What exactly is there to be scared the English mastiff over the border collie?

Y’all please be respectful to my question, I’m genuinely asking

My brother came over today, and he brought over his dog, he has a 260 pound English mastiff, the dog is really sweet. But for some reason my 6 year old daughter didn’t want to be anywhere near the dog. they have met before at my brothers house, she was afraid then also.

why is this? she adores dogs, we have a border collie and they get along and play together just fine, even on day one when I first brought the dog home. My dog and my brothers dog are identical to him. . But she is just really scared of the mastiff for some reason. of course I respect my daughter and I make sure she feels safe. But why is she like this?

why do some say a Rottweiler or a mastiff is easily able to knock over a toddler with a simple trivial tail wag, or by just walking past, or spinning around to say hello? Even so, our border collie can do the exact same thing. Why are they saying specifically these dogs when my border collie is fully capable of doing the exact same? But of course never will. .

My brothers dog has done nothing wrong. Why is she acting so scared of him? Like I said we have a border collie at home and they play together.

My daughter is so small that she has to physically look up at the border collie, when they stand side-by-side, she is eye level with the very bottom of his chin. And she can stand on her tippy toes and she will just barely be able to see eye to eye with him. and he’s just your average border collie, he weighs in at around 40 pounds and is way stronger than my daughter. and even from day one, she didn’t let the height strength and weight of the border collie get to her. So why is she so afraid of the mastiff? Both dogs are the exact same, introduced in similar ways and very similar temperament. In fact the border collie is much stronger than my daughter and she has to look up at him a tad to see him in the eye. Both dogs bark, both dogs stick their tongues out when they pant, etc. Yet she adores the border collie but is really scared of the English mastiff What is there to be scared of exactly with the mastiff over the collie?

SatanBurger · 36-40, F

I also asked chatgpt, I hope this helps.

The daughter’s fear of the mastiff, despite being fine with the border collie, could be rooted in a few things:

Size and Presence:
While the daughter is physically smaller than both dogs, a 260-pound English mastiff is significantly larger and more imposing than a 40-pound border collie. The mastiff’s sheer size, coupled with its movements or demeanor, might feel overwhelming or unpredictable to her.

Subtle Differences:
Although the dogs might have similar temperaments, there could be subtle differences in the mastiff’s behavior—its posture, movements, or even the sound of its bark—that the daughter perceives as intimidating.

Innate Response:
Children sometimes have unexplainable fears rooted in instinct or perception. The mastiff’s size or appearance might trigger a primal response, even if the dog behaves gently.

Past Experience:
Even if she doesn’t remember it, she might have had a negative or startling experience with a large dog in the past that influences her feelings now.

Parental Influence or Media:
Exposure to others talking about large dogs being “dangerous” or media portrayals of big dogs might have unconsciously shaped her reaction, even if she adores her smaller dog at home.

The person’s repeated posting could reflect their deeper concern about understanding and addressing their child’s fear. It’s not unusual for people to seek validation or solutions for unresolved issues over time.