Let the stereotypes begin.

AgileGSD

 A mother said to her children "Look at the goat! See the girl walking the goat?!" and pointed in my direction.

LMAO!!! Fynn got called a goat a couple weeks ago!! Our town had it's yearly festival and I was standing at a food stand waiting for my food. MIL was holding Fynn about 50 feet away. Person standing by me pokes her husband and says "look at the color of that goat." I start looking around for the goat!! Took me a few to figure out they were talking about Fynn. 

I call Kujo a rat all the time.

I have taught Samantha to always ask before petting a dog, dont ask if they bite(rude IMO), let the dog smell her first, and always pet them on the back not the head. She does it too every time she sees a dog. 

And with my dog everytime I turn around he is wrapped around someone who is touching him.  He is a people magnet and everyone wants to pet him.  But the stereotypical responses are usually the same, "My Aunt/Uncle/Grandparents" used to have a setter, craziest dog I ever saw.  Is yours crazy hyper too?  Um no, he sleeps half the day.  Does he run away all the time?  Um no, we can't get him to leave.  Did you cut off his hair?  Um no, he has a field coat.  Do you have to groom him all the time?  Um no, I don't do anything to him but a bath a few times a year.  And my favorite is.....Is that a Golden Retriever? 

Kimberly, it's awesome you've taught you daughter to be so respectful. I don't know why, but I too think it's rude when people ask "does he bite?"

The goat comments really get me! It reminds me of a time when I was a kid, I thought a white chinchilla was a tiny lamb. Haha, to my credit I was probably 7! Still though, I can't crack on those people, LMBO

Beejou

Kimberly, it's awesome you've taught you daughter to be so respectful. I don't know why, but I too think it's rude when people ask "does he bite?"

I'm not sure I'd consider that a *rude* question, although I think it could be better phrased. Maybe "Is he friendly?" or "Is he OK with strangers/kids?" Since  some dogs are leery of or snippy with strangers and/or kids,  I think it's better to ask first.  Every now and then someone will ask me if Max bites and I just say "No.  He's very friendly." I don't take it personally.

Joyce

 Sigh, sometimes I'd rather people assume the worse of Crusher.  But nobody ever does.  He's the pretty white faced, puppy masked, teddy bear eared, stereotypical Husky, but twice the size, and everyone assumes he's as friendly as he looks.  He's not.  He's not mean, but he's not a lamb.  And when we're out walking, he's typically on a mission.  When we do meet and greets, he's not normally very interested, and usually just shrugs people off.  Come into the house, and he's your best bud.  And apparently people think he looks cuddly.  I guess because of his crazy thick mane.  EVERYONE wants to hug him.  He hates it.  He doesn't even like it when I hug him around his neck, unless he's standing over me on the couch.  But people maul him.  I mean, who does that?  Nobody ever says,"Can I hug your dog?"  They just do it.  They might ask if they can pet him, but apparently that permission includes bear hugs.  Did you know, petting means hugging?  The terms are interchangeable I guess. 

Onyx leaves nothing to the imagination.  She barks at strangers.  She likes small kids, that's it.  Anything over 4' is out of her range and must be barked at, while shying away.  People don't ask to pet her, the probably know they'll never catch her.  She different at home too though.  She'll bark at men when they come in, if they are bigger than me and she doesn't know them.  But if you stay more than 5 minutes, you are promoted to family, and must be licked frequently.  If you put up with licking, you get promoted to armchair, which is highest of honours here.  But Onyx is such an unusual dog, that stereotypes haven't begun about her.

When someone suggests that one day my Pit is going to snap without warning, and bite me in the face, I try to relax and let time be the teacher.

BUT...IMO....with the pits, and a couple of the larger breeds, it tends to be insinuated that their brains aren't 100% stable....thus blaming the dog or the breed and not the owners for unacceptable behaviour.  With the smaller dogs, it does not seem to me that they get the same "bad mental health" brand. 

...did I just stereotype?  

Bruister

With the smaller dogs, it does not seem to me that they get the same "bad mental health" brand. 

With my Cocker Spaniels I've had strangers tell me they'll "rage out" when I least expect it, and attack me......

My kids were raised with dog show manners. I can maneuver with them thru a show/venue PACKED with every type and size of dog on leads with owners only HALF paying attention and they will not attempt to touch, even a single one. LOL. THAT...my friends and neighbors...is good training.

LMBO.

My hounds get approached often. I don't mind...it's nice when they ask first tho...and honestly? MOST people, do. They ask if they're loud (sometimes) if they hunt (sometimes...not with permission) and if they howl (only when they test the tornado sirens). If I am holding a PUPPY tho? All bets are off and you need to beat back the masses with a BIG stick!! People lose their tiny little minds in the face of a Beagle puppy...seriously. It's scary.

Cleo...she doesn't get approached as often simply because of her size...she is a dog most people admire from a distance and talk about from a distance, trying to work up the courage to approach. Not because she is mean...no one is AFRAID..but because she is large. Most of the tiniest kids approach willingly with a parent running behind they're toddlers...they don't ask because of that but their parents do...and they get Cleo luvin's. The adults tend to remark on her coat and length of body...and her kind expression. Then the inevitable question "What is she???" (I almost think they ask this because they are not sure she's a dog LMBO).

You can look at Cleo and black face or no...know she isn't going to hurt you. lol

What annoys me even more than the stereotypes are the self-proclaimed "dog lovers" that are "good with dogs" yet come charging up to any dog they please, lean over top of the dog, grab the dog's face in their hands and try to kiss it on the head.  Personally I'd rather people have some irrational fear about my dogs then charge over and get in their faces without asking me.

Liesje

Personally I'd rather people have some irrational fear about my dogs then charge over and get in their faces without asking me.

 You and me both!

Amanda, that is the greatest picture/comeback :)

People always flock to Sadie.  I just wish they'd ask.  She likes being petted, but doesn't like hugs from strangers.  One time we had three kids run up to her and grab and hug her out of nowhere, she looked INCREDIBLY uncomfortable, we quickly redirected the kids and asked if they would like to take turns petting Timmy (and gave Sadie a HANDFUL of treats), first to get them off Sadie, who hated being mauled and second to teach them how to approach strange dogs.  We made Timmy sit, and told the kids to always ask first before petting a dog, let them sniff your hand and pet under their chin, etc.  The mother finally came along after that and gave a vague apology.   We just let the kids finish petting Timmy and left. 

We actually don't get a lot of negative comments about Timmy, sometimes people shy away, but don't generally say things out loud.  Most often we get comments on how gorgeous he is and how they know someone with a rottweiler who's 200 lbs and super friendly.  FH mother actually got a lot of comments from her friends when she told them her son had gotten a new dog, a rottweiler, they kept urging her to get us to get rid of him, they were aggressive, mean dogs.  She tried to tell them a bit about rottweilers, but they didn't really listen.