Why are some people genuinely frightened of dogs?

[WanderingStar26]

Not a TAAT but kind of inspired by one.

I adore dogs, I have my own dogs, I work with dogs, and my hobby revolves around dogs. I had dogs growing up and with the very odd exception, I’ve never felt any fear towards any dog.

But I understand that some people are terrified of them, and I’m really interested to understand why? Is it an instinctive fear, which now I think about it would make sense as dogs are descended from wolves, or is it based on a past negative experience? It seems to be more children that have an obvious fear, so do people grow out of feeling scared, or just learn to conceal their fear as they get older?

I’m not talking about just not liking them, I realise dogs aren’t for everyone, but an actual fear. My dogs are tiny and not at all aggressive but I still don’t let them approach people unless the person wants them to. I’m honestly not trying to mock or judge, just genuinely intrigued to know more about this fear and whether it’s rational or irrational, and whether it’s something people can overcome. It must be hard to live with either way as dogs are everywhere!

Cats can be complete arseholes. They can come and sit on your lap and then after approx 30 seconds of petting decide they don’t want any more and go for you. They’re mercurial.

Friends had 3 dogs - two were big black Flatcoat Retrievers. The other was a little white West Highland terrier.
Guess which one could absolutely not be trusted with children or any strangers? But it was always the ‘cute’ fluffy little white one children wanted to stroke.

The two Flatties OTOH were as soppy as they come.

If a dog "owner" can not even recognise fear or distress in their own species, I'm not going to trust them trilling "it's ok, he's friendly!"

This is based on countless incidents over the years involving my then young children, and looking after other people's children in public spaces.

I've been scratched and nipped on a few random occasions over the years doing absolutely nothing to provoke it. Each time the dipshit "owner" was utterly ineffective at paying attention, and recalling the dog and on some occasions couldn't even be arsed to appologise. If a human did that, it would be assault. As it it that's well beyond the boundary of a dog being "under control"

I have intervened in an incident where a man let his dog bark and jump at a terrified woman standing on a bench. The twat nearly argued with me about it, but decided to humour me by putting the dog on a lead for a minute or two. Naturally it was off lead when I saw it 5 minutes later.

I grew up with dogs, but I don't know what a stranger's dog is about to do. I'm not afraid, but do have a sensible level of caution.

My children's fear as young children came from numerous incidents of gate-crashed picnics, being bowled over, barked at and jumped at. Fear is a totally rational reaction to have learned. It's not me that gave them fear, it's inconsiderate, unobservant, selfish "owners" of "friendly" dogs. Fortunately as they've got bigger and stronger than most dogs, they have grown out of it and while they are not relaxed around random dogs, it doesn't inhibit their choices when out and about. They still do not like being approached randomly.

I did say that the bite wasn't ok.

However, if that dog had wanted to be serious about the bite, the fabric of your pants would not have stopped it. Most bites are intentionally low - force.

If we become overly risk-averse, the fear of something becomes a far greater impediment than the problem itself.

Are you for real?!

You do think that bite was ok because if it had wanted to do more damage it would have. FFS!

You expect people to not only tolerate unwanted approaches from random dogs but also accept minor injuries on the basis that it could have been worse.

And then you have the gall to lecture about people becoming unreasonably risk adverse.

Your post instills more anxiety in me than that bite did. It demonstrates that there are likely to be even more dog owners out there that really don't give a shit than I thought!

And I'm a dog owner myself.

That's almost the exact opposite of what I'm saying.

I did say that the bite wasn't ok.

However, if that dog had wanted to be serious about the bite, the fabric of your pants would not have stopped it. Most bites are intentionally low - force.

You negated your first statement with your second by the use of However.

That's oversimplifying. What I'm saying is that low tier bites and high tier bites are both undesirable, but are very different things.

High tier bites should never happen, and we can and should eliminate them happening.

Low tier bites should be reduced as much as possible, but it's not possible to eliminate them entirely unless we get rid of dogs entirely, because dogs are complex living things, and stupid stuff happens.

You believe higher tier bites can be totally eliminated but not lower tier ones?? That makes no sense.

The specific incident I mentioned was 'low' tier because I was wearing trousers. The teeth pierced the material but not my skin.
If the girl and dog had walked past 30 secs earlier, my bare-legged 2 year would have been standing on the pavement and the same bite to her would have caused significant damage and potential trauma. But according to you that would have just been an example of "stupid stuff"?

As you rightly say, dogs are complex living creatures. When you choose to live with one, you accept the possibility of "stupid stuff" happening and take appropriate precautions. I have a dog and I now have a toddler granddaughter. I keep them separate unless the dog is being held by one of us and my granddaughter is held by another to prevent anything "stupid" happening.

But when I set foot outside my house, I do not accept that I should be expexted to tolerate the possibility of unsolicited physical contact from unknown dogs in any way shape or form.

I do not allow my dog to be within touching distance of anyone, human or animal. That's what I expect from other dog owners but it's not what happens many,many times on walks. I'm guessing because those owners, like you think "lower tier" bites are unfortunate but that's just tough on the passing public. Not worth really making an effort to prevent and hoping for the best they don't turn into a serious event.

For what it's worth, my dogs earn their obedience titles, and I have never had any incident like that.

Can I be 100% sure that I will never ever in the future misread a situation, make a mistake, or not be 100% perfect? No.

I have been bitten in that exact way many many times ( by other people's dogs ) because I used to spend a lot of time of farms. Those dogs don't scare me. They grab, they let go, they limit bite force.

Serious behaviour patterns look very different. They are rare, but once you've seen it, you can't mistake the two.

I have been bitten in that exact way many many times ( by other people's dogs ) because I used to spend a lot of time of farms. Those dogs don't scare me. They grab, they let go, they limit bite force.

Your bar of acceptability is set extraordinarily low @LameBorzoi

I'm fascinated and horrified in eqal measure. Do you expect other people to accept being bitten and not be scared? Do you, like the OP, struggle to understand why the vast majority of people think differently to you?

I understand that

• most people have very poor understanding of animal behaviour
• most people are terrible at stratifying risk
• living in unecessary fear and indignation sounds like a miserable way to live

Dogs on farms need to be loose at times to work. Sometimes they get a bit territorial, or they try to herd you. But they are generally well trained and stable. Pet dogs are much scarier.

The onus should not be on people to learn animal behaviour or be responsible for trying to determine the level of risk a completely unknown dogs poses. That's crazy.

The onus is on the pet owner. And if too many pet owners don't act responsibly then the impact should fall on them, whether it's prosecutions , restricting dogs in public places or ultimately banning dog ownership.

I agree. Definitely the responsibility of the dog owner to train them properly and keep them under control.

The sheer number of owners who allow their dogs off the lead or on stupidly long extendable leads when they have no control/recall is incredible.

When I was a teenager I was walking along a pavement and I passed an elderly couple with a black lab on a lead. As I passed it jumped at me and clamped down on my arm. I still have nerve damage to this day.

The couple were bewildered. Their dog had never behaved like that before and as a short teenage girl walking along minding my own business, I certainly wasn't a threat.

I'm not "afraid" of dogs as such. I'll happily stroke a dog I know. But I do get anxious when an unknown dog approaches me.

It absolutely infuriates me that many dog owners don't see a problem with letting their dog approach others, jump up etc. And don't get me started on the owners that think they are entitled to bring their dog every where, even when signs explicitly say not to!

There are lots and lots of responsible dog owners in this country. And then there are lots and lots of entitled pillocks who think the world revolves around their dog, that the whole world should love and accommodate their "fur baby" and anyone who isn't keen on dogs is considered a weirdo because they lack the emotional intelligence to see things from other people's perspectives.

Excellent. Let's ban anything that makes anyone even slightly uncomfortable. We'll all stay in our liitle indoor bubbles and die of diabetes at 27.

Of course pet owners need to take responsibility, but we live in a world with animals, so basic common sense around them is a basic life skill.

Let's ban anything that makes anyone even slightly uncomfortable. We'll all stay in our liitle indoor bubbles and die of diabetes at 27
The fact that you resort to hyperbole demonstrates a failure in your argument.

There are plenty of people I think should be banned from dog ownership! For the sake of their dogs as well as other people.

I was attacked by an alsatian when I was 3, jumped on me, threw me to the floor and barked really aggressively in my face, while pinning me to the ground. I don´t remember, but it is embeded since then. My mum said I wasn´t afraid before. The owner of the dog was totally freaked out, he said he had never ever seen his dog do that.
Personally, I trust the useless owners I see even less than the dogs. I also don´t like how they smell, I don´t want them in my house.
The only dog I haven´t mistrusted is the labrador my blind physiotherapist has, which is a fully trained guide dog. He looks at me, thinks whatever and lies in a corner minding his own business and letting me mind mine. Brilliant.

The law is very clear.
Alas enforcement is another issue.

Because they are fast, unpredictable, often heavy or boisterous animals with sharp teeth and claws.

Fairly obvious really.

I love dogs but surely fear of dogs is one of the more logical fears a person could have. Dogs can be dangerous for starters. Some dogs are capable of killing a human- that is something to be scared of!

Or the fear might be linked to aversion to germs and bad smells.

My Mum was bitten by a German Shepherd when she was a teenager which lead to a lifelong fear of dogs.

I can much more readily understand why people are scared of dogs than I can understand my own fear of spiders. Millions of people are uncomfortable/fearful around spiders and there is absolutely no reason to fear a spider (in the UK, at least).

Whilst I don't have a phobia, I mostly dislike dogs and am wary of them. I'm a runner, and although I try to avoid dogs, I'm nervous about being chased/bitten. (My husband has been bitten whilst out running.)

I don't know whether any dog I meet will attack me. I don't know what to do if a dog attacks. And I don't like it when a dog jumps up being "friendly", in the same way as I wouldn't appreciate some random human rushing up and throwing themselves at me. Also, dog poo is the most disgusting thing in the world. Even when owners pick it up, there's still a gross smear of shit on the ground that my kids will probably walk on.

We CAN eliminate low tier bites (at least outside the home) if people train their dogs, keep them under control and stop them harassing people!

But it's clearly far too much of an imposition.

I’m not genuinely frightened of dogs but some dogs which growl or bark near me (big or small) then yes they genuinely frighten me. This is usually down to the owner though.