From ancient Egyptian lords of the underworld to Darth Vader, bad guys often appear in ebony. Does this historical, widespread negative association with the color black cause darker dogs to linger longer in shelters? As we head toward National Black Dog Day on October 1st, we’re taking a look!
What is Black Dog Syndrome?
Black dog syndrome is the idea that people are less likely to adopt black dogs than they are to adopt lighter-colored dogs. If two equally adorable puppies from the same litter—one black, one brown— wiggle, wag and wait for homes in a shelter, the black pup will linger longer, according to black dog syndrome. The idea has been around for a while, as has the term “BBD” for big, black dogs. But the terms “black dog syndrome,” and “BDS” popped up in the mid-2000s, after rescue advocate Tamara Delaney launched a website called Black Pearl Dogs.
Are Black Dogs Less Likely to Be Adopted?
Is black dog syndrome real? While shelter workers and volunteers relay a slew of stories about black dogs waiting longer to find homes, the answer may exist in more shades of grey than black and white.
Researchers who reviewed adoption records from no-kill shelters in New York were surprised to find out that coat color didn’t correlate with length of stay. Another 2015 study came to the same conclusion, after investigating data from 16,000+ shelter dogs over the course of four years.
A 2012 study had subjects rank pictures of poodles in all different colors. Participants ranked the black poodles as seeming more friendly than the white poodles.
that reviewed 1,468 shelter dogs found that black dogs were less likely to be adopted. Yet another study similarly determined that pure black coat color was a negative factor in adoption rates.
Why Might Black Dogs Be Less Likely to be Adopted?
Here are a few theories:
People may associate black dogs with darkness and evil. Thanks, Harry Potter (behold the Grim, ie. “the worst omen of death.”) We’re looking at you too, Sherlock Holmes (guess what color the Hound of the Baskervilles was?). Winston Churchill referred to his recurring depression as his “black dog.” And the association of black dogs with evil goes much farther back. Centuries before they were Hostess snack cakes, “devil dogs” were monstrous black dogs with glowing red eyes feared by U.K. residents. People may still, consciously or subconsciously, associate black with negative attributes.
