[OliviaB]

I took Gunner to the park for a walk this morning. While we were strolling around the playground area, a little boy came up and wanted to pet Gunner. He was calm and asked politely so I let him. While he was petting Gunner, his Mom came up. She was friendly and commented on how calm Gunner was being. Then she asked what breed he was. As soon as I said "doberman" her whole attitude changed. She quit smiling and said, "Oh. Well, he's sweet now but just wait until he's grown." I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "Oh you know how those dogs are...they get mean when they get older." This obviously ticked me off but I stayed calm and just said," Well actuallly that's not true at all but you've obviously already made up your mind about the breed." With that, we left. Sometimes stupid people seriously drive me crazy. How do you respond to breed predjudice?? I really wanted to tell her off, but I could tell she wasn't changing her mind and I didn't want to stoop to her level.

 

[Adara]

I don't respond anymore and don't bite into it. If they are obviously not going to listen, I'm not going to waste my time with breed education.

A few things I've said,

hmmm...interesting
Thanks for your input
have a nice day
Nice meeting you

See nothing that bites into the situation I try not to let it get to me.

Of course you could just tell her so far his parents have only maimed a few people

 

[Dobs4ever]

I would ask her that if she believes that is true who it is not constantly in the news with all the people who own dobermans??? Ask her when the last time she read an acutal report of it??? It kind a takes the wind out of their sails.

 

[OliviaB]

I try not to let it get to me either, but ignorance is one of my biggest pet peeves. I understand the general public is extremely uneducated about dog breeds, but to just make blanket statements like that...I'll never understand it. I plan on taking Gunner everywhere with me so I guess all I can do is train him and help him to be the best ambassador for the breed that he possibly can.

 

[Sweetz]

i own a very delicate fawn doberman.. most people think shes a weimaraner..and when i correct them they are shocked yet intrigued by her color and uncropped ears. my sister and i are dog lovers she owns a pitbull and a griffon pointer and have a 1 year old baby.. and i own the doberman and a very hyper boston that has alot of behavior prob that i deal/work on every day and i also have a 6month old baby. So my sister and i dealt with our own share of stupid comments..."oh he's a ticking time-bomb"... "does your pitbull jaw lock?"...."do not let your dogs get close to your baby".. "i heard that boston terriers brain never stop growing".. all sort of silly remarks .. people even cross the road when they used to see my sister walk her Pitbull.. but you know what?! my sister and i raised great behaviored "guard dog" breeds and are darn proud of it. so if someone tells me "ahhh isnt a doberman a mean dog?" i say with my head up not at all.. and i recoommend them as great family dogs.. they adapt to almost any enviroment or lifestyle.. we are even concidering eventualy owning another one. Love all dogs but they are an outstanding breed. be proud of your doberman!

 

[Sweetz]

i try not to let it get to me either, but ignorance is one of my biggest pet peeves. I understand the general public is extremely uneducated about dog breeds, but to just make blanket statements like that...i'll never understand it. I plan on taking gunner everywhere with me so i guess all i can do is train him and help him to be the best ambassador for the breed that he possibly can.

amen to that!

 

[madmony]

I'm always amazed that people make these wild statements after asking "what kind of dog is that?" I've even had them say "are you sure?"

 

[Adara]

I'm always amazed that people make these wild statements after asking "what kind of dog is that?" I've even had them say "are you sure?"

I had a neighbor for weeks it seemed argue with me that my Vizsla puppy was a bloodhound. I finally wised up one day and just agreed with her and ended the "debate"

 

[Zephyr]

You have two options when people let their ignorance shine through--you can either attempt to educate them, or you can simply shrug it off. Neither option is particularly satisfying as most people will not listen to you regardless of how eloquently you may word things. It is encouraging when you actually do encounter a stranger and change their opinion of our beautiful breed because your dog acts like an upstanding canine citizen and an ambassador for Dobermans in general.

 

[Lori Z]

I say things like, "that is why I am training him, so he continues be the smartest best dog citizen throughout his life" I talk to people about training all the time. It seems to help. You can not fix stupid though and sometimes you just have to shrug.

 

[Sinister]

I'm actually kind of wanting these comments. I have some answers cooked up...

 

[OliviaB]

I'm actually kind of wanting these comments. I have some answers cooked up...

I know what you mean. I'm torn between being an adult and politely letting it go, or letting my inner witch be unleashed with all the snappy comments I've been holding in.....

 

[krjackso]

I'm actually kind of wanting these comments. I have some answers cooked up...

Please share, if nothing else for a laugh. I have owned a doberman for all of 3 days now and have heard the exact same type remarks 6 times already. Yes, I am counting.

 

[dobienut]

never argue with an idiot they will only bring you down to there level

 

[Julie W]

How I respond to breed stupidity depends on the individual situation. I have done anything from a simple "you are an idiot" and walk away to people that have a seriously annoying and negative vibe to having a lengthy and hopefully educational discussion to ones that seem interested. One thing never will change though - there are a LOT of stupid people out there.

 

[Megs]

Shortly before acquiring my first Doberman puppy (a little over 3 years ago), I was chatting about my building excitement with some regulars at the bar of the brewpub where I worked at the time. Some guy ordered a beer and entered the conversation with, "Dobermans? You know they'll turn on their owner someday," and he was being totally serious. :lol2:

Yeah, I'm still living in fear here everyday that Thakoon is going to all out attack me when I'm sleeping and claim the bed as his forever.

 

[KevinK]

I'll never forget, shortly after I brought Dakota home. (She is a rescue mix, and now at full size about 20" at withers. pretty small) She was 12 pounds when we got her, and she was not that much bigger than a big cat. We were out for a walk, and a lady was in her yard talking about how cute Dakota was, and we were working on heeling and sitting, and the lady was very impressed at how such ayoung dog was able to do these things. So we get to talking, she starts petting Dakota, I said something like "Yea, it's such a shame the breed is so misunderstood". She asked what she was, I said Doberman mix, the lady totally changed. She said "Well, the statistics don't lie". And ran up the stairs! Meanwhile Dakota had already learned that she has to sit nicely for attention (this is at about 12 weeks mind you lol ) while her dog was chained to the porch going nuts the entire time. The lady treated me like I just stole her purse, it was incredible. From so nice, and sweet, to plain ole nasty in the blink of an eye, for no reason but ignorance. I just walked away, telling her to have a good day.

 

[heidi's mom]

pffftttt.. should have said well your kid is cute now but wait till he gets older...he is a boy ya know

 

[VZ-Doberman]

I look at it this way.......

Ignorant people like that, they're never going to own a doberman. They're too sold on the myths associated with our breed.

 

[dobermansrule]

I hear ya.

One sobering thought is we have to protect our dobes from the ignorant. Not that dobes have feelings that need protecting. But protection of what the ignorant might do believing what they believe about dobes. i.e., dobe accidentally gets out and is loose in the neighborhood, romping around trying to engage in play. Someone who knows dogs and the breed and this particular dog will see a dog they know to be friendly on the loose and would probably do the decent thing and help get him back to the owner. An ignorant person will see a crazed rabid baby killer on the loose and do who knows what under the auspices of self defense or defense of family. So yeah, I hate ignorane and its my job to protect my dobe from the ignorant. Being a good ambassador, setting a good example, socializing the dobe around the neighborhood is all part of it. But you never know what some ignorant person will do out of -- well, ignorance.