Do people want to interact with your dog?

The "How often do you take your dog in public" thread got me thinking about the experiences I have when I do take my dogs in public.

Do people approach you? Do they want to interact with your dog?

I don't know if it's where I live or if I look like a mean person or what haha. But people don't tend to ask to pet my dogs or interact with them at all. Even when I took them out as puppies, I'd say we'd pass about 100 or more people a day, and maybe about 5 asked to meet them. The Dobermans actually get more interaction I think because 1) people like to make a point of showing me how they're not scared of 'scary looking' dogs and 2) everyone and their brother seems to know a Doberman and know everything about them (not). They tend to attract sketchy looking guys who like to try to impress me too, which sucks haha. But yeah, while they still don't gather a ton of attention, they get a lot more than Dance or Journey. Dance doesn't tend to get any attention I think because I give people a look or ask them to please not bother her, but I'm surprised Journey doesn't because she's a very friendly, happy looking, well behaved, obviously clean and well groomed dog. I don't know if she's just too generic looking and not cool enough or what lol. I just find it odd. I'll get "what a pretty dog" or "what a well behaved dog" comments in passing, but it's rare people want to pet her. Also, a lot of people think she's my service dog, so maybe that's why. I get that with the Dobermans sometimes too. It's like people think that if a dog is out in public, that it must be working, because why else would you take it out.

So it just made me wonder what others' experiences are.

To be honest, I don't approach people and their dogs either. I might comment or I'll smile at the owner or something, but I don't tend to interact with peoples' dogs very often. I feel like it's weird somehow unless I know the dog, plus I'm not really one to approach strangers anyway. But I see other dogs in public all the time interacting with tons of strangers and it makes me wonder why mine don't get that. It's nice not to be stopped constantly and I really don't mind, but I find it a bit strange, and especially with puppies it can be frustrating when my purpose for taking them out is to meet some people.

ETA: Often people will reach out and pet my dogs without permission (which drives me crazy), and it's usually Dance of course since she's the only one who doesn't enjoy people, but aside from that they don't get much attention.

We get stopped a lot. Yesterday at the lure coursing, we got swamped.

I don't mind it except I wish people would not get so offended when Mia has no interest in them. I try to get them to pet Summer. It makes Summer's day to get loved on by people. A lot do end up ignoring Mia in favor of Summer, who is really cute and hams it up. but some seem determined to make Mia behave the same way. It never works.

On walks, I keep a brisk pace so we rarely get stopped. At pet stores though? All the time. I blame Summer because she's always acting like a floozie and melts anytime anyone smiles at her.

And all interactions go the same way. Either they ask if they're papillons or ask if they're chis or poms or cavs. Then they ask if they're related. Then ask how old they are and everyone makes a comment about how shocked they are that Summer is almost 10. If they know what papillons are, there's a comment about how they're smart. Especially after westminster this year. I didn't watch groups but apparently that was said during the toy group. I've been asked 4 times about it since westminster aired.

Yes, and almost always without asking my permission. It drives me up the wall.

People always want to say hi to Juno, which is probably just exacerbated by the fact that she goes into full body wiggle whenever people come into her general area. Even pre-Prozac though, when she wanted nothing to do with people, they would alwayyyysss approach her (and at that time, I hated it!). Honestly, not sure what it is about her that people are drawn to!

I've never brought Happy somewhere alone, just always with Juno, and people will approach them but I'm not sure which dog they "really" want to interact with In the end, Juno is more flirtatious lol whereas Happy just plops her butt down and waits expectantly for someone to give her food.

I don't approach other peoples dogs when I'm in public, granted usually in those situations where dogs are allowed, that means I have mine with too.... I'm just, on the whole, not interested.

Harlow gets it a lot more than Rider. I think it helps that we are out and about in very dog-related places though.

We also get a lot of people wanting to interact with Trent. We won't always get stopped, but you can tell if it's someone who wants to say hi but might be a little uncertain with a large dog like him. If I have time (and I usually do), I'll ask them if they want to meet him and it's basically always a yes. Little kids especially love, love, love him, but adults also like to stop me and greet him and tell me about the GSD(s) they used to have. Trent doesn't actually seek out attention, unless it's from kids, so for the most part I do it for the strangers' benefit. That, and I do like making small talk and just chatting with people.

I don't mind at all, although I will warn them that sometimes my dog has no manners and that they might also get slobbered on. Usually I'll even keep a treat or two in my pocket for little kids to offer him. Going off what Lauren said about Mia not having interest in meeting people, it's definitely a hit or miss for Trent, too, because for the most part he just wants to keep going. However, I have been lucky that none of the people we've encountered particularly care, because I'll ask Trent to sit and they'll be able to pat his head a couple of times, and that's that.

We rarely get people petting him without permission (and this includes kids, which is awesome!!) but I did recently see a guy making chirping-ish noises and motioning for Trent to go over to him while I was shopping at Home Depot. His girlfriend was clearly terrified of Trent but the guy kept trying to get Trent's attention, so I just rolled my eyes at him and walked the other way with my dog.

Hmmm, yes and no. Honestly at dog related type events, not that much. But in public, like on vacation in a place like Gettysburg, walking the streets we get stopped ALL THE TIME. He's indifferent about strangers. If I say 'go say hi' he will, but usually he's happy to just continue walking right by.

Of course, he's adorable!! Of course, it doesn't help that whenever someone makes eye contact with him, he goes into full body wiggles and practically throws himself at their feet

I don't really know. We've never been in "public" public enough for us to experience idiot (or not) people.

When I take Abrams in to TSC, there is a lot of, "Oh, look at the dog!" "Those there are good dogs." "Pretty Chessie!" And Cynder has gotten compliments on walks before. But that's really about it. A lot of comments, but people around here are, knock on wood, fairly polite and don't barge up on us.

For the most part, we ignore people and they ignore us. It's good that way.

Rowan, yes! I don't know if it's because he's fuzzy and cute, or obviously friendly, or both, but people often stop to talk and love on him. He totally hams it up, too.

Riff not so much, although I don't take him in public very often. When we are, I'm glad people aren't as interested, because he's still iffy with strangers. He can walk around them just fine, but being approached makes him nervous. I imagine I probably project a little more of a "please don't bother us" energy when I'm with him, too. But really he's not all happy and slutty like Rowan and I think that's the key difference, lol.

Not too often. But if someone is going to want to love on one of the dogs, it will be Brooks

Yes, pretty frequently, especially if we're out with multiple dogs. I guess they're a little unusual looking so people tend to be curious about them. People around here tend to be pretty polite and dog-savvy, so I don't mind when people stop to say hi to them and chat a bit.

Roxie is a people magnet. She just draws people to her. Roxie's been a huge help in me getting over my avoidance issues with other people and being in public because of this, actually.

Usually when we go out, a lot of people will walk by and make a comment about them, but not too often do they want to interact much. Which is fine by me because I'm not huge on being social.

Plus, it seems like the people who do want to interact most the time, are the people who let their dogs just run up first with no warning and then I'm just wanting to get out of there as I swear it's like we are a magnet to people who have the more jumpy, hyper, all over the place dogs who make things just hectic as my dogs are kind of like me, and not too in to interacting, so they're backing away or trying to keep going, but having the other person's dog going at them.

Luce used to get a ridiculous amount of attention from the public. Now that she's older, she is more... detached, less interested in strangers, and so she doesn't flirt the way she used to.

Steve is now working as my service dog so he's out in public a *lot* and every day there are people who are making kissy noises and talking to him ("I know I'm not supposed to talk to you but oh aren't you just so beautiful??" squeaky voice squeaky voice), trying to pet him, asking me if they can pet him. Other people are more respectful and just tell me he's beautiful or ask what kind of dog he is-- and that I am absolutely fine with.

But man I wish I had a less unique-looking service dog. Or maybe an invisible one. Gah.

Yes, a lot. Even if people don't want to pet the dogs, they'll usually say "Hi, puppy!" or make a comment about them.
Fable seems to draw more attention than Millie (which is ironic now because when Millie was out doing public access work people would not freaking leave her alone!), but she really doesn't want any of it. Millie is a more well rounded, just disinterested in strangers type, but Fable is actively wary of strangers.
Sometimes Fable does what I call her "coyote stance" and people are then wary of her, even though she's small.

All. the. time... people have always wanted to interact with Merlin, I thought maybe since he's grown up it would ease up but alas... nope.
We take the train everyday and I don't think a day goes by without at least 3 people wanting to pet him or say hi.

Maybe it's the merle thing, maybe it's because if people seem nice he goes into butt wiggle mode, maybe it's because I'm usually wearing a hat with animal ears and don't seem that threatening but... it's a lot.

He does wear a bow-tie so that probably doesn't help.

People pet without asking all the time which is really sucky. especially on the train where he sits BETWEEN MY LEGS and it's such an awkward situation like people reach and pet him without asking and it's like seriously, HE IS SEATED IN BETWEEN MY LEGS GO AWAY

As for me with others,If people seem open/not very busy, I do ask to pet dogs that I walk by who seem to want to be petted and ask their name. I just think it's nice. For dogs who don't seem to be soliciting pets, I couldn't care less really lol

People tend to overlook Cara and Adele. Adele is a german shepherd and Cara is a minimally marked adult dog.

Now Snitch on the other hand, I have never had a puppy draw so much attention. Even when the others were puppies it was just nothing like this (seriously we had a worked at a McDonald's drive thru call every other employee to the drive thru window to look at him). I think it's a combination of him being a) a puppy b) merle and c) fluffy.

I feel you on the fluffy merleness.
If there was a big black dog suit I would put him in it.

TBH with Karma I thought people would be more OMGZ ebil pit bull stay away, but apparently our area is very pit bull friendly and out of all my dogs she's probably gotten the most attention/lovin. It's gotten the point where I kinda hate it(she loves it though) because I'm not a big people person lol. Took her to a festival and I swear she had a crowd of people and everyone commented on her ears(apparently her ears are her best feature) and how awesome of a dog she was... We have however gotten a few killer pit bull/man killer etc comments, but they were people from the hood who are in general scared of dogs, but because she was a pit bull felt the need to say something.

Abby doesn't really attract attention and even if she did I don't let people pet her because she can be mmm very pick about when she wants to be petted. So far Bo's only attracted the attention of other boxer owners otherwise people tend to stay away and Twister's well he attracted a lot of attention as a puppy, but now not so much...