Cynophobia
The Fear is Real.
Have you ever walked your dog and encounter people with the face of utter disgust or people who simply make a quick about turn and walk in the opposite direction? Some may even curve their entire bodies into a “C” while walking past your dog and you. Well, some of these people do seriously have an irrational fear of dogs and it’s called Cynophobia.
The pathological fear or loathing of dogs.
– Cynophobia.
A person who has cynophobia experiences an irrational and persistent fear of dogs. It’s not just about feeling uncomfortable with barking or being around dogs. It isn’t much of a choice. Instead, this fear may interfere with daily life and invoke many different symptoms, like heart palpitations or trembling.
As dog lovers, this wouldn’t make any sense to us, as we don’t suffer from Cynophobia at all. You might even think it’s silly considering the relatively high population of dogs in Singapore meaning (111,500 dogs in Singapore as of 2019, stats: Business Times), it’s difficult not to run into one, even if you don’t own one.
But what are the symptoms of a person with Cynophobia? Symptoms are highly individual. The symptoms may be physical, emotional, or both. Some are obvious and some are a little less.
Causes for Cynophobia can stem from many different backgrounds.
Age. Phobias affect both children and adults. In some cases, specific phobias may first show up by age 10. They can begin later in life as well. It is important for parents not to instill the fear of dogs in their children like “don’t go near the dog as it will bite you” - a simple statement like that may stick, especially with the minds of children.
Disposition. People with more sensitive temperment may developing phobias including Cynophobia.
Experience. Some may have had a bad experience with a dog in the past, maybe they were chased by a dog or even bitten by one. Trauma can be a core ingredient for developing cynophobia.
Family. If close relatives has had a phobia or anxiety, they are more likely to develop irrational fears as well. It may be inherited genetically or become a learned behavior over time.
Information. Some people can develop cynophobia if they’ve heard negative things about being around dogs. For example, if they read about a dog attack, they may develop a phobia in response.
While there are treatments for this, it would be good for us as dog owners to be a little kinder to people who have a fear of dogs, whether it’s as serious as Cynophobia with the symptoms as listed, no matter the cause. When we’re walking our dogs, we encounter many people, some are friends, familiar neighbors, or complete strangers and visitors to our estate. For the latter of strangers and visitors, we don’t know them, we don’t know what they go through. Certainly, we don’t want our dogs bothering them or even touching them but perhaps we could recognize the signs and avoid them. Even more so with people we know or are familiar with. Their struggle is real and we certainly can’t expect anyone to love our dogs more than us. So, be compassionate with people who have a hard time dealing with cynophobia.
“People who fear dogs are not necessarily animal haters.”
Don’t forget to make sure you leash your dog, no matter how well trained your dog is. In Singapore, it is illegal if you do not place your dog on a dog lead (and in some cases a muzzle) in public places. The maximum fine for not leashing your dog is $5,000, it is viewed as being a more responsible pet owner. Learn more from AVS via their poster.
Train your dog to be kinder with people with cynophobia by using magical Kuro Snacks that are all natural, aromatic, healthy and tasty!
Here’s how Cesar Milan helps someone get over the fear of dogs.
Here is another example of how to help someone get over the fear of dogs.
