Who's afraid of big black dogs? Mark Morford

[madokie]

It ain't easy being a great dark beast in a world of tiny yapping puffballs


Our big, ink-black, stupendously cool, absolutely extraordinary family Labrador was named Shadow, of course, because it was simple and obvious and when you're seven years old you don't really know from overused dog-naming clichés.

Let me just say that Shadow was probably the perfect family dog of all time, ever. He was calm and mellow and fairly well trained, superbly chill like some sort of fuzzy genius monk, rarely barked and never snapped and, no matter how much childhood torture we put him through, all the tugging and tail-yanking and petting far too hard, riding on his back and forcing him to romp when clearly all he wanted to do was eat and hang out and chase small woodland creatures in his sleep, Shadow always maintained that amazing Zen-like tranquility, a sighing, preternatural ease so oft found in large, happy, slobbery Labs. He was amazing.

For me and to this very day, Shadow set the bar insanely high for all-time great dogs. Solid as a rock, peaceful, smart, watchful, eternal, completely at ease in the world. That's how I like 'em. I mean, who doesn't?

Apparently, not as many as I imagined. Little did I know what an anomaly I am, just how uncommon Shadow really is in the grand dogosphere, or how difficult he might have had it out there in the rough world of dog shelters and the apparently slightly panicky, superstitious people who patronize them. ...

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[newfie11]

1. As the owner of several big black dogs (Newfoundlands)

I appreciate you bringing this up. I have also heard about this. Black cats it seems are in the same boat.

[alsame]

2. I have a Belgian Sheepdog, a large black dog. When I got her, I was

warned that black dogs tend to evoke more fear than do lighter colored large dogs. And it's generally been true - I've had all different kinds of dogs throughout my life and I notice a difference.

[SPedigrees]

4. I think there might be something to that. A number of people were wary of my old tri-color collie

until they realized he wouldn't hurt a fly. Part of it was his demeanor when he met a new person. He would stand stock still, like a great dark wolf-like statue, and look at the unknown person, wagging his tail only after they spoke to him.

People seem divided into two camps, those who are comfortable and familiar with dogs, and those who are not. Initial fear of black animals seems a characteristic of the former, and, unless they have a deep seated fear of dogs in general, they get over it upon they meeting a friendly black dog.

Judging from the numbers of black labs and black cats as family pets, I'd say black pets have a large following of their own, despite the fear factor of the uninitiated.

[leveymg]

3. The bigger the dog, generally, the safer. As I found out canvassing last Fall,

it's the ankle biters you have to keep your distance from and count your fingers afterwards. There were exceptions, like the chocolate Lab that started glowering and showing his teeth when I was still 50 yards from his fenced yard. Problem was, he was on my side of the fence, patrolling HIS street. To get past him, I had to skirt the fence on the other side of the lane. The little fuzz balls in that yard started yapping and doing cartwheels, but stayed where they were. There I was, stuck between Sgt. Rock and the little hard guys.

I've had three hound-labs, all over 100 pounds, and they're the most peaceloving, reliable friends I ever had.

[undeterred]

5. The dark face or 'mask' is what people find scary.

I had a leonberger who was mostly gold but had a black mask and some people found his look intimidating.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. I was about to make the same (or similar) point -

a black dog's face is harder to 'read' than a lighter colored dog, as the eye tend to blend with the face. That would also apply with 'masked' dogs. Big black eyes surrounded by black fur and even people who are familiar and comfortable with dogs have to look especially carefully to see behind the eyes. Of course, the extra scrutiny doesn't make the dog feel any more comfortable, either. It messes with the instinctual dominant/submissive cues.

[undeterred]

8. My current dog also has a dark face.

He's a big goofy puppy who is very friendly with people and with other dogs. But its hard to photograph him and he usually looks very serious.

[TxRider]

7. Is this real, is it that big of a deal?

I adopted an almost all black German Shepherd several months ago..

She had been seized from a backyard breeder, about to die of starvation, mangy, ears blood bags from scratching due to infected ears..

They tell me the SPCA was going to euthanize her, the no kill shelter took her the day she was going to die.

The told me they had her a year, (I think less) and never thought anyone would ever adopt her.

As a single guy who has owned dogs all my life, I had decided I wanted a large dog(she's 70lbs) and I had decided I would look for a dog that a shelter was having a problem adopting out, and leave the cute fluffy dogs or puppies for kids or people that aren't experienced dog owners.

She has turned out to be the sweetest, softest personality, and most submissive dog I have ever had. She loves kids, dogs, and people besides a mistrust of men. (which I am) She would be very awesome dog for a family with kids. She doesn't even show any aggression when yappy little monsters she meets while we're out for walk bite her in the face.

I never connected the problem with adopting her out with her being almost all black though, I took it to be size, and her cauliflowered ears, and total lack of any training.

Do people really see a black dog that differently? That is just such a foreign concept to me I cannot imagine it.

[supernova]

9. Through dumb luck, I have 4 cats, 3 of them black

All the balck ones are female and I really cherish them.

One is a mostly black tortie with an orange tabby undercoat. She's a real mottle.

Then I have two younger kittens, about six weeks old:

1) One is black with a grey undercoat for a very smokey appearance. But she has light blue/grey eyes. I hope she keeps those.

2) The other is a little tuxy with more of a true black, with white chest and white feet, but blackberry pads. That cracks me up. :D She also has blue/grey eyes like her sister.

When I realized I had three black cats, I :rofl: