I'm staggered at the reactions people have (non-westerners) at dogs. Today I was walking my medium to small dog on a lead and two women ran screaming their heads off in the opposite direction when they saw him! Geez,my dog and I got more of a fright than they did! Ridiculous behaviour even if they've had nowt to do with dogs. I've met heaps of people back home who aren't "dog-people" and the last thing they'd do is run, screaming blue murder at the sight of a dog. You can't tell me people can be THAT terrified of dogs, unless of course they'd been attacked by one, then I can understand, but I'd bet the two girls I met today haven't even touched hide nor hair of a dog. It's bordering on phobic behaviour if you ask me.