Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Adopting Black Labrador Is ‘Poignant’ For This Reason

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle adopted a black Labrador recently, and this move has been described as poignant by top dog trainer Eryn Martyn-Godfrey.

Martyn-Godfrey, who works at Believe in Magic Dog Training and Behavior in London, told Express that black dogs often get left behind at shelters. On the contrary, lighter-colored pets get more adopted easily.

“Black dogs often don’t get adopted or rescued, and in shelters, they’re often the last to be picked because of their coat color. Black cats and dogs often get that taboo, and according to statistics in the UK and US this is an ongoing problem seen at adoption centers,” the expert said.

Martyn-Godfrey also shared some of the traits of Labradors and said that the breed gets along well with children. They are also very easy to train and are very reliable. Labradors don’t normally have health issues, and they are classified as a medium-sized breed making them not too big or too small for the royal couple.

“Labradors are also used as guide dogs for the blind and deaf because they’re quick learners, and very adaptable. They’re easy to train, and they can even open and close doors, take shoes and socks off, and many other things,” she said.

In related news, the dog training expert also gave her insight on why she thinks Prince Harry and Markle adopted a rescue dog instead of buying a puppy from a breeder. She said that it may be because Markle’s beagle was also adopted by the “Suits” alum from an adoption center.

“Labradors are also good with other dogs, which might be a reason Meghan chose a rescue dog – so Guy could interact with him and they could see how the two got along, before bringing him back home with them,” she said.

Markle’s other dog, Bogart, was left behind in Canada when she moved to London because he is much older than Guy. In her engagement interview, Markle said that she doesn’t think the older dog is still suited for a long flight.