Why dogs bark at Gypsies?

[Varda]

This is not a joke, but real thing. I noticed that long tome ago. I had forgotten about that until yesterday. Yesterday i was in Belgrade visiting my relative. My cousin has dog (in the private house). We were in the yard several hours and dog was near us all time. We were sitting a few meters from the street in the yard overlooking the street. A lot of people passing the street during that period. The dog only went to the fence twice and started barking when people passed by - once when white guy with a dog passed by (because of dog), and second time when two Gypsy girls (alone without dog) were passing by. My cousin said in that neighborhood there is only only two Gypsy families and local dogs always barking at them. Even more interesting is that one of two Gypsy families from neighborhood is not typical Gypsy by lifestyle - they are calm, clean, tidy, educated, they have normal jobs etc. (only by their physical appearance is visible they are Gypsies), but regardless of that the dogs always bark on them. Other Gypsy family from neighborhood is typical Gypsy by behavior and life style.

[monsieur]

Maybe because they look different to other people?

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

They are also more prone to bark at black people from my experience. Dogs see the world differently than we do and are not able to process the same range of colors, so perhaps they have a harder time interpreting darker colors. It can also be related to some unfamiliar scent or smell that gypsies or other ethnicity might have.

[Varda]

Maybe because they look different to other people?

Could be.

My cousin, neighbors of cousin and me are not only persons here who noticed that phenomenon. This guy on Twitter wrote (in Serbian) 'Why dogs bark at Gypsies' https://twitter.com/Preduhitrivach/s...74490991226882

[TheForeigner]

It happens here too. When I was a child we would even sic stray dogs in the neighborhood on gypsies and they would bark at them and attack them and sometimes they did it on their own.

[Mortimer]

Probably the same why they bark at black people (melanin in skin eyes and hair?)? Heard that before often from racist owners, but dogs dont bark at me. I had several dogs myself... and walk dogs of friends... a croat lady told me her dog barks at serbs? Probably he barks at serbs, for the same reason your dog barks at gypsies or an American dog barks at blacks...

[Mortimer]

They are also more prone to bark at black people from my experience. Dogs see the world differently than we do and are not able to process the same range of colors, so perhaps they have a harder time interpreting darker colors. It can also be related to some unfamiliar scent or smell that gypsies or other ethnicity might have.

black people and gypsies are dog owners often themselfes, dogs are loyal to their owners, if the owner is white, the dog will perceive the gypsies or blacks as enemies, especially if the owner perceives them as enemies dogs feel that Varda dislikes gypsies... or that an american guy hates blacks

[TheForeigner]

Maybe even dogs know what's the score. I guess castrated dogs like Mortimer.

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

black people and gypsies are dog owners often themselfes, dogs are loyal to their owners, if the owner is white, the dog will perceive the gypsies or blacks as enemies, especially if the owner perceives them as enemies dogs feel that Varda dislikes gypsies... or that an american guy hates blacks

Yes, dogs are able to sense if you dislike someone or whenever you are distressed, anxious or fearful. If you as a owner happen to change your emotional state whenever you are around a certain group of people your dog might pick it up. I'm not a vet however so I might be saying something that is not really accurate, it is just my impression. My previous dog wouldn't hurt a fly.

[Mortimer]

Maybe even dogs know what's the score. I guess castrated dogs like Mortimer.

I had a dog like in 2016 and he liked me and my mum he liked even more...

When I was a kid we always had a dog in serbia... almost every gypsy i know has a dog in serbia.... often german shepherds (big dogs) i dont think dogs hate gypsies, i think dogs hate gypsies if the owner is white