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one of the store employees, (a rather tall and buff guy) approached us (I've known him since high school), and reached out with both hands towards Daisy who was sitting at my heel.
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Hi Camille (what a beautiful name)-
I do not allow people to approach my dog this way. The pat on the head that they're usually going for with this approach can be interpreted as a dominant gesture by a dog, and my dog does not welcome it from strangers.
I've become pretty good at reading people's intentions toward my dog, judging by their body language as they draw near. If they look like the kind of people who will rush him and touch him in a way that neither he nor I will appreciate, I change course. If necessary I will swivel my body in between the approaching person and my dog, and heel him past. (With a pleasant "Good evening!" or whatever the case, over my shoulder at them.)
Some well-meaning people have little or no knowledge of the correct way to approach or touch a dog. I understand that their intentions are good, but I do not want everyone running over and feeling my dog up without my permission.
That said, you can obviously never predict every person's actions 100% of the time, which is why both training and socialization are so important. A few weeks ago, a girl that I've met very casually a few times and who had been petting my dog in an appropriate way for a few minutes, suddenly reached down, threw her arms tightly around his neck and put her head on his back while he was looking the other way. Unforeseen and unappreciated, but training got us out of it all right. And by that I mean that my dog now knows that I will send him to hell and back if he takes it upon himself to react aggressively with civilians.
Good luck!