I agree. I taught basic obedience for about 20 years and I'll admire people's dogs but not handle them, and they assume I'm afraid of them. I'm not, it's just rude to the dog. I wouldn't handle your kid so why should I maul your dog? We have a Golden we rescued from a breeder and she's not sociable either, which is kind of a shame. She's sweet to us, though.
I once put my late great Golden on a Down-stay outside a building like you did, in the shade in the desert and when I came out a man was calling him and trying to get him to go with him. Of course, Rigby wouldn't but what a jerk.