A video of a grooming mishap involving a fluffy Maltipoo puppy captivated viewers on TikTok.

The viral clip posted by user @themadisonkay shows the dog, a Maltese-poodle mix, before and after a grooming session that left him almost unrecognizable. The video has garnered more than 812,000 views since it was shared on November 8.

The clip begins with a shot of the dog’s long hair wrapping around its face and covering its eyes.

A message superimposed on the footage reads, “I wish he would just get a haircut so he can see better,” noting what was likely the original request for a minor haircut.

However, the final reveal in the video shows the puppy’s coat shaved short all over with slightly longer hair left around the ears.

A caption shared with the post reads: “I didn’t even recognize my own son.”

According to a 2024 report by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 82 million US households have a pet, and 58 million own a dog.

The report found that pet owners in the country spent $147 billion on their pets in 2023, including $12.3 billion on services such as groomingtraining, boarding, insurance, pet grooming/walking and all other services outside of veterinary care.

According to the report, total spending on pets is expected to reach about $150.6 billion this year in the U.S., including $12.6 billion for other services such as grooming.

“This is a crime”

The video sparked an outpouring of sympathy from viewers on TikTok, many of whom shared their own experiences with unexpected grooming results.

In a later comment, the dog’s owner added that they “almost cried”, saying the drastic cut was done by a small local groomer who felt so bad about the result that he waived the fee.

“They actually felt really bad and wouldn’t make me pay,” she explained.

Several users empathized with the pet owner’s reaction, such as Britt who commented “It’s happened to my pup before!! It’s the worst feeling, even though it will grow back. He looks like a completely different dog!!”

Other viewers expressed surprise at the transformation. Joshyislit reacted “No way it’s the same dog” and Hannah Sutton added “How I just gasped”.

Sophie-Louise Kerenza Truelove humorously said “This is murder!” while stuffidonwantyoutosee added “This is a violation.”

Some even suggested seeking compensation, with Lee writing “I’d sue” and rapidgorl72919 adding “I’d get a refund.”

Amid the backlash, some users speculated that the dog’s fur it could have been mattedwhich often requires groomers to clip rather than trim to avoid causing discomfort to the animal.

Responding to these comments, the dog’s owner clarified “He had a few (mats) but nothing crazy at all!!” in a later comment.

However, Amy | The Dallas influencer remarked “Looking crazy, probably feeling a lot better,” while user @love.island126 added “Looking pretty crazy tbh (to be honest). It will be more comfortable x”.

Others saw the positive side of the result, such as Annabel de Leeuw, who remarked “At least he can see now”.

Newsweek contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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