Cynophobia is the irrational fear from dogs. It is a type of Animal Phobia (Zoophobia). By definition, phobia is the
irrational fear from something that usually isn’t a source of great danger. Even though phobia of dogs is by far less
common than phobia of snakes and spiders, it still is very common in Lebanon. Unfortunately, this contribute to the
high rate of animal abuse in the country.Fear of dogs can be learned either by observation, through seeing one’s parents or family members exhibiting
behaviors and emotions of anxiety and fear which would implant the idea of danger and the assumption that the
situation is dangerous. Fear of dogs can also be acquired from an incident involving a dog or another animal
attacking a person. This creates a conditioned automatic learned feeling of fear upon exposure to a dog, even small
ones.
Fear of dogs is common in Lebanon but people don’t tend to go to therapy for that. Nevertheless I had the chance to
help 3 of my friends who used to be very scared of dogs and now, some of them own dogs ! This was made possible
thank to my late dog Maggie who was such as sweetheart in helping me achieve this. Maggie was a loving and
affectionate dog who could make anyone fall in love with dogs !
It’s common for some people to act as if they were in fear when a dog is around in order to catch attention, however,
nowadays, more people own dogs and hence being scared of dogs is not a popular attitude. People who like dogs
and animals in general seem to be better accepted in our society.
Any type of phobia is usually best treated with behavioral therapy. This is a component of Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT) whereby the person who suffers phobia of dogs learns to relax in a step by step gradual manner upon
exposure to a photo of a dog, a video of a dog and eventually a real dog. Once the anxiety symptoms reach the
minimal level, the person starts to enjoy the company of dogs; many end up adopting a dog.
People who love animals are people who can extend their love and affection beyond humankind. It is obvious that
people who care about animals are better able to express their feelings and could become very protective of their
pets at times. However, deep inside, pet lovers tend to have a good heart and are usually kind people.
