One day we were playing in her yard and a parent who came by to collect his son was very frightened by the presence of the dog. The father approached as a stranger looking to remove one of the German shepherd's charges, and she chased him from the yard. As he scaled the fence, she almost bit his pants off. Had he only approached her in a more confident, familiar manner, she surely would have allowed him to take his own son home. If you are afraid of dogs, the best thing to do is to try to spend more time with the smaller, friendlier breeds, such as shih tzus and yorkies.
Many people actually overcome their fears by getting dogs of their own.
In any case, if you find yourself in a situation with a strange dog, try to stay calm, speak in a gentle voice, move slowly but normally and don't try to be brave by offering a hand or a pat on the head. Just say hello and be on your way. Back to Top Dr. Peter Kross, DVM, has had his own veterinary practice, the Rivergate Veterinary Clinic in New York City, since 1989. He lives in Manhattan with his three white boxers, Buchanan, Wilhelmina and Laila. All rights reserved.