I was a little bit miffed yesterday...

At the time I probably wouldn't have thought of anything good to say, but if I had, it probably would have been something like *look him right in the eye*- "Really, Pharoah Hounds are one of those 'mean' breeds? [] The guy probably hasn't ever even heard of a Pharoah Hound and might make him feel a little stupid. Like you said, he probably thought Xerxes was a Doberman...

OR you could say *looking the man in the eye*. "Let's go Xerxes, that's one of those MEAN people." []

OR you could say *looking the man in the eye*. "Let's go Xerxes, that's one of those MEAN people."

If only the guy would've looked back at me. []

Okay, just got back on, and while my dogs were in the truck the guy who told his kids not to touch the little dog, he was also a customer.  We were just in the parking lot of the feed store, and he walked toward our truck, we had windows half down, so Rex couldn't leave but Baby could have jumped if she really wanted to.  He thought that the GSD was fine because, Rex was just laying there ignoring them, but Baby was jumping up to the window hoping that someone would pet her!  She knows better than to try to jump out, it is a long ways down, and she hurt her front leg doing that when she was younger, and now that she is almost 7 she knows better.  Funny people, because she was being happy, (come play, come let me out, come pay attention to me!)  She wouldn't take their fingers off, but because Rex was laying there being Regal, and waiting for us he was not a problem, he would have at least growled if they tryed to open the door, after all it is our truck!

You should see what you get when you have a chow.......ridiculous!

 
I either have one extreme or the other.  I've heard a dad tell his son, "that dog looks like it would rip your face off" when Willow wasn't even looking at them.  I've been asked if she was a "bear".  Yeah, I'm walking a bear around, pleeeeez!
 
I've had a little girl scream at the top of her lungs from a pretty far distance, "does she bite, does she bite".  Well, she might now that you've scared the heck out of her. 
 
And, on the other hand I've had people who I flat out said not to pet her and they want to know "why" and still try to touch her.  Or, I walk to the opposite side of the street and they follow us!  Hiking the other day I went off the main trail to avoid a guy and this obnoxious little dog and he followed us off the main trail, I couldn't believe it!

Yeah sometimes I just want to be an irrisponsible owner just to see what happens next!

ORIGINAL: BEVOLASVEGAS

He sits there staring at people longingly just hoping for a little attention.

poor Bevo! I was at a dog day in the park not long ago and there was a very tall dobe, I mean Bugsy is tall and she was taller but a bunch.  She was very pretty and her owner was obviously proud but no one would go near her.  I went up to hte owner and complimented to him and the poor girl was shaking like a leaf.  He said she gets spooked around people - I though I bet its because no one goes near her she probably sensed their fear. I pet her and Bugsy of course gave her his standard enthusiastic doggie greeting!

Bugsy being big tall lean and muscly oh and black with very white teeth has had his share of unnecessary terror.  The best was recently when one of our neighbors who has a 6 month old tiny flufflball mix shouted to me "will Bugsy eat her? we're scared" 
Bugsy the puppy eater licked his lips and said come on up! 

Dobe people are in the same situation. Nobody, except another Dobe person, wants to come anywhere close

 
Yesterday, the two people who asked to pat Gracie while we walked in a busy downtown area were:
1 - a man who owned Dobes before
2 - a little girl who screamed when she saw Gracie...ran toward her mom because Gracie is just about eye level, comes back and stares at Gracie as we're walking.  The mom is calm because Gracie is clearly calm and walking nicely.  The mom said something about my dog being nice because she is obviously trained... and I said, "Yep.  Would you like to meet her?"  I'm very comfortable w/how Gracie is around children in all their "unpredictable" behaviors.  So I stopped Gracie, and the little girl reached out a hand to pat G on the shoulders.  She giggled to herself, reached out again and Gracie tried to sniff her hand - girl shrieked and recoiled, Gracie was disinterested.  Girl thought this was funny and patted her again before running up ahead to tell her dad she'd "patted the big dog, Gracie".  I smiled as we walked past and the girl reached out for a pat again and squealed "Gracie likes me!!!"  She was clearly proud of her own bravery and excited by meeting a new dog.
 
 The dog and the mom made all the difference in the world.  I also was cognizant of just how many people watched that exchange.  We received many approving smiles afterward.  And still a few disdainful looks later down the street...[8|]  You can't win 'em all....

The dog and the mom made all the difference in the world. I also was cognizant of just how many people watched that exchange. We received many approving smiles afterward. And still a few disdainful looks later down the street...

 
And an excellent testament to both Gracie's sweetness, as is noted in her breed, and your stellar stewardship with her.
 

aww, thanks Ron - that was nice of you to say!!  []

That's too bad =( Sorry you had to go through that...
I would've turned around and gave him a 60-minute speech...LOL

BTW, Ed, I also meant to say that I'm sorry you had to encounter an idiot like that. If that guy actually knew half of what he thought he knew, then he'd be worth talking to. In the interest of being kinder and gentler, may I wish that he receive an education before he totally ruins his children. Or, may they be smarter than him, which won't take much effort. Oops, I think I said that out loud ...
 

ORIGINAL: ron2

BTW, Ed, I also meant to say that I'm sorry you had to encounter an idiot like that. If that guy actually knew half of what he thought he knew, then he'd be worth talking to. In the interest of being kinder and gentler, may I wish that he receive an education before he totally ruins his children. Or, may they be smarter than him, which won't take much effort. Oops, I think I said that out loud ...

LOL, good one Ron.

I also get the extremes.  It's either, "What a cute dog!" or "Keep that killer Pit Bull away from me!".  Gypsy is absolutely dejected if nobody comes up to her.  Her tail droops and she is SURE they ar emad at her!

well i wont lie, ive always gone up to dogs on the street and asked to pet them. well not little dogs, im just not a fan of them, but medium to giant dogs, it doesnt matter the breed, i usually ask if i can pet them as i approach the owner.
 
people always like to pet my dog too, damn beagles and their adorability. although when shes in a crowd and sees another dog, sometimes she gets too excited and wants to play so badly that she will start with the infamous hound bark.....then people stare! we get all sorts of looks, from ...oh its a hound all right! to, ugh why does that dog sound so mean?
 
and on another note, my beagles best friend is a gorgeous doberman! they are only a week apart in age, we met her owner when we first got sadie and she had first got her doberman, isis. they are adorable to watch play together.

ORIGINAL: BEVOLASVEGAS

I feel sorry for Bev because he would love for everyone to come up & love him.  Buuuuttttt, I do love being able to clear an entire aisle for myself when we're in Petsmart.

 
It is nice to shop in peace and quiet, isn't it? lol