You are so right. People do not really know how to approach dogs at all. The other night at the vet's office I had my two dogs in for routine shots. Two small children in the waiting room came over (probably age 5 and age 7) and they said "may we please pet your dogs?" I was impressed that they asked first but of course they were there with their dog (a puppy) and knew enough to ask. It is the adults that seem to be the problem. I am as confused as you were about the adult's reaction. By the way, try and take a dog into PetsMart wearing a Halti. I used to use one on Bella, and some of the people in there (who should know better) acted like I was with a raving maniac dog. I even heard one woman tell her daughter not to get near her because she was wearing a "muzzle."