Why do all black dogs get a.....?

Question

bad rap? They are the most feared dog of all dogs!

Is it because we don't have as many dog lovers as we think we do?

Says WHO?.... says the survey I just read about dogs.

Buzzzz wrong I own a black Chow/Mix! Try again

Thank you JR, there is even a rescue shelter just for black dogs because of this fear.

Its not that people are stupid..... people just don't understand. Funny how this is a specific category (Dogs) yet people are un-aware of this phobia, like I would make something up just to get someones dander up? Try this exercise yourself, take two dogs one black the other whatever color and go to a fair or somewhere dogs are allowed and see if people don't automaticlly shy away from the black dog. I own two dogs, a Chow/ mix (black) and a Springer (liver/white) some people actually would skirt around the Chow to pet the Springer; ask them why? and they say I just fear black dogs!? So anytime someone aske to pet my Springer I always say "You can't pet one w/o petting the other" Truth be told there just aren't as many dog lovers as we wish there were.

Answer 1

You are correct theya re also the least likely adopted and the ones most likely euthanized.

I know youve all seen my pics it used to be my avatar and all my dogs are all black. Its almost a joke anymore. Im not allowed to foster black fluffy dogs.

Answer 2

I haven't heard this at all...and about people avoiding your chow in order to pet the springer---that probably has to do with the breed, not the color.

Black cats are considered bad luck by superstitious people, and black cats are less likely to be adopted and get more of a bad rap.

With dogs, its the "aggressive" breeds that are most feared.

Answer 3

It is sad, but black dogs are the least likely to be adopted from shelters/rescues. I don't believe it is because they are the most feared though. I think it has more to do with aesthetics and supply. There are ALWAYS black dogs being brought to shelters. A lot of the time they are turned away because they are black. It's really sad. I do own a black pitador that I rescued.

Answer 4

I wouldn't say that they necessarily have a "bad rap" or are most feared. People who are afraid of dogs in general are more likely to be more afraid of a black dog than an otherwise identical white or lighter colored dog. But this is still more of a general fear of dogs. People who are afraid of black dogs are almost always also fearful or at least insecure/nervous/unsure of themselves around lighter colored dogs. I don't think it's because we have less dog lovers than previously thought.

I think it boils down to the fact that black dogs with dark eyes lack obvious facial expressions (black dogs with light brown or blue eyes are usually considered less scary than black dogs with dark brown or black eyes). Humans are hardwired to pick up on subtle and minute facial expressions. We have more facial expressions than any other animal on the planet (other species focus more on general body language while we tend to focus on the face). It may also have something to do with how we perceive colors. Solid colors, and especially dark solid colors, are more difficult to see (for example I don't see solid white things in motion very well...I can play volley ball, baseball/softball, etc really well but only if the ball is some color other than the standard white...if it is white my depth perception is off and I have a really hard time hitting it). It's much harder to make out the body language of a dark dog in low light situations (or even very bright light) than those of a lighter colored dog. People would often like to pretend that humans aren't as tuned into body language as other animals, but the truth is that body language whether we are aware of it or not does affect us on a subconsious level.

Answer 5

I have a mostly black with some white Boston Terrier. I CAN TELL YOU that he is most definitely NOT feared by anyone. He is the most lovable, friendly, happy-go-lucky dog that you'll ever meet.

You say that you saw this on some survey. Was the survey scientific? Are you sure that it wasn't 1 person with 6 friends who all dis-like 'black' dogs? The survey does not state whether black dogs of a particular breed are the ones getting a bad rap, which makes me suspicious about this "survey".

Answer 6

Many dark colored dogs get euthanzied each year because people tend to adopt lighter colored dogs instead. In fact I just adopted a black lab puppy and she was just about to get euthanized because noone would give her a home. Luckily, I found her in time and now she is safe and in loving , caring arms. I dont know the exact reason why people do this. Maybe because they think black dogs look meaner or more serious or maybe they just think black dogs are 'ordinary'. All I know is that it is rediculous to judge a dog that way. They are just as loving, playful and precious as any other.

Answer 7

Because people are stupid?

A black dog is no more likly to bite you than any other dog...unless that other dog is a (mistreated) doberman/rottie or Dalmation, in which case they are *less* likley to bite.

(Note: Many dobies and rotties are not black, they are dark brown.)

However, any dog, if mistreated, will be dangerous. Lazy trainers have been known to feed "Guard Dogs" gunpowder to make them vicious (the gunpowder seriously irritates the stomach, causing pain, causing the dog to become vicious).

Loving dogs have turned on their families because of poor/bad training. Family dogs have turned on visitors because the visitor made what the dog belived to be a threatening move to it's family. Nursing dogs have turned vicious because their brood was threatened/approached by a stranger.

A *properly trained* dog that bites, *always* bites for a reason, but the person being bitten rarely will come clean with what (s)he did to provoke the bite, and it then comes down to the owner's word againt the victim's.

There are very few bad dogs...99% of "bad dogs" are actually cases of "bad owners."

That having been said. Black=Bad. Bad movie dogs are generally shown as black. Etc...like I said...People are stupid.

Answer 8

Your 100% right, black dogs are more likely to be euthanized. I don't understand why people are afraid of them. Color doesn't matter, to me . A shelter in my area has even lowered the adoption fee on the black dogs, that hasn't helped much.

Answer 9

This is the first time I've ever heard anything about black dogs getting a bad rap.


They may be used in movies to portray an evil dog, but if you can't seperate real life from the movies perhaps you should never own a dog to begin with.


There was really an urban legend that seeing a black dog means you're marked for death?
LOL!
I guess it could be true....after all, we're all going to die someday and I don't know of anyone who's never seen a black dog....they're pretty common.

Answer 10

Usually the dogs that get a bad rap are breed specific not color.
The only thing I can say about black dogs is that they seem to be overlooked in shelters. I don't know if they blend in or are just too common but ususally the black dogs have trouble getting homes.

Answer 11

I have read some on this subject, and some people think it is because we cannot see their faces as well as lighter colored dogs. Their dark colors sometimes obscure their facial expressions, whether good or bad. I was reading an article in People magazine a few months ago about a woman who runs a rescue specifically for dark dogs because she feels that they have a slight prejudice against them. Some people feel that black or darker dogs look "scary" or "threatening". I really have no idea why this is.