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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:11 AM Jun 2014

Black Dog Syndrome Why do people discriminate against dark pets?

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/06/black_dog_syndrome_are_people_racist_against_black_pets.html


Would you adopt this dog?

***SNIP

Black dogs get euthanized at higher rates. They linger at pounds and adoption agencies for longer than light-colored dogs, and they are less likely to find a home. Marika Bell, director of behavior and rehoming for the Humane Society of Washington, D.C., says the organization has been tracking animals that have stayed at their shelters the longest since March 2013. They found that three characteristics put a pet at risk of becoming one of these so-called “hidden gems”: medium size, an age of 2-3 years, and an ebony coat.

What kind of nefarious psychological quirk would prevent someone from adopting a dog based on fur color?

Animal welfare experts believe the discrimination arises from a pack of factors. The mythology around black dogs is grim. (The Grim, from Harry Potter, is a “large, black, spectral dog that haunts churchyards” and augurs death.) A 2013 study by Penn State psychologists revealed that people find images of black dogs scarier than photos of yellow or brown dogs—respondents rated the dark-furred animals less adoptable, less friendly, and more intimidating. And while the association between obsidian and evil is more explicit for cats, dogs have to contend with a culture, post-Samuel Johnson and Winston Churchill, that symbolizes depression as a coal-colored hound.

It’s not all superstition, though. With the ascent of image-based sites like Petfinder and Petango, much of the adoption process takes place before you even arrive at the shelter. And glamour shots of black animals are harder to imbue with the requisite sparkle. “Their faces look less expressive, and their eyes get lost,” says Fred Levy, a photographer whose Black Dog Project attempts to give jet-hued canines the star treatment they deserve. (Photography lighting problems can also drive fashion glossies to subtle racism.) Because of the way the camera averages out exposure levels over the entire scene, Levy explains, “often all you’ll see of the dog is a black silhouette and a big tongue.” He solves the problem by arranging his models against a charcoal background. And Horowitz has found that videos work better than photographs at capturing a dog’s lovable personality. But for adoption programs without video equipment or access to professional photographers, shots of black animals remain harder to sell than those of lighter-colored pets.
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Black Dog Syndrome Why do people discriminate against dark pets? (Original Post) xchrom Jun 2014 OP
I love sleek black cats. One of my friends was shocked once that I could possibly RKP5637 Jun 2014 #1
Bodes well for me JustAnotherGen Jun 2014 #2
Black dogs should be photographed in direct sunlight or cloudy bright KurtNYC Jun 2014 #3
Our smaller, auxilliary dog is black, medium sized and adopted from a rescue center when he was hedgehog Jun 2014 #4
We adopted Tanya--who fit all the characteristics-- mnhtnbb Jun 2014 #5
Ohhhh! tosh Jun 2014 #14
Oh, so sorry mnhtnbb Jun 2014 #16
I have 2 black greyhounds and a grey greyhound LibertyLover Jun 2014 #6
We have two greys greytdemocrat Jun 2014 #12
I have a black dog (and a gold dog) and she looks like that dog! Happyhippychick Jun 2014 #7
I recently had... TDale313 Jun 2014 #8
One downside of a black pet exboyfil Jun 2014 #9
I have two. Fawke Em Jun 2014 #10
My baby was a rescue hobbit709 Jun 2014 #11
omg. I think mine was a relative! truebluegreen Jun 2014 #20
Subconsciously, human beings associate 'black' with 'evil' and 'white' (or not black) with 'good'. randome Jun 2014 #13
I think shedding is a MAJOR issue for people. joeglow3 Jun 2014 #15
I have never managed to get it right: mnhtnbb Jun 2014 #17
My dog is black with white paws and adorable. el_bryanto Jun 2014 #18
Fundamentalist churches push the idea that the devil walks around in black dog form. greatlaurel Jun 2014 #19
My last two dogs have been mostly, or all black. I think they're absolutely beautiful kysrsoze Jun 2014 #21

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
1. I love sleek black cats. One of my friends was shocked once that I could possibly
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:23 AM
Jun 2014

have a black cat as a very close pet and friend. I though WTF, are we back in the dark ages. For a number of reasons, we don't talk much anymore.

JustAnotherGen

(31,688 posts)
2. Bodes well for me
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:28 AM
Jun 2014

Once we get the major renovation work done in our home - we are going to adopt a mini poodle (NOT a teacup) and I want a black one. There are lots folks just don't want - and I'd prefer at least 3 years old . . .

Husband has never had a puppy and I don't think he could make it through ANY breed's adolescence.

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
3. Black dogs should be photographed in direct sunlight or cloudy bright
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:42 AM
Jun 2014

conditions which will show the texture of their coat and the whites of their eyes. They are easily as beautiful as any other coat color.

Always photograph a dog from the dog's eye level or slightly lower (same as humans).





I also like to have the collar off of their neck; that is a red harness in the lower shot.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)
4. Our smaller, auxilliary dog is black, medium sized and adopted from a rescue center when he was
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:48 AM
Jun 2014

maybe 1? 2?

He's a mutt, but looks exactly like a mittel spitz, and is the apple of my husband's eye. He's been known to cry with happiness when my husband returns from a long trip, and has leaped up into his arms more than once to lick his face. (Did I mention my husband is 5'11"? That's quite a leap!)

mnhtnbb

(31,320 posts)
5. We adopted Tanya--who fit all the characteristics--
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:51 AM
Jun 2014

from the animal shelter in Lincoln. She was a sweetheart, and we always thought
that Mouse kitty considered Tanya his mommy.

From years ago:

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

tosh

(4,422 posts)
14. Ohhhh!
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 09:52 AM
Jun 2014


Tanya looks so much like my late, great Mac!

Mac was a shelter dog that we fostered from a small pup. He bonded with a special needs foster pup and we bonded with BOTH and kept them. He grew up to look like a Flat Coated Retriever and was smart, gentle and sweet and an excellent communicator, LOL! (He did a perfect Chewbacca at appropriate times!)

He left us in 2012, 3 months after our special needs lab.

I still miss him.

mnhtnbb

(31,320 posts)
16. Oh, so sorry
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:11 AM
Jun 2014

to hear about Mac.

Tanya actually looked very much like a black Golden Retriever. She was a bit mischievous about
coming when we first got her--she loved to run--and her real name was Titania, for the Queen of the
Fairies from Midsummer Night's Dream. You could not find her if she went and hid at night!

She was estimated to be from 1-3 when we got her (1995), and we had her until she left us in 2008. We brought Mouse
and his brother, Simba, home as kittens about 6 months after we got Tanya. Both Mousie (2009)and Simba (2013)
are now gone, too. We still miss all of them.

LibertyLover

(4,788 posts)
6. I have 2 black greyhounds and a grey greyhound
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 08:59 AM
Jun 2014

and love them dearly. We adopted the 2 blacks deliberately because of this attitude. Our rescue organization head thanked me for taking another black dog - just last week as a matter of fact - because I take them to greyhound meet and greets and will be able to show people how lovely they are. And believe me, they are just love sponges.

greytdemocrat

(3,299 posts)
12. We have two greys
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 09:38 AM
Jun 2014

A Black and a Grey. And it is true about the blacks, our
oldest girl sat in a cage for a year before my wife found her
and she is a blackie. Super sweet but people pass them by.

Some people just have a distrust of black dogs. I've heard it
a million times.

TDale313

(7,820 posts)
8. I recently had...
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 09:08 AM
Jun 2014

A woman who volunteers at a local cat rescue mention that black cats have a very hard time getting adopted. Which frankly kinda surprised me. I live in the SF Bay Area. Didn't necessarily expect a large number of people here in this day and age to actively not want a black cat.

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
9. One downside of a black pet
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 09:30 AM
Jun 2014

is keeping them cool in the summer. My border collie is mostly black and his coat does heat up. Same with my in laws black lab. Definitely not a reason to avoid adoption, but something to keep in mind. Find shade where you can when out with your darker furry friends.

On the flip side it is nice to solar heat in the winter.

 

truebluegreen

(9,033 posts)
20. omg. I think mine was a relative!
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:25 AM
Jun 2014

It's the ears.

<a href=".html" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo 107_0710_zps0e9f92b7.jpg"/></a>

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
13. Subconsciously, human beings associate 'black' with 'evil' and 'white' (or not black) with 'good'.
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 09:51 AM
Jun 2014

I think the same misconception carries into race relations on a very subtle level. But just because something might have a psychological basis doesn't mean we shouldn't work to overcome it. We're supposed to be intelligent creatures, right?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.
[/center][/font][hr]

 

joeglow3

(6,228 posts)
15. I think shedding is a MAJOR issue for people.
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:02 AM
Jun 2014

We had a black lab and now have a light colored dog. I admit I was ready to leave the mess of a black dog behind. What I have found, however, is that the light hairs sucks, as it is much harder to see to clean up. They both shed the same, but the black hair is easier to see and, therefore, easier to clean up.

mnhtnbb

(31,320 posts)
17. I have never managed to get it right:
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:15 AM
Jun 2014

We had Tanya (black) when I had light color carpet, and now I have Snowy (guess!)
and black area rugs.

One of these days I might get my dog matching the rugs!

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
18. My dog is black with white paws and adorable.
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:17 AM
Jun 2014

I don't really get this - but I have seen the phenomenon. White pets just seem kind of dull - unless they are white owls and then they are bad ass.

Bryant

greatlaurel

(2,004 posts)
19. Fundamentalist churches push the idea that the devil walks around in black dog form.
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:19 AM
Jun 2014

I would never have believed that anyone, no matter how ignorant, would subscribe to such nonsense. One day while driving around in a rural area of Ohio, the only radio station that would come in was one of the wacko religious stations. The station had an extended story about how the devil was walking in a neighborhood and was coming to people's homes disguised as a black dog. They even had people calling sharing their stories of seeing the devil dogs near their homes. It was the first time it dawned on me how perverted these evangelical ministers are. To promote that kind of hysteria among these people is abuse.

This was around 2000-1, and this was the first time I had ever heard such nonsense about black dogs and I have lived and worked in rural areas all my life. I have heard it more and more since then so it must be crawling out of the corners of ignorance and racism to control people by fear.

It is too bad progressives cannot afford to set up low power radio stations in these rural areas to combat this nonsense.

kysrsoze

(6,010 posts)
21. My last two dogs have been mostly, or all black. I think they're absolutely beautiful
Mon Jun 30, 2014, 10:28 AM
Jun 2014

My two fave breeds, Dobermans and Black Labs, are just the sweetest dogs in the world.

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