Rome is a 5-year-old German shepherd who likes going on trips with his family. He enjoys swimming and hiking, and he occasionally runs ahead of his family on the trails, which is how they discovered that some people seemed to be terrified of him.

Rome is nearly a half-foot taller than other German shepherds his age, which some find threatening. His family has seen that some people are afraid of German shepherds, who are frequently incorrectly deemed a “dangerous” breed. But, in reality, Rome has always been a gentle behemoth.

“He is the original baby of our family,” Rome’s mother, Mercedes Provost, told The Dodo. “He is quite cuddly and affectionate. Rome adores other dogs and is especially great with our 9-month-old kid, who enjoys playing with his tail.”

While hiking, Provost saw that people would ask Rome whether he was nice while backing away from him, so she had to worry about him coming across people on the route before the rest of his family arrived, as she didn’t want him to startle anybody. She was anxious to find a cure – and then one day, she unintentionally discovered it.

A bow tie. 

“I spotted it at Target one day and thought it would look great on him,” Provost explained. “I had no idea that many people would agree!”

People reacted differently to Rome once he started wearing his bow tie out and about. His bow tie, rather than his size, became the first thing they noticed, and it let them appreciate what a silly, lovable dog he truly is.

“Almost everyone says how much they like it,” Provost added.

Rome now wears his bow tie or a nice little satchel wherever he goes. His costumes are bright and inviting, allowing others to view him as the gentle giant he has always been to his family.

He may now go on as many adventures as he likes with his family, and he can approach everyone for petting and affection, since that’s all this huge, wonderful guy truly wants.