People who are afraid of dogs

[Sheenar]

Last year, I asked one of my black friends why so many black people are afraid of dogs (I had just noticed through experience that most of the people who screamed or said they were afraid were black.) She told me that it goes back to the time of slavery when the slave owners would use dogs to go after escaped slaves. Now, many black people do own dogs and love them --it has been my experience, though, that if one's parents are afraid of dogs, they tend to pass their fear onto their children (I was terrified of large dogs when I was younger --just because my mom was.)

I use the term "black" because I am friends with someone who is from Africa and he gave me a long spiel about how people shouldn't call themselves "African-American" if they have no ties to Africa. Which makes it difficult...you try to be "politically correct" --but you can't always please everyone.

[cowlypso]

I use the term "black" because I am friends with someone who is from Africa and he gave me a long spiel about how people shouldn't call themselves "African-American" if they have no ties to Africa. Which makes it difficult...you try to be "politically correct" --but you can't always please everyone.

Funny, I was just reading an article on this today.  Actually, the article was about the use of the term "negro" (apparently some public figure slipped up with that one, so now everybody's talking). 

In recent polls, most black interviewees express no preference between black and African-American, and most publications don't recommend the use of one over the other.

When Did the Word Negro Become Taboo?In 1966 or soon thereafter.
By Brian PalmerPosted Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, at 4:30 PM ET
http://www.slate.com/id/2241120/

[Keldrena]

Even beyond slavery, the whole setting attack dogs on black people and other people of color was a bit of a problem.

I'm a bit sad I haven't run into any other black service dog users online.

[Kirsten]

I just finished a mystery based on forensic anthropology.  The author pointed out that anthropologically there are three "types" of people:  caucasoid, mongoloid, and negroid.  These differences are structural:  differences in bone structure and in hair follicles and don't really have anything to do with country of origin, just genetic heritage.

Not everyone in Africa is actually dark skinned.  There are "white" Africans.  And if we're really going to get into it, true Americans are mongoloid (Native Americans are more closely related, genetically, to orientals than occidentals).  So what exactly does that make me?  I'm a Dutch-British-Irish-Scots-American.  What a mouthful, and why?  Or I'm an English-American (because I am a citizen of both the UK and the US).  It's all just too confusing for my poor muddled brain.

I like the efficiency of "white" for caucasoid and "black" for negroid because you reduce a word of 2-3 syllables to simple one syllable words.  They aren't particularly accurate (nobody is really "white" or "black") but what the hey, people generally understand what is meant, they are easy to say and easy to spell and not particularly offensive to anyone so far as I can tell.  I don't know a good shortcut for mongoloid.

[hopesclan]

Well if they have personally immigrated from Africa, I believe their fear of dogs is pretty dang legit.  Dogs in many African countries are wild, mean, nasty, and bite (and then to add insult to injury they have to get like a dozen shots in thier rear--or at least that is the story I have been told on at least 3 occasions).

[Sunkala Joy van Veen]

true Americans are mongoloid (Native Americans are more closely related, genetically, to orientals than occidentals). 

Not necessarily.  My people not only look different enough that Hollywood always hire other native Americans to play us in movies (we have either brown or red hair and are light skinned); but at least two genetic studies on native Americans decided our genetics were anomalous and excluded them; yet did not exclude us from the conclusions they reached.

And no, it isn't from mixing with whites.  The red hair is an ancient trait known for thousands of years.

Our language, especially the ancient sacred language of the women in my family; is closer to early Indo-European.  Some common words such as ate (father) are root words in many Indo-European languages which has evolved into words like the Latin Pater.  This language has many words in common with both Canaanite (such as our word for the hero Zjaruzjalim {meaning the morning and the evening star} being almost the same as the Canaanite god Zaruzalem {meaning the morning and the evening star}) and other Black Sea origins such as our mother spirit Dana being very close to many people goddesses; Danu, Danu, Dana, Dena, Danei, Donii, and Don; as well as names of waterways and places that reflect those goddesses such as the Danube, the Don, the Dan, and perhaps the Dneiper, and towns ending in na-Danu.

Not to mention most native Americans have type O blood, with occasional type B in the northwest; while only a few pockets of our related peoples have type A exclusively, along with high degrees of hermaphrodism and most of us being chimera.   

[dutchess_belle]

 I have a nephew that is afraid of dogs and my mom said if he was going to act afraid of our dogs then he wasn't welcome to visit. He was even afraid of Lily, the most mellow dog here. She told my sister to get him over his fear or she wouldn't watch him again because running away from the dogs was causing some to think he was playing. My niece (different family) was terrified of dog because when she was little and in a carriage at a church event, she had a chicken nugget in her hand and a guide dog tried to grab it. She freaked and after has an unrealistic fear of dogs. When I would go over my sister's house with Lily (she was much older), she would jump on the back of the couch, her brothers didn't care. Then she slowly got used to Lily being around most because she ignored her and her little brother was always crawling over her without reaction. Then while she still had a little fear but was much better, my sister got her a basset puppy. Now she's 9yrs old with no dog fear issues and they have 2 dogs (other is basset mix). The first dog is now 3 I think. So if parents are determined yes they can rehabilitate their dog-fearing child.

 I've seen mixed results with my dog. Many adults want to pet her and talk to her. I've had parents either not care or not catch their children before they get to my dog and they have received a slobbery kisses. So if parents don't like their kids to be doggy kissed, keep them out on my dog's face. I have had a couple parents grab their kids and run, mostly non-english speaking. Great way to cause a fear in a child.

[hopesclan]

 

I have a nephew that is afraid of dogs and my mom said if he was going to act afraid of our dogs then he wasn't welcome to visit. He was even afraid of Lily, the most mellow dog here. She told my sister to get him over his fear or she wouldn't watch him again because running away from the dogs was causing some to think he was playing.

I guess different people and different families handle things differently, but this seems counterproductive to me.  I have a lot of fears/phobias and people have told me to 'get over them or...' and it just made it even worse.  Not always something easy or something someone should be shunned because of.  But like I said, to each their own.  Personally, my attention would be on proofing the dogs so they don't run after the child and are on command around him. 

[Spectrum]

My dad was afraid of dogs for most of his childhood. He was mauled by a doberman when he was very young. Now look at him lol 

[Yukon]

When I go to the local Wal Mart here in town there is one cashier that's afraid of dogs not a problem I just avoid her. The problem I do have and have talked to management about was her telling other costumers that she was afraid of THAT dog pointing to Yu hes never done anything wrong and I get she is scared but say I'm afraid of ALL dogs don't point mine out it tends to make it harder for me. Management did talk to her and we got it all worked out I still avoid her. There is another cashier that's afraid of dogs but has no problem coming up and asking to pet Yu. One just takes it in a case by case thing cant spell today even with spell check lol