# Do Rhodesian Ridgebacks discriminate?



## WaveRider (Sep 8, 2009)

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## xxwelshcrazyxx (Jul 3, 2009)

Isnt that weird, someone will come along soon and answer your questions ok xxxx


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## Deb (Jan 28, 2009)

Year ago my ex boyfriend had a ridgeback and we had no problems like you have described. He was a lovely friendly dog to all. The only problem we encountered was a medical one - he developed 'wobblers syndrome' and had to be put down.


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2009)

It is known that some dogs may act strangely towards black people because of a past dedicated to chasing after black slaves who had escaped (for instance)...Ancestery and history does have an effect on every being 

Also some dogs may not be keen on black people also because they may find their facial features more difficult to decipher and simply a bit different to what they are usd to (if used to be around white people)!

So its not a question of breed so much as the individual dog and the history of his lien (obviously within a breed its often quite strongly related between various dogs)!

xx


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## Summer1098 (Jun 20, 2009)

I personally do not believe that "racism" runs in a certain breed- it's just a shortcoming that some dogs have. My last Boerboel, a sweet, freindly thing had a great disliking for dark-skinned people even though he grew up around people of all races. No matter how hard i tried, I never got him to treat everyone equally, and he always embarrased me by barking at black people and wagging his tail at everyone else.
I think the reason why so many Rhodesian Ridgeback's behave agressively towards black people is because their owners want or expect them to. Ridgeback's are extremely sensitive to the feelings of their owners, so if their owners dislike certain people, it will do so too. 
I have met a few Rhodesian Ridgeback's, some of them who belong to black African's, and they where always freindly with people of different races. It is possible that the reason your puppy may be acting uncomfortably around black people is that she has not met many black people and she is finding them strange, and possibly intamidating.


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## WaveRider (Sep 8, 2009)

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## Summer1098 (Jun 20, 2009)

WaveRider said:


> I took the puppy into the city this afternoon. A black police officer approached her and she responded in a very friendly manner. He stroked her and gave the puppy some fuss. :cornut:


Which just shows...
I think she was just bored or tired when she ignored the guy at the BBQ.


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## skier (Feb 11, 2013)

I have 4 RRs and all 4 discriminate, but not because they are racists. 

Lets not forget the breed's history dates back to the early 16th Century when European settlers started to explore the Cape of Good Hope and discovered a domesticated dog with the Hottentot tribes that hunted in southern Africa. I'd argue that qualifies them adequately NOT to be racist.

As said before, lack of exposure would be one reason, unable reading dark facial features but I think, different scent due to different diet could be another. We have a Somali friend, the dogs react to his diet by initially barking and afterwards scenting him to the point of becoming a nuisance if not prevented. I assure you my friend is not smelly at all, very attractive indeed, loves our dogs, but eats a very different diet to us.


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## CheddarS (Dec 13, 2011)

I think exposure, training and behaviour all play a part.

I had a lot of dogs in Zim and they were all the same...dobie, labs and RR


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

I've had a racist dog and I've had a dog that hated policemen... They both had issues related to socialisation though (rescue dogs) so I'm pretty sure it's just that.


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## BobbyBrownDog (Oct 30, 2012)

Holy thread revival batman. 

As for racist dogs, the notion seems absurd.


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