Question:
I recently adopted a 2-year-old miniature pinscher. I don't know all of his history, as he was rescued from a bad situation before he came to me. He is a wonderful little guy, well behaved and good-natured. The only problem is, I believe he is a racist.Just like a child would, I think he learned prejudice from his former owners. When I have African-American friends over, he barks, bares his teeth and growls. He also does this to people he sees in the street, but not as seriously.We have tried curbing his behavior by having some of our black friends give him treats, talk to him and try to pet him if he allows it. Do you have any suggestions?.
A.A., Washington, DC Mar 12, 2006
Answer:
In addition to what you are doing, encourage your friends to play with your dog, trying to entice and remotivate him with a squeaky chew toy or a ball, and take him for walks with you as they are holding his leash so he becomes better socialized.I doubt that your dog's previous owners made him a racist. Dogs who grow up in white homes in predominantly white neighborhoods often show fear and suspicion toward people of color. For dogs, a direct stare can be threatening. And I theorize that human eyes set off against a dark rather than pale face can be more intimidating for many dogs.Dogs also pick up on people's fear of them. Cultural differences in body language and voice intonation can also trigger fear, an extreme example being many dogs' reactions to severely handicapped people. Unusual clothing, uniforms and hats also disturb some dogs. They are simply afraid of the unfamiliar. Black friends have told me that in predominantly black neighborhoods, their dogs bark at white people.
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