Dog snobbery/ignorance

How rife is it? Do big dog owners look down their nose a lot at little dog owners, and vice versa, also when I'm out, loads of people cross the road, or turn and go the other way when they see us coming, how common is this?

around here they all have labs, spaniels, gundogs... i think they think we're chav's with our two beasts ha ha!

Well, I don't have a small dog but I tend to look:

A) if the dog is off lead what its body language is saying.

B) if the dog is on lead I'm looking at what the dog's and the owner's body language is saying

Then I'll make my decision as to whether or not I'm going to walk towards them or not

To be fair that'd be me. The only Rotties the lodger usually sees now are the two loose guard dogs at the scrap yard we pass - consequently it's quieter if I cross over & we're all happier.

I've got bigguns and little uns and I'm not sure it's snobbery or ignorance to be fair. I try not to be "sensitive" about it so if I'm walking one or all 3 of my Dobermanns on the pavement and people cross over the road I assume they're simply not comfortable around big dogs or experience has taught them not all dogs are well behaved and it's better to be safe than sorry. They usually don't know me or my dogs so it can't be personal.
Offlead they are all walked together and we seem to be a magnet for other dog walkers, I guess because I have small dogs too they assume they'll be fine.

I used to do a sponsored walk for a dog rescue where I used to live every year. My collie one year couldn't do the walk as he was recovering from a TPLO op so I borrowed my friends Rottie.

My friends Rottie was the friendliest, lovely boy. Was very well mannered around dogs and people but people kept a big distance. They saw us coming down the path and actively tucked their dogs out the way so they couldn't greet the Rottie.

Strange because my collie actively displayed that he wanted nothing to do with other dogs yet people used to let their dogs greet him, sometimes even after me warning them he will snap

I felt like a leper when I was walking the Rottie was nice and peaceful though!

So true, I encounter it every day, my boy is so friendly, it's such a shame rotties have a very undeserved reputation.

I think people will, perhaps understandably, be frightened or wary of big dogs or indeed any dog breed that the press has decided to label as a 'devil dog'.

I've seen so many people give Staffies a wide birth, yet they are one of the most human friendly breeds around!

We took on a Rottie as a foster and were hoping to keep him, but unfortunately our current dog really did not like him so he had to be returned.

The Rottie was a lovely boy, very friendly with people and with other dogs, but even my own family didn't want anything to do with him (although I do think they would have warmed to him if he had been able to stay).

Walks were wonderful and peaceful for the most part though and it did make a nice change. Having said that, I can see it must get you down when you are constantly avoided.

I have noticed I tend to get approached even more than usual when I am walking my aunt's small dog along with Guinness (our Greyhound), some people seem to find a larger dog more approachable if there is a small one being walked with it. (Not good from our point of view as Guinness is fearful of strange people).

I think this is down to breed ignorance/fear, rather than big or small prejudice.

I have uncounted this with my Boxers, and a friend had also had the same with her Rottis.

I think people are afraid, or believe the NEGATIVE hype these dogs get .