How young can they remember?

[catnapper]

I've been thinking about Nicki and her love of black men. I'm not saying this to stir up racial comments, just that my dogs seems to know when a black male is walking by the house - she wants to go say hi and love them. Very odd, especially since the only black person she kows is our neighbor. He's a great man, and he always greets her & will slips her a few dogs treats :) So we just figured that since he's the only black person she knows that she'd assumes all black people are the same way.

Then last night, as I was pondering how my sweetheart knows colors, I realized that her first family was a black couple... could she remeber the love and care she received in their home? We took her at a very young not quite 5 weeks old (I KNOW, we had no idea she was that young... we'd have never taken her if we knew she was THAT young.) Do you think its possible she remembers them? Or is it that the neighbor is so nice she assumes all black men are? Not that it matters... I'm surprised she knows black from white!

[cloverfdx]

Hmmm that is an interesting questin i too have thought about stuff like that, but i am no closer to figuring anything out as of yet ;).


Maybe Nicki associates your neighbour being friendly and thinks all people of simalar apearence must be frindly also. I would not have a clue.

I friend of mine has a dog (Black Labbie) who was neglected and abused by an elderly couple, he remembers his time with them and is terriefied of elderly men, not so much women. :(

[Samantha Puppy]

Our first dog, Rags, hated black people. My dad picked him up from an alley in Baltimore so we're guessing he was maybe abused by them? Rags wouldn't hurt a fly but when we had black people over our house, we actually had to restrain him which we had never had to do before.

Samantha hates HATES big, broad-shouldered men with dark t-shirts on. It's the weirdest thing. She doesn't like hats either. Since I don't know what her very beginnings were like either, all I can do is assume she was abused by a big guy.

Sad.

[Smilla]

Lefty has barked at black and/or darker Hispanic men before, seemingly singling them out. It was fairly embarrassing because I didn't quite know what to say, but they didn't seem to take it personally. I've wondered if he didn't have a bad experience with a darker-skinned person.

The poodle we had when I was very young did not like blonde females. I hate to admit that it was my fault--I carried her upside down when I was little, and made her do "wheelbarrows."

[dukedogsmom]

I can't say because I really don't know. I know they never forget, though. It's been about 11 years and Duke hasn't forgotten his bad treatment. Now I have a good excuse to tell you how much I LOVE your new sig! Very, very cute. We need some more Nicki pics, also. I'm a member of the Nicki fan club.
Edited: Forgot to add that a black person here at work had an idea about this. They mentioned a dog barking at white people. Maybe it's just because they're not what the dog is used to being with, you know? I think it makes sense.

[cloverfdx]

:D I love your new signiture also, very cute.

[LorraineO]

Well Lucy hates men in hats too,, but she has been with us since she was 12 weeks old,, never had a problem with abuse or scared for any reason,,, The man we got her from was a biker type,, but he was a big puddytat,, VERY friendly and super with the litter of pups when we were there,,, Nice house,,,,

so,,, with saying that,,, In Lucys case,, I think its just a personal quirk with her and nothing from experience,,, Maybe your dog just happens to like the color of black skin,,,, come to think of it,, do dogs see in color?????

[Smilla]

They can, though they appear more muted. Surely a dog can tell the difference between a black and white person, though.

I thought a little about what dukedogsmom said. I think if you're a white person and you live somewhere where Black or Hispanic people truly are in the minority, a dog just might bark at them because they're not used to them. One town I lived in in Texas had a 55% Black population, and a good-sized Hispanic population--Lefty probably would never bark then!

[catnapper]

Thanks everyone! First off, black and hispanic people are not the minority in my area. I'd say that the MAJORITY of people walking past my house are either black or hispanic. Nicki never wants to greet the white or hispanic passersby... but she goes absolutely nuts to get outside and greet the black people. More so black men than women. And its awfully sad to see them cross the street when they see her :( she gets all sad with a look that says "what did I do?" They don't know what a sweetheart she is and they automatically cross out of fear that she might attack. Maybe thats why she does it? You know how dogs tend to cling to those who want them the least! :D

I know my mom's dog Addie was abused by a young white male who wore his keys on a belt clip because she always tried to attack any white young male who was wearing keys on his belt. Addie's been with our family for ten years and still reacts the same way. Funny how they never forget.

Thank you all for compliments on my new siggy :) I was talking to someone today and they commented on how badly Nicki is steering. They suggetsed perhaps Allen should be driving the bus, and I said thats impossible because he can't reach the pedal! Yes, I need a new hobby! :D

[cloverfdx]

Thank you all for compliments on my new siggy I was talking to someone today and they commented on how badly Nicki is steering. They suggetsed perhaps Allen should be driving the bus, and I said thats impossible because he can't reach the pedal! Yes, I need a new hobby!

LOL nah i think Pouncer and Allen should both be driving, one steers the car the other operates the pedels. :D Nicki is doing a great job steering. ;)

[chrissycat21]

I'm thinking Nicki can remember.......

We took Snowy home when she was about 6 weeks old. Around a year later we brought her back to the people we got her from so they could watch her while we went on vacation. Right when we turned on to her block Snowy's tail started going, she started barking, and she knew which house it was before we did.

That was her first home. Her mom, dad, and sister all live there. Now we can get on the street before their block (or sometimes much farther back than that) and Snowy will know where we are.

[ParNone]

Semi-related to this subject. I use to watch a lot of NBA basketball, back when the Rockets were at their height. Everytime there were interviews with Magic Johnson or Patrick Ewing, Maddie would just go ballistic growling and barking at the TV screen. None of the other players. Only those 2. Now I'm not much of a Ewing fan, but I've always liked Magic, so I don't think she was feeding off of my feelings. Something specifically about them that just rubbed her wrong.

Par...