This started with one dog in a wig.
It should have ended there.
It did not.
Because once you see a perfectly serious dog wearing an equally serious wig, an obvious question presents itself:
Who does this dog think he is?
And from there, things deteriorated rather quickly.
Suddenly we had rock stars.
Movie characters.
Musicians.
Scientists.
Presidents.
Astronauts.
Chefs.
Royalty.
At some point, a dog became Beethoven and looked genuinely irritated that we had interrupted him while composing a symphony.
Another became Elton John and somehow looked more comfortable behind a piano than most humans do.
Then Queen Elizabeth II showed up as a Corgi, which frankly felt less like something we created and more like something that had been waiting to happen.
The strange thing is that the wig alone isn’t enough.
The really good ones need the look.
The expression.
The posture.
The clothes.
That tiny bit of attitude that makes you recognize who you’re looking at before you’ve even completely figured out why.
So we kept going.
What follows are 25 famous people and characters reimagined as dogs in wigs.
There was no scientific method.
There was very little adult supervision.
And there was absolutely no good reason to make 25 of them.
Which, naturally, is exactly why we did.
Jon Bon Jovi
Some dogs look like they were born for the stage.
This one looks like he owns it.
The enormous hair. The bandana. The aviators. The leather jacket. And, most importantly, the expression of a dog who fully expects 20,000 people to sing the chorus back to him.
He isn’t wondering whether the wig is too much.
He’s wondering why the encore hasn’t started yet.
Jon Bon Jovi as a dog simply makes sense.
And yes, we’re fairly certain he’d still be livin’ on a prayer.
Dolly Parton
Some transformations require a little imagination.
This is not one of them.
Big blond hair. Rhinestones. Pink. A guitar. Enough sparkle to be visible from several counties away.
Dolly Parton as a dog was practically inevitable.
But it’s the expression that makes it.
Calm. Sweet. Completely composed.
She isn’t trying to be the centre of attention.
She simply can’t help it.
And somewhere in Tennessee, Jolene has just been warned.
Captain Jack Sparrow
Some dogs look like they have a plan.
This one looks like he had a plan, lost the plan, stole somebody else’s plan and somehow ended up captain of the ship anyway.
The battered hat.
The dreadlocks.
The beads.
The eyeliner.
And that unmistakable expression of someone who knows the situation is completely out of control but remains strangely confident it’ll all work out.
Captain Jack Sparrow as a dog may be a little too convincing.
The rum is gone.
The treats, however, have been safely secured.
Mr. Bean
You don’t need the teddy bear.
You don’t need London.
You don’t even need the brown tweed jacket and red tie.
One look at that face and you already know.
Mr. Bean has become a dog.
The sideways glance.
The raised eyebrow.
The expression suggesting something has gone terribly wrong and he may or may not be responsible.
Teddy is coming along.
The dog has absolutely no idea where they’re going.
And somehow, by the end of the day, a Mini will probably be driving itself from an armchair strapped to the roof.
Albert Einstein
Some hairstyles are more famous than the person underneath them.
Einstein’s may be one of them.
Wild white hair going in every possible direction.
A slightly rumpled suit.
And the distant expression of someone thinking about something the rest of us won’t understand for another fifty years.
Albert Einstein as a dog looks appropriately deep in thought.
Maybe he’s reconsidering the nature of space and time.
Maybe he’s working out relativity.
Or maybe he’s trying to calculate exactly how long it should take you to realize his dinner bowl is empty.
Either way, the hair says genius.
Elvis Presley
There are wigs.
And then there is the hair.
Jet black. Perfectly sculpted. Defying several known laws of gravity.
Add the sunglasses, the rhinestone jumpsuit, the enormous collar and a guitar, and there really isn’t much left to explain.
Elvis Presley has entered the building.
He looks cool.
He looks confident.
He looks like he’s already been given three encores.
And if anyone in the audience happens to be holding a peanut butter sandwich, this performance may go on all night.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Gordon Ramsay
This dog is not happy with your dinner.
Actually, he’s furious about it.
The hair is wild.
The chef’s jacket is spotless.
The arms are crossed.
And that sideways stare suggests someone in this kitchen has just served him an overcooked steak.
Gordon Ramsay as a dog is every bit as intimidating as you’d expect.
He has inspected your plate.
He has several concerns.
And whatever you do, don’t tell him the beef is well done.
Jules Winnfield
The suit helps.
The tie helps.
But let’s be serious.
It’s the hair.
That perfectly rounded mass of curls tells you immediately that this dog did not arrive to discuss the weather.
He’s staring you down.
He’s asking questions.
And judging by the expression, you have not been giving particularly good answers.
Jules Winnfield as a dog is wonderfully intimidating.
There may be treats in the briefcase.
You are strongly advised not to open it.
Fred and Wilma Flintstone
Some couples need no introduction.
One orange spotted tunic.
One blue tie.
One enormous red hairdo.
And, of course, a car that appears to have been assembled entirely from rocks, logs and optimism.
Fred and Wilma Flintstone have officially gone to the dogs.
Fred looks deeply concerned about Bedrock traffic.
Wilma looks like she’s already regretting letting him drive.
All that’s missing is a dinosaur, a bowling alley and one very loud:
Yabba-Dabba-Doo!
Bob Ross
There are famous hairstyles.
And then there is the Bob Ross afro.
Put it on a dog, hand him a paintbrush and suddenly everything feels a little more peaceful.
Bob Ross as a dog isn’t painting mountains.
He’s giving them friends.
A little tree over here.
Another one over there.
Maybe a cloud that wasn’t planned but turned out perfectly anyway.
There are no mistakes in this studio.
Only happy little accidents.
And apparently, one very happy little dog.
Willie Nelson
The braids give him away immediately.
Add the red bandana, battered guitar and a face that looks like it has spent several million miles on a tour bus, and there can only be one answer.
Willie Nelson has become a dog.
He looks relaxed.
He looks slightly suspicious.
And he looks like absolutely nothing you say is going to convince him to leave Texas.
The guitar has seen better days.
Willie probably has too.
Neither seems particularly bothered by it.
And somehow, they’re both still on the road again.
Marilyn Monroe
Some moments are so famous you only need the dress.
White.
Pleated.
Caught dramatically by a blast of air at exactly the right moment.
Add platinum curls, pearls and the unmistakable confidence of someone who knows every camera is pointed in her direction.
Marilyn Monroe as a dog absolutely understands the assignment.
The photographers are ready.
The dress is flying.
The pose is perfect.
And judging by that expression, she’s wondering why everyone is making such a fuss.
After all, diamonds may be a girl’s best friend.
But dogs have always known they’re better.
Donald Trump
Some wigs require an introduction.
This one absolutely does not.
The sweep of blond hair.
The dark suit.
The bright red tie.
And the expression of a dog who appears completely comfortable sitting behind the Resolute Desk.
Donald Trump as a dog is instantly recognizable.
He looks serious.
He looks unimpressed.
And he looks suspiciously certain that this is now his office.
Which, considering Donald Trump is currently the 47th President of the United States, is at least historically accurate.
The only unanswered question is whether the Oval Office lawn has a designated digging area.
Colonel Sanders
Some disguises are subtle.
A white suit, black bow tie, glasses, white hair and that unmistakable little goatee are not.
Colonel Sanders as a dog has arrived for dinner.
And naturally, dinner is chicken.
Lots of chicken.
He looks dignified.
He looks extremely pleased with himself.
And he looks like he’s guarding that plate with eleven herbs, spices and absolutely no intention of sharing.
For once, being told something tastes like chicken is exactly the point.
Buzz Aldrin
There are impressive places to wear a wig.
The Moon is fairly high on the list.
White hair.
Apollo spacesuit.
American flag.
Earth hanging in the darkness behind him.
Buzz Aldrin as a dog has made one giant leap for canine kind.
He looks calm.
He looks heroic.
And he looks surprisingly unconcerned about the fact that he’s roughly 238,000 miles from the nearest treat jar.
The Moon has been walked.
History has been made.
Now somebody please throw the ball very, very carefully.
Elton John
Subtlety was never going to work here.
The enormous glasses.
The rhinestones.
The stars.
The bow tie.
The piano.
Elton John as a dog looks completely at home behind the keys.
In fact, he may be taking this more seriously than anyone else in the entire collection.
The lights are on.
The crowd is waiting.
And somewhere backstage, someone is desperately trying to explain that you cannot play Rocket Man entirely in the key of bark.
Mr. T
There are accessories.
And then there is this much gold.
Chains on chains on chains.
A denim vest.
The mohawk.
And an expression suggesting you should think very carefully before touching any of it.
Mr. T as a Rottweiler feels almost unfairly perfect.
He looks tough.
He looks completely unimpressed.
And he definitely does not pity the fool who forgot to bring treats.
We pity that fool too.
Ozzy Osbourne
There was really only one direction this could go.
Long black hair.
Purple glasses.
Black leather.
Enough crosses to stock a small cathedral.
And a raven sitting nearby because apparently this dog wasn’t already dramatic enough.
Ozzy Osbourne as a dog looks completely at home in the darkness.
He looks mysterious.
He looks slightly dangerous.
And he looks like he’s been awake since 1972.
The Prince of Darkness has become the Prince of Dogness.
Somehow, it works.
Ludwig van Beethoven
This dog looks annoyed.
Which feels exactly right.
The wild grey hair.
The formal coat.
The red scarf.
The piano surrounded by handwritten music.
Beethoven as a dog looks like we’ve interrupted him halfway through composing something important.
He has no interest in posing for the photograph.
He has no interest in your opinion of the wig.
And judging by that expression, somebody just played the wrong note.
Again.
Please leave the room.
The maestro is working.
Hulk Hogan
This dog looks like he’s about to tear his shirt off.
And frankly, nobody in the arena is going to stop him.
The blond hair.
The red bandana.
The yellow gear.
The feather boa that makes absolutely no sense and somehow remains essential.
Hulk Hogan as a dog has entered the ring.
He’s leaning on the ropes.
The crowd is losing its mind.
And somewhere in the front row, one terrified spectator has just been asked:
Whatcha gonna do, brother, when Hulk Dogmania runs wild on you?
Slash
Some rock stars need a stage introduction.
This one needs a top hat.
Long black curls.
Dark sunglasses.
Leather.
A Les Paul hanging exactly where it should.
Slash as a dog might be one of the easiest ones to recognize.
He doesn’t look interested in posing.
He doesn’t look interested in talking.
He looks like he’s waiting for everyone else to shut up so he can play the guitar.
And once that first riff starts, nobody is going to care that he has paws.
Tina Turner
This may be the most energetic wig in the entire collection.
Huge.
Wild.
Blond.
And seemingly moving in at least six directions at once.
Add the sparkling fringe, the microphone and a stance that says the show has only just begun.
Tina Turner as a dog is simply the best.
She isn’t standing on the stage.
She owns the stage.
The band is trying to keep up.
The audience is already on its feet.
And that wig deserves its own dressing room.
Doc Brown
This dog has seen the future.
And apparently, it’s completely insane.
The wild white hair.
The goggles.
The lab coat.
The electrical equipment that looks like it absolutely should not be plugged into the wall.
Doc Brown as a dog is one experiment away from changing history.
He’s got 1.21 gigawatts.
He’s got the flux capacitor.
He’s got absolutely no idea where he left the DeLorean.
Great Scott.
We’re going to need more treats.
Queen Elizabeth II
Of course she’s a Corgi.
There was never another option.
The perfectly curled white wig.
The crown.
The pearls.
The formal gown.
And an expression that suggests everyone in the room should remember their manners.
Queen Elizabeth II as a Corgi feels less like a joke and more like something that was always meant to happen.
She sits perfectly still.
She looks completely regal.
And judging by the family portrait beside her, the royal household has finally been organized properly.
Long live the Corgi.
And Somehow, We Made 25 of Them
We probably should have stopped after the first one.
We definitely should have stopped somewhere around ten.
Instead, we ended up with Elvis at a microphone, Beethoven at the piano, Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, Gordon Ramsay looking deeply disappointed in dinner and Queen Elizabeth II as a Corgi.
And somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened.
They stopped looking like dogs wearing costumes.
They started becoming the characters.
Maybe it was the wigs.
Maybe it was the clothes.
But mostly, it was the expressions.
Beethoven looked annoyed.
Mr. T looked unimpressed.
Elton looked completely at home behind a piano.
And Gordon Ramsay looked approximately three seconds away from asking who cooked the steak.
That’s when we knew the idea was working.
There is absolutely no important lesson here.
We have learned nothing.
We have contributed very little to society.
But we did discover that almost any famous person can apparently be improved by replacing them with a dog and giving that dog an extremely committed wig.
And frankly, that feels like enough for one day.
Although we already have a few ideas for number 26.
