus on giving dogs legs that have a fluffy, columnar look with a cotton candy texture.
Rather than the body being the focal point like in traditional grooming, Asian fusion focuses on the head, drawing eyes to that part of the dog. Each cut for a dog's head is designed to accentuate that individual pup's personality.
Many times groomers using this type of style cut the hair around the dog's face to round the face much like a teddy bear. This accentuates the puppy's eyes.
A traditional grooming style tries to give a dog a symmetrical, balanced look. Asian fusion employs a technique known as radical symmetry, in which the groomer focuses on one aspect of the dog's cut. This out-of-balance look adds to the playfulness of each cut.
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One reason groomers appear to like Asian freestyle grooming is they have the freedom to reflect the personality of the dog. They can look for ways to enhance the dog's unique traits and playfulness all while expressing their own creativity.