Do you own a breed of dog that people pre-judge on sight?

[DannyOD]

I have a Chihuahua who is particularly tiny. She is a rescue and the sweetest natured, loving little thing but people take one look at her and pre-judge both her and me as her owner.

I have actually had people say to me ‘Oh I bet she’s a horrible dog isn’t she?’ Or ‘Bet she’s a bad tempered, snappy thing isn’t she?’ Well, no she isn’t actually. It drives me nuts!!! I also get ‘Bet you dress her up and carry her round in a bag?’ No, she is a dog not a doll!!!

Anyone else fed up with this sort of thing?

I've got a rescue greyhound. People assume she needs tons of exercise (greys don't as a rule - they're as lazy as sin), and quite a few people have assumed she's vicious because she's big, and because they'll have seen greyhounds with muzzles on.

X-post Catwoozle

I have a border collie,

Sorry posted to soon,

Everyone comments on his high energy but he is the laziest dog. He could happily sleep all day

Yes, great minds Petra.

Most people do enjoy seeing the hounds charge about when there is space to do so. People are gobsmacked when they haven't seen their turn of speed before though. As are other dogs!

I'm another Doberman owner and people will cross roads and run in the opposite direction when they spot her, even with her pink accessories ;)
It's ridiculous really because she's the softest, soppiest thing and instead, the various assortment of fluffy small dogs I've rescued and fostered over the years are far more likely to be a problem yet I've virtually had to run away from people thrusting their kids at them despite being told not to.

I actually didn’t realise how much our first dog was judged, until we got our second dog recently. Our first dog is a black Patterdale terrier cross, and is a farm dog so is pretty muscly because of the amount of exercise he gets. He’s such a wet blanket away from the Farm. Loves sleeping and being cuddled. People who get to know him act so surprised when they realise how lovely he is, but we do get people being cross with us on walks if he does the slightest thing that isn’t 100% perfect.

I assumed this judgement was normal of all dogs, but we recently got a little cocker rescue dog who is obviously adorable, but she is more cheeky and mischievous than our other dog. People always give a tinkly laugh and coo over her when she does something naughty like jump up, but if our other dog did that there would be hell to pay.

I have a Chihuahua! He's a little shit but I love him, he doesn't get carried around much and he only wears a jumper when it's cold or a hi vis one when it's dark. He's not nippy and doesn't bark much or yap. He does shake when he sees another dog though! Despite my best (and continuing) efforts he's petrified of other dogs.

Ah my retriever loves greyhounds. He’s slow (even for a retriever) and loves running across the big circles they do on the beach. Sometime he stands and I know he thinking “they have super powers”

Yes! From both angles too. Drives me mad.

Used to have a rottie a few years back and people would cross the road when I walked her. She was the sweetest natured dog.

Now I have a toy poodle and people look at me in disgust occasionally. He doesn't have a fancy haircut or anything, just a shave down when his hair is long. I get all the same comments about dressing him up, handbags etc.

You just have to remember that there are SO many idiots in the world who are clueless
And most people haven't actually got any experience with the breed, they just judge based on what's on the TV

Ohh I love dogs! But I don't own one. I have friends with many different breeds of dogs so I don't judge any of them, lovely rotties, smiley staffies, mongrels, they're all gorgeous.

I've been bitten twice by dogs, one was a border collie (my favourite breed) and one was a lurcher. Both were allowed out unaccompanied by their useless owners, so I don't blame the dogs, or that breed,
just the thickos they belonged to.

Jack Brussels made me laugh. A dog crossed with sprouts?

Yes, we have a doberman, she is very big, strong and scary looking apparently. She's still only a puppy really at 10mo but I have had people scream at me to "get that dog away from me/my dog/my child" when Ddog was on a lead, perfectly controlled by me and nowhere near them She's on her lead, unless we are in an enclosed space as her recall isn't perfect yet, but shes getting there.

Ddog was attacked just yesterday by a Labrador who took a dislike to Ddog looking at her ball. Luckily I was in between Ddog and the Lab, Ddog was on her lead which I had hold of. Ddog was fine but I ended up with scratches and on my leg with ripped jeans and a bite on my hand. Ddog didn't even retaliate just pulled away as fast as possible.

It's the owners not the dog.

Oh god yes mine is a little fluff ball of a mixture, and people and kids always assume he would love a cuddle from a stranger! Nope! I warn kids that get too close, he won't bite but may bark and run away which is quite scary to kids. It's the parents that let the child come up to an unknown dog and get in their face that I can't understand

I also have a cute ball of fluff who gets loads of attention when we're out. The number of parents who just let their children run over and touch him because "he's SOOOOO cute" is quite astonishing - not to mention the adults who do the same.

Luckily he has a lovely temperament and doesn't mind tolerates the attention but they don't know that.

Yes jack russells. Judged as being yappy and nippers and a bit aggressive by some people. In fairness one is a bit yappy. But they are both otherwise very sweet natured, friendly and huge cowards so far from aggressive.
I've given up being bothered what people think. I love the little beasts, don't give a monkeys what mr and mrs pure breed Labrador think...(insert other breeds here )

Oh titsalina your little chi is adoreable!!

This is my madam

Oh and I forgot about all the people who assume she must be a cross breed because unlike many Labrador s she's the size they are supposed to be, not a tub of lard.

Yes bull arab cross Great Dane cross staff (bull Arab x staff mum Great Dane father) he's huge, but lovely. Honestly he's more interested in chasing plastic bags and crisp packets than people (but has good recall when required) but people constantly walk across the road to avoid me. Only two people I can think of in the last 6 months have pet him and I walk him 3x a day.
But when I had a small dog for 2 weeks (looking after for a friend on holiday abroad) God I couldn't keep people off the little one! 2-3 people per walk would want a smooch or a pet easily!
It makes me so sad, because my boy is soft and daft as anything, more likely to hurt himself trying to fit between two trees than hurt someone else!

Yep, we have the most wonderful calm natured Akita. People either cross over the road or practically jump on her to fuss her. The only time we have ever had problems is when she and I were bitten by a Labrador and both given stitches, and according to my postie, Labradors are the most common attack dog for posties. Big. Dogs always get grief, it is ridiculous as small dogs can be nasty too.

Madbengalmun Labradors are the most common attack dog probably because they are the most common dog in the UK.**

I also find that because they have a reputation for being "easy" dog's to own they attract inexperienced owners who don't realise the amount of work you have to put into them to make it look easy and expect them to be perfect from day 1 (I see this on a breed forum I'm on all the time - some people can't understand why a 9 week old isn't housetrained after a week!)

I love Staffies and boxers. Gorgeous. I like German Shepards but I've never met a truly cuddly one. Very handsome though.
My other ideal dog would be a golden retriever!

I have a particularly small yorkie that looks remarkably like the urban myth of a large rat on a lead.

I don’t think i’ve been judged yet :)

I’m not particularly precious about other dogs, but if i see a sighthound, especially off lead, i will pick mine up because yunno, prey drive, and mine does look very much like a hairy rodent...

Dh hates going out with my Chi. She constantly gets attention and comments and people asking questions about her and it drives him nuts. I have also had young children running to grab and stroke her which absolutely terrifies her.

Yes! I have a large dog who is a bfg! He's dopey, friendly, well behaved and doesn't bark (thank fuck!)

He's terrified of small dogs (sorry op!) as they do generally tend to be yappy and snappy towards him, maybe it's a defence mechanism.... I'll get in there 1st before he eats me!
He's been bitten on the nose a few times.

Anyway, most of the owners of these small dogs will always comment on how my dog is too big for you to play with in a way that insinuates that it'll be my dog hurting their dog, not the other way round.... disclaimer.... He has never hurt another dog, he just runs away most of the time!

wolfie do you have a wolfhound?.... We have a deerhound