ears? ¹
Are you looking for your next dog, or perhaps a dog for a loved one or a dear old friend?
And, at the moment all you have got to go on is that they must be black and have “pointed ears”.
Although you might think that it doesn’t give you enough to go on, I think that it is a great start.
Black dogs look great- and as a Golden Retriever owner, I can be envious of a coat colour that hides the dirt much more than “cream”!
And you want breeds that have triangular or pointed ears?
No trouble- as I have prepared a list of X black dogs with pointy ears.
Let’s start with the biggest specimens first.
[1] Black German Shepherd
coat. And those ears…²
Black German Shepherds tend to have long coats.
This means to some people they are large cuddly teddy bears, whereas other people view them as viscous and aggressive.
German Shepherds are dogs bred to work.
Originally they were bred to herd but since the early twentieth century they have been used very successfully by the police and military.
Apart from those dogs that have been mistreated and are scared and aggressive as a result, perhaps too many other German Shepherds are in homes where they aren’t stimulated enough and they become aggressive because they are bored.
These are big dogs. A fully grown male can stand at 65 cm and weigh in at around 35 kg.
If you want a large black dog with pointy ears and you have the time and the patience to put into training them and you have a lifestyle where they won’t be on their own for long periods then consider a German Shepherd
[2] Dobermann Pinscher
Dobermans are another German breed with a reputation for being aggressive and nasty.
The most common colour for them is the black and rust colouring but they do come in just black.
And those ears, aren’t they pointy? They have a life of their own as the ears are so tall.
Unlike German Shepherds, Dobermanns were never bred for herding.
The man who bred them originally (Karl Dobermann) was a tax collector who wanted a dog to provide him with protection.
And like German Shepherds, they were quickly used by German police and the military.
Bigger and heavier than a German Shepherd, a male Dobermann can stand 70 cm tall and tip the scales at over 40 kg.
Once again they require lots of training but you will be rewarded for your efforts with a dog that will be 100% loyal.
They will want to be with you all the time and so they aren’t ideal for people who have a traditional nine to five job.
[3] Siberian Husky
There is no such thing as a Siberian Husky that is all black.
Most recognisable as a silver grey coloured dog, the black version of a husky will still have white flashes on its chest, snout and stomach.
But those ears are a great shape.
Like the German Shepherd’s ears, they are more “rigid” than the floppy ears possessed by Dobermanns!
Known for their amazingly thick fur (which consists of two coats) and the fact that they tend to howl instead of bark, these dogs need incredible amounts of exercise.
I have met owners taking their dogs on bike rides and I have come across a small group who were pulling a “chariot”.
A related issue is that these dogs can scale high fences- even six foot tall fences may not be enough.
And if they can’t go over a fence, they will be determined to get under them. Siberian Huskies are determined diggers by all accounts.
On the plus side, these dogs are hardly ever known to be aggressive towards humans and they are great with children.
In terms of size and weight, a fully grown male can stand 60 cm tall and weigh in at anything up to 27 kg.
[4] Chow Chow
A rough translation of “Chow Chow” to English is “puffy lion”, but I don’t think that its lion looks are its most unusual feature.
Chow Chows have blue or purple tongues! I kid you not.
The most common colour for these dogs is red but there is a solid black version- and they look impressive too.
You might have to look quite hard to see the triangular ears because they can be lost amongst a “halo” of fur that runs along the top of their head.
These dogs are sometimes labelled the “cleanest” dogs as they are so easy to house train, have very little odour and they groom themselves as often as cats do!
They are also incredibly calm, with no aggression and very limited exercise needs.
Perfect for an owner who is looking for a pet black lion that stands just over 50 cm tall and weighs about 30 kg!
[5] Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzer is another dog that has been widely used over the past century by the police and military.
Another dog of German origin, it was bred to herd cattle to market and were used by farmers for personal protection.
It has several unusual features to it, of which a pair of incredibly pointed ears are just one. The beard, docked tail and the groomed coat.
For fans of some of the original Dr. Who series, Giant Schnauzers are shaped like his loyal robot, K-9!
They are known to be great family pets but they need to be within a family that will keep them very well exercised and spend lots of time grooming them.
[6] Shiba Inu
I have profiled this dog in another article where I list those small dogs that look like foxes– that is the “red sesame” version.
Shiba Inus also comes in two black varieties- black and tan and black sesame.
Which means that there is still quite a lot of their coat which isn’t black.
And as you would expect from a dog that could be mistaken for a fox, Shiba Inus have pointed triangular ears- and an amazingly fluffy and curly tail as well.
These are medium sized dogs. A fully grown male can stand tall at 43 cm and weigh just over 10 kg.
They are known for their strong personalities and great agility.
They are great companion dogs that need lots of exercise and attention.
Shiba Inus are great dogs for someone who is looking for a dog that has splashes of colour on its coat as well as black, has beautifully shaped ears and someone is looking for a companion for life.
[7] Schipperke
A nice midway point between a large breed such as a German shepherd and a Chihuahua, is a Schipperke.
And they have a very unique look to them.
A male can grow to a maximum of 33 cm high and weigh in at about 9 kg, they are a medium sized Belgian shepherd dog.
Their heads and ears are shaped like a German Shepherds- the triangular ears stand up tall.
But much smaller of course.
They were bred to catch vermin and these dogs are very alert and don’t miss a thing.
[8] Chihuahua
You are looking for a dog with pointed ears?
How about a dog with ears that look as if they should be on a dog twice the size?
Welcome to the Chihuahua, which at a maximum height of 25 cm and weight of 3 kg, is known as the world’s smallest breed of dog because they may only be 15 cm tall and 1.3 kg in weight.
Named after a region in Mexico, Chihuahua rolls off the tongue far more beautifully than it rolls off a computer keyboard!
Most dog breeds have very strict standards when it comes to colours.
Only certain colours or combinations are allowed.
This is not so for the Chihuahua.
Almost any combination is allowed.
And so, although it is more likely that you will find a dog which is black with a white band stretching from its chin to its chest, solid black dogs are available.
These are the perfect dogs for owners who want “companionship” first and foremost.
A dog that you can take anywhere and everywhere.
[9] Pomeranian
Pomeranians are slightly larger than Chihuahuas.
The real difference is the coat as the Pomeranian’s coat is much thicker.
Unlike a Chihuahuas smooth and flat coat, the Pomeranian is much fluffier.
It has the Chow Chow’s luscious mane which hides triangular ears but if you look closely, they are there.
Like many small dogs, Pomeranians have very big personalities.
They can be very demanding and territorial- which can result in a lot of barking.
They like to keep active and like plenty of interaction.
Closing Thoughts
Hopefully after flitting through my list of 9 black dogs with triangular ears, you have narrowed your search.
You know what dog breeds you need to look more closely at and which breeds you won’t be giving a second thought to.
My personal favourite is the Giant Schnauzer.
Not only is this dog jet black but its ears stand so proud and angular which kind of match the very angular look of the rest of its body.
I think that I would really enjoy spending lots of time exercising it, I’m just not sure about whether I could keep up with all the grooming that its coat needs!
Photo Credits
¹ Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
² Photo by Anna Dudkova on Unsplash
³ Photo by Anna Kozakova on Unsplash
⁵ Photo by Goran Vlacic on Flickr
⁶ Photo by Konstantin Zamkov on Flickr
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