How can I come over my fear of dogs?

Question

Well, when i was about 4 my neighbors dog jumped on me and busted my lip. I guess you could cal it a mini-attack. But ever since then i have been terrified of dogs, large or small. Although there is a couple i have met that are very friendly.

But i need a way I can get over that fear with out going a therapist or anything. I could probly go to my school conselor though.

Anyway I need a simpler thing to do.

Those are all good ideas but im afraid to even get near a dog.How am I suppose to get one?

Answer 1

go to the local SPCA (or shelter) and volunteer to hold puppies... they will teach you a lot and you will be helping them a lot... and hopefully you will get over your fear of dogs. you can slowly graduate from puppies to bigger dogs, and will have professional (free) trainers around you, showing you what to do.

good luck!!

regarding your addition- are you scared to hold a tiny puppy? the abandon one's in the pound/SPCA are just a few weeks old and need to be held and bottle fed, just like a human baby- they barely have teeth- they can't hurt you. I still think that's a good place to start. You will be surrounded by pro's, and they will put you alone in a room with one pup. You will be safe- and it's very rewarding.

Answer 2

Overcome your fear of dogs quickly and easily
We all know that dogs should be respected but an undue fear of dogs can really get in the way. A strong fear - or phobia - of dogs can make the most pleasant walk fraught with anxiety. Hearing a dog bark can cause immediate panic and a powerful urge run away. Of course, many dogs will take this as an invitation to play and chase you, which will make the situation even worse.

What causes dog phobia?

It may be that you developed a fear of dogs through a past experience with dogs. Maybe one particular one scared you and now your unconscious mind has come to associate all dogs with threat and fear. On the other hand, you may have no idea why you are scared of dogs - one particularly phobic client got their phobia from watching a news report about a dog attack when they were young.

This is what the unconscious mind does so well. It over-generalises one experience to fit all experiences - tarring all dogs with the same brush.

The vast majority of dogs are safe and even friendly. And when you are relaxed around dogs you’ll instinctively know how to handle them better. It will feel natural to relax around dogs and dogs will pick up that you are relaxed and comfortable. You will be able to spot an aggressive dog much more easily because your senses are not swamped by anxiety.

Overcome a phobia of dogs affects your life in all sorts of ways. Past experiences around dogs will no longer dictate current reactions to them.

Answer 3

When I was around 4-5 years old a doberman accidentally brushed against me while running past me, sending me tumbling down a flight of steps.

I didn't truly overcome my fear of dogs until I jumped in at the deep end and got myself a puppy. However, there are many less drastic measures.

First of all start with yourself. Many people that are afraid of dogs or insecure about them have a bad body-language around dogs. For example if you lift up your hands when a dog approaches you, either because you are afraid of being bitten or do not want to be licked or slobbered on, it's the dog's instinct to reach for your hands and face, and that might mean jumping up on you. Also nervous, jerky movements can make a dog insecure. Don't stare stiffly at a dog, as this is a sign of aggression for most dogs.

Also, it's a really good idea to read up on dog body language. Dogs are generally "chatterboxes" constantly sending signals to you about their mood. Dogs don't lie and I'm sure you'll feel much more comfortable when you know what the dog is communicating, such as "I'm friendly", "I'm happy", "I'm as scared of you as you are of me", "Don't come any closer, please" etc.

If you know someone with friendly dogs, then ask them to help you by letting you interact with the dogs at your own pace. I've found that once you are relaxed around one dog, then it will take much less time to be relaxed around a second dog and so forth.

The above three tricks have worked really well for my husband, who, while not afraid of dogs, was very uncomfortable around them.

Answer 4

There is only one way without professional help that I know of. Find someone you know who has puppies or puppies on the way. If you don't know someone, one of your friends probably knows someone who can help. Start with a pup a few weeks old, soft, cuddly, sweet and not threatening. Pet it then try to hold it (away from the momma dog). Try to find a small breed puppy if you can. Once your mind knows you are not in danger the fear will be more realistic. Not every dog is bad just as not every person is bad. Eventually you will find that most are not bad dogs. It is generally dogs who have bad manners and have owners who have not trained them to behave. Start small, baby steps, gradually move to older puppies then a small well mannered adult dog. You can get past this, it took lots of time for you to build this fear it wont go away quickly. Allow yourself some time and go only as fast or slow as you feel comfortable with. All in your time not someone elses time.
Good luck and God bless.

Answer 5

He must be around friendly canines which will on no account harm them. I observed this as quickly as on dogs Whisper. a guy grow to be attacked by utilizing a %. of pit-bulls while he grow to be youthful, so Cesar had him open up cages the place there have been properly experienced pit-bulls in. He had him work together with those canines. on the tip of the episode, the guy not had a lot concern for canines.

Answer 6

Just think about it. The dog is probably more scared of you at first. Dogs are man's best friend. Dogs also sense when you are afraid (just like horses) Be confident. Not all dogs attack. A dog will attack only if it feels threatened. Best thing to do is to go to somebody's house who has a dog and let the dog go to you. A dog will not attack you if are still just sitting unless it is protective of its owner and feels threatened by you.

Answer 7

it wasn't an attack in the first place. the dog was being rambunctious.
simply expose yourself to as many well behaved dogs as possible.

This will sound very strange but go to a local retired racing greyhound rescue (if you have one in your area) greyhounds are quite large dogs but they are very gentle and well behaved. they have been trained from puppyhood at the tracks not to pull on the leads and not to jump up on people. simply explain to the rescue group that you want to meet the dogs (maybe even volunteer!) and you have a phobia of dogs you are trying to get over. they may be happy to oblige.

Answer 8

look into volunteering into a humane society near your home. Spend time with the dogs in there that need homes. You can just take them for a walk and spend time with them. The majority of dogs are not vicsious at all. Good luck.

Answer 9

dude, im like really scarred of dogs 2. lol
but i've noticed that most dont mean 2 come off
as scarry r want 2 bite the **** out of u lol. they just want 2 lick/rub u. which i hate, but yeah....next time u c a dog keep this n mind.

Answer 10

To get over the fear you must face the source.

Get a dog,a small cute lil' one.[but prep yourself on how to take care of a dog]

I've got bitten on the hand once by a dog when i was young,and later on,i even adopted one of its pups...

You'll realize that dogs can be really cute,friendly and fun loving and not as scary as u might perceive them to be.
On the positive side,you get a companion :)