Are they really that scary? REALLY?

I feel your pain and I don't even have so called "dangerous" breeds - all of mine are under 35lbs!  Last night our new neighbors' kids were out on their deck when I was in the yard with the 3 dogs.  The first question they asked was "do they bite?" and when I said no they were incredulous: "None of them?  Wow!".  People around here are way more afraid of dogs in general than what I EVER encountered in Indiana!

 Last year I was at the pet store and came across a couple with a 4-5 month old pit bull pup. Samantha went up to them and asked if she could pet the pup. They looked at me and asked if it was ok. I said yes and then like an old lady that comes across a baby I fussed over the pup too. The owners asked me if I knew what the pup was and I said I did. They said everyone else that had come by them ran away like she was a monster. She was very well behaved pup too. She sat down and let us pet her. No jumping, no nibbling, nothing like you would expect from a 4-5 month old pup. Her owners were just trying to socialize her and we were the first ones besides the employees to fuss over her.

I dont know if this will make you feel better but I get asked all the time if Lillie and Fynn will bite before someone will pet them. Maybe it's just because their big dogs?

And JJ says you can bring your big scary pup over here anytime! He is in love with her. 

Aesop is really friendly too..he love, love, loves people and knows no strangers. Yet everyone assumes he must certainly want to eat them and I get comments constantly.  A lady at the dog park even yelled at him and tried to whomp him with her flexi lead because he was sniffing her dog and she didn't want him near her dog. Her dog wouldn't obey her call, so she tried to whap mine instead

I understand completely, being the owner of a pittie. I try and take Chloe to the beach during slow periods when it's not busy, because some people can be so snarky. Lots of people today withdraw themselves from her, wrapping their arms around their chest, shooing her away and giving her and me dirty looks. Meanwhile, all she wants to play some fetch on the beach! Jeez, when did that become a sin. It's not like she's misbehaved. The day I got her, I paid special attention to make sure she was socialized, well behaved and trained.

I remember when my mother in law first met her, her jaw dropped and said something like "NATE! IS THAT A PITBULL? YOU DIDNT TELL ME! DOES IT BITE?!" Oh lordy.

A DOBIE?  Scary?  They are so delicate and gentle looking to me.  And even rotties, with their sturdier build don't scare me, and that's the breed that decided to take a bite out of my leg.  Of course, so did a shepherd years ago, but he was going for my face....and look at how many of THOSE I have now!

I'm afraid that unless a dog is giving me "the look", snarling, drooling and the whole 9 yards, I don't find them scary looking.....except for the really little yippy dogs jumping at me.  THOSE scare me!

I'd be pretty steamed too, in your shoes.  Ignorance is hard to deal with and some just aren't worth your time or attention.  You have a great ambassador in Josie and many people will see her for what she is, a great dog.  Let it go when it's obvious that you can't get through but you will meet people willing to learn a different point of view and then you will feel fantastic. 

Megan, I completely understand!

My favorite "I can't believe that you own a killer dog" moment happened in Petsmart.  Bev & I were sharing an aisle with a mother & her toddler.  I was focused on something on a shelf, while Bev was sitting next to me.  Apparently, the kid wandered off because when I looked down, I saw the little girl with her arms wrapped around Bev's neck.  Bev was sitting there, nub wagging, giving the kid kisses.  When the kid's mother saw her hugging on Bev, she yelled "don't let that killer anywhere near my daughter."  I was nice, & only pointed out that my dog was on a leash, which was more than could be said for her kid.  Then we walked away.  At the time, Bev was only about a year & a half old.  He handled the entire situation so well.  He wasn't exposed to kids heavily prior to that incident, so I was very proud of him.  I truly believe that his affinity for kids stemmed from that experience.

FWIW, eventually, you will learn to ignore the morons.

I know how frustrating it can be to deal with ignorant people, too.  

The other day I had Patty (20lbs) and Molson (23lbs) out and a lady grabbed her kid (4-ish yr old girl)- scaring/startling the kid- and said "Those dogs bite, don't they?!" I said no, they're very friendly. She said, "No, my Grandmother had one when I was a child and it bit everyone." I just said, oh that's too bad, and kept walking. That isn't the first time someone has commented on the Cockers being biters. These two are very friendly, social, and well-behaved.

Don't even let me get started on the things I've heard about Apollo- and he's a Labrador!

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A lady at the dog park even yelled at him and tried to whomp him with her flexi lead because he was sniffing her dog and she didn't want him near her dog.

WHAT!!!!  I have the same problems here.  I've had people compliment her big time, then ask what she was and completely change to insults.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "She's a chow?  You better be careful those turn on you." 

Yeah, Megan, I feel your pain.  Though I'm sure you probably have similar experiences with Kaiser?  We get all sorts of comments about Kenya because she looks like a "police dog", Nikon because he is big and dark and trains for Schutzhund, and Coke because he is "part Chow" (I don't know if that's true, I suspect it is, but it's amazing how many people look at him and immediately ask if he's Chow).  Our new neighbor lovingly refers to Kenya as the "dingo" and Nikon "the vicious one."

I once saw the most beautiful Dobe out on a walk, I must've been standing there gawking b/c the owner stopped and said "Don't worry, he's very nice!" so I appologized, saying I was only admiring her dog, not fearing it.

 I get the pit bull stuff occasionally from people.  When I told one guy from work I had a pit mix he replied with "Oh, you're one of THOSE people..."  I've had people tell their kids that they don't want them to go near "those kind of dogs" when they see Sally.

Then you get the general comments about the breed that hurt:  "Pit bulls are not worth the bullets used to send them straight to hell"  "Those dogs should all be killed"  "What kind of a person would own one of THOSE dogs," etc.  I've learned that there are just certain things on the net that I just should not read, as I just end up upset. 

 We had a family gathering last year where I had family members saying hateful things about the breed and I got so upset I just had to walk out (I don't handle things like that well--I take it VERY personally).  DH, who is normally non-confrontational got very upset with the family members saying this stuff and valently defended Sally and all her kind like I've never seen--I was so proud of him!

The worst comment I've ever heard was at a dog show a couple of years ago.  My mom and I had stopped at a pit bull rescue booth and this old hag walked by and said to her friend "Some dogs just don't DESERVE to be rescued!"

Bizarrely, I've had plenty of people look at Penny and draw their hands up away from her and tell me corgis bite. And then there's the people that ask me if she bites, and the people that tell me they have known corgis that bite.... Never mind that she's sitting at their feet looking up at them adoringly. But on the plus side, I know of several people that thought all corgis were horrible dogs until they met Penny and she changed their minds. To the folks that are convinced corgis bite, I laugh and say no one told Penny. If their minds can be changed Penny will do it.

Sometimes people ask every owner if their dog bites. I can't say I've ever heard it regarding Kivi, though. He mooches up to people and his head is at perfect petting height. He's so cuddly-looking people forget themselves around him.  

I know, we've pointed out to quite a few people that Legend hadn't turned on us in his nearly 13 years, so we're not too concerned about this one doing so  What is most irritating is that he just loves people. And the same people who steer clear from his wagging tail are the ones who would try to pick up Julian without asking, and he's the one who would have none of that from a stranger. But he's little, so apparently that means he must like strangers snatching him up

 People give us a w-i-d-e berth whenever I am out with our bigger shepherd. She's not terribly big - only about 78 lbs - but I understand that she looks intimidating. However, I do not understand why people feel the need to say things like "Oh, I bet she's vicious!" or "Will she bite me if I walk by you?" She has very soft body posture, wagging tail, soft eyes, and is very well-socialized. If she was a golden retriever and acting the same way, they wouldn't think twice about walking right by and probably patting her on the head as they passed. It is frustrating because she is *such* a people-oriented dog and you can practically see the hurt look on her face when people won't come near her.

We are still working on socializing the younger malinois, so I don't blame people for being put off by her protective drive, even though she is a much smaller build than our other one.