Out on a Downland walk in the middle of nowhere with Nips yesterday, I was saddened to meet a smallish child (about 6) who was so petrified of dogs that she immediately screamed and ran around like a thing possessed alternating squealing with howling like a banshee. The pup (who isn't allowed to run up to anyone, let alone small children) was immediately fascinated and of course bounded over to her. I recalled him (phew, all that training does work!!!)  and put him straight back on his lead but wonder how on earth you deal with this sort of fear in children? The scary dog in question is an 18 week old Jack Russell and the child's younger sister was keen to tell me she wasn't scared of dogs and asked if she could she stroke him. Unfortunately, just the very presence of him made the older child all the more hysterical. The parents can't understand how this dreadful fear has developed since they are unaware of any frightening incidents the child has suffered and, in the brief conversation possible, wondered whether the child would ever get over its fear or how. Having only had dog loving children and stepchildren - all of whom were brought up in doggy households I couldn't help.

I guess you deal with it like any other phobia :) I feel very sorry for that child though...

I know a child of 9 who has a serious phobia of dogs. Her parents have tried everything, hypnotists, psychologists, herbalists, you name it, they've tried it. The phobia has an absolutely huuuge effect on this girls life. It has affected her friendships (she is unable to go to a friends for tea/sleepover/a party if a dog will be in the house) and just about every area of her life you can imagine. She wont walk to school, wont play at the park, and wont ride her bike in the street. She even gave up her beloved riding lessons because a dog once ran into the stable yard. It all started because she was jumped on as a very small child although she doesn't have any recolection of the event now - she's probably blocked it out. I feel terribly sorry for this girl and just hope that she will find a treatment that will work for her. :(

I've worked with a good few adults & children with dog phobias & it is quite a long hard road. Cavaliers make great therapy dogs & it's a wonderful moment when the fear eventually disappears & the sufferer extends their hand to touch the dog

The early the therapy starts the quicker the result

Sadly a lot is caused by parents"protecting"their children from the nasty dirty dogs(heard this term at a dog show about my JD who for once was in pristine condition)

One of my friends has dealt with a child that would rather jump in front of a bus than go near a dog!  It was amazing how quickly he got over his fear though.

One of my other friends has recently sold a dog to a family who again was scared of dogs and so were some of his friends.  It was amazing that a few months ago they managed to come to a water training day and stood in the middle of a field with about 10 Spanish Water Dogs around them and they were loving it!

One of my young neighbours was scared of dogs.  I had to regularly pass the little boy in the summer when he was playing outside.  One day I got her to sit and gave the little boy broken biscuits to give her.  At first he threw it down but eventually he allowed her to take it from his hand.  He was so chuffed with himself and his mum couldn't believe her eyes. Of course all the other kids wanted to copy and my girl was very very good and stayed calm which when considering she acts like a loon most of the time I was very pleased

>Sadly a lot is caused by parents"protecting"their children from the nasty dirty dogs(heard this term at a dog show about my JD who for once was in pristine condition)

Interesting you should say this because another unhelpful remark, IMHO, is "Don't worry, I'm sure the little doggie won't bite you".  Which firmly fixes in the child's head the idea that being bitten is a distinct possibility!

Took my 7 month old boxer with me on the school run a few days ago, was waiting patiently outside my sons school with Dylan (who is the happiest, calmest boxer you could ever wish to meat - oops that should be meet, freudian slip LOL ) when he saw a three year old behind me.  He stood ever so nicely (like he was waiting for her to go over him LOL) wagging his little stump with his head on one side, the child wanted to come and say hello but the mother took one look at his boxer face (so what he has jowls and an undershot jaw and looks a bit like Sid James !) and pulled her child away giving Dylan the most fearful expression.  I said simply 'Don't worry, he'll only give her a quick wash - they may look aggressive but they really love children and this one would rather die than hurt a child' - she relaxed a bit but still wouldn't let her child near him, even after she saw umpteen children (and babies) making a fuss of him and giggling while he washed their faces :)

So yes, I think a lot of the dog fear around kids today is put on them by parents - I can't blame them really but it is so unfair when all dogs and owners are branded with the same iron as those irresponsible ones :(

The first dog my youngest son ever loved was a Boxer called Rambo of all things!! He was two and a half - the son, not the dog! - and used to be childminded by a friend of mine whose daughter want to the same playgroup. Rambo was the sweetest dog I think I've ever met and we always used to say that it was him who mainly "minded" the children!

Agree - don't know what I'd do without him already :)  He really is a gorgeous boy and is always so pleased to see children, he really would take them ALL home if he had the chance :D  (better get a bigger car - or coach !)

When my GSD pup was about 16 weeks we took her to the Downs. We met a family on the walk with two daughters. One daughter wanted to stroke our pup, which we let her do, and our pup sat quietly in front of her and was petted (she is very good with children and seems to instinctively know they need to be treated differently). Her sister on the other hand started screaming, and I really mean screaming, howling and bawling with tears, jumping up at her dad to be picked up, and the parents told her to stop being silly and stroke the puppy, but she continued, when she was put down again she ran about screaming like a child possessed, and of course my pup thought this was a wonderful game and started following her at a trot. We recalled our pup (a handy tub of treats being shaken helped to reenforce this!) and the parents explained that their other daughter had been brought up with a dog, and so was confident with them, while their youngest had not had any experience of dogs and so was terrified. I only wish the [arents had managed to persuade her to calm down because my pup is great with children (and she has a very open 'happy' face) and it might have been a nice introduction for her.

Not just parents either. Now the following story is 100 % TRUE, believe it or not. A few years ago, I walked down to the local primary school every day to collect my kids. I always see a walk without a dog as a waste of time :) so I used to bring a dog with me, normally my Golden Retriever Dandy. (I mention the breed so you can all see it was even a breed with a generally GOOD reputation.At that time I only had Goldens and cavaliers anyway.) Dandy was young at the time, perhaps 2 or 3, and very wellbehaved. In fact, the very same school's nursery section had Dandy in to see them once a year during National Pet Week, to teach the children how to approach dogs, how to look after dogs etc -so Dandy visited inside the school once a year with PERMISSION from the headmaster, and 2 entire classes of 20-30 3 and 4 year olds would each  get to meet him and stroke him. Dandy loves kids and doesn't jum up or anything. With me so far?

This day I was as usual standing outside one of my daughters' classroom, waiting for her to come out, with Dandy sat next to me. On a lead. OUTDOORS, but inside the school gates. I was far from the only person with a dog, but I was the only one within the view of the headmaster's office.

The headmaster leaned out of his window, and quite aggressively told me to remove my dog immediately. Why? Because dogs are not allowed in the school, he said -and the sign says so outside the gates. I pointed out that no, all the sign says is that dogs are not allowed to FOUL the school premises. It says nothing about them not being allowed on the grounds. He continued, saying well my dog wasn't allowed, so I needed to take him home at once. I asked why -he was in a sit, on a lead, not bothering anyone. I pointed out he was well trained and goes to obedience training every week.  Headmaster replied that he would terrify the children when they came out. :rolleyes:  This was so laughable I didn't know what to say.  I was again told to take him home, and I refused -it was about 2 minutes until the bell would go and I could NOT leave my children, they were far too young at that time to walk home on their own, and besides, they'd be out in no time anyway! Fair enough I'd not bring a dog again, but this time I had no choice but to wait.

So what happens? The headmaster said that if I refused, he would call the police ! He then left. The bell went, my kids came out, with them dozens of other children, most of which ran straight up to Dandy and stroked him, to which he wagged his tail. Nobody was terrified. I walked home.

An hour or so later the phone rings -and it is the local policeman!!!!! Yes honestly, the headmaster DID call the police, but by the time they got there I had already left. Now thankfully this was a local policeman, area officer, my husband knew him,  and he actually said that he didn't understad why he had been called -apparently the complaint was that I had a well behaved dog on a lead in an area were there was nothing to say dogs were not allowed, and nobody had been hurt or scared??? He was sensible enough just to laugh about it.

But what kind of impression does people like that headmaster make on children? My middle daughter and my son (who wasn't even born then) still attend the same school and I have not said a word to the headmaster ever since -just glare at him whenever I visit the school.

Grrr - I could rant on about schools here but will bite my tongue (for once)

Dogs are not allowed on our school grounds either - so folk tie them up at the gate - which could be worse for approaching kids IMO!

However, I can't blame folk for not liking dogs - its their choice :) I don't like some dogs either - espcially ones that jump up me uninvited!

I think there is some justification for not allowing dogs onto school premises.  As a parent I was pleased when our school banned dogs from the school as there was a woman who had the most vocal dog (would bark virtually non-stop) who would go berserk if he saw another dog.  This was very scary for the children and parents alike as the woman could hardly control the dog.  Unfortunately this did mean that the nicer dogs were not allowed onto the premises either but you can't have a rule for one and another for someone else. However, there are ways of going about dealing with situations like this and to shout from an office window and threaten a parent with the police for no good reason is really taking liberties with their position IMO.  Far better would have been to post a polite notice for the children to take home and give to their parents.

Oh yes, and this woman with the non-stop barking dog used to tie him up just outside the school gate and everyone gave him a wide berth. 

Our TT has done the school trip a fifteen minute walk since we got him at 15wks, he loves going to school to be petted, our 4 children love me taking him to meet them after school.
I always stand at the school gates with him sat next to me.
Recently there seems to be more & more dogs at the school gates 6 the other day.
I have only had one complaint from a parent about a year ago who grabbed her daughter over protectively when walking past me stating her child was petrified of dogs, Murphy was sat next to me doing nothing!
I have always taught my children never to approach a strange dog to stroke it & always ask permission to stroke.

My niece, now aged 13, is phobic about Dogs.  It is often hard to make dog owners understand the degree of terror a dog strikes in her.  WE get lots of comments such as "oh he is very friendly"  or "she does not bite and just loves kids" - it does not help or work.  This is a real, deep seated, irrational fear, and she would indeed run in front of a moving bus to get away from a dog approaching her.  There was no event which cause this, up until she was almost 4 she was fine with all my dogs, happily playing with them.  The only thing we could put it down to is one night she woke screaming from a dream sobbing "Doggy got my feet"  .  She did not remember the dream next day, but pretty much from then on was terrified of dogs, including mine.  She is fine with tiny baby pups, up to about 6 weeks, and then is scared.  We have had a major break through with the pugs, and she will walk them and even play in the park with them, although a little tentatively,  however, cannot come anywhere near even the gentlest American Cocker.  Whenever dog owning friends find out about this phobia they offer to introduce their dogs, insisting they will cure the fear!  IT does mean that her mum has to be very careful when she is invited to sleepovers, outdoor parties etc, explaining to the parents about the fear, and querying about dogs in the home.  No idea why she finds the pugs OK, it is not just a size thing, as she met a Chihua and was petirfied!
bye
Gwen

Thats interesting, I wonder if it is something specific about dogs relating to the snout perhaps as puppies are rather shorter in the muzzle department too aren't they? 
I have a couple of irrational fears myself ie claustophobia and heights so I do understand the nature of it and it has nothing to do with logic as I know I am safe when in these situations but fear of dogs seems something particularly hard to live with when we meet them day in and day out let alone when your Auntie happens to be heavily involved in them :)  Have her parents ever considered seeking therapy as I believe it can be very effective with these phobias?

Have you got gentle American Cockers Gwen? My one's completely mad!! :-D

I've often heard that the flat-faced breeds appear less frightening to dog-phobic people because their faces are more like human faces and less animal-like.

My brother-in-law was scared of our Bulldog - she was a gorgeous squat little monkey but unfortunately her bottom teeth did have a tendency to pop out over her top lip giving her a comical yet 'menacing' look.  It's amazing how many people actually crossed the road to get away from her when we were out on walks and we get similar responses from some people with our Boxer (although he is still a baby at only 7 months - a rather big baby, but just a baby :) )   Both Bulldog and Boxer were / are the most gentlest of dogs we've ever had but I can understand why some people (mainly adults though) are wary of their looks :)

Matthew was afraid of small dogs as when he was 1 1/2 a westie frightened it was on one side of patio doors and Matthew on the other it kept throwing itself at the doors and growling at him. For the next 5yrs he was so scared of small dogs that we couldnt be anywhere near them, if there was one within a hundred feet you had to pick him up, he was scream and shake he was terrified by them, but was happy to rough play with large dogs. I feel sorry for children who are afraid of dogs for whatever reason.
Mary

>Unfortunately this did mean that the nicer dogs were not allowed onto the premises either but you can't have a >rule for one and another for someone else. However, there are ways of going about dealing with situations like >this and to shout from an office window and threaten a parent with the police for no good reason is really taking >liberties with their position IMO.

Exactly. This was just it. I TOLD the headmaster that okay, if this was indeed the rule, I would not bring a dog again -fair enough. But I simply could not take him home at that precise moment as it would have meant leaving my children unattended for around 20 minutes as I'd have to go home and then back again...........