# Illogical fear of German Shepherds



## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

Does anyone else experience people displaying completely outrageous fear of their dogs?

Example 1: Before we had General and we just had Arrow. We took her to our oldest daughter's softball game. She was laying on a blanket next to my lawn chair. On leash, with me holding the leash. A woman with a dachshund walks by and Arrow let out a playful puppy bark as if she was saying hi. Her tail was wagging 100 mph, clearly not being aggressive. All while lying down. The lady yanked that weenie dog up so fast by the leash, I don't know how she didn't pop it's head off, and walked briskly away. 5 minutes later a man was walking by and stopped dead in his tracks and said "Oh, that's a big dog! I'm just gonna go over here!" Turned around and walked off. 

Example 2: last night we have both General and Arrow at the park. We are watching our youngest play. She wanted to move over to the other playground that had 2 other kids playing on it. She runs ahead of us and starts to play. My wife and I are walking with both dogs calm and on leash. The mother of the two kids sees us while we are about 20 feet away and hollers at her kids to get off the playground. She made her kids sit down until we left. Now, I understand training your kids not to approach strange dogs, and especially not to touch them...I work on that all the time with both my girls. But to make your kids quit playing because someone in the vicinity has a dog? That's a bit extreme. 

So does anyone else have any stories that relate to people being completely and illogically afraid of their dogs?


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## BlitzRomman (May 24, 2017)

All the time. I do a lot of training in this outlet mall thats right by my mouse. Lots of distractions, all sorts of people. Some kids love him and he gets plenty of compliments but others will run behind a pole or latch on to their parents. Some eve think he's a service dog.


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## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

Yes...a few of my neighbors will turn abruptly and walk far away. A lot of moms will grab there children when they see kona. It's pretty much a every day thing lol and she's pretty small and not scary looking at all


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

I live in an agricultural area. I don't see that sort of reaction as much as I did in more urban areas. 

One of my GSDs is black, so most people think she's a lab cross... :grin2:


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

konathegsd said:


> Yes...a few of my neighbors will turn abruptly and walk far away. A lot of moms will grab there children when they see kona. It's pretty much a every day thing lol and she's pretty small and not scary looking at all




Same with Arrow. She weighs around 42 lbs and she's the type of dog that wants EVERYONE to rub her belly. Pretty much the most non-threatening dog I've ever met. But she's black and has pointy ears...so I guess that makes her scary.


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

Am I the only one that is not bothered by people not bothering me because I have a GSD or two with me? Makes my life easier when people cross the street and don't want to pet my dogs, lol.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

GypsyGhost said:


> Am I the only one that is not bothered by people not bothering me because I have a GSD or two with me? Makes my life easier when people cross the street and don't want to pet my dogs, lol.


Not the only one. 

I kind of walk the line with this one. It makes my life easier in some ways if my dog isn't branded as evil, and it can be annoying that my dog would always be the one blamed for something going wrong in a dog-to-dog altercation. But at the same time, it is nice to know that most people aren't going to mess with the woman walking next to a large GSD. I'm totally cool with knowing she can and will scare people away from my front door if I want her to. (The time she scared the little kid was the funniest, but time she scared the two women I suspect were casing was the most useful.)


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Both these people could have had bad experiences with GSDs... may not be illogical at all. They don't know you or your dogs. Considering all the possibilities is logical.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

DutchKarin said:


> Both these people could have had bad experiences with GSDs... may not be illogical at all. They don't know you or your dogs. Considering all the possibilities is logical.


I tend to agree: Fear resulting from a bad experience is entirely understandable and reasonable.

I do also agree that it ventures into "outrageous" territory when the reaction is so over the top that you want to laugh but know that it would be mean to do so. If someone just looks nervous or simply says, "I was bitten by a shepherd, so I'm a little afraid of your dog" then that's understandable and we give them a respectful distance. When someone gives you a death glare and practically snatches their child off the sidewalk while muttering about the GSD and then gives you additional death glares when you show up at the same park to walk your (LEASHED) puppy around, then I'm going to classify that as utterly ridiculous and illogical no matter how reasonable the root cause.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

All the time with my she-pup. She is smaller and looks cute but if she barks just once, I get the stink eye. It isn't even an aggressive bark but it still triggers some primal response of danger and parents gather up children and people back away. 

Another woman I've met will cross a parking lot even though everyone else around tells her how safe our dogs are. She goes back to a time long ago, bad experience with a large dog. Those things go deep into the back of the brain and is hard to deny.


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

WateryTart said:


> When someone gives you a death glare and practically snatches their child off the sidewalk while muttering about the GSD and then gives you additional death glares when you show up at the same park to walk your (LEASHED) puppy around


It's almost like you were walking around a fire breathing dragon that had a human body hanging out of its mouth!


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Yes, often with my working line dog. It used to bother me. Last week, our trainer said to use that to our advantage. I don't want everyone handling my dog. As long as he is behaving well, I ignore other people.


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## Drodes (Dec 26, 2015)

I was at my vet, checking out and had both my GSD and Aussie with me... I heard this woman behind a corner say "I'm staying away from that German Shepherd.... I'm staying away from that German Shepherd" really loud over and over. Lol. It makes sense that we don't know that persons experience.... but that's why breed bias sticks around. 

On the opposite end of that, it's nice when I'm downtown and beggars and mooches are going around bumming, but no one is coming over to me because of my dogs  I'm tired of trying to discern the ones that need it or not.... I figure if they really need it, they'll come over! Lol


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Once upon a time, I had a little 4 month old puppy, he was mostly black, black sire, black and tan dam, so he was a blanket back that looked almost like a bi-color. 

Yes that is relevant, because at the time I had two black and tan girls who didn't really care to have strangers go ga-ga over them, but the boy was just a lover. And people generally stayed away. So sad, I posted here a post about how no one seems to like Rush. 

But when he was about 4-5 months old, I was outside of the mall, and some big man, got out of his car, and started walking, we were across the parking lot and he yelled over, "Does that dog BITE?!?" I was flipping out, he was on a lead, and across the parking lot twice as far from the door than the man was, but I said, "He's a puppy!" The man said, "You keep him over there!" Whatever. I came on here and groused about it, and was read the riot act, some people have phobias, I should be more understanding, whatever. 

Ok. 

I didn't turn Rushie loose and tell him to go get the guy. But whatever. 

That was close to 11 years ago. Ah well. 

Yes, some people grab their children out of Harm's way. I generally feel it is just as well.

One day, I had Babs, who practically raised my older sister's girls:




Well, anyway, I had my nieces and Babsy over my little sister's house, and suggested we all go for a walk. I had the older girls, and her girls were a couple of years younger. We went for a long walk, where all the girls were along side and walking Babsy, and had just gotten back, and I had trained her to GoToMyCar. I unhooked her and said, "Go To My Car!" And she dashed off to the back of the Explorer. 

My little sister's littlest, went running after her, and then a blood curdling scream went up behind me, "DON'T TOUCH THAT DOG!!!" I was like, OMG, what happened!?! I said, "Do you want them to be afraid of dogs?" She said, "Yes." 

I was flabbergasted. Babsy had just been perfect all along a walk with all four little girls and my sister and I, and she was still terrified of her around the little kids. It is not just unrealistic, but dangerous to teach kids to be afraid of dogs. 

This week I took Kojak to her house, to meet her girls. I am determined that her girls are NOT terrified of dogs.


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

For those that want the opposite... Put a harness on the dog, a patch that says 'Working Dog', or, 'Search Dog', or 'Please Do Not Pet'... Guaranteed to draw a crowd


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

Hineni7 said:


> For those that want the opposite... Put a harness on the dog, a patch that says 'Working Dog', or, 'Search Dog', or 'Please Do Not Pet'... Guaranteed to draw a crowd




Lol! So true! You never see a bigger crowd than the one around a service dog!


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## Suzy25 (Mar 3, 2016)

I was dog sitting a husky and GSD, Princess the husky was 10 yrs and Rocky the GSD was 11, so they are old and slow, very non-threatening, doesnt really care kinda dogs. The owners had flexi leashes for them but Rocky chose to walk by my side and Princess when about 10 meters in front. 

On one of our walks a lady was passing the street infront of us with her little poodle mix type dog, saw princess first, was doing the whole "oh hi pretty puppy, going for a nice walk" thing. She looked up at me about 16 feet away with the shep walking nicely on leash right beside me and he hadn't even seen her dog yet. I can't even stress to you guys how fast her whole demeanour changed after that lol, she immediately yelled "HOLD ONTO THAT DOG" and started RUNNING and i mean basically sprinting away from me dragging her little dog with her, looking back every few steps to make sure he wasn't chasing her down or something i assume. 

that was one of my first major reactions when walking around with a GSD, makes me laugh every time because the dogs are always super friendly lol


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Well I do have some observations from the other side. But first even though my particular Black OS GSD 112 lb, and not found of people, is pretty much outstanding in public ... zero reaction to strangers, whom he is not found off! That took work on my part but strangers can't tell! He has "zero" reaction to people in public but even still ... strangers keep a respectful distance from him ... that works out just fine for me. 

But ... I was on the other side of the GSD thing with a Clients Westie and a White GSD encounter and I was fairly uh ... uncomfortable. My personnel smallest dog was my White Boxer at 65 lbs and she always had protection, me first and foremost my Band Dawg at 85 lbs and Rocky at 116! No dog was getting to her!

But that's my dogs ... on a walk with a clients dogs a Westie a very small dog by my standards ... he was off leash, well trained well behaved ... apparently E-Collar trained dog. And we were in a field at a distance when another owner with a on leash White GSD came into the same field?? But of course I took quick notice of that dog and owner and the GSD was on leash and clearly under control ... but you know what?? The GSD was not pulling, was clearly not out of control but he was also "Staring" a bit to hard at my clients dog! And that made me ... extremely uncomfortable??

I quickly said Val "Close" and we got the Heck of Dodge! That was a new experience for me! If crap every went down with my dogs it would be a battle but if you have a little dog and crap goes wrong ... it's gonna be slaughter! I was extremely uncomfortable in that situational so I kinda get the little dog v bigger dog reaction.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

raise your hand if this is you, too. I am sometimes on the other side of this issue. When I am out and about without my dogs and I see someone with a German Shepherd Dog, I have to over come the urge to go over and say hi and greet their dog. 

The other day my family was out and about with our dogs in a city that is dog friendly and packed with pooches. Across the street I saw a woman walking a good looking GSD and I waved. I was hoping for a wave back "hello fellow lover shepherds" but no, she kept here eyes straight ahead. To be honest she was probably scanning the crowded sidewalk ahead of her and anyone across the street was merely a distraction. The point is that I am not repelled by GSDs drawn to them. I also know to keep a respectable distance, unless invited otherwise.


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## Coleen (Sep 18, 2015)

Yes! My girl is big and black, looks very intimidating. What I think is comical is more adults are scared of her then the kids are!


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## kimbale (Mar 7, 2017)

Doesn't bother me at all. I'd rather people not come rushing up to me to pet my dog. One of the reasons I own Shepherds is because I wanted dogs that looked a bit intimidating. Also, like someone else here said, maybe those people have had a bad experience with a Shepherd, who knows. There are breeds I tend to avoid. It's a lot safer for someone to avoid a strange dog than bother it.

All of this said, my 4 month old pup is a longhair GSD which apparently is a people magnet. We can't go anywhere without drawing a crowd.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Chip18 said:


> Well I do have some observations from the other side. But first even though my particular Black OS GSD 112 lb, and not found of people, is pretty much outstanding in public ... zero reaction to strangers, whom he is not found off! That took work on my part but strangers can't tell! He has "zero" reaction to people in public but even still ... strangers keep a respectful distance from him ... that works out just fine for me.
> 
> But ... I was on the other side of the GSD thing with a Clients Westie and a White GSD encounter and I was fairly uh ... uncomfortable. My personnel smallest dog was my White Boxer at 65 lbs and she always had protection, me first and foremost my Band Dawg at 85 lbs and Rocky at 116! No dog was getting to her!
> 
> ...


Clients? I must have missed a previous post. When did you become a trainer? Who did you study with? What method are you using?


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## TobiVSch (May 14, 2017)

Me and my neighbor both have GSD pups, his being 5 months and mine 4 months. Occasionally we walk them together, or I'll take hold and walk both of them together alone, and I get so many people to stop in their tracks and walk across the street. I just think to myself they are scared and these are just pups, I can't wait to see how they react a year from now when they are just about done growing. It doesn't really bother me, I think it's funny how they freeze up as soon as they see these guys. I think it just makes my walks that much easier, rather then if I decided to get another breed which looks less menacing and get stopped for all the pets. I can't wait for next year when I get my 2nd breed and it's come down to either a working line Doberman, or Rottweiler. Those will be some good reactions.


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

car2ner said:


> raise your hand if this is you, too. I am sometimes on the other side of this issue. When I am out and about without my dogs and I see someone with a German Shepherd Dog, I have to over come the urge to go over and say hi and greet their dog.
> 
> The other day my family was out and about with our dogs in a city that is dog friendly and packed with pooches. Across the street I saw a woman walking a good looking GSD and I waved. I was hoping for a wave back "hello fellow lover shepherds" but no, she kept here eyes straight ahead. To be honest she was probably scanning the crowded sidewalk ahead of her and anyone across the street was merely a distraction. The point is that I am not repelled by GSDs drawn to them. I also know to keep a respectable distance, unless invited otherwise.


Ugh...I have this problem with 99% of dogs I see.


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## RainE (Jan 4, 2017)

I have two German Shepherds both on the small side even being almost a year. We and female they both end on the smallest lengths and heights of standard and are black and tan saddle backs. My Luna is far more reactive than Wyatt. Wyatt only wants to love everyone and anyone. However my fiancee and I walk our dogs together meaning one of us with one dog. We live in Chicago so there are many people around as well as distractions from the buses and trains. Every SINGLE time we're out someone has to say something about our dogs biting/killing them or moving away from us completely. We keep our dogs right next to us when were near anyone at all. They don't bark at people or anything. (With other dogs that's a different story....usually the dog has to bark at mine before anything happens and were working on that) but when we are walking they mind their own business. Its sad really....i don't like people talking about my dogs like that.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

LuvShepherds said:


> Clients? I must have missed a previous post. When did you become a trainer? Who did you study with? What method are you using?


Naw ... nothings changed. I usually add (I'm a PCA) Personnel Care Assistant, hence my clients dog.


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## Suki's Mom (Nov 24, 2008)

Here is a perspective from the other side of the street, so to speak. I grew up with an irrational fear of dogs, any size, any breed. My mother was afraid of dogs, and so was I.


My grandparents lived at the top of our street, maybe 100, 200 meters away, and in between our homes there lived a smallish dog (actually across the street). I don't know the breed, just that it was black and white and liked to run up to us. He wasn't aggressive, but to my mind he was a monster! My heart would beat in my throat when I got near his home, praying that he wasn't outside. If I saw that he outside from my house, I would either not go to my grandparents, or walk around the block. 


Fortunately I got over that fear, but I can empathize. Now when someone removes a little dog from my girls' vicinity, or makes a comment like "she could eat you for lunch" I try to laugh it off and say that little dogs have been known to kill bigger dogs. When they look puzzled I continue with "they can get stuck in their throat and choke them, don't you know?" And then I'll go on my way.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

cheffjapman said:


> It's almost like you were walking around a fire breathing dragon that had a human body hanging out of its mouth!


That's sort of how she acted. And I shamelessly laughed at her on the inside and proceeded to conduct a very passive-aggressive training exercise. The park has a playground, and she and her daughter showed up there after I got to the park to walk my puppy around and let her sniff the grass and work on some obedience. I chose to practice a lot of sit-stays and down-stays right next to the playground. You know, for the distractions.

Normally I'm not a jerk and i don't push my dog on someone, but she was just so crazy that I decided I was going to poke the bear.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

WateryTart said:


> Normally I'm not a jerk and i don't push my dog on someone, but she was just so crazy that I decided I was going to poke the bear.


i've been known to do that when someone gives an unnecessary show of fear..show off just a bit. Not to be a jerk, but to educate, maybe. but yeah, mostly to show off.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

I had to go by the pharmacy to get some eye stuff for Ranger. The pharmacist mentioned that the script was for a dog? I said yes and he followed up asking which breed. I answered German shepherd and his tone changed and asked if I had children in the home? Seeing where this conversation might be going I said yup, they are home playing with Ranger on the trampoline. He didn't say anything else and finished ringing me up.


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## BlitzRomman (May 24, 2017)

I used to be terrified of dogs as a child. My uncle used to own a massive husky(well probably just looked massive because I was probably 7 years old) I was so scared of him that one day he was sitting on the front porch and I stayed outside for hours until he moved away to go inside. I've also been chased by a dog who i think wanted to play....anyways somehow I forgot about all of this and grew up to love GSD's


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I just watched a marvelous video today from a member of a dog club trying to help a woman get over her fear of large dogs. A couple came to visit the club. The husband wanted a GSD someday but the wife was afraid of all large dogs. They compromised and got a retriever pup. Over time the club has been working to help this lady. They would walk over to her, dogs quiet on leash, and have a conversation..with the dogs just near her comfort zone. This is just like trying to rehab a reactive pup. Today the video showed her, still a bit unsure of herself, actually walking a big fluffy white GSD on a leash. The dog was calm and slow. When they came to a stop, the dog did not go into a sit. The trainer told her to give the dog a quick pop of the leash and touch his rear. The pop did nothing. The dog stood there. The lady touched his rear and the dog went into a sit. It was a short quick touch. Obviously the lady was still a bit nervous, but her smile, when the dog sat, was gorgeous.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Fears are NOT logical. My first GSD was the best-tempered dog you could ever ask for. She didn't seem to have an aggressive bone in her body.

One day, she was lying sprawled on the rug, while my niece, Shannon, played nearby on the couch. Something had happened with a dog that belonged to another member of the family, which had caused Shannon to be afraid of large dogs.

Shannon managed to fall off the couch, and landed ontop of Lili. Lili raised her head up and gave Shannon a hurt look. No lips pulled back, no teeth showing, just looked at her. Shannon ran up the stairs, screaming...


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

We GSD owners have to realize there is this public perception of our breed and not to ridicule individuals who are fearful. This from dogsbite.org These statistics are from news accounts.
2016 U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities - Dog Bite Statistics - DogsBite.org


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

Unfortunately, many small breed dog bites are never mentioned even though they may do more psychological damage than physical (and they can do physical damage)...


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Yet there are not many apartment buildings, towns or states with breed restriction laws against Wiener Dogs.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

LOL ... the only dog that I have ever been bit by with intent to do harm ...was a well not at all, trained Chihuahua! I turned my back on the little miscreant ... with utter contempt! And the term ankle bitter became applicable, he got me! Kinda like ... how you like me now!! Lesson learned.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

People were afraid of the GSD males but so far no one has shown fear of Deja. Maybe because she is about half their size. Most people don't ask if they can pet her. I am happy that she is basically being ignored. But secretly I think, "If they only knew what an awesome dog she is."


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

My girl is a dark sable, lean well muscled 90lbs. When she is in harness and working a trail, I can't keep people away and all seem to want to pet. But, ironically, on a search/mission, even LE backs away and gives a wide bearth, lol.. Her bark is deep and unnerving. Thankfully, she is stable and past her youth barking in car if someone walked by, and is back to her silent 'I am watching you' look that scares most who suddenly realize a dog is in the car and watching them, lol..


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## kriver (Jun 21, 2017)

Hi,
when I had my boy he was a service dog too. People literally stopped their cars in the middle of the street to talk to me about him. He was very popular at Lowes, Home Depot or any place we went. For me, I thought it was great and a lot of fun too.
I got into trouble all the time because your not suppose to let people pet a service dog. But I used it as an opportunity to teach and train parents and their kids on how to approach a dog, ask for permission to pet etc. I'd have him hand the checker a bill and teach them how to take it from him. Then give him the change. But only if they were willing to try it. At first the checker was scared, but then she was very proud when she was able to do it so easily.


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

Nurse Bishop said:


> Yet there are not many apartment buildings, towns or states with breed restriction laws against Wiener Dogs.




My parents have a dachshund that sneaked out of the fence and but the mail man's ankle. He was home quarantined for a week, and when animal control came by one of the times the officer said that dachshund is the #1 dog bite in our town.


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## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

I can understand why people have this fear.
While at a giant off leash area today someone had a massive black gsd on a long line. The dog had a mesh muzzle on and was extremely dog aggressive. Every dog that ran up to him made him go absolutely nuts. I leashes my dog when I got close because her recall isn't 100% yet and she like to greet dogs lol. Anyway you can imagine the looks we got with this pack. Many people were pretty afraid.


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## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

Whoops here was the photo lol


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

kriver said:


> Hi,
> when I had my boy he was a service dog too. People literally stopped their cars in the middle of the street to talk to me about him. He was very popular at Lowes, Home Depot or any place we went. For me, I thought it was great and a lot of fun too.
> I got into trouble all the time because your not suppose to let people pet a service dog. But I used it as an opportunity to teach and train parents and their kids on how to approach a dog, ask for permission to pet etc. I'd have him hand the checker a bill and teach them how to take it from him. Then give him the change. But only if they were willing to try it. At first the checker was scared, but then she was very proud when she was able to do it so easily.


LOL no that does not sound like the right approach?? But right dog and right owner so it worked ! So I'll say, thank you for being tolerant of JQP.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Nurse Bishop said:


> We GSD owners have to realize there is this public perception of our breed and not to ridicule individuals who are fearful. This from dogsbite.org These statistics are from news accounts.
> 2016 U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities - Dog Bite Statistics - DogsBite.org
> View attachment 429754


Ah how can I ridicule people who are afraid of dogs when I will hit the deck if a hornet or wasp comes my way. I've gotten better over the years, and I am not allergic, but there are no statistics for me to prove that I have a good reason for fearing the flying stinging varieties.


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

selzer said:


> Ah how can I ridicule people who are afraid of dogs when I will hit the deck if a hornet or wasp comes my way. I've gotten better over the years, and I am not allergic, but there are no statistics for me to prove that I have a good reason for fearing the flying stinging varieties.


I run away from moths! MOTHS!!! I'm not going to make light of someone's legitimate fear of an animal that CAN do serious damage to a person.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

angelas said:


> I run away from moths! MOTHS!!! I'm not going to make light of someone's legitimate fear of an animal that CAN do serious damage to a person.


Moths are creepy.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

I would not ridicule a person with a fear of dogs ... course I don't get it, but I will get go out of my way to accommodate a person that I perceived as being clearly uncomfortable around my dogs. 

And bees and wasp ... I'm not allergic to them and I have been stung by Bees, Wasp and a freaking Bumble that was tracking me?? But over all not a problem for me ... but Spiders!!! Now that's a fear worth having!! You just cant get anymore more gut turning then those things in my view??? Especially in Australia, they have some creepy swimming pool dwelling "Black Fang Spider" that will kill you!!! I might have the ID slightly off but I'm not looking them up! 

Not a fan of needles either (Shots) as in passed out once and came close to passing out on a few other occasions ... but I'm a Diabetic and annual Blood Test ... after awhile you do get use to it. Just sit or lay down and you can do fine. I can stay seated these days and even look for a few seconds and I do fine. Although a couple of days ago, I chose not to look ... not worth the hassle!

But Spiders, I freaked when I was working in the yard and stumbled unto a Black Widow in the yard??? What the heck is one of these things doing outdoors!!!! I threw a tarp over that shrub and Spider Bombed the heck out of it!!! We don't have Porcupines where I am but we do have Black Widows ... although, I have not seen any lately ... of course that's the problem!!!!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Chip, this here is for you:
Hyperbole and a Half: Spiders are Scary. It's Okay to be Afraid of Them. *UPDATED*


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> Chip, this here is for you:
> Hyperbole and a Half: Spiders are Scary. It's Okay to be Afraid of Them. *UPDATED*


LOL thanks ... but I'm not clicking on that link at night!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> Chip, this here is for you:
> Hyperbole and a Half: Spiders are Scary. It's Okay to be Afraid of Them. *UPDATED*


LOL thanks for posting! It wasn't as scary as I was expecting. 

I guess I've gotten better over the years (hmm, I just scanned the ceiling ...nothing there) and these days, I will suck it up and trap them with a jar and a sheet of paper or a spatula and transport them outside. I wouldn't kill a Garden Spider (creepy as they are ... they are pretty cool) and at least they have the good sense to stay outside where they belong. But not really a high desert problem anyway. But Black Widows ... they have to go, one female can have 500 babies!!

And now "Brown Recluse's" and or "Violin Spider's??" Vague nebulous creepy looking things that dwell indoors any Spider that looks like that ... is in trouble, in my house. :surprise:


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

Chip18 said:


> LOL thanks for posting! It wasn't as scary as I was expecting.
> 
> I guess I've gotten better over the years (hmm, I just scanned the ceiling ...nothing there) and these days, I will suck it up and trap them with a jar and a sheet of paper or a spatula and transport them outside. I wouldn't kill a Garden Spider (creepy as they are ... they are pretty cool) and at least they have the good sense to stay outside where they belong. But not really a high desert problem anyway. But Black Widows ... they have to go, one female can have 500 babies!!
> 
> And now "Brown Recluse's" and or "Violin Spider's??" Vague nebulous creepy looking things that dwell indoors any Spider that looks like that ... is in trouble, in my house. :surprise:


You are much more forgiving than me. Spiders outside the house I leave alone. Inside the house, that's trespassing and the punishment is death by Raid!


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## KaiserAus (Dec 16, 2016)

We definitely get some scary spiders here in Aus. I currently live by the motto that "all spiders must die" that is because all spiders I come across here can inflict serious harm or kill me... so fairs fair I say, lol.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

KaiserAus said:


> We definitely get some scary spiders here in Aus. I currently live by the motto that "all spiders must die" that is because all spiders I come across here can inflict serious harm or kill me... so fairs fair I say, lol.


And so, Australia is off my list of places I want to see ( a very, very short list).


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

angelas said:


> You are much more forgiving than me. Spiders outside the house I leave alone. Inside the house, that's trespassing and the punishment is death by Raid!


LOL so now we are off on a Spider tangent, but a, question have you encountered a "Black Widow" outdoors??? I mean, yeah I suppose that is where they are but I'd never seen one outside ever??? 

I was working around one of the shrubs in my yard and came across one and it freaked me out!!! What is this thing doing outside!!!!!! A Garden Spider, seriously creepy as they are. I could have handled but a Black Window outside, I freaked! And it's not because they could or could not kill you?? That seems to vary by individual tolerance??? 

Still ... North American has got nothing on Australia in regards to Spiders!!! Those guys can be all like ... you call that a Spider??? No Mate... this is a Spider!! I'm not gonna post it but I think actually, it's on a top ten list of Australia's deadliest Spider's!! I mean yeah they have Kolas and Duck Bill Platypuses and stuff but freaking ten deadly spiders ... really???? 

Ok ... took a quick look and yep number one is what I thought it was!! Yeah ... I'm not going to Australia!! I'll stick with Deer ticks (easy to avoid ... stay away from lakes and rivers and trees ... not a problem where I am. Don't screw with the Wild Horses ... check before you step out your front door if you have a lawn. And yeah we do have five varieties of Rattle Snakes ... sure deadly bit not creepy looking. >


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

KaiserAus said:


> We definitely get some scary spiders here in Aus. I currently live by the motto that "all spiders must die" that is because all spiders I come across here can inflict serious harm or kill me... so fairs fair I say, lol.


LOL ...yes I know and if you have a swimming pool always wearing shoes ,... would be good advise ... number one on the 10 list ... apparently, luv's water????


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

And I will stay here in NE Ohio with our blizzards and cold, cold, stick-your-tongue-to-the-pipe-cold, because we don't have a lot of the crap the lower half of the county have, like chiggers, black widows, scorpions, poisonous snakes and toads, and every other foul thing in nature.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

OH CRAP!! I accidentally looked at Australia's number two deadliest Spider ... I freaking jumped!!!:surprise:


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## thegooseman90 (Feb 24, 2017)

Chip18 said:


> LOL so now we are off on a Spider tangent, but a, question have you encountered a "Black Widow" outdoors??? I mean, yeah I suppose that is where they are but I'd never seen one outside ever???


 just had one crawl on my hand recent as I was wrapping up a hose. It ended up on my forearm pretty quick. I had a hand shaped bruise for a week and the only thing left of him was a leg. Weird how that happens. After our 3-4 day long winter here in Florida the spiders show up like crazy. Mostly black and brown widows around the outside of my house and the corners of my fence. I'll be sure to snap a pic of the next one I come across. Just for you chip!


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

Ugh, in Oklahoma brown recluse (fiddle back) and black widow are common sights! Spring time garage cleaning is a lot of fun...


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

Nurse Bishop said:


> We GSD owners have to realize there is this public perception of our breed and not to ridicule individuals who are fearful. This from dogsbite.org These statistics are from news accounts.
> 2016 U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities - Dog Bite Statistics - DogsBite.org
> View attachment 429754


1. Dogsbite.org is a pretty biased source, and I find them thoroughly unconvincing.

2. I won't ridicule someone who handles their fear in a socially appropriate way (quietly moves away or says, "please give me some space, I'm afraid of GSDs"). Someone whose reaction is rude/crazy/over the top? Fair game.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

thegooseman90 said:


> just had one crawl on my hand recent as I was wrapping up a hose. It ended up on my forearm pretty quick. I had a hand shaped bruise for a week and the only thing left of him was a leg. Weird how that happens. After our 3-4 day long winter here in Florida the spiders show up like crazy. Mostly black and brown widows around the outside of my house and the corners of my fence. I'll be sure to snap a pic of the next one I come across. Just for you chip!


So they are still creeping around outside. Hm, actually, I have never had one on me?? And yep I'd smash it flat with "Extreme Prejudice" or ... screamed like a little girl and passed out. :

A Brown Widow you say, male version of the BW?? I don't think I've ever seen one but I have heard of them, but I'm not gonna look it up.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Dogbites.org is an all breed dangerous dog resource.

Some claim it is breed biased based on the inordinate number of maulings and fatalities by dog fighting breeds vs those of other breeds or breed types. All the owner does is compile data from verifiable sources such as LE, animal control, dog owners, etc., not create it.

Although there has been many claims that her statistics are inaccurate, nobody has ever disproven any data on the website. The best some can muster is a slew of personal attacks and smears directed at the owner, but the data stands untouched.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> And I will stay here in NE Ohio with our blizzards and cold, cold, stick-your-tongue-to-the-pipe-cold, because we don't have a lot of the crap the lower half of the county have, like chiggers, black widows, scorpions, poisonous snakes and toads, and every other foul thing in nature.


Oh forgot about Chiggers those and Ticks are both repulsive.

We do have Black Scorpions out here, but I have only seen one around our house and he was already dead. I've heard that at night if you shine a spotlight on them they glow in the dark??? And what's this about Toads??? Hmm a dog problem maybe if they eat them???


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Fear is an emotional response, and emotions are not inherently logical or illogical. However, if someone has had a previous bad encounter with dogs in general or a GSD in particular, then I would consider fear a logical response. That doesn't mean it's warranted, but it's still very real to the person experiencing it. I wouldn't take it personally, since the person does not know you or your dog. Most people either comment on how beautiful or well behaved my dogs are but occasionally they get looked at askance, sometimes with a comment along the lines of "that's a big dog!", and that's just fine. Occasionally when we approach someone with a small dog, the owner picks the dog up. That's fine too. In no way is it a reflection on my dog that they did so, and If I had a little dog and there was a big dog coming towards us, I might pick it up too.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

WateryTart said:


> 1. Dogsbite.org is a pretty biased source, and I find them thoroughly unconvincing.
> 
> 2. I won't ridicule someone who handles their fear in a socially appropriate way (quietly moves away or says, "please give me some space, I'm afraid of GSDs"). Someone whose reaction is rude/crazy/over the top? Fair game.


Biased? Not at all. They present facts.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

cheffjapman said:


> Ugh, in Oklahoma brown recluse (fiddle back) and black widow are common sights! Spring time garage cleaning is a lot of fun...


Most likely Fidel Back/Violin Spider and Brown Recluse are all the same??? They are hard to identify without the musical imagine on there backs?? In North America a spider should look like a Black Widow a Garden Spider or a Tarantula (we use to have them here) annual Tarantula Run up the Highway from me ... literally thousands coming out of the mountains and going to the river! But that does not happen anymore??I never saw them and I'd freak but I would not kill a Tarantula.  

But the Brown Recluse messes up discriminating what to kill and what to save??? If it looks close to a Brown Recluse ... it's got to go. So they do have an advantage in Australia if it looks like a Spider it could most likely kill you, it's got to go.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

LuvShepherds said:


> Biased? Not at all. They present facts.


Okay.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LuvShepherds said:


> Biased? Not at all. They present facts.


I am with watery tart on this one. There are facts and there are facts. Just like statistics, you can manipulate facts and statistics to suit your purpose. 

Dogsbite.org can make you see GSDs as horrible baby-eating machines. I spent a little time over there years ago, and I was quite disgusted.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

It's not at all the people that use "Prong Collars and E-Collar's" properly and effectively that want these tools gone. It's the ones that don't/can't use those tools correctly and most likely see them being used incorrectly all the time that want them gone. They can't/don't work with "troubled dogs." If a Cookie can't fix the issue "PTS" ... problem solved. Those are the people that want to use the levers of power to away dogs owners "choice." 

And no here ,has said they want these tools banned??? A few of us just said we don't use them ... that's not the same thing.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> Dogsbite.org can make you see GSDs as horrible baby-eating machines. I spent a little time over there years ago, and I was quite disgusted.


It's an actual place??? I thought it was ... just a Website. :


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Chip18 said:


> It's an actual place??? I thought it was ... just a Website. :


No, I spent time looking over the website.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> No, I spent time looking over the website.


LOL ... OK. Reading about herding stuff at the moment.


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## giebel (Jul 28, 2016)

In my neighborhood I have alot of people who are culturally not comfortable around dogs(let alone 90 pound german shepherds). When Im walking in a residential area with alot of nervous people I step off the sidewalk and walk my dog on the street. Im happy to introduce my dog in smaller more comfortable settings. I dont want to intimidate anyone or push my dog on anyone. My dogs have always acutely known if someone is nervous around them and I would rather avoid the situation than push a dog onto someone who doesnt feel comfortable. After a while the local nervous dog people see from a close distance that my dog has a cool sound temperament and they smile and ask about him. Doesnt mean they want to pet him or hug him( but hey I dont want them to do that either).


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

giebel said:


> After a while the local nervous dog people see from a close distance that my dog has a cool sound temperament and they smile and ask about him. Doesnt mean they want to pet him or hug him( but hey I dont want them to do that either).


I was actually with Keefer at a nearby regional park a few days ago, on a walking path next to a lake. A family with a little boy who looked to be under 5 and a young girl (12/13-ish?) wanted to know if they could pet him. I said yes, because he loves meeting people, he's a total sponge for attention. :wub: People are FAR more likely to comment on how beautiful he is (and even "cute"!) and want to meet him than they are to be fearful.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I think a lot of people have had a bad experience with GSDs or big dogs. I meet just as many people that love the breed. I'm going to hand specialist for a staph infection I got in my finger and as I was sitting there Thursday a young girl, maybe 12 or 13 was also there. She got bit by her 4 yr old GSD that they had since it was a puppy. He did some damage. Her mom admitted it was their first GSD and they would have done things differently if they knew better. The breeder was of no help. The young girl felt terrible, she felt the training they did was part of the problem. The dog did not get put to sleep, but they did give it to a facility that trains guard dogs. A friend of the family got them a golden retriever puppy. I informed them that not all goldens are the same and training is beneficial. as young as the girl was i don't believe she will have a fear of GSDs in the future, but you never know. 

You never know what has happened in the past, so I no longer judge if someone is afraid or not.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

llombardo said:


> I think a lot of people have had a bad experience with GSDs or big dogs. I meet just as many people that love the breed. I'm going to hand specialist for a staph infection I got in my finger and as I was sitting there Thursday a young girl, maybe 12 or 13 was also there. She got bit by her 4 yr old GSD that they had since it was a puppy. He did some damage. Her mom admitted it was their first GSD and they would have done things differently if they knew better. The breeder was of no help. The young girl felt terrible, she felt the training they did was part of the problem. The dog did not get put to sleep, but they did give it to a facility that trains guard dogs. A friend of the family got them a golden retriever puppy. I informed them that not all goldens are the same and training is beneficial. as young as the girl was i don't believe she will have a fear of GSDs in the future, but you never know.
> 
> You never know what has happened in the past, so I no longer judge if someone is afraid or not.


That's certainly true that a lot of people have had terrible experiences. Most people choose to handle that politely, we give each other plenty of space, and hopefully my dog's calm, collected behavior is a reassuring data point.

There are the few whose reactions are crazy over the top, or rude, and they're memorable as a result.


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## snakeybird (Dec 9, 2016)

What seems an "illogical" fear to one person may be entirely rational to another. A lot of people, for a lot of reasons, aren't comfortable with, or simply don't like, dogs, or big dogs, or German Shepherds. For me, understanding this is important . 

Personally, I had numerous bad experiences with the neighbors black lab as a kid, and that left me with a dog phobia. I've worked very hard on this, and like dogs quite a bit now (probably obvious as I am on this forum), but I still feel fear when I see a black lab. I am aware of it, and the fear does not control me or my behavior, but it will probably always be there. And I am aware it isn't rational, but it is what it is.

Hopefully, when well trained GSD's are taken out into the public sphere, they can be ambassadors; ill behaved dogs however just reinforce fears and beliefs. If dog owners have their dog under control and are respectful of other people's space, it will go a long way to assuaging fear. There will probably always be a few people who are petrified of GSD's (or other dogs); as long as they aren't causing you a problem, I suggest just being respectful of their phobia and moving on. If they are actively trying to interfere with you and your dog, honestly there is likely something else in addition to a phobia at work.


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