If you are a pet owner in South Africa, the chances are you have been forced to ask yourself this question on more than one occasion…

When your beloved ‘Fluffy’ or ‘Rover” tears off towards the gate at full speed, barking, snarling and lunging as a person of a different colour to you walks past. The emphasis here is on different colour. You feel that sense of total embarrassment: does your dog not know we live in the “Rainbow Nation”?

Sadly, a white person in a township would attract the same hostile reaction from dogs as a black person in an upmarket suburb. Dogs appear to be racist!

One of the theories as to why dogs target people of a different colour was how dogs actually see colour…

The theory that dogs only view the world in black and white  (monochrome) made this answer more palatable, as the blame could be placed on poor vision, but recent studies have shown that dogs can see the complete colour spectrum (within limits).

Scientist Jay Neitz from the University of Washington carried out experiments on dogs to test this theory. Human eyes have three ‘cones’ that detect colour and can identify red, blue, green and yellow wavelengths created by light entering the eye. Neitz discovered that dogs only have two cones – this means they can distinguish blue and yellow, but not red and green. This is the same spectrum seen by humans when they have colour-blindness.

So dogs see colour and know whether the person is black or white, so a simple vision problem is not the answer to clearly racist dogs.

Another theory as to why dogs target people of a different colour is the owner did not properly socialise their dogs with various races…

Many pet owners are embarrassed when their pet chooses certain people to bark and snarl at. They do not want anyone to think this is a reflection on them.

But is it? What can make an otherwise sweet canine turn into a “bigot”? Dogs raised in solely white households may show fear and be wary of people of colour, while dogs raised in homes of people of colour may react the same way towards white people.

If the puppy has not been exposed to different races during his developmental stage (three to 12 weeks of age), some people may look a little strange to the puppy when he finally encounters them a few months down the road.

He is fearful of the unfamiliar. Cultural differences, such as tone of voice or body language, can be intimidating as well.

The dog is mirroring our own subconscious thoughts. As we notice race, so do they…

And then there is the simple theory that, as everyone knows, dogs have not gotten the reputation of being man’s best friend for nothing… They are empathetic, literally able to sense how we feel from one second to the next. So if we notice colour, even subconsciously, maybe they do too. Maybe they pick up on our signals and smells when we are uneasy or afraid…

Thankfully, racism in dogs can be untaught…

Firstly, a dog rushing to “protect” you by barking at anyone passing your home is actually a dog that has no respect for you.

WHAT? Yes, we heard your mind do a 360 spin at us telling you “Fluffy” or “Rover” actually has no respect for you.

It would be different if you gave them a signal, be it verbal or visible to attack or defend. But if he is just doing it on his own, then he regards himself as the alpha dog or pack leader… So the first thing you need to do is let him know who is the actual boss. There are various training methods that can be used.

Secondly, allow him or her to interact with various race groups. Over time, your racist dog will learn that race is nothing to be feared. There is a difference, however, if anyone invades what the dog considers as your space. Dogs are pack animals at heart and he will defend your space.

The important word here is YOUR space, not HIS space. If you are the Alpha (pack leader), then he will wait for your signal.

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Reference material: Why Are Dogs Racist? Canine Experts Speak

Reference material: So, You Think Your Dog Is a Racist?