Why do people cross to the other side of the street when they see me walk my dog?

Question

This is more of a statement than a question but I was wondering if others have the same problem.

I have a Doberman Pincsher that is over 100lbs. He loves people especially kids and when he sees other people he gets really excited. He thinks that everyone he sees wants to pet him. Unfortunately for my dog it seems that just because he is a doberman people run from him. I hate that people discriminate dogs just because of reputation. All you have to do is ask if he is dangerous. I mean, would who would walk a vicious dog by people so it can attack and have lawsuit. Tell me your experiences.

I didn't mean it was when they saw me, its when they see my dog when I walk him and offense taken.

Answer 1

I have a Doberman Pincsher that is over 100lbs.

there's your answer, hon. dobermans can be intimidating. i have germans shepherds and people do the same thing although my dogs wouldn't hurt a fly. other people are just naturally afraid of larger dogs.

Answer 2

Plenty of people "would walk a vicious dog by people so it can attack". I'm sure you heard about the case of the girl in San Francisco who got mauled by her neighbors' two dogs several years ago. Their dogs had bitten over 30 people before and NO ONE did anything about it! The result was she was attacked in her own building and was killed! And the owners only got a couple years in jail and didn't feel ANY responsibility or remorse for it whatsoever! If you have a big dog you cannot assume that everyone loves YOUR dog or that ANYONE wants your dog to jump all over them! You are the one telling us that "when he sees other people he gets really excited". Don't you think that people who don't know your dog might be a little bit worried??? Secondly, why would anybody make a point of staying on YOUR side of the street just so that they can ask you if your dog is dangerous?? Don't you think they'd rather just play it safe and cross to the other side RATHER than take your word...meaning that you are a stranger to them? Um...I hate to tell you this but plenty of people swear and declare that their dogs "aren't dangerous", yet their dogs have killed/mauled people/other animals. Third, I get a little bit tired of hearing people with Dobermans talk about how everybody is "discriminating" against that breed. OK - so your dog is a real little sweetheart. Unfortunately, the various breeds of dogs are BRED for the particular qualities that breeders/prospective owners want. So whatever it is about DOBIES in particular that makes them expert guard/attack dogs, I have no idea. Regardless, the pattern of behavior that apparently has been exhibited by that breed is off-putting to a lot of people....and unfortunately he is YOUR dog. That is of no comfort or importance to strangers who don't know you or your dog from jump. Fourth, I have walked down the street and other people have ABSOLUTELY let their jobs jump all over me - which I do NOT appreciate and then have smirked and laughed when their dogs have either backed me up against a building or scared the **** out of me. Fifth, I had to get a girl kicked out of my building because HER dog refused to let me go UP the stairs or DOWN the stairs...and she had no business having a dog in the building anyway! Now...none of these dogs were DOBIES. My point is, you would not be accusing people of "discriminating" against your pooch if any of these other dogs were YOURS. The truth is that YOU have a BIG DOG, no one knows your dog, you don't say whether or not you keep your dog on a leash (which you SHOULD), and you think everyone is just supposed to love your dog because you said so. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

Answer 3

I would say people do this more out of genuine fear and cautiousness than out of discrimination. We have the opposite problem. We have a very large black lab. We walk him because we like to walk, he needs the exercise and we are entitled to walk on the city sidewalks just like anyone else. Unfortunately, people assume that labs are just big cuddly things that would never hurt a fly. He is friendly, but we don't want the responsibility of ignorant people just coming up and suddenly reaching their hand out and grabbing him to hug or pet. He did bite someone once when the person (a policeman friend of my husband's!) reached into the backseat of our vehicle to pet him. Even the guy said it was his mistake and that he probably made the dog feel cornered when he reached into "his space." What all people need to realize is that ANY dog of any breed and temperment will bite, given the set of circumstances. No one should ever reach out into the face of an unfamiliar dog, and everyone should display just a bit of healthy respect for the fact that they are, after all, animals and have some uncontrollable instincts.

Answer 4

i don't think its how you smell......... they have a bad reputation...don't they... of attacking people ... i mean just about a month ago my daddy ....no lie... was going into a store and this doberman was in the back of this mans truck and these kids were walking by and the dog jumped on the tail gate and growled and was all mean and snapping at them daddy pushed the kids back and grabed the dog and was about to slit his throat with his knife but the dog jerked back and sat down..... they almost put the dog asleep .... they would have but the man got in his truck and ran off...... well that's why they are supposed to be dangerous although i can still remember when i was little having my dog.....he was a doberman.... we called him dober!!!lol really well ..... i don't think their is anything that you can do really ..... maby it would help a little if you made him calm down a little though....

Answer 5

We generally like dogs, but if I saw your dog, I wouldn't want to be near him otherwise. We have had two bad experiences with dogs and our child. Once we went over to our neighbour's and she introduced us to her dog that her daughter had just brought back to her. She was a long time dog owner and said my kid should just extend his hand flat for the dog to sniff. The dog was a cute little whatever. My kid did what she said and the dog bit his hand. The neighbour sent the dog away. About a year later, my son was walking down a street a few blocks from our home and passed by a man walking a young black lab. As my son walked by - there was lots of room on the sidewalk - the dog turned around and bit the back of my son's thigh. In neither case was anything provoked, and both with dogs who are not supposed to be viscious. It just taught us that no dogs are completely trustworthy.

Answer 6

Welcome to my world. I have a pit bull, and because of how the media portrays my dog, many people fear the breed. Many cities are trying to ban Dobermans too. I would do research on BSL and try to put an end to it.

I love Dobermans. I think they are so beautiful. Sadly, most of the time Dobermans are portrayed as menacing guard dogs in movies. =*(

Answer 7

Seems like a lot of people are intimidated by your DP (Sorry for stating the obvious...) But DP's do look very vicious at times and looks like it can attack you at any moment! Due to Americans being so media-centered in their lives, DP's have grown a reputation of attacking people. When I think of "a kind of generalization of a DP", it's one where it is standing near a fence, the sky is dark, and it's barking fiercely with saliva drooling down :/... just media cr*p.. haha

anyways, People in my neighborhood are opposite of yours, and so is my dog (opposite of yours). It's a small yorkshire terrier. It's a total PUNK.. its like maybe not more than 20 lbs (lighter probably) and it is very fierce. So many people want to touch it, but then it gets angry if it hasn't met you before. :/ It's all appearance. My dog looks cute and seems like it won't bite you but watch out!

Good luck with your DP!! (And occasionally someone who actually knows anything about dogs will come and meet him!)

Answer 8

I have Dobermans and I get the same thing. I silently laugh to myself and think, "If you only knew..."

We get this reaction because of breed reputation and due to those individuals who have used this breed for the wrong thing -- as attack dogs. Protection is one thing -- attack an entirely different thing.

Remember, next time -- laugh...just laugh.

Answer 9

It's just like Pitts. People don't understand that you bought/adopted this dog because you loved him. You should make it look like you have a grip on the leash but not harming the dog. Probably because of their reputation, they will kill you,but they won't. Some people are just afraid of that. I used to have a Pitt. People got scared and all i did is said. "Sit" and to the person I said, would you like to pet him? if he thought i was crazy, he woudn't. he was very nice but people get intimidated.

Answer 10

you know what, it;'s just intimidating the dog being so big and some people just don't like dogs