How should I react when someone is scared of my dog?
I moved to a new area and adopted a large dog from a shelter. Large dogs were common where I grew up, and while some people didn’t care for dogs, very few people were scared of them.
A grown man stepped off the elevator when we entered, saying he would take the next one and flattening himself to the wall to keep his distance as he did so. Is there a phrase you can suggest to convey that I’m sorry they’re feeling this way, without implying any wrongdoing?Moving to a new area always involves a period of adjusting to local customs. Unless your pet is the size of a bear, the three reactions you describe are suspiciously dramatic -- and therefore worth investigating further.
Once you are confident that you are not violating any unfamiliar rules, you will still have to account for the fright: “She’s harmless; there is no need to be afraid.” But Miss Manners will agree that this may be said a trifle stiffly if you believe the dramatization of said fear to be out of proportion to the actual emotion.My husband is in a rehabilitation facility, receiving physical therapy to improve his strength after orthopedic surgery. He is in a semi-private room.
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