She has tended to the grooming needs of local doggos for well over a decade and even runs her own pup salon, the aptly named Hair of the Dog Grooming Salon in St. Bernard, but Anna Steinmetz is perhaps best known for her pair of brightly colored pooches: poodles named Stewart and Stanley. The canines have become unofficial Cincinnati celebs, known not just for their patriotically dyed fur or knack for befriending movie stars, but their dedication to community service.
Photograph Courtesy Comey and Shepherd
“I’ve had Stewart for six years, Stanley for two. I first dyed Stewart back in 2013. He was green at first, because he was supposed to be The Hulk for Halloween. After that I dyed him red for the Cincinnati Reds’ Bark in the Park event.
I dyed Stan red at first, but then switched to blue—I didn’t want to dye him green because I didn’t want them to be Christmas colors all year. They became the patriotic poodles instead: red, white [their natural color], and blue.
We get recognized everywhere. We’ve been on the Jumbotron at GABP and we’ve been featured on news channels. The coolest thing was being in this year’s Toyota’s Opening Day commercial for the Reds. Stewart and Stan were also noticed by Casey Affleck while he was filming here for The Old Man and the Gun, and he brought over some of the kids in the movie to play with them.
The dye is non-toxic, vegetable-based, and safe for dogs. I taught myself how to dye through trial and error and by watching videos online. I brush in the dye and let it sit before rinsing, shampooing, and conditioning.
Stewart has been a therapy dog at Children’s Hospital for about five years now. He does bedside visits and helps kids who are actually scared of dogs. Stan is too goofy to become certified, but he visits nursing homes sometimes.”
Facebook Comments