black dog syndrome
n.— «But black dogs? While searching for a companion for George Bailey, Gregg was shocked to see a banner on an Ohio animal shelter’s Web site that detailed how tough it is for big dogs with black coats to find homes.…To the uninitiated, the idea seems so strange—doggie discrimination? But among those in animal rescue circles, the phenomenon is commonplace enough to have earned its own name: “black dog syndrome.”» —“Black pups face doggie discrimination” by Melissa Dahl MSNBC Mar. 5, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A mixed-breed dog is sometimes called a bitsa, as in it’s made from “bits of this and bits of that.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “A “Bitsa” Dog is Bits of This and Bits of That of that”” You know, we were talking...
Critters, co-workers, and clothes: What do you call your favorite mixed-breed dog? There are Heinz 57 mutts and Texas brown dogs in the U.S., while in parts of the Caribbean they’re called potcakes and coconut retrievers. Plus, among firefighters...