Black Dogs with Blue Eyes are Amazing

Franki ... a black dog with amazing blue eyes.

I get so many comments about my beautiful Franki.  Black dogs with blue eyes are amazing to look at, and she is also such a beautiful spirit. She loves people and has a very sweet personality.  She's also a bit of a goof and likes to clown around.

There are several breeds of dogs that often have blue eyes:  Alaskan and Siberian Huskies, Australian Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, Border Collies, Catahoula Leopard Dogs, and Dalmatians are the most likely to have blue eyes. Since I started this blog and also from the videos I've posted of Franki on YouTube, I've heard from several people who have black lab mixes with blue eyes.  So Franki isn't absolutely unique, but she is rare.  Most blue-eyed dogs are white or are multi-colored or merle.

On the Move!

I never tire of taking photos of Franki, although with the stark contrast between her black fur and light blue eyes, sometimes it's difficult to capture good shots of her. Plus, if she's outside, she's usually on the move.

Soon after adopting Franki, I noticed she had a limp.  It's only noticeable when she's walking, and if you saw her running around the front yard or out in the woods, you'd never know she has a bum leg. X-rays revealed that she has rather significant arthritis in her back right knee. Our vet believes it's most likely due to getting hit by a car when she was a puppy and not getting proper veterinary care for the injury. Franki was rescued when she was barely a year old and was often seen limping around a rural community, alone and hungry.

Since she was injured so young, she has obviously adapted well to the somewhat limited use of her leg.  I give her a joint supplement, and the occasional anti-inflammatory when she seems especially stiff, but she is otherwise very happy, very active and very healthy.

Taunting Ripley into a Chase

With her boundless energy, Franki is one of those dogs who enjoys sprinting around the yard at top speed, hoping one of the other dogs will chase her.  She often taunts the other dogs by grabbing a toy and dangling it just out of their reach.  When they try to take it from her, off she goes!

If we're on a hike in the woods, it's almost impossible to get a good picture of her.  Franki has a bit of a wild streak and runs through the woods like a deer. She's graceful, sleek, and very fast.  And, as you can see in this photo, she usually looks a bit crazy as her ears are caught in the wind as she runs, her eyes wide with the excitement of being out in the wild.

...................................................

Did you know that black dogs are the least likely to be adopted from rescues and shelters?  It's referred to as "Black Dog Syndrome" or "Black Dog Bias" by animal rescue workers.  For whatever reasons, some people have an unreasonable fear of black dogs (and other black animals).  But anyone who has ever lived with a black dog can attest to the fact that they are just as wonderful and loving as a dog of any other color. 

Photographer Fred Levy recently launched the Black Dogs Project, a photo series of black dogs against a dark background. Levy's photos are beautiful and truly capture the sweet nature of his subjects.  His project was recently the topic of a widely read article in the The Huffington Post, which you can read HERE. 

Franki Blue

His series doesn't feature any black dogs with blue eyes, but you can always come back here, where I'll be posting more photos of my blue-eyed wonder dog, Franki, in the near future.