Sorry for not making myself clear, I do it with all dogs not just biggies

TBH I look at how the owner an dis acting/reacting and the dog too. then I decide, as others have said, whether to walk a different way, to give them a wide berth etc.

I've noticed that a lot of small dog owners where I live will pick up their dogs if I'm walking any one of mine, on lead, on the street. Ridiculous! My dogs are not DA and love to meet/greet other dogs, regardless of size. Fortunately, there are other big dog owners about so they are well socialised in that respect.

I've not noticed any real snobbery, but definitely ignorance. If people walking alone want to cross the road to avoid my dogs that's their prerogative - so long as they don't expect me to walk elsewhere to suit them!

Having said that, it's their loss. My dogs love to meet people. In the house they're a nightmare when people visit but out and about they do behave themselves.

There have been a couple of occasions previously when small dog owners have picked up their dogs to avoid me/mine and I've said very loudly something like.." Come on (Zane/Yiannis/Jenzi/Tashi/Ellie etc). let's walk this way instead in case the vicious, aggressive, small dog tries to hurt you". The look on peoples' faces is amazing. Hopefully it dawns on them at some point how silly they're being.

I accept that some may have an issue with big dogs because of bad experiences etc but those people, IMHO are very few and far between where I live.

Well,i once owned a little yappy jrt,and a bloke with a gsd sneered"go on.get the blxxxy thing" to his dog -does that count?

I some times see a man walking his 2 big absolutely stunning and extremely friendly rotties, unfortunately I have to take a wide birth as my dog is terrified of them! I just wanna give his rotties a big fuss but cant when I have my little man!

Milo is medium sized, crossbreed, most likely staffie and jack russell. He looka a bit like an over sized Parsons with a more Staffie brindle and white colouring. I can't say as I've noticed many people avoid us, only those i think avoid dogs all together!

I'd sooner avoid a little dog, they're often more fiery!

Honestly I wish people WOULD avoid us when we're out. Luke isn't fond of being mauled by strangers, and for some reason people think absolutely nothing of running like mad towards a dog who's literally eye level with them, yet they stop ten feet away and ask if Bear bites and if they can pet him, when he's the one who adores all breathing things and wants to meet people. I know many people who have dogs who are either not lovers of strangers, or who are DA/DR who'd give just about anything to be treated to the "walk across the street" behavior that other people get offended by. At the end of the day, it is much safer and more respectful of everyone to give people and their dogs space, until invited to do otherwise. JMO

I cross the road no matter what size the dog, just cant be annoyed these days. Ours are friendly to one & sundry but unfortunately that doesnt apply to many other dogs we meet. Nope, i go out to enjoy my walk with my dogs

i have a springer 20kgs + and a small patterdale x jrt (????) 6kgs i was walking around sidmouth with the youngest and he was half whinging n half yapping as we had stoped walking as waiting a while for the rest of the family to meet up and a lady said what a pathetic bark ... i was puzzeled and laught it off and thought he wasnt even barking ??? they both moan the 2nd we stop walking ??

then later we were walking along the sea front and i herd a older man mutter (something) excuse for a dog ??? i was like aye he is only 19cm to shoulder happily todelling along and another granny walking her gawjuss golden retriver was like im either gonna get run over (my son was on his scooter) or bitten but my dogs were tied up to the shelter inside next to us wagging their tails sniffing the air .... i could understand more if she had no dog but wt*

obs wrong day for little toby on sunday lol ??? ps my doggies love others and people and i warn they will lick uu lol x toby does jump up which is a bit embarrassing with muddy paws but i shouted out how rude lol no way she herd but again totally stunned

I live in an area some would regard as 'not so nice' (I consider it more house for the money and walking distance into work) and there are a lot of staffies around here.
I've never had an issue with any of them, in fact I have been pleasantly surprised how considerate other dog walkers in the area are.
Riley isn't a fan of meeting other dogs outside and so if I see another dog I put myself between him and the dog if walking past, or will move to the side or walk a different direction when I see a dog. And most, if not all, people around here react accordingly and will move their dog over or put it on lead while walking past.

However, in the woods where a lot of 'nice' cars are parked is where my issues come from. Most people seem to think the broken fence between the woods and the road is a 'barrier' and let their out of control dog straight off the lead with no care what they get up to.
The last time we went, and it will probably be the last time, a springer ran towards us and started snapping at Riley. The owner didn't bat an eyelid.

I'm not a stranger to big dogs so size doesn't bother me. When I walk into work without Riley I love seeing well behaved dogs and owners in the park, regardless of breed.

I would 10000% rather someone crossed the road from me than came and mauled my dog without asking/let their child run up without asking.

Having had a 'cute' dog (a ckc) it was blumming constant. I completely lost it once, when a woman told her three small children to 'go and say hello to the doggy' (who was elderly and increasingly blind at this point) they came storming over quicker than i could think and literally had to yell "LEAVE HIM ALONE" at them, woman then had a massive go at me for 'yelling at her kids, who did i think i was' (to which i really sardonically replied with my own name haha), I then asked her if i was walking a GSD or rottie would she have said the same to which she replied 'of course not' i just said, a dog is a dog and walked off.
cretinous woman.

The only time prejudice has upset me was when i heard someone describe staffies as vermin

As well as my Aussie, I've had a Norwegian Elkhound, a Pittbull mix, and a HUGE American Bulldog that weighed as much as me. Even though all of my big dogs have been gentlemen with no agression issues and obviously walking nicely on leash (no pulling or lunging), many people would cross the street to avoid us. I couldn't possibly care less. Their loss not to have met such great dogs. On the other hand, when I see someone "walking" their dog, doing their best to be an anchor and not a kite, no matter the size or breed, I'll cross the street myself. If they can't control their dog, I don't want mine to be near them. Control isn't about breed or size, it's about love and respect.