Welcome to Gaia! ::

smile I finally found a secret to tell y'all...

stare Stop drooling all over your keyboard. It's disgusting and it makes you look like a dog. *shivers*

About dogs.
Yes. That's right. The fur-footed tongue-lolling tail-wagging monsters that look up at you with heart soulful eyes heart that make you want to pity them and give you that bit of bacon you were savoring.

The secret is...*drum roll*
I'm terrified of them.

I mean, really terrified. There's a park down the hill from my house about a block, and I love walking there but if I see more than three cars in the parking lot I turn around and go home, because chances are somebody has their dog with them. If a person with a dog is walking towards me, I turn around and walk in the other direction. If there are dogs on both sides...I freak. stressed gonk crying If a dog is walking quickly towards me, I whimper and try to back away or to the side towards the center of the field where there are more ways to run. If it's running towards me, I freeze, too scared to move, and when it gets within about 4 feet of me I shriek and back away quickly until the owner manages to calm the dog (or me) down. If it's barking, growling, or running very fast, I scream, and if it gets within the same distance, I back away. If it gets too close, I freeze again, too scared now to even think about anything but the fear and the dog coming at me and praying (but not believing) that it won't bite me. I'm still screaming, though. After an encounter of that last kind with a dog, I walk away quickly, crying and whimpering uncontrollably, jumping and shrieking at the slightest movement or sound (especially jewelry jingling, because it sounds like the tag on a dog's collar). This can last anywhere from half an hour to two hours. Afterwards I am still very jumpy, and for at least two days any kind of growling, barking, or howling sound, or even the mention of dogs, with send me into my room so no one sees me whimpering and crying "for no reason". I hate this fear of dogs, especially since there really isn't any good reason for it: the only "violent" encounter I have ever had with a dog was once when I was less than 2 years old and a friends dog chased me across the yard barking and growling and yanked my diaper off. I don't know what to do; it feels like there's a rock in my chest every time this happens because people wouldn't be walking these dogs in the park if they weren't "safe". Even puppies scare me. redface

(PS this is also an entry in my journal.)

You know, all fears and phobias have deep rooted reasons. You have a reason for being afraid. But you have to realize, that not all dogs are bad. It's ok to be cautious around dogs that you are not familiar with. But trying at all costs to avoid dogs is a little too much.

One thing you could do, although it may be frightening the first couple times, is to take a deep breath, and walk past a dog on the same side of the street. If you see someone walking their dog, slowly get on the side of the sidewalk and walk past them. Don't be scared if it moves towards you, but don't run. Just walk as if you would normally. Most dogs are kind and will move to you, just to smell you. If one of your friends has a dog, go over to their house and familiarize yourself with their dog, have them hold the dog by the collar while you pet it. The dog's only reaction will be to smell your hand and lick it, so don't panic when the dog opens its mouth.

All you can do is take it at steps.

Summary:
1.)Calm down, dogs usually don't chase if there's nothing to run after
2.)Many dogs will come up to you, don't be scared, they just want to figure out who you are
3.)Most dogs are friendly and won't harm you without reason
4.)Dogs like to play, they jump and bark and lick. They're just looking for some fun
5.)Accustom yourself with a friend or neighbor's dog. take steps from being in the same room while separated, to being in the same room with the dog restrained, and work your way up to petting and playing.

I hope that this can help you

I'm scared of dogs too, just not as bad. I know the houses that have dogs behind the fence, and I never walk by them. I'll take the long way home to stay away from those houses.