Everytime I walk my dog or bring him to the park people act like I have a loaded gun pointed at them, they can't get away fast enough. I have the sweetest, well socialized rottweiler who loves every animal he has ever met. I was walking my dog the other day and my neighbors pug was running loose and the pug ran up to my leashed rottweiler and they were playing so nicely together. The neighbor comes running over and I say "He is a very friendly dog, he gets along great with little dogs." and the neighbor says "Yeah well he doesn't look it." He picked up his pug and tied it to a tree. It hurts my feelings that people don't trust me when I say he is very friendly.Has anyone had a experience with this? How would you handle it?Grr, Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations!

i walk dogs, and once i was walking this golden retriever, and i left him outside while i pop into a shop to get a bottle of water, and when i went outside again, a bunch of people gathered outside, refusing to go inside until i took my dog away. i found that funny though.

dont let it get to ya.. people are always like that. and yes when i had a huge gsd they were like that. and my gsd was the love of my life and loved everyone that he met. just let people be weird about a normal thing. its not your dogs fault that hes big. just let them be scared, they can learn on their own.. plus not everyone is like that if i saw a big old rottie walking down the street i would probally go and ask if i could pet him/her

People say silly things, and when I'm out walking him they walk by and call him killer, fighter, and remark about how he looks so mean. The don't know that he won't go to bed without his singing teddy bear and his soft doggy blanket.

I know what you mean - I've always had big dogs. First an English Setter, then a German Shepherd/Lab, and now a Shepherd/Great Dane mix - the last two were pitch black, the Lab mix having bright amber eyes. He didn't get along with other dogs, but absolutely adored people - he would actually get upset when people would cross the street because they were afraid of him. The one we have now has the Great Dane size with the shepherd type of fur - people do get scared of him for his large size. We take him to the dog park and some people pick up their small dogs from him - then they'll see how gently he plays with the yorkies or chihuahuas and figure that he's ok. He'll lay down and let them crawl all over him. He's the biggest baby and has gotten the title of "the biggest, friendliest, goofiest dog" by the people who are always there.Try to find a dog park in your area to take your dog to so he can play with other dogs - people there are normally more accepting of all dogs. It does upset me that people have these views of large breed dogs when they are normally more friendly than small dogs! I would rather be locked in a room with a doberman than a chihuahua!

I am unfortunately the same as the person you described, but please don't take this personally, most large dogs maybe ok but they can have personality clashes with other dogs the same as we have them with some other people,but the difference is if a small dog has a problem it can't really do a lot of damage, but a bigger dog can do a lot.We love our dogs as much as you do and just don't want to take the risk but again this is not personal and this is no slight against you or your dog we are just trying to keep our little friends safe and out of danger.Consider if someone came down to the park with a dog 10 times bigger than your own,your first instinct would be to protect him/her and you would be wary.hope this helps. Give him/her a kiss from me.jo

There are dog people and there are the rest of 'em. A dog is such an honest creature, and while yes some specific dogs (not breeds) are agressive, they usually advertise it loud and clear. People that do not not understand dog behavior, are condemned to never experience true joy. They assume that a small dog is safe, and while the damage it can inflict is less, they are more apt to do it. In fact, I have been savaged by a Spitz (medium dog) and a cat, and by far the cat was worse. My suggestion is find a park reserved for dogs (bark park) most people there are not biased, and let dogs be dogs.

hey i walk my st. benard and get the same thing. i think its cause there size is imtidating. mine loves to wrestle around just play. the only i can say is. if they act like it just keep walking. people will learn when your dog resuces them.

Oh, please, i have a pitt bull/boxer, extremely non-aggressive, if people don't understand, then who cares! suck it up sista.