Phobia of Dogs

A dog phobia is considered a very common phobia which usually initiates at a tender age. Like all fears and phobias, a dog phobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in the past, there may have been an event linking dogs, canines, or rabies and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experience trauma. The fear may have also been unwittingly passed on by an overprotective parent. The child hears the parent telling them to stay away from large or aggressive dogs and the child’s fear reaches abnormal heights and they are unable to differentiate between fearsome dogs and gentle, friendly dogs. Every dog is terrifying.

Children's phobias have immediate consequences. Every time they merely hear the barking of a dog, an insufferable fear will grip their mind. Some children with a dog phobia can't even walk to school for fear of encountering a canine along the way - even seeing one in the distance, no matter how small it is or whether it's barking or silent, can make children scream, shake and run away.

They can miss out on social occasions like trips to the park, visiting friends’ homes, camping and overnight sleepovers. Holidays have to be carefully selected to ensure they are dog free zones.

Adults with a dog phobia suffer no less than children. Careers can be ruined if the job entails travelling around and visiting homes – nurses, social workers etc. And what should be a pleasurable event, like visiting family, can become a total nightmare if the other family have a dog.

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