A stupid dog question

[Guest]

Hi guys, yesterday my exterminator Ben came who is a African American man. He has been my exterminator for years. I love him to death, a nicer man could not be met (quite handsome too I may add, my quarterly flirting episode!) Anyhow,my dog Mamie came out with me. She was totally freaked out and was barking like mad at him. This is the dog who flirts with anybody who comes into the yard. He asked me is she afraid of Black people? I said no. But then I started thinking. Aren't dogs color blind? How could she tell the difference? She love the UPS man the Yard guy, they are white. Hell any one she normally loves. I just can't for the life of me figure out why she didn't like him. He put his equipment in his truck (thinking that was what was scaring her) it did not help. Has anyone heard of a dog being prejudice? It just sounds to crazy to be true. Mamie Eisenhower needs some racial sensitivity classes. Ithis just really bothered me a lot. I may sound stupid.....
Thanks
Mar

[Pisces]

A stupid dog question

My dogs go pshyco over anyone they don't know, so if someone new comes to the house I always ask them to crouch down to dog level and say hi, my dogs sniff them, get a sneaky lick in and then accept them as being ok, cause mum is introducing them.

Otherwise they bark and carry on stupid like they think I'm needing their protection.

Did you introduce them? It might help, and no, I think dogs just accept people, they don't have 'people predjudices' they haven't been taught!

Hope this helps.

Love Jas xxx

[Guest]

A stupid dog question

Thanks Guys, Nutty, Mamie has met him before but Simon was with her. Maybe he was her protection. Pisces, I always introduce my dogs to anyone who enters the yard. Oh well, at least Ben had a good sense of humour about it!
Smiles
mar

[Mags]

A stupid dog question

Dogs don't see color as we do but can distinguish light skin from dark skin. Some dogs freak out over skin color, some over beards, some even over glasses. Often it has to do with a past bad experience (was Mamie adopted from a shelter?) and sometimes it has to do with just some kind of difference that scares them. Sometimes it can be trained out of them and sometimes it can't. It also may be that one particular person - maybe a smell on him (chemicals??) that freaks Mamie out. Maybe take her to a park or somewhere with open space where she can encounter other African Americans and see how she reacts. If she is not protecting her territory, she may not be as aggressive and may learn to get used to the darker skin color. Just some thoughts. Good luck.

[Lotus]

A stupid dog question

I had always heard that dogs don't see in colour but was not sure how true it is. My aunt's dog is adorable and the times I have stayed over he has even slept in the bed. Yet he will growl at me if I wear something flowing eg skirt, dress.

mmmm.....I do wonder if he is my grandad reincarnated for not wearing appopriate attire!!!! LOL

[Bella]

A stupid dog question

Hi Simeybear, My dog barks furiously at black men who come to my door! Its embarressing. She's got a dark brown coat herself for gods sake!!! She also terrifies people who dare to wear a hat. Now, this is a dog who is adorable, loveable and would not hurt a fly. She protects me with her life. So, I have no idea why she does this as she has had no bad past experiences. My little Bella lives the life of reilly! Dogs........don't you just love them?!!! Love, Bella xxx

[beatle]

A stupid dog question

Seems to me that if we can discuss the racial prejudices (or lack thereof) of a dog on this site, then we can also discuss the merits (or lack thereof) of presidents past and present -- as well as anything else. Where do we draw the line of appropriateness? (btw, I'm game for anything=-))

[YoungAtHeart]

A stupid dog question

Maybe you could introduce Ben, as mentioned above, and also provide him with some doggy treats so that he can be seen as a provider rather than a threat.

I had a dog once that I got by hitting her with my car (!!!!), and she had clearly been abused by a man. She was terrified of all men, except my father, for a long, long time. She eventually became used to them, though, and became quite friendly to men after several years. If Mamie hasn't been exposed to African American men regularly without Simon, she may just be reacting to the color of his skin because it is different from what she knows.

[morrison]

A stupid dog question

Deleted cause I don't want to hurt anybody's feeling with a f'ing joke. I'm outta this board. Later.

[sammys]

A stupid dog question

My one dog barks at everyone until they come in the gate, my other dog only barks if the other one will not stop and he gets on top of the one and starts barking at him like hes trying to tell him to stop because he does not like it either. Oh and I almost just lost the both of them I was eating a sandwich on my deck and opened one of the gates to the lake so they could swim and I was reading the newpaper and they swam away and got out of the lake a few houses away. Thank goodness they both came a running home when I called them. Had me scared for a few minutes.

Sammys

[hart]

A stupid dog question

We live next to a black family and my dog doesn't bark at them. BUT he does bark excessively at one of my tenants and he is developmentally disabled. It IS embarrasing and I can't figure out what makes Rocky do that either. This man has a dog which Rocky loves so it's not like he's not a dog person. So Simey, I'm with you, if you do come over, maybe we can find a sensativity class for our dogs :H

[sujul]

A stupid dog question

I hear ya, Beatle! The dog thing...weird! We had a neighbor whose dog barked only at black people--with the sole exception of my partner who is African-American--Tess just LOVED her!

Personally, I'm a cat person (like dogs but LOVE cats) and cats have a similar thing....of our two, it's Monty who has the preferences--his are for non-white men, especially those with any type of "accent"--African American, Caribbean, Middle Eastern....he comes rushing out if he hears any of these types of voices and he's all over the person. If a woman, or a white american guy comes over, it takes him a couple of hours to warm up....

Jaspar, on the other hand, who is a beautiful Ocicat--but rather brain-challenged--is a slut for everyone who comes near....rolls over, legs open--it's totally embarrassing!:H

[beatle]

A stupid dog question

I am, of course, a cat person, too (as the owner of the other half of Sujul's brain), but mine are all equally non-prejudiced. Anyone with food is a friend. All others are regally ignored, regardless of race or gender. (one them is named Monty by the way-- more proof of the split-brain theory)

[sujul]

A stupid dog question

You have GOT to be kidding! You also have a Monty Cat?!!?? Well, I guess it DOES make sense...given the brain-sharing thing....

My partner does a brilliant reenactment of the "Monty Myth"--the heartwarming story of a tiny abandoned kitten, injured and helpless, alone on the gritty streets of Brooklyn, rescued by chubby-cheeked schoolgirls, given the horrible name of "Rico" (?) by the vet and finally adopted into a loving home where they discovered that his real name was Monty....

[roxane]

A stupid dog question

get ben to throw high value treats nonchalantly while around mamie every now and then without looking at her and then chat to himself, to you no big deal etc. baked liver or boiled chicken is best, tiny bits to get her looking forward to it without filling her up. he will then be associated with good things. he should throw them towards but not at her.

a few times of this, he could toss them nearer to him but still not take any notice of her, still chatting to himself or you. do not talk to her yourself, do not praise her for taking the food. take your time with this and you will be rewarded.

if/when she will take the treat from his hand, dont you or ben get excited and cuddle her, it will set you back to square one, it not doggy language!

you cannot force mamie to accept ben but you can encourage. good luck!

roxane