How to Overcome Fear of Dogs

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This article was co-written by Evan Parks, PsyD. Dr. Evan Parks is a licensed clinical psychologist and visiting assistant professor at the Michigan State University School of Medicine. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in helping patients manage chronic pain with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. He also has experience in many areas, from stress management to mental flexibility. Dr. Parks is also the author of Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: Active Pain Management That Helps You Get Back to the Life You Love. return to your favorite life). Parks holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology from Cedarville University, a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the School of Professional Psychology at the University of California. Forest Institute.

There are 21 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

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The fear of dogs, also known as cynophobia, is a very common phobia of animals. Animal phobia is classified as specific phobia, as opposed to social phobia. In general, a phobia is a persistent, irrational, and uncontrollable fear of something (an object, situation, or activity). ^{[1] X Research Sources} Characteristic of agoraphobia is an irrational and uncontrollable fear of dogs. However, the degree of fear can vary from person to person. Some people may feel scared when they see dogs, others even think about dogs. No matter the extent of your phobia, there are ways to help you overcome it.

Table of Contents

Determine your fear level

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Review history of exposure to dogs. While not all, many people develop a fear of dogs at an early age. If you’ve ever experienced one of the situations listed below, it’s probably the cause of your fear of dogs. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with one or more dogs in the past. Maybe you’ve been threatened, chased, or even bitten by a dog, and now that’s the only memory of a dog left in your mind. Encountering dogs today can bring about that same bad feeling, making you feel afraid of dogs in all situations.
Maybe you inadvertently received fear of dogs from someone, such as your parents. Maybe when you were growing up, your mother always talked about dogs negatively, or told you stories about people being attacked by dogs. Your mother’s fear will inevitably pass on to you. Maybe you don’t know anything other than dogs and grew up thinking all dogs are terrible, and that’s probably why you’re afraid of dogs. It’s even possible that your anxiety is related to a disorder that runs in families.
Maybe you’ve witnessed a terrible thing a dog does to someone. Maybe you’ve seen someone get attacked and injured by a dog, or you even watched a dog movie at an emotional age. This event, whether real or fictional, can cause you to develop agoraphobia even if nothing has happened to you personally. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Analyze your symptoms. Specific phobias, including phobias of dogs, may include some of the following symptoms. ^{[4] X Research Sources} In addition to looking at the symptoms you may be experiencing, think about the circumstances in which you had the experience. Did the sight of a dog frighten you, or did just a picture or story of a dog trigger your symptoms? Are you afraid of the dog itself or afraid of its actions? For example, some people get scared when a dog barks, but don’t feel scared when the dog is quiet.

There is a sense of impending danger.
Feeling the need to run or hide.
Heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness or chills.
It feels like things aren’t happening.
Feeling out of control or going crazy.
Feeling can die.

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Determine if you changed your life because of that fear. Unfortunately, the fear can be so severe that we feel that the best way to get rid of the fear is to avoid it altogether. While phobias such as fear of flying can be avoided quite easily simply by never flying, fear of dogs is a different story. There are over 60 million dogs in the US alone, so it’s almost impossible to completely avoid encounters. Ask yourself if you are doing the following to avoid being around dogs. If so, chances are you have a phobia of dogs. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Do you avoid socializing with certain people because they have dogs?
Did you completely change your path to avoid a certain house or block with dogs?
Do you avoid talking to certain people because they talk about their dogs?

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Understand that there is a way to overcome fear of dogs. While this fear can be overcome, you should remember that you need to be patient. That fear does not go away immediately, it requires effort. Perhaps you should consider getting professional help from a therapist to help you overcome your phobia. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Consider recording your fears in a journal. Write down your outstanding memories of dogs and how you felt during those experiences.
Learn meditation and relaxation techniques to stay calm and manage your nervousness.
Break your fear into smaller pieces to overcome; Don’t think you need to deal with everything at once. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Believe in yourself that you will overcome your fear of dogs. Accept all your mistakes in that journey.

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Seek the help of a qualified therapist. Although not required, a therapist can help you overcome your fear and anxiety with psychotherapy. Therapists have a very high success rate in treating patients with phobias. They may use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you change the way you think. They can teach you skills to overcome fear. A therapist can also use exposure therapy to help you regain control of your emotions in the presence of your dog. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Consider finding a therapist in your area through the Depression and Anxiety Association of America (ADAA) website at http://treatment.adaa.org. Enter your zip code to find a list of therapists near you. This list will include disorders under the specialty of each therapist so you can choose one who specializes in treating specific phobias or phobias.

Changing perception

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Understand what cognitive change is. Many phobias, including fear of dogs, are caused by the brain’s interpretation of a situation rather than the reality of the situation. For example, maybe you’re not actually afraid of the dog in front of you, but your brain interprets that dog as a threat, which in turn scares you. Changing your perception helps you identify those thoughts, understand that they are irrational, and gradually help you change (or reframe) your thoughts about a particular situation (like about dogs). ). ^{[9] X Research Source}

It is important that you change your perception with an open mind and willingness. You need to accept the fact that your fear may not be based on rational thinking, and that also means you can train yourself to think differently. If you enter this treatment pessimistically or with the belief that your fear is completely justified, you will make the healing process more difficult. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Consider events that trigger fearful thoughts. The first step to overcoming fear is to identify what is underlying the fear. This step may include thinking or talking about your previous experiences with your dog, and figuring out what key things might be triggering your phobia. You can also narrow down on the exact cause of the fear. Are you afraid of dogs in general, or do you become fearful when a dog does a specific action (e.g. growls, barks, jumps, runs, etc.) ^{[11] X Credible Mayo Clinic Go to the source}

You and your therapist can also determine if there is an underlying medical condition or mental condition that is worsening your phobia. Potential causes could be an anxiety disorder, depression, or even a specific, unrelated event that could trigger the phobia.
This is also a good time to start keeping a journal, where you can record all the information about your phobia, and this can help with further therapy and analysis. Record in your diary each event in your memory, and everything that might have led up to that event that you remember.

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Analysis of events that you believe are triggers. Once you have a clear understanding of the specific events that trigger your phobia, you need to assess what you were thinking when the fear appeared. What are you saying to yourself? How do you interpret that stimulating event in your head? What did you believe about that fact the moment it occurred? ^{[12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Keep journaling about your memories and thoughts. At this point, start jotting down the reasons you think the events scare you. Write down everything you remember about your beliefs at that time.
Analyze your beliefs and thoughts to see if they include any of the following: ^{[13] X Research Sources}^{[14] X Research Sources}
- All or nothing — do you think EVERY dog is bad, no matter what? Or do you strangely distinguish dogs based on certain characteristics? For example , “I can’t be friends with anyone who has a dog”.
- Should, yes, need — do you look at a dog and assume you must be afraid of it? Do you feel you have no other choice in that case? For example, “My mom told me to never trust a dog.”
- Overgeneralizing — have you tried unsuccessfully to overcome your fear of dogs in the past, and now you think you’ll never be able to overcome that fear? For example, “I tried to get close to the dog before, but it didn’t work. I have no choice but to be afraid of dogs.”
- Mental filters — do you automatically draw conclusions about dogs based on one or two previous experiences with dogs? For example, “That dog attacked me when I was three years old, dogs are so evil, they will attack humans if given the chance.”
- Take the positivity for granted — do you ignore the good because you don’t believe it will happen again? For example, “Yes, I could sit next to that dog, but it’s so old and sick that it can’t walk anymore and attacks me.”
- Rushing to conclusions — do you see or hear a dog and automatically draw conclusions about what’s going to happen? For example, “It’s a pit bull, they’re a terrible breed of dog and can’t be trained properly.”

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Consider the feelings and behaviors that stem from your beliefs. You should now understand what triggers your phobia, and what thoughts and beliefs about dogs when those triggers appear. Now is the time to analyze how your thoughts and beliefs actually affect your feelings and behaviour. In other words, what are the consequences of that fear? What does fear “make” you do? ^{[15] X Research Source}

Continue logging. At this stage you need to document your reactions (both internal and external) to the events that trigger your fear and the beliefs that contribute to that fear.
Possible reactions are:
- You go down the street for a walk and encounter a dog in a certain yard. From then on you never go down that street again.
- Your neighbor has a dog and they let them play in the backyard, so you never enter your backyard if the neighbor’s dog is outside.
- You refuse to go to a friend’s house because they have a dog, and you can’t go out with that friend if they bring the dog.

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See if there is any evidence to support your beliefs. Now is the time to analyze what triggers your fear, why the fear arises, and how you react to it. Now is the time to analyze whether there is really any evidence to support your reason for being afraid of dogs. Think of this as part of the process when you need to prove to your therapist (or to yourself) that your fears are justified. ^{[16] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Log each of your beliefs and related evidence to show that what you believe is true and reasonable. If you are truly a rational person, can you find any scientific evidence to support your beliefs?
For example, you believe that every dog will attack you, no matter what. Why do you think this is true? Do all the dogs you meet attack you? Has anyone else been attacked by every dog they come across? Why do people keep dogs as pets if they are constantly attacked by dogs?

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Develop rational interpretations of the event that provoked the fear. At this point you have tried to prove that your fear of dogs is completely justified, but you cannot find any evidence to support your belief. In fact, you may find evidence to the contrary. Now is the time to reflect on the beliefs that cause those fears, and work with a therapist to develop rational interpretations of your beliefs. These logical interpretations begin to make sense and make you realize that the fear is irrational. ^{[17] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

This sounds easy, but this will be the most difficult step in overcoming your fear of dogs. Beliefs can be ingrained in our minds, so it takes time (and persuasion) for us to realize that belief is irrational. After all, those irrational beliefs can help you avoid bad situations, so what’s wrong with them?
For example, you believe that all dogs are aggressive. You can’t find any evidence to support that belief, so why do you still believe it? Maybe your belief comes from a movie you watched when you were seven years old (which you shouldn’t have seen) in which dogs attack and kill people. After watching that movie, you start to fear dogs because you think the movie is 100% true. In reality, it’s just a movie and there’s no reality in it. And if you think about it, you’ll see that you never actually see that happen in real life.

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Move on to the next step in your recovery journey. Although you have come a long way to this point, your journey is not yet complete. While you may be able to convince yourself that your fear has no rational explanation and no reason to be, you haven’t really been “cured”. Once you have completed the theory part, you need to complete the practical part of the therapy. At this stage you need to practice with the dogs. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

First, you need to learn how to relax when fear or anxiety arises so that you don’t back down.
Next, you have to gradually interact with the dog (in a variety of ways) until you feel comfortable around them.

Learn relaxation techniques

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Understand different relaxation methods. There are several relaxation patterns you can learn to help reduce fear and anxiety. Some methods can be mentioned such as: spontaneous relaxation; dynamic relaxation, muscle tension – slack; imagine; deep breath; hypnosis; Massage; meditation; Thai Cuc kungfu; yoga; biofeedback; music and art therapy. ^{[19] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Spontaneous relaxation is a technique that uses visual and sensory images of the body while repeating words that relax and relieve muscle tension.
Dynamic relaxation, stretch – slack is a technique of stretching and relaxing each muscle in the body to feel the sensation of the muscles in both tense and relaxed states.
Imagination is the technique of visualizing specific scenes to create a feeling of relaxation and peace (e.g. forest, beach with waves, etc.)
Deep breathing is a technique that focuses on taking deep breaths from the diaphragm to release tension and cure hyperventilation. ^{[20] X Trusted Source HelpGuide Go to Source}
Biofeedback is a technique in which you learn to control each function in your body, such as your heart rate or breathing. ^{[21] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Practice deep breathing relaxation. When nervous or scared, you may react by breathing too quickly. Hyperventilation can increase feelings of anxiety and fear, making the situation worse. Deep breathing can help you relax, reduce stress, and reduce anxiety. Follow these steps to relax with deep breathing: ^{[22] X Trusted Source HelpGuide Go to source}

Sit or stand somewhere you feel comfortable and keep your back straight. One hand on the chest and the other hand on the abdomen.
Take a slow, deep breath through your nose for a count of four. The hand on the abdomen should be raised, while the hand on the chest should not move much.
Hold your breath while counting to seven.
Exhale through your mouth while counting to eight. Push the air out of the lungs as much as possible using the abdominal muscles. That is, the hand on the abdomen should move down, and the hand on the chest should not move much.
Repeat these steps until you feel calmer and more relaxed.

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Perform dynamic relaxation, stretch – slack muscles. People who are anxious are often stressed even when they think they are relaxing. Dynamic relaxation techniques can help you distinguish between tense and relaxed muscles so you know what real relaxation is. Practice the following steps twice daily until you really feel it working. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Take off your shoes.
Try your best to relax your body and take five deep breaths.
Start with a specific muscle group (eg left leg) and focus on those muscles.
- Perform with each muscle group: each foot; legs and feet; whole leg; each hand; whole arm; butt; belly; chest; neck and shoulders; mouth; eye; and forehead.
Take a slow, deep breath while tensing the selected muscles for 5 seconds. Be sure to feel the stretch before continuing.
Relax your selected muscles as you exhale.
Pay close attention to how the muscles feel when tense and when they relax.
Relax for 15 seconds, then choose another muscle group and repeat the steps above.

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Try the guided visualization method. Using your imagination to relax is what this method is all about as the name suggests. This method asks you to imagine something that you find extremely relaxing to reduce anxiety and fear. There will be audio recordings to guide you through the process step-by-step. There are many tutorials available online, some with background music or sound effects to give it a more realistic feel. ^{[24] X Research Sources}

These recordings guide you on how to prepare and what to do. They come in different lengths, so you can choose what works best for you.

Treatment with exposure therapy

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Develop an exposure plan. The main reason you should learn relaxation techniques is to stay calm while you gradually come into contact with the dog. But before you start having your dog in front of you, you need to make a plan. This plan includes each step that you must go through from this point (without the dog) until the actual appearance of the dog. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

The plan must be customized to your unique fear and the situations you experience. You need to write a list in order from least afraid to most scary so that you can step by step conquer the most frightening situation for you.
An example of a plan for overcoming a fear of dogs would be as follows:
- Step 1 – draw a picture of a dog on paper.
- Step 2 – Read the dog information.
- Step 3 – look at the photos of the dogs.
- Step 4 – watch dog videos.
- Step 5 – look at the dog through a closed window.
- Step 6 – look at the dog through a partially open window.
- Step 7 – look at the dog through the open window.
- Step 8 – look at the dog through the doorway.
- Step 9 – look at the dog from outside the doorway.
- Step 10 – look at a dog (on a leash) in the next room.
- Step 11 – look at a dog (on a leash) in the same room.
- Step 12 – sit next to a dog.
- Step 13 – petting a dog.

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Use the suspense scale. Use your anxiety scale, where 0 is complete relaxation and 100 is the most fear/anxiety/discomfort you have ever experienced. ^{[26] X Research Resources} This is a powerful tool to track how your fear levels change over time. ^{[27] X Research Source}

The fear scale can also help you decide when to move on to the next step in your exposure plan.
Patiently and slowly. Do not move to the next step too quickly. ^{[28] X Research Sources}

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Get the help of a trusted friend who has a dog. At some point in the plan, you will have to put yourself in a situation where a real dog appears. You need someone who can and reliably handle the dog, and the dog must be well trained and predictable. Talk to the dog owner in advance about the plan you want to make and explain what you’re trying to accomplish. They will have to be patient and understanding, although they may just need to sit there for a while with your dog while you adjust to his presence. ^{[29] X Research Sources}

Practicing with puppies is not a good idea, even if you think they are cuter and less aggressive. Puppies are untrained and very unpredictable. They may behave unexpectedly in front of you and will only aggravate your phobia.
Finally, if possible, ask your friend to teach you some basic commands so you can control the dog yourself. Having control over your dog can help alleviate your fears when you realize that you have control over their actions.

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Begin to deal with the fear of dogs. Start working on the first item in the plan. Repeat several times until you feel less nervous and scared to practice. If you are taking steps that allow you to stand in place (for example, watching your dog through a window), gradually increase the time for that action. Use relaxation techniques you’ve practiced to stay calm. ^{[30] X Research Source}

Use a diary to track your progress. Record all your efforts and the effectiveness of those efforts. Assess your anxiety and fear levels before and after you try to do something.
Remember that the method of contact with dogs must be planned, long-term, and iterative.
Don’t be impatient. Take each step in the plan slowly until you feel comfortable moving to the next step.

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Regular practice. This is the hardest part of your recovery that you have to get through, but the only way to success is to keep trying. Schedule regular practice. If possible, practice every day. Reward yourself for the progress you’ve made. If needed, you can include a rewards section in your plan to have more goals to work toward with each step. ^{[31] X Research Source}

Advice

Once you have overcome your fear of dogs, you should try playing with dogs if you know someone who owns an easygoing dog. Observing how dogs play can help you better understand how to interact with them.

Steps

Determine your fear level

Changing perception

Learn relaxation techniques

Treatment with exposure therapy

Advice

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