Why do people get freaked out when they see my dog?

Question

I have a 2yr. old German Shepherd named Kenji. He likes people and doesn't get really exited when he meets strangers (just two of my friends and my landlord).

Answer 1

i love german shepherds. but maybe ppl get scared cuz hes so big

Answer 2

There are lots of people scared of big dogs and some people are scared of any dog. That is just the way it is.

I personally like big dogs and almost all dogs love me. So, though I don't understand why some people are afraid, it is just the way it is; I try to respect the feelings of others.

But, if you come to my house - love me, love my dogs. I can only be friends with other dog lovers. When I take my Rottweilers or Pit Bulls out for walks, I have seen people run into their homes and slam the door! Some even scream! It is so silly I have to laugh out loud. And of course, the dogs have never figured this one out, everyone wanted to play with them as pups.

BTW - German Shepherds are beautiful dogs!

Answer 3

People are terrified of both my 15 month old German Shepherd and my 80 lb, scairdy-cat greyhound. I think Shepherds are just are scarey-looking breed.
It's sad too - when my dog was little, EVERYONE wanted to pet her and play with her. Now that she's big, we still take her everywhere with us - and the same people run. She gets very confused and a little sad.

Answer 4

Maybe it's ignorance, a bad experience with a dog, the size or appearance of your dog, or a combination of all three. I have 2 Siberian Huskies, and when my husband and I walk them, we draw a lot of attention. Our dogs are really friendly - they love everybody, so most of the attention we attract is positive - mostly from people that want to pet our dogs, or ask what specific breed they are. Occasionally people will ask us if they are wolves. Just keep having fun with your dog, and don't worry too much about other people's reactions.

Answer 5

People are intimidated by large dogs, especially breeds that people associate with aggression or attack training. I think the one time it is not stupid to dress up your dog to look cute is when people are scared of your dog. If you do something as simple as tie a colored bandana around his neck, people will probably freak out less. At my local dog park there are a number of pit bull regulars. A couple have collars with big hearts on them and the like, and people respond much better to them than those with standard collars even though they are just as friendly. Somehow this human touch puts people at ease.

Answer 6

Some people act that way to me when I am walking my male pitbull. He looks very intimidating but he is a big teddy bear. That is just how some people r that's all they r just missing out on meeting an incredible dog no big deal because there r still other people who have to stop and pet him and enjoy his happiness!

Answer 7

I agree with others here. Some people are simply afraid of dogs to start with, and with him being a large breed, that just adds to their fright.

Unless there is something wrong with him, that he has some grotesque skin problem or something else that could cause them to be afraid of him at sight. You didn't say anything about any such thing as that, so I would go with everyone else, "they are afraid".

Answer 8

well some people are just freaked out by dogs, or think that german shepherds are only attack dogs, maybe that's the reason, i'm not sure though

Answer 9

I think the people that are scared probably had a bad experience with a german shepard before

Answer 10

Probably bad experiences with dogs or they have read bad news about dogs. Big dogs make many people uncomfortable. Maybe his eyes look scary or his markings.