How to get over fearing dogs

@zeddx

(Technical difficulties) -

I got chased by a dog when I was a child and have been scared of dogs ever since, especially when they are off their lead. I've tried to get over it and have had many other encounters with dogs where I have been really scared and anxious but slowly feel okay but I think I end up being okay with that one dog instead of being okay with ALL dogs. I get really paniced I think because I dont know their "tells" or if they'll come and bite me or something.

I feel as though I'm too old to continue to avoid parks etc. so I'd really like to get over this in the near future as I think I've just been avoiding the issue rather than overcoming it.

I'd appreciate any thoughts/ideas! Thanks!

@zeddx

I grew up and spent most if my life with dogs which I call woofs...

Dogs can sense fear feromones and untrained dogs react to fear, it attracts them...I once had a girlfriend who was afraid of dogs and had to fence dogs off from her because her fear feromones drove them to her...

You might want to try to work on your confidence and state of mind. Imagine in your mind things that you could do to an agressive dog if you had powers or means. This empowering thoughts will reverse your fear thoughts and different feromones tgan fear feromones will be released and they will not approach you because they will be given this "chemical" message of utter agression. I was in the middle of a farel pack of dogs and all my colleagues shputed at me to get out of there before I get torn to pieces. But I calmly smoked my cigarette and no dog dared attack me not because of my love of animals but the thoughts I had in my mind thinking I could skin them with my bare hands, break their backs and bash them on rocks and otger horrid things. This "chemical" message was sent to them and they did not want to do anythong to me...

Dogs are very nice unless people misstreat tgem or do not take the time to train them socially...

I hope and wish you will overcome tgis problem and fear and make friends with lots of fun, loving dogs 🤗😊 and I am sorry you had unfprtumate experiences with dogs.

Havind treats on you also helps😉 (it's what my grandmotherdid with the huge shephard mioritic dogs when we went buying cheese directly from shephards).

I wish you well 😊🐶🐕

@CrimsonGlowingButterflee Thank you for all of your advice!

I do think my issue is that I feel powerless in these situations and my brain reverts to a survival mode whenever I see a dog. In this fight or flight mode, my instinct is always to run away or move behind someone else so they'd get hit instead of me! 😭 But of course, most dogs love running so that isn't the best of tactics. When I do move behind someone else, I slowly calm down but I'm not sure how to undo this natural reaction I have due to my past trauma. I guess it will take more time and more exposure, and hopefully I can input your solution even though it is hard to think reasonably in such a situation!

@zeddx

I do not know in what part of the world you live in, but try to have an umbrella on you, it is a very good deterrant against dogs when you open an umbrella. Also carrying chestnuts or rocks in your pockets empowers you...

@CrimsonGlowingButterflee

The sunny UK...It's not very sunny at all actually so I do usually carry an umbrella. Thank you again for all of your help, I hope it works! 😭😊

@zeddx

Hey Zed!

So I am not afraid of dogs, but as a social anxiety patient I am afraid of a lot of things! I learned that avoidance is not a good thing, but neither is diving in too deep too soon. Start with small exposures to well behaved dogs on leashes. Check out if there are any dog walking groups near you on apps like meetup or Facebook groups and message the leader. See if you can attend a leash walk and start by not interacting with the dog but just walking beside them and work up. Please take this advise with a grain of salt though as again I am not afraid of dogs but smal exposures is how I get over my fears! I wish you luck and hope you have a good day!

@akay06

(very good advice...)

@akay06

Thank you for your advice!

I understand your viewpoint completely, I think my previous encounters have been very all or nothing tbh. In the past I have walked beside a friend's dog and even let her walk off the leash ahead of me but there were other dogs at the park that made me feel uneasy as they were trying to start fights with my friend's dog! However shortly after that positive experience I was on a train where a man and his dog (not leashed) were running back and forth and it put me right back at square one and I avoided them since. Altogether, it's been over 10 years since my initial trauma and I think small, gradual increases in exposure would certainly help and I never thought about facebook etc so thank you very much for your help!

I wish you well and hope you overcome your fears too 😊