Absolutely. Most metropolitan areas are now home to first and second generation immigrants from countries where dogs weren't generally kept as pets.

 

I find that the majority of black people I encounter while on walks are scared to death and Dolly is also on high alert too. I have two dear friends who are black and have GSDs and it does not bother them at all nor does it bother Dolly.

Dolly seems to gravitate to people that are afraid of her.

 

This isn't really what your post is about, but.....
I think *certain* people are afraid of GSD's because they are "police" dogs and will sniff out their drugs and guns!
I've walked my dogs in inner city area's and people take a wide berth to stay away.
My niece brought over a friend and he was afraid of my dogs too(for the reason I posted above) They see the K9 LEO's and assume all GSD's are trained as a drug dog.
But they are all about the pit-bulls.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with shepherds being police dogs. It has to do with the type of dogs most people in the inner city own. They're typically pits, shepherds, rotts, dobermans, or some mix of those breeds. They're also typically mean, poorly trained, and neglected. They're used as guard/attack dogs.

When you grow up in areas where most of the dogs are not friendly, bark and snarl on sight, and are best to steer clear of, you're probably going to assume that most dogs are that way because that's what you know. I live in a city now, and while I don't live in a bad area myself, I live very near to one. When I walk my dogs I typically walk them past train and bus stations that are filled with people from those neighborhoods. They aren't just afraid of my shepherd. They're afraid of my boxer too, as is evidenced when I walk him without the shepherd around. They're basically wary of any medium or larger breed, particularly if they look like attack dogs.

Meanwhile, people in rural areas grow up with dogs as pets. Their neighbors have friendly dogs. Their friends have friendly dogs. They grow up seeing dogs as animals to be played with and enjoyed. So naturally, those people grow up being generally unafraid of dogs. For example, I used to play with a GSD that my neighbors owned almost every day and loved that dog. That is the main reason I own a GSD today.

It is definitely a cultural thing. You're defined by your experiences growing up. If you experienced dogs as a threat when you were a kid, you'll continue to view them that way. If you experienced dogs as a pet when you were a kid, you probably own one as an adult and aren't afraid of them.

 

I agree with this but there are reasons that explain it. Some cultures dogs aren't kept as fun pets, they are meant to guard / terrify people on purpose or tied up all the time so they are mean messed up dogs, or left to roam and bite at will. It leaves a bad impression and they can be passed down to kids. I know my friend taught her kid to not pet or befriend dogs because they can be unpredictable and bite. I've also lived in a country where the religion isn't open to dogs.

However... today I experienced breed discrimination at a off leash dog beach by every day Americans. My dog was passing by and they took a big breath and went "oh my god!" in a fearful way. Or "wolf!" Another stopped at a distance, I think to make sure I got my dog under control. They just stopped and starred. I kept walking past them. A white chihuahua did come to tell my dog off (my dog was minding her own business walking by me).... my dog whimpered. So there you have it... the big scary wolf is scared of a little chihuahua.

 

I tried to find you a decent read about Islam and dogs but I don't really agree with everything one article can say.

The Koran mentions dogs in three places (I think). Nothing about it says that people should be 'fearful' of dogs.

However, many muslims follow hadiths (A collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH)). And there are quite a few of them regarding dogs; ranging from black dogs being considered devils to prostitutes going to heaven for quenching a dogs thirst. Hadiths also about doggy hair being unclean and angels not entering a house in which a dog lives. Unfortunately I can go on and on and I think these translate into people not necessarily fearing dogs but wanting to steer clear of them to remain 'clean' and follow sunnah as well as teaching their kids to fear dogs for this reason IMO...

I don't really know about black people fearing dogs...I've never really heard that before but I guess anything is possible

 

Is it true that Salukis aren't considered "dogs" or "unclean" by Muslims?

 

I've heard this too but I cannot answer this. I think there are different schools of thought about it, but I'm not versed enough to say for sure...

 

I've known quite a few people who have been terrified of my GSDs, because they've come from countries where the police are more of a lawless militia, and dogs have been used to terrorize people.

 

i don't think certain cultures are more prone to be
afraid of dogs. i think certain people are narrow minded
racist that see things in a certain tunnel vision dim light.

 

I agree with this. If a person is raised with dogs, they are more prone to want one in their adult life. Some folks never had a dog, but always wanted one. Some folks never had a dog, never wanted a dog, see no reason to have a dog. Some folks are scared of dogs.

I never had a pet cat as a child. They were always feral barn cats. I had a fear of being bitten by a cat. No fear of being bitten by a dog, but a cat made me nervous. Not so much now, but having a cat rub against my feet when I'm bare footed still makes me nervous.

 

A friend of mine lived in Indonesia for about 6 years, when she came back home to Australia we couldn't work out why her kids were terrified of dogs.

It turns out their Nanny was an indonesian lady who due to religious believes considered dogs to be unclean as well as the fact that in indonesia they seem to have a lot of street dogs which are aggressive and diseased.
So whenever she was outside walking with the kids if they saw a dog she's grab the kids and tell them to stay away from the dogs and quickly moved the kids to the other side of the road etc.
So of course the boys grew up thinking of dogs as "bad' and were scared of them because thats what they were told and thats how all the locals were.
They now own a retired greyhound and love him to bits - but it took quite a while for them to not be afraid of him

 

I don't think it has anything to do with race or culture. There are many people in my area scared of my dog and it's a predominantly white area.

I agree with briantw...it's all about what you are used too. Rural areas, suburb areas grow up with large dogs as family pets. Inner city, and I'm guessing here, probably have smaller dogs as pets due to size of housing. The larger breeds are most likely going to be owned by the bad asses and have no training, no manners.

My friend told me a story of when she went to either NYC or Philly (probably Philly since that's where they are from) with her black lab who was a large one. She said people....ALL PEOPLE....parted like the Red Sea.

If you grow up and your whole experience with large dogs comes from TV or the dog on the next block with no training who lunges at you, then you will be scared of large dogs. Nothing to do with race or culture and everything to do with....wait....doggiedad, are hearing this?....everything to do with SOCIALIZATION of our children.

Now, to the OP, maybe the person telling you that all black people are scared of large dogs was generalizing based on the people she knows that have not be exposed to large dogs?

 

What Jax 08 said. Just like some cultures see dogs as a source of food.

 

People throw around the word "racist" waaay to easily. Nothing "racist" has been said by anybody in this thread- but I had a feeling this is where this thread would end up.

Anyway-yes, I do think certain cultures or demographics of people are more prone to fear dogs. Particularly areas of poverty, where dogs are used as weapons....

 

I find the idea of black people being afraid of dogs hilarious since our trainer and the other woman in training with us is black.

As the other posters have said, it comes down to what you're used to and how you grew up. My husband never had dogs as pets until he married his ex. Any dog they had was forced upon him (went out for donuts and came back with a dog), always came at a bad time financially and they were never trained. It took me 7 years to undo all of that (plus getting past the bites he had experienced) to get him on the same page. Even then he had some pretty specific stipulations (must be a puppy, must be in training) before he'd consider it.

Now, he loves our dog and sees why I wanted a GSD so much. After just a couple of weeks he was saying he doesnt want any other type of dog. This coming from a man who said he'd never own a GSD because they eat babies.

There is alot of misinformation out there about GSDs and dogs in general. If people don't have first-hand, positive experience they are going to believe the hype.


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free

 

Yeah I am confused as to why the term racist was even brought into the conversation (Even what the lady, with whom the op had had a conversation with, had said wasnt racist). If anything what the lady who the op had a conversation with was generalizing but not racist.

Any way on topic with what the thread is really about. I agree with what briantw is saying. It really depends on what you were raised with growing up or what you were exposed to. I know people that have had large and/or small dogs growing up and love them as well as people that dislike them do to lack of training. For me personally, I really like dogs of all sizes, but I cant stand cats. We have had a couple cats while I was growing up and family members have had them. My conclusion for them is I dont like or trust them. So I really think it is more based on how you are raised with percieving dogs, or in my case cats.

 

I had a grandmother terrified of cats...terrified...to the point that she woke everyone up in the middle of the night, standing on the bed, screaming "George!!! It's a cat" when she stayed with us one weekend and our cat got out of the bedroom.

That doesn't mean all little old ladies are scared of cats or that anyone observing the spectacle has something against all little old ladies.

 

I think it all depends on what you were exposed to while growing up. As an infant I was raised with 2 Shepherds, Irish Setter, several other dogs, cats, pony, all kinds of farm animals, I grew up to LOVE animals.
When I was 13 I worked at a pony track, walking little kids around a track. It still amazes me till this day how many children were afraid of getting on that pony. When my niece was little we put her up on my horse, she was terrified cried screamed and carried on. Just a few short minutes later we couldn't get her off of him.
When ever I take Lakota out in public there are always those few people that look like they are scared to death, no specific race or culture.

 

Fears are fears, based on individuals, culture plays in a bit. I wouldn't think it would be fair if we are discussing persons born in North America to put it off on race, it's personal preference and beliefs. I know a lady who rescues pigs, says they are clean animals and lets them live in her house. No bloody way would a swine share a home with me - well since the three ex husbands LOL, it has nothing to do with my race, it has not much to do with my upbringing, we had edible animals on the farm, the odd cow or pig that my parents butchered, I just wouldn't have a pig in my house.
I think I have dated almost every race out there and I haven't run across anyone who is afraid of my dog, a couple of the guys were like, dogs should be outside, but I've run into white guys who said the same.
If we're speaking of persons born in North America, it's not a race or cultural thing, it's an exposure thing, persons who have immigrated, possibly. However on the flip side when I did therapy work in Kitchener with my dog, I know there were a couple of the nursing homes where they preferred GSD's not be brought in, predominantly the ones where the residents were of German or Polish birth. - They're white people. They loved my collie though
Not to derail this thread, but if you have predominantly lived and surrounded yourself with one race or culture, or only yourself been exposed to one type of lifestyle, it is easy to make blanket statements about others because of your own lack of exposure. I think where people are getting rubbed the wrong way, is it is coming across as I've met 10 black people in my life, they were all afraid of dogs, all black people must be afraid. It's like saying I've met 10 lawyers in my life, they were all money sucking scum, all lawyers are money sucking scum. It becomes a blanket statement or question and does come across racist.

 

It becomes a blanket statement or question and does come across racist.

There goes the misuse of "racist". Maybe people are so used to throwing the word around they don't even understand its meaning anymore.

Let's go over the meaning of "racist":

racism or racialism (ˈreɪsɪzəm, ˈreɪʃəˌlɪzəm)

— n
1. the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
2. abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief

Where is ANYBODY claiming superiority over other races in this thread? I think the word you are looking for is "prejudice".

prejudice (ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs)

— n
1. an opinion formed beforehand, esp an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts
2. the act or condition of holding such opinions
3. intolerance of or dislike for people of a specific race, religion, etc
4. disadvantage or injury resulting from prejudice
5. to the prejudice of to the detriment of
6. law without prejudice without dismissing or detracting from an existing right or claim

 

I don't think doggiedad was making a racist statement ...I also think that this thread invites opinions about other races and cultures..Some people are more afraid than others...I have met more African americans that seemed afraid of my big dogs than I have met others...This is not a racist statement ..this is based on my experiences..I am not a racist..Just my opinion. Am I saying ALL AA are afraid of big dogs..No., I am simply replying to the OPs OP...

 

I think the way people feel about dogs is based on the culture they were brought up in. Also personnel experience. I grew up in NYC but always had dogs. And they were usually big ones, GSDs and a bunch of mutts (guess now the mutts would be designer dogs ) No "pocket puppies" for me, even in the city in an apt. And the most vicious dog we had back then was not one of the GSDs....it was one of the mutts....looked like a large beagle. He even bit me once!
I have to say that it seems there are very few neutral feelings about GSDs. My experience with Stella has been that either people are kind of afraid or they love her. That is why I want to get her reactivity under control...I want her to be a great example of what a GSD can be.

 

My husband is from Ghana (West Africa) and dogs are not pets there. If someone has a dog then it's job is to protect the property. They are not doted on the way they are here. His family are afraid of our dogs and I absolutely believe culture is the reason why. Their culture doesn't view dogs the same way our culture does.

I live in an apartment building which has people of many different cultures in it. If I had to put a number on it, I would say 90% of the people who are afraid and refuse to ride the elevator with us are from another culture.

That's not a bad thing or a criticism. It's just a difference.

 

... dogs are not pets there. If someone has a dog then it's job is to protect the property.

I met a couple from South Africa and they said that everyone has dogs in their enclosed yards - outdoor guard dogs to keep people out. So I can imagine that anyone from those areas wouldn't be too keen to see the same thing on a sidewalk, lol. How are they to know that we love them like our children, and we spend the same $$$ on them as their homeland's GNP? Maybe I'm exaggerating, but probably not by much.

 

I agree, Carolyn. It really comes down to culture, and micro-cultures, in a society. How a person was exposed, why, experiences culminated. Whether it's an inner city culture in a city here in the US, or in Ghana.

 

Yes, but it's no 'cool n' now' to throw the race card. Where have you been?

 

What does this mean?

 

LOL! I'm sure some of the people who avoid my dogs for no reason are sitting at home watching 'Cops' right now.

 

I think experience can cause people to shy away and be fearful. I like all dogs but Dobies always gave me that Danger,danger feeling. I got put on top of my 75 Gremelin when I sold Kirby sweepers on summer break in college. Then about 14 years later I met Helmut , a dobie and his mom ,a rescue dobie. Biggest love bugs ever.I think if you grew up in the 50's and 60's and had a police GSD come after you or grew up w/ stories of GSDs during WWII you could be frightened. Now add to that narrative history the current issues in inner cities and rural areas where drug dealers like to have Cane Corsos and pitties as well as mastiff breeds to fight and attack. If thats your daily experience then you would be nuts not to be fearful. In some of the largest metropolitian areas like DC and LA there are programs in schools and YMCAs and YWCAs to help teach kids about dogs and responsible ownership. Just some thoughts.

 

Hmmmm. Maybe it's not the dogs other cultures are afraid of.

 

Hmmmm. Maybe it's not the dogs other cultures are afraid of.

Could be Could be.