Don’t be scared of dogs

Dogs are extremely popular as a pet amongst a large number of people, ignoring them is nearly impossible. But then you may find a lot of people, who resist even looking at dogs. In scientific terminology this is known as ‘Cynophobia’ – Fear of Dogs. It's definitely the unknown and unexpected that contributes to this fear.

The fear system basically generates chemicals that alert a person’s nervous system that there's a danger or troublesome situation. The hormonal changes in the body perceive it as real. But, the perceived threat is not always similar to the actual threat.

Sometimes phobias develop after a bad experience with an animal or simply through lack of exposure to them, but often this originates as a type of panic disorder, for no apparent reason. A lot of parents teach their kids to avoid dogs.

Children easily freak out, they shout and yell by merely seeing the pets out of excitement and fear and do things which make a dog unnerved. Children aren't alone in their fears; sometimes the problem arises because dogs can be afraid of children, too and in order to protect themselves they start barking or jumping onto the kids.

Incomplete or even confused understanding of dog behaviour could lead to a full-blown anxiety. Like all phobias, the fear of dogs can vary dramatically from person to person. It's also possible to be afraid of a specific dog breed but have no problems with other types of dogs.

Dr KG Umesh, Waltham Scientific Communication Manager, Mars India, suggests some useful tips to overcome your fear and accept the fact that dogs can be your best friend:

• Parents need to understand helping your child to overcome the fear of dogs is to recognise and accept first that the fear is there. Parents generally give this logic to their kids that a little pup can’t harm them which rationally doesn’t work with kids. This isn't always the answer, by saying so you force your kids unintentionally and make them even more frightened
• Contrary to the above some of the parents warn their kids not to touch a dog or ask other dog owners before entering their house, ‘Does your dog bite?’ Words have immense power and leaves lasting impression on kids’ minds
• Dogs can be quite scary if you are scared. But tell yourself you aren't scared, and maybe ask a friend who has a dog to show you pictures of them together or a good idea to go to his house and slowly and steadily acquaint yourself of pet’s behaviour
• When you are entering a house where you are aware or not aware that a pet is inside, don’t panic and settle down first. The dog will also enter a submissive stage after some time. Now you can approach him/her or call him/her to you but make sure the owner should be nearby just to ensure you are safe
• Always be calm and meditate; breathe in and out then step closer to the dog but do not look into its eyes. The dog may just jump up to you or either licks you but they shall not harm you
• Do not harbour any wrong impression about the size or the appearance of the dog. Dogs like Labrador may be large in size but they are one of the gentlest creatures
• Start playing with puppies. They are harmless, small, with no sharp teeth, no growling, and no snarling. You will be surprised to find those puppies recognising you within a few days of your friendship
• Pet owners may choose right professional trainer for their pets after consulting their vet for successful results