Dog Data Science and Identity with Alexandra the Average - Ep 43

In this episode of Ethnocynology, I sit down with dog science communicator Alexandra the Average for a wide-ranging conversation about dogs, science, identity, and the ways our own cultural biases shape how we understand dogs themselves.

Alexandra discusses her approach to navigating misinformation in the dog and animal-welfare world, including why she relies on multiple studies rather than individual papers. But also the importance of reading beyond the abstract, and how scientific findings can become messy once they reach social media.

The conversation dives into some of the most persistent debates surrounding dogs, including pit bull stereotypes, breed and temperament, dog-bite statistics, veterinary bias, and how race and socioeconomic inequality can affect people's experiences with animal welfare and adoption.

We also explore the deeper history behind our relationships with dogs, like the use of dogs as status symbols to the effects of colonialism on Indigenous dog populations. We discuss how dogs can become wrapped up in human identity, prejudice, politics, and even colonial violence, illustrating why the history of dogs can never really be separated from the history of people.

Alexandra also discusses her upcoming podcast, Pod Reviewed Research, which explores the human-animal connection, animal welfare, legislation, history, and culture through detailed, research-heavy conversations.

Transcripts

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/ethnocynology/43

Links:

• The racialization of pit bulls: What dogs can teach us about racial politics
• Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes
• Human–dog bond cross-cultural study
• Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs"
• "Implicit weight bias exists among veterinary professionals,"
• Visual breed identification vs. DNA.
• Dog-bite fatality risk factors
• Woolly Dog
• “Possessions and the Extended Self,"
• Bronwen Dickey, Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon
• Michael Luo, Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America (2025)
• CARE: Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity
• Dog Aging Project
• Darwin's Ark
• davidianhowe.com
• Davidianhowe.com/store

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