I have a hard time resisting, but I always ask their owner when he or she is present. There is a couple who is always walking around town with a gorgeous husky, and they do not let anyone pet her. Since I have had Kito, and he can be somewhat unpredictable around strangers (especially men), I am a little more careful now. But I agree about the little dogs. My neighbor downstairs has a lhasa, and she is mean--she jumps and growls at us (especially when we have the dogs), and runs to the door and growls when anyone walks by.