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!

You are far, far more likely to be injured or killed by a car, though, and we don't fear those, so it's not entirely rational.

They are a large predator, however, so it does make sense that that people have an instinctive fear.

My little boy hated dog for a good few years, it’s down to owners who say “don’t worry they are friendly” but let them run full speed or jump
at people. He was 3/4 and a dog his height ran towards him and licked his face. If I had a horse run at me and licked me think I would be scared too.

I don’t mind dogs but I do mind some owners

I don’t have a fear of dogs.

but, I was in the park once with my dog on a wet, muddy day. Another dog walker slipped and fell onto my dog who yelped. I offered the man my hand, and his (lovely, non-aggressive, family pet) dog must have thought that I’d hurt his owner. The dog bit me hard on the leg, breaking skin through my jeans. Five years later I still have a clear scar there.

Lovely, wouldn’t hurt a fly, pet dogs can in fact choose to hurt a human, for all kinds of reasons that make sense in dog logic.

Apparently, the only two fears we are born with are fear of loud noises, and fear of falling, everything else we pick up along the way. Heaven knows where I got arachnophobia from.

Also @WanderingStar26 a small correction, dogs did not descend from wolves. The genome split some generations before, so dogs and wolves have a common ancestor further back.

1. People are rightfully wary of cars and stay out of roads.
2. Cars generally behave in predictable ways and dont randomly drive at you in random places, while the the driver says "hes friendly".

I suppose people are articulating why their fears are NOT irrational. It is completely rational to be wary and on high alert around any loose unknown dog. Not rational to be terrified or very nervous around dogs on leads with sensible looking owners.

I think I am rational with no excessive fears. Happy to handle snakes and spiders.
I avoided going into a shop the other day because someone had tied a massive pit/bully looking thing on a post in front of the door. Dog was jumpy looking and I perceive those types as often being owned by morons so I didn’t want to cross its path.

On holiday earlier this year in a developing country I avoided the beach at times because large packs of dogs lived on them.

Would OP say that was irrational fear in either of those situations? (Have also been nipped and jumped up on as a child and that wariness stays with you).

People do fear cars, that's why we teach our kids to stay on the pavement and how to cross roads.

No one ever says 'it's ok, the car's just being friendly' as it drives over your foot.

Cars have a place. Dogs used to have a place. Now dogs are everywhere, and too many are not under control.

I have a dog and I’m not afraid of dogs but I was a bit when I was little. Was chased by a pack of angry dogs once when I was 11 and it was terrifying. I was crying and everything they were chasing and barking. There was also a dog that lived on the way to town from my best friends house who used to run out and try and bite everyone who walked past . We used to just leg it past that section of the road . Her mum was bitten once and I don’t know why it wasn’t reported or nothing was done about it cos the dog remained there for a few years after

Because they can bite and kill. A dog ‘snapping’ or growling at you is very scary too. Their barking can be loud and frightening. They can run at you or jump at you and you have no idea what they might do. On top of that, there are so many irresponsible dog owners around letting all of the above happen.

I think your question is a bit obtuse actually as the answer (as per the above) is obvious.

Why would you not be?

I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t understand it tbh there are people literally killed and maimed by dogs every single day . Good dogs are such a joy and a wonderful thing to have in your life in my opinion but they aren’t all like this

I seem very similar to you. I used t9 have a dog growing up and was fine with them when younger but I’m now allergic and my throat starts to swell and I get a rash off of their fur and saliva.

I’ve also seen 2 close family members get bitten and one of them almost died as they’d lost so much blood. My youngest child is shit scared of them, my older is not so much now she’s older and spends time with her friends dog. I get really fucked off when dog owners can see my child is completely terrified (and always has been) and make it seem like her problem. It also fucks me off when I go for a walk and a dog approaches me and the owners expect me to pet it. Also when a strange dog jumps up at me and covers me in mud. There’s always dog shit all over the place. The owners wind me up a lot more than the dogs thinking about it.

I love dogs. I've also been in situations where I've been terrified by them.

It's the same with big, strong blokes. Most of them are nice and don't want to harm me. But if one if them does, they're capable of serious damage, and that's terrifying.

You don't know what goes on in a living being's head, especially if not socialised properly or abused by humans. They can freak out without warning.

I suppose what I really fear are bad humans. A situation where a pet dog scares me is one where the dog has a bad owner.

I think for some it’s a phobia, for others it’s due to a bad experience. There are some people who really dislike dogs and describe that as a fear.

I have witnessed parents screaming hysterically at their small child because they’ve wandered within thirty feet of a spaniel on lead in a park. So for some it’s a fear taught by parents.

There unpredictable and ANY dog can cause an enormous amount of damage and life changing injuries
the CWU union gave us a presentation at work about the dangers of dogs
the one that sticks in my mind a guy was bit at the back do his heel by a jack russell his Achilles got a massive infection numerous operations and he was never able to walk properly again

I'm not scared of all dogs, but i am wary and wary of them coming near my children. Was chased as a child by dogs, nearly jumped on by a drooling boxer when i was pregnant, and I know somebody who lost a child to a dog attack in the most horrendous way, so it's really put me off dogs. When I hear somebody like OP who us seems so oblivious to why people might be scared, I'm baffled. They can be extremely unpredictable animals and some dog owners are so entitled, ove had strangers move my pram with my baby in to male room for their dogs on trains, and one owner who let her little dogs scrap near my baby, I almost kicked the bloody dogs!

I love dogs
I have been bitten...the owner denied it but all we needed to know of it had shots.
Alot of people assume or lack letting there children experience a dog or instal a fear of dogs.
Non animal lovers... those who have been attacked is perfectly ibderstandable to never want to be near such a animal.
My child was scared as a toddler but it was hard to avoid dogs as our family have them.
I would gently encourage a dog interaction.
Unlike maybe Uk? Some breeds like pitballs and some aggresive mixes shouldnt be allowed ever.
Responsible owners that look after a dog and its wellbeing/ behaviour is vital.
It is nice to offer a rescue dog a home and a companion for the family.

In my experience of my DD who is scared of dogs the reason is irresponsible dog owners have no awareness of what their dog is doing which has caused her fear. She has never been attacked but on a few occasions a dog has chased her both when she is running and on bike/scooter (they were playing but she didn't know that). My toddlers have been both chased and jumped up and knocked her over by dogs. This has even happened in children's playgrounds - which dogs shouldn't be in let alone off a lead. Each time the owner has been dismissive of my screaming child being chased by their dog saying "they are friendly" and I have literally had to stand their with my DD in my arms with them jumping up at me

I think the idiot dog owners who own breeds that can kill or seriously maim and then don’t acknowledge the danger are to blame for a lot of children’s fears. Or appear go around saying things like “(breed) are total pussycats, I’m shocked this has happened”. The children believe the adult saying that the dog was lovely, and extrapolate that all lovely dogs are equally likely to rip their faces off. Which technically any dog could do, but there are definitely nuances to how likely it is which children don’t understand when owners of certain breeds (or badly trained other breeds) play down the risk.

Also just the number of idiot dog owners who don’t train their dog to leave strangers alone, or act if they are bothering strangers. It’s wise to be afraid of any animal that isn’t under an owner’s control, especially if it’s large and won’t go away when told.

Not scared but one of my earliest memories is my neighbours black lab running into our garden and biting my face. Then the neighbour tried to blame me! I remember the feeling of outrage ! The dog had gone mad and had to be put down in the end. So not a good start to my dog experience. Never wanted one after that.

We got a dog when the DC were small as when I was a child I watched my brother be chased and bitten by a German Shepherd, my Nan’s dog came to stay and was vicious plus my Aunt’s dog was a cocker and absolutely lost the plot one Christmas. Guess the latter was cocker rage. Didn’t want my DC to grow up afraid.

As an adult I have been literally knocked off my feed by an over enthusiastic lab, been bitten by a dog that had escaped from someone’s house and was wandering in the road so I was trying to catch it, been jumped up numerous times by another lab that tried to go through pockets to find tissues, a border collie wasn’t looking where it was going when running after a ball and ended up sitting on one of my DC’s when she was in a buggy, unpleasant encounters with an out of control husky (fared well compared to one lady) .

My dog was attacked by a Jack Russell and a snarling German Shepherd went for it (thankfully on a lead but owner walked off without a word and same dog attacked my friend’s Golden Retriever) plus she was attacked unprovoked by a black lab who apparently hadn’t done it ever before.

There were other things in the nearly 15 years we had her but those were the most memorable. I don’t mind dogs now but am still more of a cat person . I totally get why people are afraid of dogs and cats and can’t understand why someone wouldn’t get that as the answer is blatantly obvious I would have thought.

Because dogs regularly hurt or even kill people? I have never been bitten by one but I know a few people who have and I've certainly come across dogs that would have bitten me had they not been on leads. Twice a dog has gone for my DS but luckily was on a lead so the owner was able to control it. Neither of them even apologised. He is now afraid of them and I don't really blame him.

My daughter was fearful of dogs from birth. Nothing we did nor said could convince her otherwise. It seemed an entirely rational fear to me once I realised the relative height/weight imbalance, I too would be scared of an unpredictable animal about my height weighing about 3x what I do.

Dog owners themselves don’t help. Quite often we’d be in a play area with “dogs on leads” signs and some idiot would bring their buggy, two black Labradors & small children, and let the dogs off to roam whilst they played with their children because “they’re friendly”. I’m sure Baxter and Rolo are indeed friendly but my daughter is trying to relax in an area that is supposed to be free of dogs. One fleeting interaction with dogs today is not going to cure her of this fear.

About the age of 4 she finally patted a dog and has been recently asking us if we can get one.

They can be unpredictable. Sometimes they come up to you, jump at you, lick you, you don’t know if they’re going to bite or not.