When Kenney and I were looking to adopt our first greyhound, we fell head over heels in love with the breed and immediately started fantasizing about what our first one would be like. We read about all 18 official colors recognized by the American Greyhound Operators, and we started dreaming of what a tiny fawn girl would bring to our lives. The group we applied to discouraged us from making our choice based on color as they try to match based on personality and lifestyle (which makes total sense once you take a step back from the color chart). Then they mentioned two things that changed our lives forever:
1. It is more challenging to place black greyhounds due to the "black dog stigma"- some people are just scared of "big black dogs", others don't think they are as cute (for shame!) as their colorful counterparts, and others simply may not be aware that it is challenging to place these sweeties.
2. While greyhounds in general tend to be great for people with allergies, black greyhounds in particular are excellent for people with severe allergies (and boy do I have allergies!!).
So, we jumped in with both feet and within just a couple of months we adopted our beautiful black girl, Ana, and a few months after that, we adopted our big black boy, Blue! These two pups changed our lives in so many wonderful ways, and we are always happy to shout from the rooftops how wonderful greyhounds, and in particular, black greyhounds are!
I was perusing Modern Dog Magazine online today and came across this wonderful article about "Fighting Big Black Dog Syndrome with Flowers". Immediately, my black dog and crafting interests were piqued, and I clicked through to read more! The article describes the plight of the black dog in shelters. Black dogs are often judged by the color of their fur. It is a struggle to make each black dog stand out to overwhelmed adopters. The article goes on to describe how shelters have reported an increase in black dog adoptions when they are accessorized with a bandannas, or when they have toys or blankets in their space. Beyond bandannas, the article discusses how a flower accessory on the collar could make a huge difference- I imagine that it could help "soften" the appearance of a black dog and make them appear more approachable for those who are timid around "big black dogs". Reading this article makes me wonder if any local shelters are interested in or currently do any accessorizing of their black dogs. It certainly is a fantastic inspiration for creating some flowers to donate! Have any of you heard about programs like this at your local shelters?
We've had a rainbow of hound colors so far, and no two the same, but none of our own hounds have been solid black. We have a dark brindle and her brindling is so light that she could pass for black. I remember hoping our first Greyhound would be brindle, but the color was the least important thing to us. As it turned out, our first girl was brindle, and after she passed away, I wanted anything but another red brindle, but I would have taken one if that was the dog who clicked with me. Ah, if only I could just order one in every color! lol
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a couple of programs that are out there to help adoptable dogs by making them look better in photographs with fancy collars and accessories, but not one geared towards black dogs.
I think it's a natural to have an initial desire for color (as well as whether you want a girl or boy), but I totally agree that we just make our decisions based on who we click with. Take Blue for example- we helped out with numerous dog hauls before meeting him, and I just knew he was right for us (even though he already was slated to go to a forever home). Everything worked out when he was given back to the group by his initial home, and we were right there waiting with open arms (and hearts!!). :)
ReplyDeleteBig Black Dog Syndrome is a real issue. These amazing dogs often get overlooked at shelters. If you're looking for a loyal companion, consider opening your home to a black dog. And hey, don't forget to check out those PetSmart coupons for some much-needed supplies for your new furry friend!
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