Around 5 years ago I was bitten by a dog, I was walking along a path the dog was loose and it walked past me, turned and took a chunk out of my leg.
At the time I had my own dog and was around dogs all the time so I got stitched up and went on. I didn't really give it a second thought as I knew that the dog was badly treated and was used to "getting a nip in before getting a clatter" . Therefore I knew it was nothing to do with me IYSWIM.
Anyway, time passes, my dog passes and I am no longer around dogs so much. Gradually I am finding I am more and more nervous around dogs. Even dogs I know, my mums wonderful dogs terrify me. Recently I was walking and came across a great dane loose. I was so frightened because there was no owner around. The poor dog knew I was scared and started barking at me, the poor owner comes hightailing it back to the dog and grabs his collar appolgising all the way saying "he never does this" and I know it was me the dog was reacting to. I know it was the way I was feeling that made it happen.
The other day I was walking again with my children and a collie leapt out of the hedge growling, I jumped half way across the path in shock and nearly ripped my dd's hair out getting her behind me. The dog was playing wwith its littermate who burst out of the hedge a few seconds later.
The thing is, I now feel myself panicking if I am left alone with a dog, I won't let my 13yo play with my mums dogs (even though I know that she is well versed in the rules around dogs). I can feel the anxiety bubbling up just walking down a street because a dog may appear.
I need to stop this before it gets worse, my children are great with dogs, my dd is fantastic at training them as she is really intuitive with them but I can see that my fear is going to start affecting them soon and I would hate that.
Does anyone have any tips for me or ideas? It is so true when they say the physical scars heal before the emotional - I always tought that sort of thing was a load of hooey!
Anyway, thank you to anyone who replies!