to not understand people that are afraid of dogs

[Josico58]

Is it not an extremely debilitating and irrational fear? Based on how many dogs there are about in public, how do you go about daily life? And to think they’re all about to attack you for no reason?

I can understand people feeling nervous of a big dog hurtling towards them/their small children, but regular, well behaved dogs in public places. Really a problem?

Don’t mean to sound harsh but it just comes across as a bit pathetic to me.

A friend’s little girl is terrified of my dog. It’s a Cavalier puppy, hardly scary! I admit he can be excitable and full on, and we’re training him not to jump up or lick people. But the mum kind of enables it, picking DD up and saying “it’s OK, he’s not going to get you”. I’m left feeling a bit “Er, get a grip!!”

AIBU?

Sorry, as an animal lover I just can’t understand this seemingly common fear.

I suspect popular opinion will be that I am and I’m ready for the backlash!!

Im not scared of dogs I just hate them. 🤷‍♀️

You can't see how an animal with sharp teeth jumping up on a child is scary?

This is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever read on here. And that’s saying something.

Fear/phobia is irrational. Aren’t you scared of anything?

It’s not a fear...its a dislike of.

Also, Irrational? Its not a balloon or a banana. These are animals that jump up at people and bite and be aggressive with strangers. You might see barking as nothing more than noise but some see it as aggression.

I’ve seen 2 babies attacked by the same beloved family dog who wouldn’t hurt a fly. So thats my “fear”.

I have two children, one absolutely loves animals, one absolutely freaks out near them. Both have been brought up with grandparents dogs and family friends so there’s no reasoning behind it.

It’s a bit sad to judge a child tbh 🤷🏼‍♀️

Pathetic? Really? How very empathetic of you.

I don’t understand people who like dogs. They smell, you have to pick up their shit, and if they felt like it they could maul you. What’s to like?

for you not your stupid "excitable, full on" dog...

Dogs can kill. They're descended from wolves ffs. It's an entirely rational fear (unlike spiders, for example, which in the UK won't do you any harm at all).

In fact I really dislike dog owners who can’t understand this.

Not everyone loves Fido Josico58. Doesn’t make us irrational.

I'm not afraid of dogs. I don't like them though, apart from a couple I know well (owned by good friends) and I intensely dislike the kind of anti-social, self-involved owners who think their dog should be allowed to get in others' way and that the correct response to being inconvenienced or having one's child unnecessarily intimidated is an indulgent smile.

Keep your mutt out of other people's faces and away from their children.

I was attacked by dogs when i was small. I was in hospital for 6 months and off school for 1 year. Pathetic isn't it. Wind your fucking neck in.

I also agree with ‘less afraid, more that I just don’t want your slobbering, germ riddled beast near me’.

What a very strange post. I'm sure your jumpy excitable dog is marvellous. Just not for me. Hair, dribble, smell, no thanks.

That poor girl, just keep the dog away from her. You're not going to 'cure her'

Yabu, can you not comprehend that people may feel differently to you?

I'm not afraid of dogs, but my ds is petrified of them, won't go near one. He isn't generally a nervous child, he catches spiders for me, goes on big rides at the theme park, will walk into a room full of people he doesn't know and make a friend (all things I'm afraid of).

Cos you know, we're all different.

Wow. Ill tell my 11 year old Dd to stop being pathetic when she almost throws herself in front of moving traffic to avoid dog sitting shall I? Or whenshes tremblingand sobbing if she sees a dog approaching off a lead.

WHAT did you hope to achieve with this post? A phobia is an irrational fear of something so it’s not necessarily something that be explained.

Our dd’s Fear is debilitating, we can’t go to places that there might be loose dogs, he’s struggles with places where there might be dogs on leads, just about anywhere really.

Nothing has ever happened to her, or to any one that she knows. It’s horrible.

As a dog-owner, I say YABU.

1. Fear doesn't have to be rational
2. Fear of dogs isn't irrational - dogs are capable of harming people

My sister is very afraid of dogs. She has learned to tolerate my gentle little spaniel, but it took time and patience, and courage on her part. She won't go near strange dogs at all.

Often it’s because someone has had a bad experience with a dog. In the same way someone who has had a bad car crash might be fearful about getting in a car even though the odds of it happening again are low.

My son hates dogs, when he was a toddler an out of control puppy jumped up and licked him all over his face and inside his mouth. It was disgusting and also frightening to think what could have happened if the dog had bitten his face.

Do you understand the concept of a phobia?

That people are afraid of spiders, flying, dentists, heights etc?

Sorry, as an animal lover I just can’t understand this seemingly common fear.

Calling people pathetic is sure to get backlash yes. You know your cavalier puppy is harmless the child does not. I used to be terrified of dogs after my friends “adorable wouldn’t hurt a fly cockapoo” went mad and tore a chunk out of her Infront of me. It’s taken a few years and now I am okay with dogs but if they jump up when I go in someone’s house I’m scared, if that makes me pathetic then..
it’s not irrational. They have teeth. And claws. And you can’t tell what they’re thinking.

I dislike many dogs and am scared of some of them too.
I grew up on a fairly deprived estate where there were many dogs roaming free. Not well fed, in any way trained or really looked after at all.
It was awful. I have been chased by a pack of dogs.
I just never learned to trust them.