Why does it seem that black people, particularly women, are afraid of dogs - even friendly ones?
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Name : Kit26408, City : Dongola, State : IL Country : United States, I don't understand why blacks are always clumped together in situations like this. Are you saying you don't know anyone else regardless of race and/or gender who is afraid of dogs? It has nothing to do with either, only with what people are used to and are comfortable with. If a person (regardless of race or gender) wasn't raised with or around dogs, perhaps (but not necessarily) they would be more fearful of them. It's common sense to me.
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Name : Redeemed-One30112, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 53, City : Newport News, State : VA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I'm black and have also noticed that many blacks seem very afraid of animals in general. I think it's because many dogs owned are typically watchdogs, and actually are mean. So many blacks are fearful of dogs because the dogs they see are mean, and they fear that all dogs are mean.
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Name : Makia, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 36, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I don't think one can generalize about black people and dogs. In Africa there are many communities where dogs are a close part of their families. When you speak of fear, I have noticed that it does happen in places where a history of oppression has been part of the life of a black person. It is common to see in South Africa, where black people having an aversion to dogs because dogs were trained to attack blacks, especially the men. So it is possible that they see the dog as a 'tool of torture.' I hope this begins to clarify this for you.
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Name : June, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Evangelical, Age : 32, City : KAren, State : NA Country : Kenya, Occupation : Pastor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Unfortunately, in our country a large percentage of the lower-income bracket consists of minorities, particularly ethnic minorities. Attitudes toward animals, children and spouses have little to do with 'race' - they have to do with income class. Lower-income families sometimes feel like they are at the 'bottom of the barrel,' and when you're at the bottom of the barrel, it seems that you have no power or control over anything - even your own life and family. So, in the lower-income bracket, a larger percentage of people abuse their children, spouses and animals - because they feel the need to control and have power over something. When animals are abused, they are likely to become vicious. When you have grown up with dogs such as that, your experience dictates that 'all dogs are vicious.' As far as some of them being obviously friendly - mistreated animals also are likely to appear friendly until they snap and turn on their owners. So fear of animals is caused by constantly being around people who abuse their animals, which often happens in lower-income families - of which a high percentage is African American.
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Name : Jessica, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Huntsville, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I've never noticed that. In fact, lots of black people I know have the biggest, ugliest, scariest dogs I've ever seen. However, I can only hazard a guess that because black people, especially black women, tend to be more emotional right on down the scale, from happiness to sadness to anger to fear, perhaps they just let their emotions out more and it seems like they are more afraid. And of course, there is the historical connotation of some brutal police officers and their dogs, especially during the Civil Rights movement. Perhaps that has something to do with it as well.
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Name : Seamus28242, Gender : M, City : Charlestown, State : MA Country : United States, I am a black woman who grew up with dogs and currently own two dogs (Huskie/Shepherd mix and terrier mix). Being afraid of dogs is not a fear that I have, but it is a very common phobia. I don't speak for all blacks or women, but if you have ever examined footage from the Civil Rights Movement, you will see how dogs were used against black people, which justifies fears many may have concerning dogs. Although the Civil Rights Movement was 40 years ago, many people who experienced being savagely attacked and malled by dogs may have passed those fears on to their offspring. As I stated previously, I am not afraid of dogs. I believe they add to the human experience and can teach humans a thing or two.
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Name : Elle, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 30, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Stay-at-home mom/student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, I know a lot of African Americans who own dogs as pets and are not afraid of them. The answers you have received all seem plausible (as far as generalizations go). I've often wondered, though, if the fear of dogs, at least partially, stems from slavery, when dogs were used in the fields to intimidate and hunt runaway slaves. Sometimes the fear gets passed down through the generations, but the original reason for the fear is lost.
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Name : Michelle20577, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Las Vegas, State : NV Country : United States, Occupation : Analyst, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, My grandma alway kept all the pets outside. We had dogs, but they were for guarding the house, not to be play with. I know a lot of people have them as pets, but I still think of dogs as wild things that will tear your face off.
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Name : Sallie28527, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Southern Baptist, Age : 31, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Some black people are afraid of dogs and some are not. Just like any other group, we are diverse and represent different tastes and viewpoints. There are affluent African-American dog owners who own huskies, labs, weims, etc., and lower-income brothers and sisters with pit-bulls and rottwheillers. My sister bought a beagle recently that had been abused, and she loves her dearly. That being said, there may be some older black people who associate German shepherds with police and the abuse we suffered during the civil rights movement. Overall, though, I haven't noticed any disproportionate fear of dogs among black people.
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Name : Tubbs, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 28, City : Silver Spring, State : MD Country : United States, Occupation : between jobs, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I am terrified of dogs, no matter how friendly or small. Every time I see one my heart seizes up and I try to resist the urge to run. My fear stems from being chased by a dog when I was younger. To escape that dog, I had to jump a six-foot fence. Since then I have stayed awy from dogs all together.
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Name : Jas31213, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 24, City : Long Island, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Reseach, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, I know from living where I live that you are right: many black people are afraid of dogs. The reason is that most of the dogs they keep are often Rottweilers, Pitt Bulls or stray dogs. They have been taught from day one that dogs can be dangerous, because the ones they are around often are. In black neighborhoods, there are more stray dogs walking around, and most of the time they are mean because they are strays. It is something taught.
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Name : April, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Black people do not view dogs in the almost human-like way white people do. We still see them as animals, even though many of us (such as myself) can and do love them as pets. I am always afraid of dogs that are running around by themselves, unless they are small and pose no threat. I am not fearful though of a dog that I own, or a friend or somebody close owns. For example, I have a Doberman pinscher (a breed that is stereotyped as being visicious), that I am not afraid of at all. But if I saw one out on the street, yes, I would be extremely afraid!
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Name : Nikki20067, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : DC, State : DC Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I am a black women,that has thought about that same question. From my evaluations, A dog is your best friend, conpanion,confidant ect. all the things your mate is suppose to be, and then your mate turns on you or hurts you. Speaking for myself, I found it hard to trust. Today I realize it wasn't just dogs or men. I think that is or was something in our past upbringing. When I'm in the mood, I tolerate dogs and men much better.
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Name : G.M.F, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 42, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : DMV Technician, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Being a black person I can only speak for myself and not the whole race. Personally I am very hesitant with dogs because some dogs are fierce and it is hard to difeerentiate at first so first insincts are to be hesitant, Also I have spoken to some white people who mention using having intercourse with dogs or having the dog perform oral sex on female, im not sure if it is true, but cleanliness is also another issue with dogs for me, also dogs have a tendency to lick someone as a greeeting i guess and to me that is just downright nasty so i always tend to keep my distance with dogs for there reasons
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Name : Candy19216, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Sunrise, State : FL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
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