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!

I sometimes say that I am scared of dogs because people are less offended by that than the truth.

Which is that I just find dogs irritating and a bit gross.

I don't want them jumping up on me or licking me. It seems to be socially acceptable now to take them everywhere and to regard them as mor important than humans. I have friends who are more attached to their dogs than their family and it's bloody weird.

To get out of the need to have them bring their dogs round, which is becoming more and more frequent as an ask from people (I wouldn't dream of bringing my young kids to a dinner at a friend's, how has it become ok to ask to bring your dogs?!), I now just say I am scared of them.

Do you not get people ask you why you're scared of them and tell you that their dog is very gentle etc? Those conversations must be annoying if you do. I would have thought allergic would be a better excuse in this scenario!

I have a bit of a fear for dogs. It isn't based on a traumatic experience as a child or anything like that. I don't know where it comes from except that I have always lived with cats and I do find, with some exceptions of course, that people tend to be either cat or dog people. I worry about being bitten by a dog, even though it has never happened to me (but has happened to someone with me a few times). Weirdly, I am especially wary of little dogs. I cant walk past a little dog without my ankles tensing! I find owners of large dogs do tend to be a bit more conscious that their dog might be intimidating and keep it on a closer lead.

Partly my fear is based on a lack of understanding. Dh and I do a lot of hiking and come across loose dogs a lot. Dh is a dog person and grew up with guard dogs. He isn't afraid of them at all. So when a dog comes bounding up to us, or barks at us as we walk through its farmyard, dh is calm and knows how to be with the dog whereas I am nervous and try to put dh between me and the dog. Dh understands what the dog's mood and intention is. I just see a mouthful of fearsome teeth!

Do I show my fear? I try not to. I try to say hello to dogs and smile at their owners because I am not an arse. But sometimes I can't help showing my fear, when dogs come bounding up to me barking.

All I would say to you dog owners out there is, please never never never assume anyone wants to interact with your dog. Life would be a lot easier for we fearful ones if you kept your dog under tight control when in public places. And that includes the vets! I came across an absolute idiot the other day who cheerfully let her big dog approach right up to my caged cat to sniff (cat had a full on panic attack - Ive never seen that happen before) and also allowed her dog to come right up to me and sniff me even whilst I was blatantly obviously backing away to give myself space. All she had to do was keep a close lead on the dog and we all would have been fine.

I just say "am sure your dog is lovely but it's just the way I am".

It goes down a lot better than "sorry I just don't like dogs, even yours, could you not bring him over"

100% instinctive for me. It’s like an innate fear that I can’t suppress or work around. I have no fear of spiders, mice, snakes or heights. But even the thought of a dog puts me on edge and in person smaller dogs are even worse in much the same way as people find mice zipping about the floor startling. It is deeply, deeply unpleasant and disruptive to live with, especially now dogs are everywhere. I’ve even lost friendships and family relationships over it.

All I would say to you dog owners out there is, please never never never assume anyone wants to interact with your dog. Life would be a lot easier for we fearful ones if you kept your dog under tight control when in public places.

I couldn't agree more.

The contrast with children is quite startling. No one allows their toddler to go up to strangers and jump up at them, lick them, steal their food, sniff them. But somehow it's absolutely fine to let your dog do it. And toddlers can't actually really hurt anyone else.

I’m not even afraid of dogs but I generally fucking hate dogs in public. I’m always at beaches, big parks etc with my children and there are always countless dogs running right up to my youngest, walking all over our stuff, trying to eat our lunch every single time we’re at one of these places.

Entitled owners are worse than dogs.

It's simple, surely.

Dogs are predators. Most are tame and friendly, but sometimes dogs growl and threaten. Sometimes they bite people. Sometimes they even kill people.

It's actually surprising that most people aren't scared of dogs.

They’re unpredictable.
They can jump up and bite.
They stick their wet nose up your legs and on your clothes.
They stink.
They’re noisy - barking really makes me jump.
They shit and no one wipes their arse, then they lick it.
Their hair gets everywhere and it’s greasy and dirty.
They are often attached to selfish, inconsiderate owners who put their animal’s comfort above anything else.

The last one scares me the most.

Because I was badly bitten as a child. I was quietly sat playing and the dog ran at me.
they are unpredictable

A friend who is scared of dogs was bitten by one as a child and also witnessed a big dog attack a little one and maim it. Those things linger. I like dogs well enough, no real negative experiences with them, but one followed me on the beach the other day and wouldn’t go back to its owner. I think it thought the beach was his? Off lead with no recall is very common these days and you do have to wonder what would happen if it’s a dog that bites. You don’t know them. My mother won’t go on that beach any more in case a big dog jumps and knocks her down. And it’s natural to be scared of the XL types usually owned by idiots or thugs. Those ones can snap into killing machines.

I grew up with animals and we had lovely dogs at home throughout my childhood. I'm still wary of anything that has the potential to hurt me so would prefer all dogs be on a lead and muzzled in public. I don't want the friendliest of dogs jumping up at or slobbering all over me.

My dd was when younger because an idiot let one really right into her pushchair in her face. When you are strapped in with nowhere to go

My friend was bitten by our so called beloved family pet. When I hear people say my dog would never do that it really annoys me. As he just turned one day and bit her face. I am also blind and used to have a guide dog until it was retired because a chap with a staffie let his dog attack my dog when he was working. So I am now frightened of dogs. I don’t like them any where my kids, and they seem to let dogs in every where now. And the entitled behaviour of dog owners that every one must like there precious dog.

Over 10,000 hospital admission for dog bites last year - 30 people a day

looks like a 1 in 60 chance of being bitten in your lifetime.

Even a chihuahua?

Because they can bite, are unpredictable and, in my experience, owners just don’t train them or have them properly controlled these days and think it’s okay for their dog to be jumping up at strangers “being friendly”. It isn’t.

I’ve always had dogs and think that most people who have been brought up with them are not afraid unless they’ve had a bad experience. However I understand people can be afraid if they are not familiar with dogs or have been taught by parents to be wary. Dogs obviously can bite but the vast majority don’t if they are treated well and trained properly.

People are rightly nervous as dogs are unpredictable.

People are also beyond foolish in how they can react to dogs.

A few days ago someone tugged their toddler into the road, nearly getting hit by a car in the process and it was sheer luck they weren't, in her quest to avoid me and my dogs. I literally popped out of the passageway onto the path, the woman screamed and tugged her child into the road without looking to see if anything was coming. Her fear of my dogs - on the lead, walking to heel - over-rode her common sense instincts and could have gotten her child killed.

Well they’re unpredictable aren’t they? We had dogs growing up, and they were lovely gentle things. However, I’m very wary of dogs and have been scared by ones making sudden movements. I wouldn’t say it’s instinctive, I’d say it’s down to the three times in my life I’ve been bitten - completely unprovoked. None of them were ever particularly bad bites, but they did hurt! And it feels like dogs are just everywhere now - you can’t really get away from them, and there are a lot of irresponsible owners unfortunately.

I'm scared of dogs because I fear they will bite me and you can't reason with them.

Even with friendly ones I am scared because I don't know their thought process. I also don't know what to do around them...like when someone opens their front door and theres a dog beside them and the dog starts sniffing around them, I see others kind of touch them and tickle them or whatever it is. How do you know they won't go nuts?

I'm not scared of snakes, spiders or crocodiles because we're taught from a young age of what to do/not to do e.g not enter waters where crocodiles are (obvious but there are stupid people out there...) but as for dogs I do have a bit of a fear of them (not as much as I used to though) because they can be unpredictable and you don't know how well their owners have trained them or if at all.

Depending on the type, snakes and spiders can be far worse than a dog but I'm far more likely to come in contact with a dangerous dog than I am a dangerous spider or snake which is why my fear of a dangerous dog is higher. (Not all dogs are dangerous of course. I'm talking about the ones that have the ability to do a lot of damage)

I saw my toddler cousin being bitten in the face by the family ‘soft as anything’ Labrador when I was a child. The blood, screaming, mess and subsequent scars have made a lasting impression.

They're unpredictable, and I don't mean always in a threatening way. You can just be walking down the street and suddenly a dog barks and/or runs towards you. I'm not scared of them but my DS is. He goes in to an absolute panic if a dog suddenly heads towards him but he is happy around familiar dogs when they are relaxed beside him. He absolutely loves our little dog but still panics when she suddenly runs towards him.
I think if a man suddenly started running towards women most of them would have an immediate sense of panic. I can gauge with most dogs that they are running to me to play, but not everyone will, especially children.

I’ve always had a fear my mum told me I was bitten by a dog when young. The unpredictability of them is my problem. For a few years we had a family dog and it was lovely little thing, but now I’m back to being a bit more wary. I’m not as bad but I sometimes don’t like when my sibling brings their little dog even though it is a nice little thing, the fear comes back.