Sensitive Cultural Question

LegacyUser

I really don't want anyone to start labelling me as racist, but this has me really curious.

We have 2 puppies (8 months), and there is a green area at the front of the house. We often bring the dogs out for a short leg stretch and run around. The local kids love them and often come over to chat and give them a pet. The dogs love it.

Here is my problem .. it has happened a few times, this morning was the worst instance.

Coloured kids (and I hate saing this). They sometimes walk by and literally start screaming and running about. This attracks the dogs, who obvously are as curious as I am about what the problem is.

This morning, this kid came along walking with his two sisters and then all of a sudden started screaming and running around (I mean like hysterically).
I have seen the same reaction from other coloured children.

Is there a cultural reason for it? None of the Irish kids do it.
I'd like to understand, becuase it is bizzare.

Ruu_Old

Coloured..just say it, they are black. Why do they run about? Are the scared of the dog? Tell them it is safe and invite them over to pet the dog, making sure you have control over it.

animalcrazy

I think they prefer to be called black, it's what they call themselves and they hesitate to call us white. I don't think you are a racist. I think it is something to do with culture because a girl in my class from Nigeria is like that, when my cat was sick and I said she might have to be put to sleep she told me to throw it in the bin and not to waste money putting it to sleep. Another time we were walking back from the gym and there was a kitten on the wall, I picked it up and me and a few other girls were petting it and she came over with a horrified look on her face and said 'Uggh that's disgusting, put it down and wash your hands'.

Another time in CSPE we were doing animal rights and she said 'This is so stupid, I don't care about this, most dogs are ugly anyway'. So to answer your question I think it's something to do with culture.

HOBO 83

I have to say i have come across this a couple of times, i have a shar-pei and all of the kids on the road love to play with him. There are a couple of black kids in the gang that play out on the road and if i come along with the dog all the irish kids will run over and play with the dog and the black kids will stay back, I can see by them they are totaly scared, at first i wasnt sure if it was me or the dog:D. I am involved with the scouts and bring the dog on alot of the activities all the kids love him except a young black kid in the group who is also terrified of him.

I dont think dogs have a big roll to play in the african culture, so maybe the kids just are not used to dogs.

kerrysgold

An African girl I was friends with was terrified of dogs, literally wouldn't go within 20' of a perfectly friendly dog, don't know if she actually disliked dogs or was just afraid of them though *shrug*

LegacyUser

Ruu wrote: »

Tell them it is safe and invite them over to pet the dog, making sure you have control over it.

@Ru. It is very hard to stay in control of a situation when a child is literally doing an Irish jig up and down the road. Those actions are obviously going to attract the dogs out of the garden and over to see what the heck is going on.
It is very difficult to teach someone who is in that frame of mind - besides many do not understand a word of English.

Appreciate the replies here folks because I think I'll agree, I don't think that dogs are given such a place in the family in Africa. So, it makes sense that they would be frightened I guess.

One thing that bugs me is that even though the kids are frightened, they still come over.

hadook

bubby wrote: »

@Ru. It is very hard to stay in control of a situation when a child is literally doing an Irish jig up and down the road. Those actions are obviously going to attract the dogs out of the garden and over to see what the heck is going on.

Yup, noticed this too.

From my experience middle aged mammies with their snotty kids (get away from that dirty animal before it bites you, argh) and young black children are most likely to throw a wobbly when meeting a *gasp* dog or two. This has happened both when walking the dane and walking the two "normal" sized dogs (collie and cocker spaniel x). I've tended to treat this like I do a barking dog making a show of itself and just keep walking.

BlackCat2008

A cultural lesson

Most of these kids perants were brought up around street dogs or dogs that were taken care of by communities as these dogs were not socialised they snapped and fought for food and sometimes bit when given scraps it's a hard life for dogs in Africa and as it's hard for them to feed them selfs the dogs are lucky to survive in such a desolate place. For years 100's of dogs have also been trained by whites to attack blacks and some army's in Africa also train them to attack someone they want to catch even though they have done nothing, as well as some are literaly been thrown to the dogs as a way of torture. (We do have a tendency to forget why they fled to Ireland in the first place)

The fear in these children comes from the parents been told they will bit stay away, I talked to one of the adults a few doors down from me when I had the collie with me and he nearly leaped out of his skin I told him he's very safe not to worry by the end of the chat he was asking what breed he was and petting him it's best to bring the dog to the children while the perants are around if they know the dog is safe it helps to remove the fear.

Hope this helps.

lightening

Here's a good one for you... I was in South Africa on a beach in Jeffreys bay (amazing surf spot) when we came across a sort of rough collie bitch. The dog was really friendly, obviously from around the area. She went for a long walk with us, we were throwing sticks for her and playing with her. Any time we came across white people she either ignored them or wagged her tail and sniffed. When she came across black people she barked and got all aggressive!!!

Here is the racist canine...


Have come across lots and lots of dog fear from Africans in Ireland, always presumed it was because of ferrel packs.

BlackCat2008

lightening wrote: »

Here's a good one for you... I was in South Africa on a beach in Jeffreys bay (amazing surf spot) when we came across a sort of rough collie bitch. The dog was really friendly, obviously from around the area. She went for a long walk with us, we were throwing sticks for her and playing with her. Any time we came across white people she either ignored them or wagged her tail and sniffed. When she came across black people she barked and got all aggressive!!!

Here is the racist canine...


Have come across lots and lots of dog fear from Africans in Ireland, always presumed it was because of ferrel packs.

He's lovely and looks well taken care of did you find the owner ?

monty_python

lightening wrote: »

Here's a good one for you... I was in South Africa on a beach in Jeffreys bay (amazing surf spot) when we came across a sort of rough collie bitch. The dog was really friendly, obviously from around the area. She went for a long walk with us, we were throwing sticks for her and playing with her. Any time we came across white people she either ignored them or wagged her tail and sniffed. When she came across black people she barked and got all aggressive!!!

Here is the racist canine...


Have come across lots and lots of dog fear from Africans in Ireland, always presumed it was because of ferrel packs.

that dog is a hypocrte. it is black itself and it doesnt like black people:eek:!!!

lol (joke)

sorella

Could it also be a well-based fear re rabies etc?

It is the Chinese you need to be wary of; they eat dogs, and cats. We heard they had taken cat and dog off the menu for the Olympics:)

tallus

monty_python wrote: »

that dog is a hypocrte. it is black itself and it doesnt like black people:eek:!!!

lol (joke)

I lolled! Thanks for the laugh

Fionnanc

Dogs have been trained to attack enemies/others by all cultures, its not the reason. Culturally Muslims hate dogs, based on Mohammeds dislike but I strongly think it is fear of rabies

arybvtcw0eolkf

lightening wrote: »

When she came across black people she barked and got all aggressive!!!

Thats crazy!.

My older dog, Jericho does the very same.

He's normally a very placid dog, but he freaks at black lads selling papers at traffic lights or Roma beggars.

We often joke that if your any darker than a weekend in Spain 'Richo will have your ass!.

lightening

BlackCat2008 wrote: »

He's lovely and looks well taken care of did you find the owner ?

Owner? She owned the beach! From the actions of the dog she was not lost, lived in one of the beach houses and the beach was home.

tallus

Mairt wrote: »

Thats crazy!.

My older dog, Jericho does the very same.

He's normally a very placid dog, but he freaks at black lads selling papers at traffic lights or Roma beggars.

We often joke that if your any darker than a weekend in Spain 'Richo will have your ass!.

A neighbour of mine had a german shepard that used to bark at travellers.

lostinnappies

BlackCat2008 wrote: »

A cultural lesson

Most of these kids perants were brought up around street dogs or dogs that were taken care of by communities as these dogs were not socialised they snapped and fought for food and sometimes bit when given scraps it's a hard life for dogs in Africa and as it's hard for them to feed them selfs the dogs are lucky to survive in such a desolate place. For years 100's of dogs have also been trained by whites to attack blacks and some army's in Africa also train them to attack someone they want to catch even though they have done nothing, as well as some are literaly been thrown to the dogs as a way of torture. (We do have a tendency to forget why they fled to Ireland in the first place)

The fear in these children comes from the parents been told they will bit stay away, I talked to one of the adults a few doors down from me when I had the collie with me and he nearly leaped out of his skin I told him he's very safe not to worry by the end of the chat he was asking what breed he was and petting him it's best to bring the dog to the children while the perants are around if they know the dog is safe it helps to remove the fear.

Hope this helps.

That says it all. But also these dogs would have diseases like rabies etc and as a preventitive measure children in african or other such countries are told that if they bite you, you will die. I know this because I have a couple of friends of african decent who have never liked dogs and refuse to have any animal in their houses. Its seen as dirty in their eyes to have animals in your house.:eek:

lostinnappies

tallus wrote: »

A neighbour of mine had a german shepard that used to bark at travellers.

ha ha ha, i love it. We all need a dog like that lol.:D:p

jenpup

There are a couple of black kids on my road and they always come over to say hello to Pacino - they have an Irish accent though.

My ex boyf was Nigerian and he owned a dog so did alot of his friends.

An indian woman nearly killed herself to get to her kids when she saw my mam coming with her 2, dived on top of them and wouldn't let them up until we'd passed!

Killme00

I have had similar experiences to some of the above and found it odd. Interesting discussion and relief to know my Ellie isnt in the clan.

peasant

Mairt wrote: »

Thats crazy!.

My older dog, Jericho does the very same.

He's normally a very placid dog, but he freaks at black lads selling papers at traffic lights or Roma beggars.

We often joke that if your any darker than a weekend in Spain 'Richo will have your ass!.

Unfortunately, dogs aren't very PC. Anything they don't know, they wil bark at.

Our three country bumpkins have had a very "sheltered" upbringing and haven't really had a chance to be exposed to everything and anything when they were young.

To our embarrassement they have barked at black people or handicapped people ...anything that doesn't fit their limited picture of what a human should look or move like. They're fine, once we get a chance to introduce them.

They go completely nuts and aggressive over drunk people though (which, to be honest, isn't completely unwelcome )

bernard0368

I have come across this loads of times, I always put it down to most dogs in Africa are wild.