Six great all-black dog breeds

Dogs come in a huge and diverse range of colour and pattern variants, which reflects their evolution, natural origins and the results of selective breeding to achieve a range of distinctive and unusual appearances that today, make up the signature look of many dog breeds. However, some colours remain at the top of the pile in terms of popularity and numbers – as is evinced by the sheer number of small, fluffy white and off-white breeds that are common sights in the UK’s dog parks and streets.

On the other side of the spectrum falls all of the great many dog breeds that are black, or have black-coloured variants – which also include some firm favourites and breeds that regularly fall within the UK’s most popular breed listings.

If you have seen an all-black dog out and about and are wondering what type of dog it was, or want to find out about some of the most popular black dog breeds of all time, this article will share six favourites and more unusual choices, with a little more information on each of them. Read on to learn more.

Affenpinscher

The Affenpinscher is a small, rough coated dog that falls within the Kennel Club’s toy dog group, and that can only be found in black, although some grey is permitted within the coat as well.

These fun-loving, feisty little dogs have an almost comical facial expression that many people liken to that of the monkey, giving the breed one of its colloquial names of the “monkey dog!”

Affenpinschers aren’t a hugely common breed in the UK, but they are becoming more popular, and if you know what you are looking for you might be able to spot one out and about on your walks.

Black Labrador retriever

Labrador retrievers come in a range of colours, with yellow, black and chocolate being the main ones, and black labs are of course a very common sight in the UK. The Labrador retriever is one of the most versatile of all dog breeds, and Labradors can be seen performing a wide range of different working roles including guide dogs, assistance dogs, search and rescue, and much more.

They are also one of the country’s most popular pets, and for good reason. Labradors are friendly, outgoing and full of energy, but they are also very kind and gentle, and get on well with people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Scottish terrier

The Scottish terrier dog breed’s main and most common coat colour is black, although they can also be seen in brindle and wheaten colours. Similar in appearance (other than their colour) to the West Highland White terrier, the two breeds do have a number of marked differences other than their coat colours – but both breeds have taken the Best in Show cup from Crufts home in recent years, shining a spotlight on these lively, fun-loving terriers from north of the border!

Russian black terrier

The Russian black terrier is not one of the most common dog breeds in the UK, but if you are looking for a large terrier breed or something a little different, this might be the dog for you! As the name implies, the Russian black terrier is an all-black dog, although some grey is permitted within the coat too, and older dogs of the breed often take on a salt and pepper appearance as they begin to grow in their grey hairs!

They are a very large and energetic dog breed that requires an experienced owner to care for and manage them, but make for excellent pets with the right handling and training.

Hungarian Puli

The Hungarian Puli has a very distinctive coat that forms into cords or dreadlocks once they begin to mature, which requires care from an owner that knows how to maintain and look after this unique style of coat. Pulis can be found in a variety of coat shades including black, grey, and lighter shades, but black is their most common colour.

Another dreadlocked breed is the Komondor dog, which tends to be white coloured – so if you spot a dreadlocked dog and aren’t sure of the breed, it if is black it is probably a Puli – although this is not definitive!

Patterdale terrier

The Patterdale terrier is a British dog breed that like most terriers, comes in a variety of shades – but an all-black Patterdale is a very impressive sight, and one of the breed’s most popular colour variants.

The Patterdale is slightly taller and larger than the Jack Russell terrier, and shares a lot of the same personality traits of tenacity, stubbornness, high activity levels, and a fun-loving, outgoing personality! Their small sizes make them ideal pets for people with smaller homes, but the Patterdale has a real big dog attitude, and so requires a knowledgeable owner who understands how to train and manage a terrier.