After Emma Watson is pictured with a pink pooch... Is dyeing your dog the most barking craze ever?

PUBLISHED: 19:04 EST, 24 June 2012 | UPDATED: 19:04 EST, 24 June 2012

Tucked away in a fashionably shabby corner of East London, moments from the famous Columbia Road Flower Market, Groom Dog City looks from the outside like your average unassuming dog groomers.

Anyone opening the glass door is greeted by a chorus of woofs and howls from dogs of all shapes and sizes from little pugs to a drooling British bulldog.

But look closer and theres something rather peculiar about a few of those pooches.

Stuart Simons, who runs Groom Dog City, is pictured with his own bright pink bichon-frise Molly, left, and Casper

As Ralph the poodle spins around, theres a flash of colour: his tail is bright green.

Casper, a very vocal bichon frise, has a midnight-blue Mohican running down the middle of his head, while fluffy four-year-old Molly, also a bichon, is shocking-pink from head to tail.

Welcome to the newest canine trend to hit the UK: the doggy dye.

Last week Harry Potter actress Emma Watson made headlines when she was spotted leaving this salon with a one-year-old Maltese terrier called Darcy thought to be her flatmates dog after the pup had been dyed fuchsia.

Not surprisingly, the photos sparked fierce debate among dog lovers, many of whom are highly critical of the practice.

The salon has even had abusive emails, branding it cruel.

Some vets have expressed concerns that even if the dye is completely safe, this process alters the way the dog looks and smells to other animals and th! at could affect how they interact.

Stuart begins to prepare Casper for his Mohican by putting blue dye in his fur where it will stay for ten minutes

Casper the dog is not looking particularly happy about getting the dye washed out

Casper's dye is washed out

The little bichon frise is not looking particularly happy about being in a bathtub getting the dye out of his fur

Dr Roger Mugford, a leading animal behaviourist, says: Dogs are intensely visual creatures, and I have no doubt they would be aware of a major colour change, particular green and blue hues which their eyes pick up more.

It would likely affect the way other dogs interact with them, too we know that dogs even interact with other breeds differently due to physical appearance, such as bulldog breeds with their squashed noses.

In my opinion, it is a step too far. We should let dogs just be dogs.

The dogs face is covered in blue dye but Stuart admits that there is no telling if the colour is going to come out right with blues going green and reds going pink

But theres no denying the growing t! rend, so Ive come to the East End to find out why anyone would part with their hard-earned cash to give their mutt a cut and colour.

Dog dyeing is still quite rare in Britain, with only a few salons offering the service, but surprise, surprise, it is a well-established business in the U.S. and Japan.

In the States it is known as creative grooming and has spawned competitions. Its not unheard of to see pooches dyed in rainbow colours or made to look like tigers, pandas and other exotic animals.

Johnny Depps rumoured new girlfriend, actress Amber Heard, has been seen carrying a cerise dip-dyed Yorkie, while the girls from reality show Jersey Shore often sport dogs in girlie pink and purple.

So perhaps it was only a matter of time until it came to this country. After all, we already have salons offering doggy mud baths and nail varnish (Victoria Beckhams bulldog Coco has been known to have a pink pedi).

Casper before he has his mohican done

Casper with his finished blue Mohican

Before and After: Casper in his blue Mohican, right, and there is no telling whether he prefers it or not although his owner says he loves the attention he gets when he has had it done

The results are in: Writer Jenny Stocks poses with a dry Casper in his finished blue Mohican

And here at Groom Dog City, owner Stuart Simons, 38 a former musical theatre actor who retrained as a dog groomer five years ago has been offering ! the serv ice since he opened the salon two years ago.

He heard it was happening abroad, so tracked down dog-friendly vegetable-based dyes, which are made in the U.S., on the internet.

They dont come cheap Stuart pays 16 a tub, which means his prices for an entire dog start at 50 (but you can get a Mohican for 20).

He says: You cant use human dyes on dogs. It wouldnt be safe and can compromise their immune systems.

Emma Watson pictured in Bethnal Green walking maltese terrier Darcy all done up in bright pink at the same salon

People complain its cruel but there is nothing in the dyes to harm them, and we always do a health check beforehand to make sure they dont have allergies or skin conditions.

Even so, Stuart admits it can be miserable for the doggies if they spend too long on the grooming table so he refuses to do multi-coloured dogs.

They have to stand around for hours, which can give them sore legs.

So why does Stuart think people put their dogs through the rigmarole of being coloured?

If theyre already coming in for a groom, its just fun and it makes an individual statement, like getting a tattoo done, he says.

And Stuart certainly has no problem practising what he preaches Molly, the bright pink bichon, is his dog.

We get people stopping their cars to see her, and the reaction is always good, he says. She looks like a pink teddy bear, so people love her.

As did Emma Watson apparently it was Molly that inspired Darcys transformation.

Emmas been in here a couple of times, and she was admiring Mollys colour, says Stuart, Darcy is so well behaved and looked great afterwards.

Pink, as you would expect, is by far the most popular shade. But doggy dye com! es in 12 vibrant colours, with fittingly silly names including Monster Green, Vampire Red and Silver Shimmer which Im told gives a lovely sheen to black dogs.

So how on Earth do you begin to dye a dog? Well, Im about to find out. Booked in today is Casper for his third blue Mohican.

He is dropped off by owner Chris Amos, 37, a marketing director from Bloomsbury, London who says that Casper loves the attention he gets after his dye.

I think it really suits him, and kids absolutely love it, he adds.

Chris waves goodbye to Casper, who is whisked away by one of Stuarts two groomers for a quick shampoo (with specialist hypo-allergenic dog shampoo Double K).

Then when Casper has been showered in a huge bathtub, he is ready to be dyed.Stuart pulls on latex gloves and opens a gloopy pot of Midnight Blue.

Midnight Blue: The special dog coat dye the salon uses

Holding a rather puzzled-looked Casper in one hand, he pulls the dye through the pups fur.

Against the white of Caspers coat, its pretty shocking to see the depth of the colour.

And Stuart admits you cant always tell how it will come out. Its not an exact science, so weve had blue come out green, and red go pink, he says.

It depends on the breed too poodles and bichons are perfect, as their hair doesnt moult. If you put it on an Akita or Alsatian, it would just fall out in a few days.

On the right breeds, the colour can last up to eight weeks. Thats a long time to wait if it all goes wrong though it does fade over time, especially after shampoos.

Stuart doesnt leave Casper for a moment, and stands holding his head in place for ten minutes.

If he shakes his head or throws it back, it could go everywhere, he warns. And I want to make sure it wont go in his eyes. Needless to! say, I keep my distance.

Once the time is up the dye is left for between five and 15 minutes, depending on how bright a customer wants their dog to go Casper gets another rinse and shampoo before being transferred to an enormous blow-dryer.

The final touch is a quick trim to neaten up the edges and, voila, one bright blue Mohican.

Then its back to the floor to play with the other dogs. Casper seems unaware of his edgy fashion statement, and if his friends have noticed, they arent letting on.

None of them appears upset about their new styles, its true, but I cant help wondering whether theyd rather scamper around a park with their coat a natural colour.