This definitely seems to be on the rise thanks to the outrageous media reporting, but it can happen in any breed. Have you experienced it? When/what/where please..
I see prejudice towards Staffies American bulldogs, Bullmastiffs & Rottweiler's I see parents & dog owners cross over the roads rather then walk pass these dogs, I walk my dogs every day with the above dogs, it really annoys me when parents shout to the owners that their dogs should be muzzled as they are dangerous & they will kill other dogs/their children, these dogs are big softies however I have a muzzle on one of my JRT's, as she is more likely to attack the Bullmastiff, Rottweiler, Staffies & American Bulldog, yet these same parents will let their children run up to my dog to hug her, I then yell can't you see my dog is wearing an muzzle, its sounds stupid but smaller dogs are more likely to attack other dogs/children (I have own large dogs & now 6 small dogs, the small ones are more snappy then any of the large dogs I have owned).
Not in the sense that people regard any of the breeds I have owned as potentially dangerous, but before I got Pepe (standard poodle) it was very obvious from some people's reaction when I told them what I was getting that they had pre-conceived ideas about what poodles are like. And, within the poodle world, parti-coloured poodles like Pepe are most definitely frowned upon. Before I got him I did a google search, keen to read as much as I could about them, and I could not believe the vitriolic comments made by some poodle breeders - really nasty stuff. It was astonishing that they could absolutely loathe a dog just because its colouring doesn't match the official breed standard.
Yes, people hate Pugs, I've had far more prejudice against them than the Dobermanns or Staffie. Disabled and deformed and shouldn't exist apparently, cos they can't breathe and they can't run, they faint when excited yadda yadda yadda. I used to be polite and explain no doubt the ones they referred to were badly bred, now I just tell them to F*** off.
I get comments about Shar-Pei being ugly dogs and the general opinion is that they're an aggressive breed .... .which couldn't be farther from the truth. They might have a face that only a mother could love but on the inside they are beautiful dogs!
Yes there is still prejudice about of the Gsd, but I don’t find it just as bad as years ago, I still get people crossing the road, picking up their small dogs, or leave the Park soon as I enter. As a Gsd owner i appreciate there are people out there that do not like the breed and that many are scared of them. But stereotyping is a Pet Peeve of mine and most people who think certain breeds are "dangerous", have never in their life had a bad experience with that breed. That gets my hackles up! Another thing I get is, Hi is that an Alsatian, I don’t like the GSD’s (hello! It is all the same breed. Have to admit that over the year’s ive learned to grow a very thick skin and don’t let it get to me anymore.
I have people cross the road to avoid us on a near daily basis. I think with Finn being big and white and similar to an american bulldog makes people think twice about passing us by. But on the other hand we do get people stopping to say what a nice dog he is which is nice especially when someone has just crossed to road to avoid us.
I love pugs there are 2 near me that walk for miles every day, my GSD likes the fawn one, the black one Pearl he just ignores she stands there barking and shuts up when you stroke her but as soon as you stop she barks again I get prejudice every day with my GSD, too many people are frightened they cross over, or scream, pick their small dogs & pups up yet small dogs are his favorite along with Chocolate Labs
i wouldnt say breed prejudice mainly as we dont see many people when walking her and if we do we dont stop and chat. but i get snide comments about how dangerous she is and how i must be mad if im planning to have a child as she will eat it. especially after that baby was killed early this year. they seam to have gotten popular over the past few years and that has had a negative effect as it does with all breeds when the yobs take a fancy to them. when i first got phoebe not many people knew what she was and i never saw any. im seeing them all the time now
I've never experienced it with my two, although am prepared for people perhaps being wary of my new pup as a large, black & tan dog, and associating him with being potentially dangerous because of his looks.
Nigredo does tend to trigger some knee jerk reactions of people walking the other way and snatching up little dogs and taking kids to the car and leaving. He is 80 lbs, and jet black. Even though he looks like a Labrador (which nobody is really afraid of here) I think his size and color is scary. My previous Labrador mix was a yellow and he never got these reactions. He was 60 lbs and a lot smaller, but still. I'm thinking it's Nigredo's color more than his size. Not sure though. I pick these dogs partly because they haven't fallen out of favor with the law or general public. I do this "breed discrimination", as well. If I see a pit bull, GSD, Chihuahua, an American Bully (and a few other breeds)... I hightail it with a quickness, even though these dogs might be friendly and well behaved dogs. If I see a dog that is snatching on the lead etc. we also go the other way.
