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The doghouse

Black or white ?

51 replies

Heswall · 07/04/2012 16:56

I am going to buy a puppy and will have the choice of colour.
I cannot bear dog hair so will be buying a bloody good Hoover, sending her to a pamper day as often as required to keep her clean and sweet smelling but wondered if there's any advantage to a light haired dog v's a dark haired dog ?

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GinPalace · 07/04/2012 17:00

Think it largely depends on your choice of upholstery/clothes.

If you are as careful as you intend it shouldn't matter either way.

I would consider work clothes most carefully though as they are the ones you definitely don't want hairs showing on.

IME I find cat hairs stick worse than dog hairs. I have a black and white dog and find the black hairs are more obvious on my light(ish) brown carpet then the white - but really once they are noticeable I know I have had a bad week and they shouldn't get that bad in the first place, if I keep on top of them you wouldn't see either colour. Grin

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Scuttlebutter · 07/04/2012 17:01

If you start off thinking of dog hair as a condiment, you'll be OK. [bugrin]


Mysteriously, dog hair will adhere to the exact spot on your clothing where it will be most visible. Equally mysteriously, the adhesive properties of the hair will be in direct relationship to the importance of the occasion/outfit you are wearing. So you can pretty much guarantee that a dark suit chosen for an interview will somehow attract pale hairs on the lapel even if your dog is black. [bushock]

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Sarah5656 · 07/04/2012 17:02

Depends what colour carpets you have!
We have a light coloured dog with a beige carpet and you can't see the hair (although I Hoover most days, some will always remain)
We have friends who have a black dog with a beige carpet and their carpet is always covered in black hair!
Personnel I would try and avoid a black dog knowing what trouble they have.
But temperament of the puppy you select is most important.
Good luck with your new puppy Smile

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AllergicToNutters · 07/04/2012 17:04

if it was a concern of mine (which it isn;t) I would favour a darker dog as I think that lighter fur would show up even on jeans etc. But then I have always had cats so I am used to furry clothes Grin and my friends are used to hair in their coffees Smile

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ditavonteesed · 07/04/2012 17:04

blck, sod the hairs you can make them proper shiny, what breed?

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Heswall · 07/04/2012 17:05

I'm leaning towards a blonde one to match the children, next doors dog looks like their daughter too in a good way so they would make a cute foursome walking down the road

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Heswall · 07/04/2012 17:05

A cockerpoo

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ditavonteesed · 07/04/2012 17:35

my dogs match my children, they are always slightly hyper, covered in mud and stinky.

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midori1999 · 07/04/2012 18:52

Scuttle has summed it up pretty well.

To avoid all smelliness/muckiness a dog needs twice daily baths I reckon. I have a black dog and pale dogs and both colours of hair get everywhere regardless of the amount of cleaning that takes place. Think oven, fridge, beds (dogs no longer allowed upstairs) inside my bra... You name it, if it's in my house or it's ever been in my house, it has my dogs' hair on it. Smile

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Al0uise · 07/04/2012 19:43

Why don't you get a teddy bear instead. They don't shed at all and you can coordinate them with your outfits.

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MessyTerrier · 07/04/2012 19:51

I don't think cocker spaniels or poodles shed too much so the hair probably won't be super-noticeable. I grew up with a light-coloured Jack Russell who shed constantly and her fur was like little white pine needles all over the place...very noticeable and you had to really stay on top of the hoovering! We now have a Westie who is a very low shedder; you really can't detect the fur that she sheds on clothes or furniture unless you look really closely (it's the very fine, downy white undercoat that sheds, not the wiry top-coat). We're getting a Scottish Terrier pup in a few weeks and they have a similar double coat so I'm curious to see how much I will notice her fur around the house!

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Heswall · 07/04/2012 20:12

I already have a teddy bear for every outfit thank you Alouise Hmm

I receive the children depending on the occasion and which kid I think will work best with my shoes.

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RedwingWinter · 07/04/2012 20:28

Just don't get a husky or a malamute, because then your house will be full of piles of hair when they shed (which seems to last forever).

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ornellaia · 07/04/2012 20:49

Our black cocker spaniel sheds A LOT. He has a full show coat (not that we show him) so lots of fur everywhere. We also have light coloured flooring, in retrospect I probably should have considered the camouflage properties of our floor/furnishings, but I like the way black dogs look all shiny in the sun so that was what decided me.

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Labradorlover · 07/04/2012 21:18

Light coloured dogs show up the mud and fox poo they've rolled in better......

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discrete · 07/04/2012 21:21

We have both.

The black looks cleaner but gets hotter in the summer.

Both shed everywhere.

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Heswall · 07/04/2012 21:23

I think I've decided on apricot to match my blonde child.

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JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 07/04/2012 21:26

Or you could get dogs like mine - dark sable so they are dark and light all at the same time. Their hair goes with everything.

No matter what you do the hair will stick - like scuttle said. Grin

I have to say, if you dont like dog hair, stinky dogs or general muddy floors then dont get a dog. No matter what you do, unless you clean 24/7 there will be dog trace in your house.

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Marne · 07/04/2012 21:31

I have a white dog, her hair is short but gets into everything, its not too bad unless someone comes over wearing a black jumper or a posh suit and they it gets ruined Grin but at least with short hair she doesn't get very smelly (i probably need to bath her once a month).

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GrimmaTheNome · 07/04/2012 21:38

Get a dog that really doesn't shed or smell much. My short-haired black&tan dachs sheds less than me and my matching blonde daughter. He's beautifully shiny and (unlike said daughter) needs no brushing and detangling. If you want even less mess get a mini rather than a standard.

Don't worry about colour coordination - if you are out with a lovely dog no-one looks at the people above about ankle level. Get the dog you want and then just buy shoes to match it Grin

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fluffygal · 07/04/2012 21:42

Poodles don't shed at all, hence they have to have haircuts. I have both black and white but I have greyhounds which hardly moult so don't really have hair issues. I did have a black cavalier king charles once and his hair really stuck into my beige carpet.

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maddiemostmerry · 07/04/2012 21:58

I have a cockerpoo. He doesn't shed at all but does require regular grooming.

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D0oinMeCleanin · 07/04/2012 22:53

I have one of each. It solves all my outfit problems. Whatever colour I wear will always be covered in visible hair.

I went through a phase of wanting my house to be hair and mud free. I lost half a stone that week and my sanity. We think of the hair and mud as part of the decor now [bugrin]

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Heswall · 07/04/2012 23:00

I am buying the dog so I lose half a stone through excercise or worry either is fine Grin

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D0oinMeCleanin · 07/04/2012 23:04

An exercise bike might be a tidier alternative. Dog and clean are two words rarely uttered in the same sentence.

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