“Is My Dog Racist?” A Dog Owner’s Honest Inquiry Into Behavior, Bias, And The Bigger Picture

“Is My Dog Racist?” A Dog Owner’s Honest Inquiry into Behavior, Bias, and the Bigger Picture

Believe me or not, this is a question I’ve heard more than once, often whispered with a nervous laugh, or wrapped in caveats like, “I know it sounds weird, but...” When Cookie came into my life, I had no intention of asking myself philosophical or sociological questions. But dogs have a funny way of making you do that. Over time, I started to notice that Cookie was consistently more barky around people of color, and I couldn’t ignore the shame that came with that realization.

It sounds absurd on the surface. Dogs, after all, don’t “see race” in the way humans do. Race is a human-made construct, rooted in history, culture, power, and politics. Dogs don’t carry that baggage. And yet, what about their behavior makes us even entertain this question?

👉 Familiarity vs. Bias: What’s Really Going On?

Let’s start with Cookie. She spent her early puppy stages in Istanbul, a densely populated city with mostly white residents in the neighborhoods we lived in. During that critical socialization window, she was exposed to very few people of color. So, later on, when we moved to Pittsburgh and she encountered a more racially diverse environment, she sometimes reacted with fear or heightened alertness around unfamiliar people. Not just people of color, also tall men, people with deep voices, heavy movements or even individuals wearing bulky clothing.

These reactions don’t stem from racism. They’re a result of unfamiliarity.

Luckily, dogs are not capable of racism because they lack the complex cognitive framework to categorize and judge people based on race. What they are capable of is reacting to environmental cues and learned associations—both positive and negative. It is argued that dogs are pattern-based learners. When something doesn’t fit their learned pattern of “safe and familiar,” they may respond with fear or caution. That unfamiliarity is often mistaken for bias. But it’s really about exposure and safety.

I adopted Cookie because I was alone. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was making a big mistake by keeping her world so small. It was mostly just the two of us. (My husband was living abroad.) Aside from the occasional neighbor, she didn’t have much interaction with others. Sure, we went outside, and she saw people and dogs in passing—but I never approached it as intentional socialization.

To Cookie, safety meant our quiet little home, just the two of us. Everything outside that bubble felt unpredictable, loud, strange, possibly dangerous.

Now, loud laughter from the neighbor or a deep voice can set her off. If someone moves in a way she’s not used to—taller, broader, heavier footsteps—she startles. It’s the same with objects. If the garbage bins are out before pickup day, she has to inspect every one to be sure it’s not a threat. A new item on the sidewalk? She clocks it immediately. And don’t even get me started on holidays... Christmas and Halloween decorations require a whole adjustment period. She used to lose it over black clothing draped around the house or large, dark trash bins. One winter, we were walking to the vet when a woman in a massive black coat passed us—Cookie froze, then bolted in panic.

The throughline in all of this? Exposure. Or the lack thereof.

According to behavioral science, dogs go through a "socialization period" early in life where positive interactions with different people, sounds, and environments are critical. As Whole Dog Journal puts it, “Dogs that aren’t exposed to a wide range of people in a positive way may develop fear-based reactions to people who are different from what they know.”

👉 Dogs Mirror Our Anxieties—Even the Ones We Don’t Speak

Here's the part that really made me pause: multiple studies suggest that dogs can pick up on human body language and emotion, even subtle, subconscious cues. This phenomenon, known as emotional contagion, can make dogs anxious if their humans are tense or nervous.

In some cases, our biases, discomforts, or prejudices may unintentionally get passed down to our dogs through our behavior. As the Rescued by Training blog bluntly states: “It’s possible that we’re the ones carrying racial bias, and our dogs are simply responding to how we respond.”

Even when we think we’re being neutral or calm, dogs might notice a shift in our posture, tone, or energy and then act on that. It’s not mind reading. It’s attunement. And they are really, really good at it!

👉 Dogs and Racism: A Violent History Worth Acknowledging

While dogs themselves can’t be racist, the use of dogs in racist systems is a whole different story and one we cannot ignore.

Historically, dogs have been weaponized to uphold racial violence. From their use in patrolling plantations during American slavery to their deployment during the Civil Rights Movement, dogs were intentionally trained and used to harm Black individuals. A DOJ report from Ferguson, Missouri, for example, noted that every documented police dog bite involved a Black victim.

So, when someone says, “dogs and racism,” they may not be talking about behavior but might be referencing history, and rightly so.

As a dog owner, I believe it's essential to be aware of this legacy. When a person of color sees a dog lunge or bark at them, especially in public spaces, they might not think, “Oh, this dog wasn’t socialized properly.” They might think: “I don’t feel safe.” And that is valid.

👉 The “Is My Dog Racist?” Question Isn’t Really About Dogs

It’s about us. It’s about what we teach our dogs, intentionally or not. It’s about what we expose them to. It’s about how we react in certain situations, what we normalize, what we avoid, and how we show up in diverse environments.

So instead of brushing off the question as silly, I think we should explore it. Not because dogs are racist, but because asking it helps us reflect on our own habits and environments.

👉What You Can Do

If your dog shows fear or reactivity toward certain people, here are some concrete steps to help:

Desensitization and Counterconditioning: Gradually expose your dog to new people in safe, positive settings. Use treats, praise, and distance to ensure the experience isn’t overwhelming.

Socialization Early and Often: If you’re raising a puppy, start socialization during the critical window (3–14 weeks). Make sure they meet people of different races, ages, sizes, and genders in positive ways.

Check Your Own Reactions: Are you tensing up when someone unfamiliar walks by? Are you changing your route, pulling the leash tighter, or holding your breath? Your dog may pick up on all of that.

Work with a Trainer: Seek out a certified behaviorist who uses positive reinforcement and understands the complexity of these issues.

Be Honest and Stay Curious: Instead of being embarrassed or defensive about your dog’s behavior, use it as a tool for self-reflection. Dogs are not mirrors of our prejudice, but they are mirrors of our behavior.

💭 Final Thoughts

Your dog isn’t racist (obviously) but sensitive. And that sensitivity, shaped by their environment and the people around them, can sometimes look like bias. That’s why it is important to ask: What can I do to make my dog feel safe in all kinds of human company? How can I show up better, for my dog, for my community, for the people they share this world with?

Because in the end, dogs are our companions, not just our pets. And raising a good dog, like raising a good human, means helping them navigate the world with confidence, empathy, and trust.

💞 Cookie & Seda

Resources

Reframing “Can Dogs Be Racist” Into a More Scientific Conversation – An Interview

Man’s Best Friend? How Dogs Have Been Used to Oppress African Americans by Shontel Stewart

Could My Dog Be Racist? By  Laurie C. Williams

Your Dog Is Not Racist – Unleashed Unlimited

Exploring ‘Racist’ Dog Reactions: Misunderstanding or Prejudice? by Kate LaSala

Not directly related to our topic but a good read: Afro-Dog: Blackness and the Animal Question by Bénédicte Boisseron.

Source: “Is My Dog Racist?” A Dog Owner’s Honest Inquiry into Behavior, Bias, and the Bigger Picture