I was out with my daughter today and we encountered a lady with a small chihuahua. My daughter wanted to get permission to pet the animal, but as we got closer the thing started freaking out, barking and kinda stotting, lol actually leaving the ground with each bark. The owner laughed and said her dog doesn't like men.

I backed away so my kid could pet it. That was the funnest way to find out I'm passing that I can think of.

Animals just know people. they can sense who and what you are. I've had the opposite reaction with dogs who don't like men. The owners would look somewhat confused. lol

LOL... I had a similar experience in the other direction     This elderly man told me his dog (Brindle boxer) didn't like women, then both the guy and the dog started giving me stink eye evils and the dog started growling and the man began yelling rather rude expletives at me and flippin' the bird at me

I decided to go across the street, when I looked back the guy was praising his dog