How to overcome fear of dogs, in 4 steps

Several tips on how to overcome the fear of these common pets.

Fear of dogs is one of the most common forms of fear.. As they are very common domestic animals, there are those who have a really bad time just because they come across one walking down the street or passing in front of a house where there is a barking dog.

In this article we will see different keys about how to overcome the fear to the dogs, and how to apply these advices in the day to day.

Why does this fear appear?

There is not a single reason why a person may develop fear of dogs. Different aspects that can be influencing in thisFor example, the wild appearance of this mammal (which, after all, is of the same animal species as the wolf), its propensity to bark (a sound that sometimes frightens and can express aggression), its relatively unpredictable character (compared to that of a human being), etc.

In general, fear of dogs is something acquired, learned involuntarily, although this learning brings more disadvantages than advantages. In fact, in the most extreme cases in the most extreme cases, we can even speak of dog phobia, or dog phobiaThis is what happens when this anxiety and feeling of discomfort are so powerful that they significantly impair the person's quality of life on a daily basis.

It should be noted, then, that if the fear of dogs is extremely intense, probably the most useful thing to do is to see a mental health professional. Psychotherapy is necessary for those people who experience a level of fear that prevents them from even the slightest exposure to dogs and who believe that this seriously harms them (it is possible to have this strong learned fear and yet live in a place free of dogs, which, unless the fact of residing there is imposed by fear, does not necessarily pose a serious problem).

For the rest of the people in which the discomfort is not so intense and it is possible to make the first steps necessary to to be close to a dog while maintaining control of oneself.which is what happens in most cases, the following tips may be useful.

1. Evaluate the degree of fear that you feel

First of all, it is important to make an estimation of the extent to which this fear of dogs is intense or not, which also helps to know in the first place if it can be a phobia or not.

For example, if you can stand in one place with a dog resting about ten feet away from you and you know for sure that, beyond feeling bad, you are not going to lose control of the situation as long as the dog does not come towards you or make any sudden movements, it is most likely to be normal, not pathological, fear of dogs. (in fact, even if you don't meet that condition you may not have a phobia).

Once this has been established, draw up a hierarchy of situations that make you fear dogs, ranking them according to the discomfort they cause you. From there, consider the different stages you will have to go through, taking into account those aspects of interacting with dogs that scare you the most.

For example, for some people the level of fear may not depend so much on the proximity of these animals as on the likelihood that they will bark.For example, for some people the level of fear may not depend so much on the proximity of these animals as on the likelihood that they will bark, or it may not exist if the dogs are small. Knowing this will help not to prolong the process of overcoming this fear.

2. Recognize the symptoms of fear

When you are experiencing firsthand the effects of fear of dogs, notice what the concrete manifestations of this fear are Do you tend to run away for a few meters and lose control? Do you feel that you are staying in place and prefer not to move? Knowing this will help you prepare appropriate measures for the next phase.

3. Expose yourself to fear in a planned way

The first thing you should do is try to go through the situations linked to fear of dogs that you are less afraid of, in order to become resistant to them. When you have passed this phase and you notice that you can no longer make significant progress in it, move on to exposing yourself to another situation that normally tends to make you more afraid than the previous one, and so on.

In addition, it is good to have strategies in place to prevent fear symptoms from becoming a problem.. Sometimes this can be simple, such as having a bottle of water nearby if your mouth is usually dry, but at other times you may need a helper, especially if you tend to run away. This helper may have the task, for example, of keeping you from running back, since running away feeds fear.

It is also important to make sure that in this phase of training to overcome fear of dogs you do not use a dog that is characterized as aggressive. Do not put unnecessary obstacles in your way.

4. Learn about dogs and their good nature.

In addition to intervene on the way you react in real time to dogs, it is good for you to act on your beliefs. Part of the fear may stem from a lack of knowledge about these animals.

Dogs are just a lineage of canids artificially selected to make the most caring and collaborative individuals have offspring. Everything that makes a dog a dog has to do with its clear tendency not to attack and its propensity to get involved in human protection tasks.