What To Do If My Child Is Afraid Of Dogs

Almost all children love dogs, but some are  afraid of them. If this is the case for your child, we will give you some advice and information about it. This way, you can help him deal with his fear of dogs and improve his relationship with our furry friends.

What makes children afraid of dogs?

Although it seems hard to believe, fear of dogs in children sometimes is generated by things we say to them. Just as they are afraid of monsters because we tell them things like “if you’re not obedient, the head will come and get you”, or “the man with the bag will take you”, we also say expressions referring to dogs.

For example: “if you don’t behave well, the dog will eat you” or “don’t touch him, he’ll bite”. All these expressions created a series of prejudices in the children’s minds, which make them move away from the animals.

This can lead to an exaggerated fear of dogs when they grow up. However, psychologist Begoña Gallego explains that if we want to persuade the little ones, we must pay attention to the way we refer to the puppies in our expressions. She says that saying: “if you don’t eat the food, the dog will eat it” is not the same as saying: “if you don’t eat the food, the dog will come and bite you”.

When a child is afraid of dogs, dogs notice. Their olfactory ability leads them to perceive pheromones from great distances. That way, if a short one is scared, the dog will be able to know and will also be scared. He will perceive the child as a threat and may act aggressively, which only makes the problem worse.

Differences between fear and phobia

Fear and phobia are very different things, not to be confused with being the same thing. Fear is generated by a logical cause, that is, if the child has had a bad experience with a dog, it is logical that he is afraid to approach them and reject them. This would be something easy to be solved by adopting a puppy from an early age and making the little one participate in its evolution.

A phobia is something different. It appears for no apparent reason and is an inordinate fear that can even be generated when seeing a photo or image of this type on television. Phobias must be treated by a psychologist. Although, in principle, the phobia can be treated through a puppy that awakens a tenderness and protective instinct.

How to avoid fear of dogs in children

So that children do not develop a fear of dogs, it is necessary to educate them from an early age. And if they are still very young, they are developing these fears, this advice will help you too. The basis for solving this fear is teaching them to approach an animal.

• No running or screaming. Children are spontaneous and full of enthusiasm, and it is normal that when they see a dog, a species they are not used to, they want to run towards it. However, depending on the dog, it can act negatively and even aggressively, causing fear in the little ones.

• Ask the owner’s permission. If your child wants to pet a dog, the first thing you should teach him is to ask the dog’s owner for permission. He will be the person who can best tell if the pet is loving or not with strangers.
• Teach him to get closer. Dogs are driven by instinct and their olfactory senses, so the way to get close, provided their owner has given permission to do so, is to put our hand close to their muzzle and allow them to sniff us.

Tell him what he should and shouldn’t play. When a dog is unknown, its ears, neck, muzzle or tail should not be touched. He feels uncomfortable when these parts of his body are petted, and if he doesn’t know us, the reaction can be worse.