please empty your brain below
Interesting read today. You've clearly got very good insight into your concerns around dogs. Do you realise that you've neatly described classic compensation methods for phobia? I suspect many of us will use a similar thinking process for things we are inherently afraid of (for me, its snakes in the countryside!)

Marco | 27.01.22 - 7:34 a.m. | #

I've also got issues with dogs after being chased by one when I was eight years old or so, so empathise totally. Owners who don't recognise that some people dislike dogs are really quite selfish,IMO.

Al | 27.01.22 - 7:47 a.m. | #

Ref Number6 you missed "He's never done that before"

This one is where the "Owner" has let it loose on a muddy towpath, and the beast has decided to transfer all the mud and mucus off their appendages to whatever clothing you are wearing.

I find that carrying a trekking pole helps, as if the owner see's you about to skewer their precious bozo or whatever, they will soon get their mutt under control....

and don't get me started of the "Killer Cows", and "Satan's Sheep"

Reg | 27.01.22 - 7:49 a.m. | #

Your second sentence is exactly my attitude to dogs - that lasts to this day, 74 years later.

Rob Gullen | 27.01.22 - 8:05 a.m. | #

Excellent, but try being a runner or rather don't. "It's alright, he won't hurt you." Small dogs are a trip hazard, so I always stop, when they start yapping around my feet.

Running_Correspondent | 27.01.22 - 8:09 a.m. | #

I feel your pain! A terrifying encounter with a dog that "loved small children" at the age of 3 left me very nervous and taking evasive action until my 20s.

The fear was renewed by a tenant moving in next door with a Great Dane that was never exercised. It spent all day in the garden bemused by the local wildlife. Dog and owner have now moved and my nerves have settled, for the moment.

RosemaryT | 27.01.22 - 8:10 a.m. | #

" If your dog isn't fully under your control, perhaps you shouldn't have released it."

Oh, if only. Would solve 99% of problems right there and then without trying to enforce any sort of recall on the hapless owner. Note that this is the law in many countries. I remember a couple training their small and adorable puppy in (what is now) Czechia and they were *mortified* that it put a paw on me to say hello. They felt it was absolutely Not Okay. My mrs feels the same way about dogs as you, and she loved it there because uncontrolled dogs were so obviously socially unacceptable.

I haven't run into a Satan, but the scariest dog I've run into was called Loki. Close enough?

Chz | 27.01.22 - 8:26 a.m. | #

I find saying "can't you control your dog?" works wonders in any dog owner situation, if by wonders you mean immediately pissing them off as you hurry off into a crowd and disappear

MK | 27.01.22 - 8:27 a.m. | #

I love a crazy dog bounding up to me, but I have other phobias, so completely sympathise. My dog actually shares your feelings towards other large loose dogs so I recognise these categorisations well, and how it dampens the enjoyment of a walk, and I agree that many owners are negligent and clueless.

On the other side of the story it is genuinely hard to deal with the many people who are scared of, or hate, dogs. My dog has been glared at, screamed at and even kicked for just quietly sitting on public transport minding his own business. The canine/society relationship is a tricky one.

Becky | 27.01.22 - 8:29 a.m. | #

Once again an excellent post. I have been terrified,worried,wary and generally on the lookout for these “ lovely pooches who only want to play” for the past seventy two years,since a “friendly”mutt jumped into my pram when I was one. I’m told it bit me and of course the owner told my Mum “ he’s never done that before”.

Like you I can’t hate dogs but I can hate the owners. One thing you didn’t mention are those ghastly extended leads that mean the owners are probably thirty feet away,on their phones and around a corner, on the street.

The best dogs are working dogs. They are well trained and serve a purpose.

Jo W | 27.01.22 - 8:38 a.m. | #

From the point of view of the other side I have some sympathy. Fortunately I have a dog that completely blanks people who don't have a dog.

One of the problems with leads is that one is basically taking a dog out to give it exercise and wear it out. Having it on a lead, other than a very long one, for the majority of the time renders the point of the walk rather useless. Of course one has to have it on a lead at times and I use a 'traffic lead' which is basically a very short lead. I work on the basis that if it does need to be on a lead then it needs to be close to me.

From my perspective the biggest problem is squirrels. This can turn an obedient controlled dog into an uncontrollable excited dog with no evil intent towards humans but no consideration of them either.

In my many years as a dog owner I think there has only been two occasions when I have genuinely scared anyone. The first was when my Alsation suddenly made a bee-line at pace for an old lady in the middle of a park. What she couldn't see, and I could, was that right behind her was a lone tree with a squirrel.

The second occasion was a look of absolute fear on the face of a women which I could not initially understand. I was standing behind my partner with a huge stick that I had picked up an was about to throw for the dog. I am sure the woman thought I was about to bring the stick down on my partner's head.

Pedantic of Purley | 27.01.22 - 8:46 a.m. | #

I empathise with how uncomfortable dogs make you feel. As an ex-owner, I feel genuinely sorry that you've not experienced the range of positive feelings that most dogs can engender in a human. If you had an opportunity to interact regularly and bond with a single dog in a controlled environment, your nervousness around all dogs would diminish.

dg writes: You empathise incorrectly.

Dog Fan (ex-owner) | 27.01.22 - 8:48 a.m. | #

Your post today should be compulsory reading for all dog owners. You describe well what many of us feel at the sight of a loose dog, and yet many dog owners simply have no idea at all.

Eric | 27.01.22 - 8:58 a.m. | #

I find that small dogs often have an inferiority complex that they try compensate for by jumping more or in the case of terriers being more aggressive. The only dog that ever bit me was a cairn terrier.

Sorry if that's not helping

Ian | 27.01.22 - 9:07 a.m. | #

I was attacked by an Alsatian years ago when working as a temporary postman. My son, who is autistic, is terrified of dogs (small ones with high pithed barks that scamper around are as bad as giant wolves). But over the years he has become better at signalling his distress, standing stock still and blocking his ears with his hands when he sees a dog not on a lead. If the owner fails to notice (75% of the time, I'd estimate), he runs to climb a fence or a tree, or straight onto a busy road if on the pavement. If a dog comes up to him his heart races and he trembles violently.

A minority of owners respond and take control of their dog. Others call or whistle and are ignored by the dog. Just about all of them say "he won't hurt you, he's being friendly". I sometimes say - "can't you see how distressed he is?"

After an incident my son takes several hours to calm down. He loves walking and we go out every day. He has a list in his head of several hundred dates over the past five years where a dog was out of control, and ranks the severity: "What dog did I do better with was it Hampstead Norreys woods in the dark or was it Woodcote?"

John Abbott | 27.01.22 - 9:11 a.m. | #

My wife was recently bitten by a dog and is now scarred for life. Dogs regularly shit outside my workshop and notices encouraging their owners to go elswehere have proved counter-productive. There used to be a dog licence. I should like to see this reintroduced at a level comparable to road tax and related to the breed ferocity/pollution potential. Plus figures released regularly by the government on injuries caused to humans. This would raise the consciousness of all about the ongoing public health hazard and would raise a goodly amount for the teeasury's coffers.

Bernard | 27.01.22 - 9:13 a.m. | #

I agree with you entirely - I must have been terrified in my pram and now feel the same as you in almost all respects. The worst is loose dogs near a farm.

Dave B | 27.01.22 - 9:23 a.m. | #

Well said! It amazes me how a significant number of dog owners think I want nothing more than to witness their pet urinating on the pavement or for my hands to be mercilessly licked if I visit their house. If it is unacceptable for owners to behave in particular ways, why should it be smiled on for dogs to behave thus? I do wonder if the owners take vicarious pleasure in dogs behaving in ways that are beyond the margins of polite society.

cau1khead | 27.01.22 - 9:38 a.m. | #

I am nervous of dogs and will avoid them but am generally not terrified if they come over. I stand stock still and ball my hands by my chest out of the way while the owner makes all the above apologies as their precious deposits mud, slobber and worse all over me.
Little yappy ones are by far the worst at doing that.

While I'm not comfortable around known dogs I can be in the same proximity as them, and my even tentatively pat one on the head on greeting just so it can then ignore me for the rest of the visit.

Yes, bring back dog licences!

Cornish Cockney | 27.01.22 - 9:38 a.m. | #

Small dogs are the worst, yappy noisy things with no purpose that can’t be trained and don’t respond when their owner says anything - utterly pointless. My friends new small dog the other night barked so loud all evening that it hurt my ears and so now I know I will never go round to visit them again.

DavidA | 27.01.22 - 9:41 a.m. | #

There is a definite parallel between people who can't control their dogs and people who can't control their kids.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 27.01.22 - 9:54 a.m. | #

Dogs are a totally unnecessary increase in a persons carbon footprint, and should be taxed like big diesel cars and air flights.

"He/she has never done that before" is the most overused dog owner utterance.

scrumpy | 27.01.22 - 10:23 a.m. | #

How many times did I hear my brother say his dog was under voice control as it ran riot. I love dogs and we saw two from pups to old age death.

I have no tolerance for dogs who jump up with muddy paws. I simple block their jumping with a hand over their head.

No matter how friendly and good with kids a Pitt Bull type can be, if they go wrong, they can kill, humans and any animal smaller. A terrier that nips your ankles can be kicked away.

Of course the bleeding obvious is the type of person who own such dogs. Stereotypes are often reliable measures.

But given that, most dogs are lovely and affectionate towards humans, some unfortunately exhibiting rather exuberant affection.

Maybe fear a mugger more as you walk the city.

Andrew | Homepage | 27.01.22 - 10:38 a.m. | #

Replace "dogs" with "people" and I agree with every word.

M | 27.01.22 - 11:44 a.m. | #

Thought-provoking, thank you.

When I had 2 German Shepherds, I simply couldn’t imagine why people were scared, & many of them got to practice commands on my dogs.

But fear is fear, & most of us are frightened of something. I admire where you are in the balancing act between risk assessment & not letting it stop you living a full life.

Toni | 27.01.22 - 1:52 p.m. | #

If you own a dog,
you know how friendly/scary/inert it is.

Every time I encounter a new dog,
I have no idea how friendly/scary/inert it is.

And that's my issue.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.01.22 - 2:54 p.m. | #

I entirely sympathise. Whilst I'm not bothered by dogs at all, my son who is nine is terrified of them unless they are on a lead. The way a large proportion of dog owners seem completely unaware that anyone can possibly be concerned about their dog is breathtaking

Stuart | 27.01.22 - 4:00 p.m. | #

A ninth dimension could be the breed. It may be correlated with the other dimensions, but the pit-bull, staffie, bulldog etc tendency would worry me a lot more than a cuddly-looking labrador. Although my main concern is vicarious, as I tolerate any dog with almost any behaviour, but I am very aware that the majority of undoggy people do not, and my sympathies are with them.

I would like pet-holding to be strongly discouraged, as a waste of money and resources. Whereas working dogs do have their place.

Malcolm of Kent | 27.01.22 - 5:30 p.m. | #

One of the most vacouos comments banded about is that dogs can smell fear.

Not very helpful if one is running up at you and you're terrified.

Richard | 27.01.22 - 6:53 p.m. | #

You’ve hit the nail on the head with this one and it feels almost as if I had written this - same encounter in a pushchair when I was young that has subconsciously given me the fear. I avoid them if possible but feel the exact same panic surrounding distance, size, leads etc.
Can totally relate to your comment previously about if you own a dog you know what it’s like but we, encountering a new dog don’t know. The worst thing is when someone says ‘don’t worry, he’s friendly’ or ‘he won’t hurt you’. Being friendly is my exact problem. My reckoning is that I think dog owners think everyone loves dogs. Turns out we don’t.

Josephine | 27.01.22 - 11:53 p.m. | #

Bitten by a friend’s pet dog a couple of years ago. It broke bones in my hand. I am now very wary of any dog coming near me. I do not consider this a phobia, it is completely reasonable to consider any dog a potential threat.
Like you, I blame the owner. Dogs should be under control, even if off the lead. Dogs are animals, they need training. Oh, don’t get me started....!

Sally Hirst | 28.01.22 - 3:22 a.m. | #

Tl;dr - The dog owners are the real problem, not the dogs themselves.

It's amazing how many commenters above have exactly the same experience with dogs like I have - being bitten while very young and wary/scared of them ever since.

I somewhat disagree with DG's comment about owners knowing how friendly/scary their dog is, as most, if not all, of them appear to have blinders on and think their dog is "harmless" even when it's barking at you and wants to attack.

Someone in my block has a small dog but very vicious, and even on a leash will bark and try and attack me even when I'm not coming towards them. This is unacceptable behaviour from a dog. Many times I've come close to telling the owner to have it trained or get it put down because it will hurt someone if it's allowed to get loose.

Ell | 28.01.22 - 7:04 a.m. | #

I have been wary of dogs ever since I was bitten by one when I was a school child minding my own business walking down the road. In those days it was common for dog owners to just let their animals roam the streets all day. At the risk of increasing your concerns, I would have put it in the category of too old to do anything but it just waddled after me and without any provocation bit the back of my leg. I have since been very wary of any dog getting too close.

kerspatula | 28.01.22 - 8:16 a.m. | #

Reading all the above as a late convert to (highly selective) dog-loving the only solution would seem to be segregated spaces - some where dogs simply aren't permitted, and some where non-dog-lovers are discouraged/enter at their own risk. No dog off the lead is under control, no matter how obedient they might have been for years - something can always change. Yet not to ever let them off isn't the answer either.

Although I love the dogs I'm involved with, I find taking them out quite stressful because of not knowing how other dogs or owners are going to react to them and to me, or vice versa - or indeed whether they are going to annoy people.

Sarah | Homepage | 28.01.22 - 8:23 a.m. | #

Another whos indifferent to dogs in general and even more so to dogs encountered in public.
Got to love the dog owner who yells out "oh he's really friendly" when the dog rushes up to you.
You get quite another set of dog experiences as a cyclist. Small dogs on 3 meter leashes on the far side of the path from their owner. I've not hit a leash but I've come close several times. Don't get me started on dog owners who let the pooch poop on the trail and don't pick it up.

Growler | 28.01.22 - 8:48 p.m. | #

Having got into walking around local spots during lockdown, having never really done so before, I was amazed by the number of people who think it is acceptable to let their dogs come anywhere near you.

I do not want your dog sniffing me
I do not want your dog jumping up me
I do not want your dog barking at me
I do not want your dog running up to me from a distance
I do not want anything do to with your dog.

I've gone from being initially terrified to becoming more confident at giving people a piece of my mind whenever any of the above happens.
Owning a dog seems to be the sign of not caring about others in my area at least.

twolf | 29.01.22 - 1:05 p.m. | #

Absolutely spot on. I wouldn't say that I've ever been entirely comfortable around dogs but haven't completely gotten over being attacked by an alsatian 23 years ago as I was passing a couple walking their dog in the local park. They left me on the floor with a bloody wound and carried on their walk, while I ended up in hospital. It's hard to think of any dog as not a risk after such a random attack.

Jack | 30.01.22 - 11:11 a.m. | #











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