One Redditor Turned a Rescue Dog’s Shedding Hair Into Art

For humans with canine companions, fur-shedding is generally something to be dealt with. But Reddit user rachelfromearth, the sloughed off animal hair is a medium for art. Yes, you read that correctly: someone used dog fur to create art, and it’s actually kind of cute. 

The hair in question belongs to rachelfromearth’s rescue German Shepherd, Mowgli, a 5-year-old that was discovered underweight, with patchy fur and suffering from heartworms. After taking in Mowgli from a shelter, the dog’s new human took on the task of nursing him back to health, and over time, Mowgli put on a few extra pounds, survived heartworm treatment and even grew a fuller mane.

While brushing Mowgli in December of 2018, an unusual spark of creativity struck rachelfromearth, giving birth to the hairiest artwork collection you’ll ever see. 

“I formed the pile of fur into a thought bubble and took a picture that I posted on Instagram and shared with family and friends,” rachelfromearth told Bored Panda. “I honestly can’t say what inspired me to do it. The volume of fur that comes off of Mowgli in just an hour is comically large and I think I was looking for ways to emphasize that.”

The struggle to remove pet hair from furniture is proof that the excess fur can easily turn into a huge headache. That said, it’s actually quite surprising (if not a bit odd) to come across someone who’s not bothered by the presence of old dog hair, but actually inspired enough to repurpose the fur instead of trashing it.

Among the collection is a furry quote bubble placed next to a stretched (and presumably pensive) Mowgli. Then there’s the fur accessories that serve as an Easter bunny costume for Mowgli—a pair of long, floppy ears, an Easter basket with eggs and a puffy white bunny tail. Rachelfromearth also transformed Mowgli into a snorkling canine, complete with a breathing tube, a set of swimming fins and a school of fish.

“It became a fun challenge every time I brushed him to come up with something new to do with the resulting pile of fur and I’ve been creating this weird fur art ever since!” rachelfromearth said.