Fear of Dogs Cynophobia Discussed

There is a saying that dogs are man’s best friend. It may be true for most people but to some, just seeing the teeth, the tail or the face of the dogs makes them shiver with fear.

A bad experience with a dog may cause this fear. The abnormal fear of dogs is called cynophobia. To some, it may be irrational but the fear of dogs is also a natural emotion they are potentially dangerous. A certain amount of fear is reasonable but it is generally advised to approach unfamiliar dogs with caution.

When dealing with unfamiliar dogs, a person must be aware of behavior that the dog may take as threatening. Touching the dog’s head or taking anything from the dog (like food) may make them aggressive. The common response to this is by running, but the most ideal thing to do is to stand still and slowly turn away. Experiencing dog attacks contribute to this kind of phobia.

The stressful experience may be normal to some but some people experience fear or discomfort when around these kind of animals. These may be considered irrational especially if there is no obvious threat observed.

Fear must be irrational to be considered as phobia. Like most animal phobias, fear of dogs is commonly cause by a bad experience especially if it happened during childhood. A growling large dog can make a major impression on a small child even if no attack was made. A child’s imagination together with an incomplete understanding of a dog’s behavior can lead to the child’s phobia of dogs. Varied reactions may be observed like shivering or freezing in fear, running away, or even hiding to avoid seeing the dog.

Avoiding dogs may be hard to do as there are just so many dogs around. Your normal activaties may be restricted if you try not to get into contact with any dog. Having your daily routine restricted, more problems may come in like depression, isolation, and other anxiety problems.

Like any other phobias, this fear responds to treatment. Some therapy techniques involve relaxation methods which are applied when a patient imagines a threatening event with a dog. Sessions are continued until the imagined scenario event gives no more fear and anxiety to the patient. Another method is exposing the patient to a live dog. It may start with a short exposure and gradually increases until the patient gets used to seeing the dog. It will eventually lead to interacting with the dog by touching and petting it.

If the patient’s phobia is severe, medications might be used together with the therapy. Medicines that reduce anxiety may be given to the patient. In conjunction with the medication, the therapeutic techniques can be given more focus. Even if it is already serious, cynophobia can be treated.