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Every evening I take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood. My dog is very friendly and has never met a person, or another animal, that she didn't like.
When we go for our walks I rarely ever take the exact same path. I like to go down different streets. Almost every child we "meet" wants to pet my dog. Some will ask first. Some will just come running up. For those that come running up I make them stop and tell them to never run up to a stray dog, and to always ask before petting an animal.
Last night my daughter, and I, were taking my dog for a walk. As we were walking down a side street there were two young girls playing in the front yard of a house. They both asked, "Can we pet your dog?"
I told them, Yes, and that they did the right thing by asking first.
These two girls were probably 7 or 8 years old. One girl was slightly ahead of the second girl when they walked up to my dog. Naturally my dog went to the girl who arrived first. This first girl was petting my dog and enjoying the "dog kisses" that she was getting.
The second girl was standing there, but didn't reach out her hand to pet my dog. Then she said something that really bothered me.
She said, "I guess your dog doesn't like me because I'm black." (The other girl was white) Then she turned and started to walk back towards the house.
I said, "Whoa. Wait a minute. You know better than to say something like that. Of course my dog likes you. All you have to do is reach out and pet her."
So, the little girl came back and reached out to pet my dog. My dog started giving her "dog kisses" as well, and nuzzled up against the little girl wanting even more pats on her head.
I said, "See? She likes you just fine." Then both girls went back to playing in the front yard.
As my daughter, and I, started to walk my dog again my daughter said, "What was that all about?"
I told her I didn't know for sure. But, what kind of statement is that for a 7 year old child to make?
Seems to me she was just mimicking something an adult (perhaps her own parents) have told her.
I'm sure she's getting the "people don't like me because I'm black vibe from her parents". Poor girl. I feel sorry for her. You handled the situation wonderfully. I'm sure you made the girl's day
Based on what I've witnessed as we traveled the country, the little girl has a pretty good intuition about her reception in her world. We whites have a fairly consistent history of making people of color feel unwelcome in "our" world.
Based on what I've witnessed as we traveled the country, the little girl has a pretty good intuition about her reception in her world. We whites have a fairly consistent history of making people of color feel unwelcome in "our" world.
I'm sure she's getting the "people don't like me because I'm black vibe from her parents". Poor girl. I feel sorry for her. You handled the situation wonderfully. I'm sure you made the girl's day
Thanks. I hope I did.
I guess my protective "Dad" side came out when she said that.
Based on what I've witnessed as we traveled the country, the little girl has a pretty good intuition about her reception in her world. We whites have a fairly consistent history of making people of color feel unwelcome in "our" world.
Well, hopefully, I broke your perceived "consistant history" when I showed her that my dog liked her just fine.
It's a sad story, and I agree with earlier posts: she very well may be reacting to a "be wary of white people" vibe from her parents, OR, it could be that her parents aren't like that in the least, and she just did have an encounter with another dog sometime who was nervous of her because of her skin color.
My husband and I are both white, so we were horrified when our then-young pet bird was too frightened to initially sit on the finger of one of a black friend. This was, of course, after we'd talked up how friendly he was. He got over it quickly, but initially he was just scared because our fingers WERE different colors. It wasn't racism -- it was just that until that point he'd been around us and a couple of white neighbors.
It's a sad story, and I agree with earlier posts: she very well may be reacting to a "be wary of white people" vibe from her parents, OR, it could be that her parents aren't like that in the least, and she just did have an encounter with another dog sometime who was nervous of her because of her skin color.
My husband and I are both white, so we were horrified when our then-young pet bird was too frightened to initially sit on the finger of one of a black friend. This was, of course, after we'd talked up how friendly he was. He got over it quickly, but initially he was just scared because our fingers WERE different colors. It wasn't racism -- it was just that until that point he'd been around us and a couple of white neighbors.
I don't think the child, or even the child's parents, are racists. Afterall, she was playing with another white child.
And, my dog wasn't growling, barking, whining, backing off, or anything at all towards this little girl. The little girl simply didn't make any effort to pet my dog, so naturally my dog showed affection to the other little girl that did make the effort.
Yes, it could be that this little girl was afraid of my dog at first. For whatever reason. But, it was her comment that had me concerned.
She didn't say, "Will your dog bite me?" Or, "I'm afraid of your dog." Or, "Is your dog mean?"
She said, "I guess your dog doesn't like me because I'm black."
So, I quickly showed her that what she said wasn't true.
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