# Old wives tale about dogs with black mouths...



## GSDGAL (May 27, 2009)

I grew up in country australia and one of the beliefs out on the land that farmers lived by was, "If a dogs mouth is black, it's a good dog, the more white the worse the dog.." and so a lot of pups were culled because of this belief system...(we never did this, but many farmers in my area lived by this "proverb"), Now most of my dogs now have an array of different mouth pigments...all are good dogs..I still shake my head as to why many people believe the pigment of the mouth could possibly make the dog...any of you guys ever experienced any crazy old "legends"?


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

I've heard of this, actually my SO mother thinks this is true. She's asked me twice now if Dakota's mouth is black, it's dark grey??? whatever, I think she's just hoping her dog is the real smart one


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## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

What do you mean by "good" and "bad" dogs? Their behavior? Their health? How genetically sound they are?

It's sad that people are so dumb, though.


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## GSDGAL (May 27, 2009)

I believe it was to do with temperament and behaviour


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## zhaor (Jul 2, 2009)

just like the blue tongue on some Asian breeds are suppose to ward off evil spirits ? I'm asian and I still don't get that .


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I've heard that one before. I've also heard one that says you can tell if your dog is purebred by the color of the pawpads. Apparently purebreds only have solid colored pads. 

But I shouldn't worry, right? All my dogs have black roofs of their mouths.


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## Adustgerm (Jul 29, 2009)

My Saint Bernards have black mouths. But they have freckles all over their skin and also on their pads. And they are purebred.


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

Nargle said:


> What do you mean by "good" and "bad" dogs? Their behavior? Their health? How genetically sound they are?
> 
> It's sad that people are so dumb, though.


I think they mean if the roofs of their mouths are black their more intelligent. I don't know if this is true or not


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## AmyBeth (Jun 26, 2009)

The only one I know of was... the bigger the "smart bump" the smarter the dog. I've even met people who actually believed this too. I just like to joke around with it. Growing up we had an extremely intellegent Border collie/Springer Spaniel mix, who had a large "smart bump" and he also had a cow look that resimbled the one Alfalfa, from the Little Rascals, had (if you pulled it up and twisted a little). I use to tell people that he was so smart that his smart bump gave him a cow lick


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

Floyd Boudreaux saw the roof of our older Stratton dogs mouth which is basically a very dark solid black and said that is the good old stuff and that is what you want. Means not much to be, though it's true not something I've seen common. I do have some other Pits with black mouths but it is not such a dark rich pigment, you can see some pink flesh color though most of them and others have a spotted mouth. 

I've heard also a couple times the more black the dog has on their mouth the better though not sure why. It is just a myth that gets passed along. Guess that means my red nose dogs are worthless with their pink and reddish mouths.


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## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

I have heard that before. From a friend who one day realized that my Scooby (my mix breed) had a black tongue. She said her father always said a dog with a black mouth are the greatest dogs.

While I can't say it is true with all dogs, Scooby is one of the best dogs we have owned. More then once I have been told two things by different people...one is... if you ever have to get rid of Scooby, I would take him. The other is, if all dogs were like Scooby I would get one.
Scooby just turned 10 years old. He is really showing his age, still active, yet as we call him.. an old man now.
He was a pound puppy, he is a momma's boy. He really is a great dog!!


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