How to tell if your dog is 'racist' and what to do about it

As any dog owner knows, your pet growling or barking at a stranger in public is always an embarassing situation, which could potentially escalate into something more dangerous. 

Some owners even notice a pattern whereby their dog only reacts badly to certain demographics  - whether that be children, the elderly, a certain sex or ethnicity - with the latter prompting them to wonder if their dog is 'racist'.

It's sparked countless online threads where worried owners ask for advice because their dog tends to growl or freeze when they see people with a certain skin colour. 

Now experts have told MailOnline that while it's a misconception that dogs display racial prejudice, they can react because of 'a lack of experience' with people who look different to their owners. 

Caroline Wilkinson, a Certified Animal Behaviourist, told MailOnline: 'If you are living in an area that is dominated by people identifying as 'white British' you may find your dog hasn't had a lot of exposure to black or brown people. 

'Dogs can therefore be deemed 'racist' by their guardian. However, dogs aren't acting in a hateful way in these contexts, it could just be down to a lack of experience with part of our population.'

It comes after Labour-run Wales was told to ban dogs from parts of the countryside to help make the outdoors 'anti-racist'. 

According to a report by the environmental group Climate Cymru BAME, funded by the Welsh government to help steer its 'anti-racist' policy, dog-free zones in local green spaces should be set up to make outdoor areas more inclusive. 

A government spokesman today insisted it was not planning to act on the proposal and dogs 'would continue to be welcomed in the hills of Wales'. 

The reason why dog-free areas would help tackle racism is not explained in the report, which will be used by the government to 'support policy teams' that are 'developing and implementing' Wales' anti-racist plans. 

However, speaking to MailOnline, Caroline Wilkinson, who is also the founder of digital pet coaching service Barket Place, gave some insight into why dogs could be considered 'racist'.

She said that in addition to dogs reacting to physical appearance, they can pick up on cues from the other person that impact their behaviour. 

'It's not always about how someone looks,' she explained. 'People from certain cultures are more likely to be fearful of dogs.

'This can be due to religious reasons around cleanliness for example or even due to a larger presence of threatening wild dogs in their country of origin. 

'If someone is displaying anxiety or reacts in an unpredictable manner around a dog, it can make the dog themselves trust the situation - and thus that person - less.' 

Clinical canine behaviourist and animal training instructor Lauren Sharkey of winniesworld.co.uk added that sometimes it's the owner making the connection between their dog's behaviour and the other person's race. 

7 things every owner needs to know about socialising your dog - and what to do if you're past the puppy stage  

1. Socialisation isn't something that should be rushed, says Caroline Wilkinson. Whenever your dog is having a new experience, it's important to watch their body language for any signs of stress. 

2. Pair new experiences with something positive that your dog enjoys - be that a tasty piece of food, play with a toy, having the opportunity to sniff or move their body in a particular way.

3. Consider just how optimistic your dog is generally about experiencing something new. A healthy dog, who is feeling confident and relaxed may be more likely to find interacting with something or someone they haven't before in a more positive way. If a dog is finding new experiences difficult, then it's worth getting them checked out by your vet and then working with an ethical behaviourist to support them in moving forward positively.

4. It's important not to overwhelm puppies during this period, says Lauren Sharkey. While they do need to experience a variety of things, you want to make sure they are comfortable while doing so and learning that those things are nothing to worry about. You can do this by letting them watch things from a distance initially and pairing things they see and hear with things they enjoy such as treats and toys. 

5. Seek professional advice if your dog is showing an adverse reaction towards certain people as an adult, especially if the behaviour involves aggression. They will be able to figure out what's going on, put a plan in place to change the behaviour over time, and support you through the process. You can find a qualified behaviourist via the ABTC website abtc.org.uk

6. Prevent your dog from practising the behaviour as the more they do it, the more likely they are to keep doing it. You can do this by walking in quieter places and at quieter times, avoiding having visitors in the home or creating a safe space for your dog away from visitors, and by teaching them cues to move away with you when you ask them to. For some dogs, a scattering of treats on the ground when someone goes by is enough to distract them from reacting. Others will struggle if a person is too close for comfort and require more personalised advice. 

7. Do not 'overload' your puppy while socialising, says James Hare, dog trainer. 

'We know that dogs learn through reinforcement, so whilst meeting new people and people of diverse cultures is important, there is a fine line between a good amount for socialisation, and over reinforcing the need to want to say hello to every person they meet.

'Socialisation of a puppy is about building focus on you, whether that is around other people of all diversities, other dogs, wildlife etc.' 

'That behaviour may include things like barking, growling, freezing or trying to move away and avoid the person,' she said.

'It's possible a dog had a negative experience with someone who looked similar and has formed a negative association with people who fit that category. 

'Again, this may not be to do with race. Some dogs can be sensitive to things like people wearing hoods, carrying umbrellas or using walking sticks.

'Puppies have a very important socialisation period that closes around the age of 16 weeks. If dogs haven't been positively and gently exposed to a diverse number of things during that period, they may view new things as a threat or may be unsure of new things. 

'This isn't just limited to people but includes everything from other dogs and animals to the sights and sounds of the areas they're going to be living in and visiting, such as traffic, wheelie bins and even your washing machine.'

Climate Cymru BAME was set up by Climate Cymru, a larger environmental campaign group made up of 370 organisations from across Wales. 

Climate Cymru BAME consists of around 20 members made up of students and professionals who have interest in environmental preservation and protection, who work with North Wales Africa Society (NWAS), Sub Sahara Advisory Board (SSAP) and the Northwest Wales Climate Action Group.

A separate set of recommendations submitted by the NWAS also called for 'dog-free areas'. 

It said that during one of its focus groups, 'one black African female stated that she feels unsafe with the presence of dogs'.

Others also kept 'seeing dog fouling on the floor', the report added.

The NWAS report said that barriers to outdoor activities include the perception that growing food in gardens or allotments is 'dominated by middle-aged white women'. 

Its authors also informed the Welsh government that people from ethnic minorities were upset about the 'low quality' of local green spaces. 

One person complained that 'the green spaces are not respected in areas where there is a bigger population of ethnic minority people'.

Other problems flagged included lack of public transport to non-urban green spaces and poor air quality in towns and cities.

The report also found that some BAME who provided evidence had 'concerns of the lack of understanding and relationships by the wider white population particularly in rural areas'. 

It added there were  'concerns of the lack of understanding and relationships by the wider white population particularly in rural areas, from personal experiences'.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: 'These comments are feedback from people who were asked their views and NOT proposals. 

'There are NO plans to ban dogs from the countryside and any suggestion otherwise is inaccurate and a complete misrepresentation of the report.'