Is my dog a racist?

Question

I've noticed that my dog really enjoys barking at black people alot, everytime they're coming in and out of my compound, it doesn't try n bite them or anything and if anyone gets to close it runs away and barks from a distance, I want to point out that i haven't trained this dog in anyway, its not even mine it just came with the house im renting,

I'd like to point out again that it isn't my dog, I just inherited it when i moved in a few months ago, it is possible the previous tennant was racist, and if the dog is mimicing my feelings then i wouldnt have a problem cos all i want it to do is shut the f*ck up so i can get some peace n quiet when im sitting outside in the sun,

Answer 1

Quite a few dogs seem to have this problem. It doesn't necessarily stem from abuse or a racist owner, but rather that the dog doesn't see
enough people of different races. If the only black people he sees are afraid of him, that bolsters his confidence and makes him more secure about attacking them. Deliverymen can actually attack train your dog without meaning to - they come to your house, challenge the dog by knocking on the door, and then appear to "run away" when the dog barks (from the dog's point of view).

I'd get your black friends to meet you for a fun walk outside your house as often as possible. (Meeting inside the house makes the dog more protective and aggressive.) Greet your friend warmly and just start walking side by side. If the dog growls or snarls, just give him a tug on the lead and tell him firmly to knock it off. Have a nice conversation as you walk so the dog will learn that your friend is not a threat and this should gradually lessen his aggression toward them. Ask your friends to act like they’re not afraid, even if they are. Nervous behavior will provoke the dogs' aggression. When he's improving, have your friends meet at the house - keep your dog on a leash so you can control his behavior. Also, you should be doing a LOT of obedience training - you should be in charge. Your dog should not be telling you who is allowed in or near your house.

Answer 2

Perhaps the dog was raised by white people and very rarely socialized. In doing that when the dog sees a black person, maybe he barks because he is unfamiliar with how they look. I'm not 100% certain on that, but if the dog shows no aggression towards black people, maybe you could introduce the dog to a few, so he can see they are fine. Just a thought..

Answer 3

My dog does this also. I am not a racist and the dog has not been trained to do this. I think it is just that my dog is not used to seeing black people and they are different to him. He stays in the house most of the time except when I walk him and we have a privacy fence in the back yard, we rarley have company, so when is he going to come into contact with them. My son has a black friend that comes over and when ever he comes over my dog barks, he doesn't do it to the other white friends. But after a while he stops and acts normal. I know dogs are color blind but they can still see that they look different than what they are used to seeing.

Answer 4

Dogs aren't racist, they can not determine the color of skin. They are guided by a sense of smell 100 times greater than humans. Different races have a slightly different scent which is indeterminable to humans, but not to dogs. If a dog is around mostly Caucasian people it barks at folks with different scents. If a dog belongs to black people it usually barks at white people who come around. Also dogs sense fear. My personal experience has been black people being afraid of dogs they do not know (even a golden retriever). When a dog senses fear in a person (stranger or owner) it puts them at ill-ease. The dog barking at any particular group of people is not a bad reflection on you. Just of a case of the dog not having been exposed or socialized to another race.

Answer 5

Unless you're learning to be a Veterinarinan, I can not think why a professor might even carry up one of these dull field. (and even then) Dogs are NOT racist. Dogs react to the way in which they're raised. You kick and starve a puppy, it'll be imply and cruel. You love and deal with a puppy, it'll be your great pal. IF YOU are racist, and exhibit anger closer to a distinctive colour/variety of humans, you puppy will choose up on that, and comply with your instance. No......a white puppy won't hate a black puppy on the grounds that of colour. Dogs do not even sign in 'colour'. What's the problem with you? or your so referred to as professor?

Answer 6

Either it was treated badly by a black person or
it was trained to be anxious about them by seeing the way
its owners reacted to black people.

Once at the vet clinic we had a Dobie there for quite awhile (2 broken legs, long story) he was very sweet but the owner warned us that the dog hated black people. So one day Rusty was asleep in the middle of the floor when this black couple came in with their cat carrier and they walked right around him and the woman patted his side and he just sighed and wagged his tail.

It was the reaction his owner had when he saw black people that set off the protectiveness in Rusty- the dog himself had no fear of black people at all.

Answer 7

I do not believe that dogs are racist. If the dog had a current owner, I'd say that they trained the dog to act this way around blacks.

Answer 8

dogs arent racist becuz they cant see color just black and white, they do have a great sense of smell maybe it was hurt by people who were black, and dumped as well, you never know. all you have to do is when it is barking at people just walk slowly up to it and gently calm it down, and let it know that the people arent going to hurt anymore, you never what happend in its past. you just have to be patient you can be mad at it for barking, cuz he has a good reason to. far as you know of course, but just give it time.

Answer 9

It is because either the dogs previous owner was a racist and it picked up that habit or was trained to bark at them, or its previous or even fisrt owner was black and it was abused by him or black people. if you have any more questions, E-mal me.

Answer 10

it can develop a bias of this sort quite easily (based on some experience or feeling). my friends dog was a strightforward sexist and nobody knew why. a lot of dogs bark at small strange children because they stare at them and the dogs think it is a menace