When Gracie was around, and we were waiting outside somewhere, it always amused me when people said trepidatiously (from a "safe distance") "Do you need help?" We'd play "get the leash" where I'd shake the leash and she's "attack" it ferociously, lots of teeth and growling, tail wagging the whole time! It always made me chuckle, as we knew it was a game, but she was big and black and apparently scary to some people!