Most frequent questions and answers
Sometimes children cannot articulate or even understand why they are scared, they just are. They may have had a bad experience, they may have seen something on the TV, they may know someone else who is scared of dogs and have inherited this fear, but rather than worry about why, try to understand the now and what methods will help them to manage their fear.
Sit down and talk with them, ask them how seeing a dog makes them feel, try to understand and empathise but do not encourage the fear. Do not dismiss their fear although you may think it is silly and slightly frustrating this fear is real to them. Listening to your child is key.
When you are outside and see a dog try not to react negatively towards their fear as although you may think it to be irrational it is completely rational to them. Equally do not over dramatize or validate their fear. Ask them to stop, to take a deep breath, even close their eyes if it helps to make them feel more comfortable. Get them to sing or talk about something that makes them happy.
Lots of children can be overconfident around dogs and have no fear, this can be somewhat more dangerous for children than those who are fearful of dogs. If you have a dog of your own, it is vitally important to teach your child to respect your dog for example to not lie on him, to leave the dog alone whilst they are eating, sleeping or in a confined space, do not let your dog mouth (play biting), lick or bite even if it does seem like a game at the time. To teach your child that a dog is not a human and cannot speak. He/she cannot say “No” verbally therefore to teach your child to recognise the basic signs when a dog has had enough.
This happens so often when a child sees a dog and either starts running, sometimes screaming or both! Many dogs (especially young ones) will see this as a game and will instantly take chase! This is no good for a child who is petrified of dogs. So how do you stop them?
Teach your child to stand like a tree and breathe. It is very hard to scream whilst taking big inhalations of air. Teach your child to stand still either folding their arms or putting them down by their side. To turn away from the dog and/or to close their eyes. If your child has a favourite song to humm it in their heads. Practice before going out, prepare your child, offer incentives and rewards if they can carry out this method.
Contact companies such as WolfeEdu, Dogwatch, Good Dog in a Box, contact rescue centres, kennel clubs, approach someone who has a dog and ask if you could walk with them for a while.
This must be done in a controlled environment, and we wouldn’t recommend letting a dog approach your child or visa versa unless you have assessed the situation and are comfortable. Please understand that dogs are receptive to fear and emotions of humans. They can act differently depending on the situation. Do not force your child to approach the dog and do not force the dog to approach the child. You can also use puppets, watch videos on YouTube. (Watch the videos yourself first before sharing with a child as some may not be appropriate). Find age-appropriate stories about dogs and read them with your child for example Spot the Dog, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Can I be Your Dog? The incredible Journey, Lassie, Old Yeller just to name a few! Change the emotion that your child has around a dog by tagging a positive emotion to them. This can be done without them ever being in the same space as a dog.
The answer is maybe! A lot of children do, which is reassuring. With time and more and more exposure to dogs they can learn to manage their fear which eventually dissolves, many become dog enthusiasts themselves. However there are some children that cannot shift the fear and as Adults will still hold onto the phobia. 1 in 20 people suffer from Cynophobia (the fear of dogs) and many of these are adults. Many dog owners do not understand why an adult would be afraid of their beloved pooch when the worst thing that they think they would do is lick you to death, but to the sufferer the fear is there so they will avoid at all costs going to places where a dog may be.
They might grow out of it, but do you want them to remember their childhood being petrified? It is so important that if you notice that your child is fearful to get onto it straight away. The longer you leave it the more the fear can compound. Having a child who is fearful of dogs can cause so much disruption and angst for the child. For example, not wanting to go round to friends’ houses in case they have a dog, not wanting to walk or even set foot outside in case they encounter a dog, you may have relations who have a dog and so stops you from attending family events and can cause rifts. It can get increasingly frustrating for parents and can cause relationship tension. So, the answer is NO, do not ignore it. Reach out to us at WolfeEdu we are here to help!
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