Has anyone got any tales/cases where they've come across a dogaphobe and had any luck curing them?

I have been taking Lascaux Corgi to work every so often and there is a lady there who is a bit histrionic at the best of times e.g. is scared of card tricks and carries on annoyingly when she breaks a fake nail. I made sure I asked everyone if it was ok to bring him in and they all said great but this lady must have been away the day I asked and I was assured by everyone she was ok with dogs.

Anyway the first day he came in he jangled straight into her office and she completely freaked out and ran around the office screaming. I was terribly apologetic and asked her what set her off and she said she had been bitten by a mean spirited Rottweiler years ago. I could see everyone in the office looking at this 12 inch high red and white thing wagging his tail all over the place and looks of bemusement/misunderstanding. We all carried on working and this lady shut her door for a few hours while I felt very bad and contained him in my office.

During the day she eventually came out to look through my window to watch Lascaux rolling around on the floor in my office having a good time. She then said she wanted so much to like him and touch him so another doggie person in the office and I encouraged her to come and pat him while I held onto him and she must have been frozen for about an hour with her hand stretched out towards him. SHe finally touched him and once she had felt how fluffy he was I couldn't get her off him. So by the end of the day she was in and out of my office patting him and saying how lovely he was etc etc.

I don't think she is totally cured but I think at least she has realised that not all dogs are going to bite - she even admitted to watching Crufts which she said she never would have done before. I think in this case it was pretty easy and I know I took a big risk in trying to help her approach the dog - I wouldn't try this method on everyone but I am very glad it worked. I've seen cataphobes and I know that even showing them pictures of a cat is not a good idea at all.
Has anyone got any bad/good experiences like this?
cissy

I haven't got any stories, but am interested in other people's answers. I will be getting a Golden puppy in 2 weeks, but my sister is a 'dogophobe'! At the moment, she is saying that she will not come round and visit after we have got the pup, unless we put him in his 'cage' while she's there. I sure that this stems from a relative's dog knocking me down when we were both quite young. I'm sure (hope) she'll come round eventually.......

Sarah

When my Sister, Dad and I decided that we were going to get a GSD, my Mum was a bit apprehensive. I wouldn't have called her a "dogophobe" cos my family have always had dogs, and some quite vicious ones too which she was always fine around.
The thing is that when we were discussing having a dog as a family, she would always picture another persons grown up dog, and not a sweet little pup of our own. Anyway, we decided to get the pup after she said "OK". Now I've got to tell you that my Mum is a clean-a-holic so when we brought Sophie (12 week GSD) home in a box with dog vomit (URGHGHHH) all over herself, and we saw my Mum happily wipping Sophie's mouth, we were AMAZED.
We were told that after bringing the pup in the house and once you put the pup down on the floor, dont fuss, just let it explore, feel safe and get comfortable with its new surroundings. We must have left her there for a good half an hour, but Sophie was so scared she just wouldn't move. I tried everything and so did my sister. It was my Mum (AGAIN) whom, with a bit of TLC, got Sophie up and about......and since that day Sophie keeps following my Mum around the house........ and now my Mum doesn't even mind when Dad goes down the pub...... aslong as Sophie is around to keep her company.
YEAH....I KNOW......I WANNA THROW UP AFTER READING THAT TOO, BUT ITS THE GODS HONEST TRUTH.
Goodluck with your new pup.

If you are dealing with a true phobia then it can be very dangerous and make it worse for the person to try and force them to combat it. You should respect their fear and their viewpoint. There are techniques that some will try - but unless they are in the driving seat - ie able to control the exposure, then you will simply make them worse. A true phobia is a very severe condition for that individual, unless you have suffered a phobia yourself you cannot understand the level of terror they experience when exposed to the trigger.

So if you have someone who is dogaphobic - then you can't expect them to be able to put it aside when it suits. Curing phobias takes time and special treatment.

In your case Sarah, your sister has given her control which is that your puppy should be crated when she is with you. That's not unreasonable. Let your sister determine how she should be exposed to the puppy. You can gently encourage her - but don't force it.

In the original post to this thread I must admit to felling quite horrified as this lady was in her place of work and exposed to a fear trigger without it seems real understanding from those around her. Luckily it seems to have turned out OK - but through luck.

jmho

Pam n the boys

Hi Pam, Just to say how much I agree with you. When I was studying pyschology we were warned of the very real dangers of confronting people with their phobias. For example we were told of cases where a person who had a phobia of cats was left locked in a room with several cats....!!. This was under a controlled experiment, but her heart rate and pulse increased through fear so much that she was in real danger. In extreme cases people have actually had heart failure. So, I think that we should be very carefull when exposing other 'non doggy' people to our pets. Obviously these are extreme cases and I am sure that Cissys work colleague was OK. On a personal note, my husband was petrified of dogs and it has taken a few years for him to be confident around them. In his case we have just built up his confidence, BUT, he would have freaked out if confronted with a dog as Cissys colleague was. Not having a go at you Cissy:D
I have 3 dogs and my husband is totally OK with them and at the last Discover Dogs he was sitting on the floor being licked to death by 3 big Leonbergers:D :D. So basically what I am trying to say is that you have to be carefull and respect other peoples fears.

My son was frightened of dogs - may go back to when he was a small boy and friends had a big, bouncy OES. He would never stroke dogs and always said that he hated them. We didn't get a dog for a long time, but when he got to about 15/16, we decided that his fear was unrealistic and that the time to get a dog, even if he didn't want one, had come. He said that if we got one he would kill it - boy's talk :) - and so we bribed him with breakfast in bed to come with us to Battersea, which he did reluctantly :) We told him that if he didn't come, he would have no say in what we chose. Anyway, to cut a long story short - altho' he was very nervous with the dog initially, we didn't force it and within a couple of months, he had come round and gradually gained in confidence. By the time we got the pup, he was very keen and now is as much in love with them as the rest of us.

Having said all this - I would never have 'forced' a dog on him when he was younger - he was a very sensitive child and he could have had a very bad reaction. I waited until I had the gut feeling that the time was right :) The long wait was worth it :)

Daisy

My mate linda used to be terrified of dogs, until i got Rocky.

She is still a little jumpy if they try to leap on her, but she deals with it, Rocky is allowed to her house, they are all welcom in her car, adn SHE took ME to crufts, for two days,a dn wants to do the whole show next year!!!!

Em

I think that my sister is in the same position as your son was. Because we didn't grow up with dogs, nor did we know many people with dogs, the one bad experience was never put right in her mind. Like they say, when you fall off a horse, you get straight back on. She just needs some positive experiences with dogs to get her past this. It should have been done by our parents when it happened.
Today I have been to visit the litter from which my puppy will come in two weeks. I managed to get my mum, dad and sister to visit with me. There was no pressure - she could go behind the baby gate away from all the dogs at any time. The pups were just too cute for her! She was there when the seven pups were released and then she was quite happily playing with them for an hour or so. She is still not keen on the adult dogs (Golden Retrievers), but hopefully as she sees my pup grow up, she will grow out of this 'fear'.

Sarah

Thanks Cardair - I agree too. I don't have a cruel bone in my body so would never expose someone to this intentionally [my office mates had told me my colleague liked dogs so it was a miscommunication- very common in this office:o !]. I am very glad she came out and wanted me to help her - I've described her as a bit of a diva but it really was all handled quite sensitively.

best wishes

My mum always taught us the mantra "love me, love my dog" ! Its come into practice now. My sisters boyf was petrified of our lab, having been bitten by a dog when he was younger. By introducing him to Tilly slowly, seeing us interact with her, he is beginning to think she cute, has been seen stroking her when he thinks no one is looking and walks her.

With a pup it should be much much easier, as they are smaller and cuter - if you get her used to the pup before it becomes a boistrous teenager, she can, as one poster has suggested, grow out of the fear with the dog. It takes time from you though - fears are irrational, and when they have been bitten when younger it can only re-inforce it! Its hard to understand why they don't feel about dogs the same way as you do, but in time they can do :-)
Liz

Hi people
I used to have a phobia of dogs, stemming from when i was a young girl and a big fierce golden retriever chased and bit me!!!!! Well now i know the GR wasn't firece just over friendly, and he didn't bite hust mouth me as he was a puppy. Also to a five yr old child a GR can look very big!!
Anyways that started up a strange fear/ love of dogs. I was fascinated by them, and yet so terriefied. That is until i was 12, my friends mum bred GSD's.... and these are every dog phobics person worst nightmare!!!! Especially when i was put in a middle of a "square" which was surrounded by kennels full of barking GSD's! But i stayed put (partly because i couldn't move out of fear!) and eventually i began to relax. It was at this point they took me to see the puppies.
Now these were nothing compared to the adults! And i loved it, rolling around and playing with them, so slowly slowly i began to overcome my fear, so much so that i eventualy was able to own one!
I can now comfirm that i have a strange obsession/love of dogs!!!
Jasmine

YES! My mum was seriously phobic of dogs after being bitten on the thigh [completely unprovoked] by a jack russell. The fear stayed with her for years, until a stray border collie followed me home and she totally fell for him. We ended up getting a BC and she's been fine with dogs ever since, even my manic GSD bitch!
Not really the usual way to do it but it worked - even when meeting other perfectly friendly dogs out and about didn't!

Annette