Fear of dogs is one of the most common phobias. It can arise both with good reason (for example, a child was bitten by a dog in childhood), or for no apparent reason. Nevertheless, the fear of dogs will interfere with both urban and rural residents, because you can stumble upon the object of your phobia in any yard.
Instructions
Step 1
Most often, the fear of dogs arises from childhood. If you begin to notice that your child has begun to be afraid of dogs and have not been attacked or bitten by neighbors' animals, think about your parenting methods. Perhaps, either you yourself, or someone from your loved ones told the child that you should not approach dogs, supposedly they are scary and can bite. Naturally, in such a situation, a phobia can develop. To avoid this, think of other reasons for the child not to go to the walking dogs. For example, say that the owner doesn't want strangers petting his dog, or that the dog doesn't like it.
Step 2
If you are already an accomplished adult who is afraid of dogs and wants to get rid of this fear, not all is lost for you. Try interacting with the puppies. Often people are afraid of large adult dogs, but small puppies seem harmless to them. It will be best if among your friends there is a person who has recently acquired a dog. Visit him, watch the puppy play, pet him. One fine moment you will find that a funny lop-eared puppy has turned into an adult dog, and you are not at all afraid of him.
Step 3
Communicate with well-mannered dogs and their adequate owners. When a person sees that the dog unquestioningly obeys the owner's commands, he has less fear that the animal may suddenly pounce. You can go to the site where dogs take general training courses (there are usually such courses in every area) and watch how the animals are engaged. This will clarify some of the peculiarities of canine behavior and will allow you to understand that not all dogs dream of pouncing on you and grabbing your leg.
Step 4
There is also a pretty fun way to deal with your fear of dogs. As you walk past the walking dogs, pretend that you are a dog too. Or a stool. Or a tray of ice cream. In general, any living creature or object that is not afraid of dogs. Dogs sense human fear and take advantage of it. But since the stool is not afraid of dogs, animals will not be interested in you.
Step 5
If the phobia persists, it makes sense to consult a specialist. Treat dogs' fear with hypnosis, NLP, cognitive behavioral therapy.
