Black Dog Syndrome is a fairly simple effect seen by pet shelter workers. As a rule, volunteers are not too happy when a black puppy gets to them. They are even less happy if an adult black dog gets to them.
It is believed that black dogs are not liked. It doesn't matter how good-natured the animal is - people see black skin and do not accept it. Those workers who have to spend months in a shelter where there is a black dog are tormented - for them such a dog always becomes a source of potential suffering.
The syndrome has been studied. It was found that the dark color of the coat negatively affects the acceptance of the animal. Sometimes such dogs are even denied shelter - a study from 1988 found that black dogs were much less likely to find a new home than dogs of any other color. The same applies to cats - blacks are taken much less often, regardless of the sex and age of the animal.
Scientists decided to find out why this is happening, and, without further ado, asked people what they think about black dogs. Photographic research has shown that dogs with light-colored coats appear more good-natured and emotionally balanced to humans.
Obviously there is a problem: people are afraid of black dogs, especially large ones. But wait - is that so? Is it just the color?
Yes, color is important. But first of all, people have purebred dogs, not mongrels, regardless of color. Size matters - no one will keep a Great Dane in a one-room apartment. Age also plays an important role. And only with these factors in mind, people begin to choose dogs by color.
And then the amazing thing happens: black dogs are even more likely to find a home than light ones. For example, people consider black poodles to be prettier than white ones, and the same is true for dogs of almost any breed. So the black dog syndrome is fabricated, however, since it is believed to exist, it does not occur to anyone to test it.
The same applies to many other areas of science: myths arise all the time, but for a myth to arise, it is enough to make a bright statement, but to refute it, it takes time and money for research and experiments. And even if these studies are carried out, it is not a fact that with their help you will be able to convince those who firmly believe in the myth.
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A striking example can be cited with vaccination: there are only two, and rather dubious, studies that vaccination can be harmful, and dozens of works proving the opposite: vaccination is harmless and absolutely necessary. Did these dozens of rebuttals help defeat the myth of vaccine dangers? Of course not.
If there is research that proves that ginger cures eczema, and ten others that refute this claim and debunk the myth, do you think the link to which of them will be posted on their website by the seller of ginger?..
Scientific myths are so widespread and tenacious that one should always remember about the black dog syndrome and not take anything on faith without verification and confirmation.
