Cynophobia . It is defined as a persistent, abnormal and unwarranted fear of dogs .
Summary
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- 1 Etymology
- 2 Cynophobia
- 3 Manifestations
- 4 The family
- 5 Treatment
- 6 See also
- 7 Sources
Etymology
The word cynophobia comes from the Greek kynós (dogs) and phobos (fear).
Cynophobia
Many people develop a fear of dogs. The fact that they are domesticated prey animals , and the increasing cases reported by the media of canine attacks can add to this fear.
A 1992 study on fear of dogs in children and adults showed that actual attacks by dogs make no difference whether or not a person fears these animals. In contrast, early and harmless exposures to dogs usually prevent the onset of cynophobia.
Young children are more likely to become afraid of dogs simply because there are more things that scare them: Dogs make noises and jerky movements that can scare many children.
Many people who love dogs feel that the phobia of these animals is “ridiculous”, but in fact it is quite common. In many cases, there has not been a triggering event, but rather the fear develops for a number of reasons ranging from social fostering to mere ignorance.
Manifestations
It is known that there are different manifestations of cinophobia, such as fearing all dogs regardless of their size, color or breed ; or on the contrary, having a particular fear of dogs of certain characteristics. This depends on the situation that has arisen to generate the state of trauma .
The family
Many times the family of the person with the phobia exacerbates it, since the phobia can be a way of attracting attention. Once someone’s phobia doesn’t gain beloved attention, it usually goes away. Ignoring our loved one’s phobia is often the best way to deal with it. Therefore, it is not good to avoid meeting the dogs while you are with the phobic, since that way you will never learn to deal with them.
Treatment
Pediatric psychologists explain that gradual exposure to dogs can prevent the occurrence of irrational fear of dogs while also teaching them healthy alertness to potential danger from unfamiliar animals.
