Almost every morning, my partner and I take our 95 pound German Shepherd, Monk, for a walk around a 1 mile trail at a local park. Inevitably, the reaction of those approaching us from the opposite direction follows a similar pattern. One common strategy people employ to avoid engagement is to create as much physical distance as possible. Those with smaller (and usually more vocal) pets immediately pick up their furry companions, presumably to rescue them from being eaten or killed. Still others’ discomfort can be gleaned through their comments. Today, through a forced broad smile, one older gentlemen asked, “Is that one those Michael Vick dogs?” Did I hear what I think I heard? Was that a microaggression? Sigh. I felt frustrated, angry, confused, misunderstood, marginalized, and sad- the emotional consequences of risk perception. I knew they wouldn’t understand (or care about) his experience of having firecrackers thrown at him and the lasting impact of that trauma on his ability to trust young people. They didn’t know the toll that age had taken on his hips and, therefore, mood. They had no clue about the innumerable times small dogs had escaped from their handlers and that he had never bitten one. Not one. Those people that I passed had a perception of risk and nothing that I said was going to change it. They were in survival mode, the most primitive instinct. So I just smiled and kept going. I was content, knowing that, as long as I protected him, their reactions were of no consequence. His safety was not in jeopardy and their fear had not cost him his life.
Unfortunately, that’s not true for everyone. I love my dog. Yet it saddens me to think that he is safer from the impact of implicit bias, of risk perception, of fear, of hatred, or of indifference than my brothers and sisters. My clinical work and lived experience is replete with stories which reflect the consequences of belief structures (and other factors) on communities of color. But it’s vital to first listen to the story. Listen radically. Read. Then listen some more.
You may just learn that what you fear is harmless.
SuperVision CPD 
So well understood, relatable, well written, painted, descriptive and true. I experience the same “breedism” with my 4 legged son- same looks of disgust, irrational, unfounded, unwarranted judgment, ignorance and fear. I equate it to racism as well which we as a people continue to be beaten down by and dying from and so much stolen from us.