MY SON IS AFRAID OF DOGS: HOW CAN YOU HELP HIM GET OVER IT

Children and dogs form a perfect binomial, and on more than one occasion we have echoed wonderful stories starring them. In general, children and dogs understand and love each other, take care of each other, help each other and become great companions of games and adventures.

But there are also children for whom dogs are not only not friends, but they fear them. Children who change their sidewalk when they see a dog walking on the street, who shout or get nervous if the animal approaches them, and do not enjoy their company like other children their age do. What can we do if our child is afraid of dogs?

Why is my son afraid of dogs?

It is very difficult to determine the cause for which a child is afraid of dogs, although there are times when parents do seem to be clear. Among the possible causes that arouse fear in the child would be:

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The unknown

In most cases, the fear of dogs is the Sequence of facing something unknown; that is, it is a logical and natural reaction typical of those children who have not been raised with dogs or are in regular contact with them.

Not knowing how these animals interact and what reaction can be expected from them, it is logical that they show some suspicion when they intersect with one.

Environment Comments

On other occasions, that fear may come unfounded by comments the child hears from adults and that contribute to generate in your mind an altered image of dogs.

This occurs, for example, when parents are also afraid of these animals and so manifest in front of the child, or when the dog figure is used to force the child to do something ("If you don't stop crying that puppy will come to bite you", "if you don't eat the food, the dog will come and steal it").

Bad experiences

If instead, your son wasn't afraid of dogs and suddenly he starts having itIt may be due to a bad experience that you may not even have noticed. Sometimes an unexpected bark is enough while stroking him, a shocking scene in a movie, or any other reaction of the animal, - not necessarily dangerous, - to scare a small child.

Special mention deserves the terrible experience of the child who is attacked by a dog.

Phobia or fear?

Experts point out that the first thing we should do when a child is afraid of dogs is to make sure that it is really fear and not a phobia, because based on that we will act in one way or another.

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If we talk about fear, the child will react by alerting to the presence of a dog. It is likely that the heart will accelerate, feel a knot in the stomach and if it goes from our hand, we squeeze it hard. When the dog passes by, the situation will return to normal and the child will relax.

But if we talk about phobia to dogs, the reaction that the child will show will be excessive and will be accompanied by a picture of anxiety that incapacitates or overcomes him, reaching to alter his life with changes of plans or avoidance.

A clear example of dog phobia is when the child cries and screams uncontrollably when he sees one, seeks to change the sidewalk or even avoids going to the home of family or friends who have this pet. To treat the phobia we must go to a child psychologist.

Tips to help children overcome fear of dogs

Once we are clear that it is not a phobia, we can carry out the following tips to help our son overcome his fear of dogs:

Respect your fear: being afraid is something free and personal, so it is important that the child feels respected and not ridiculed with his feelings. And sometimes, with the intention of helping, we downplay your fear by saying that "it is nonsense" or "nothing happens", and far from contributing positively, we can make the problem worse.
Don't force him: Never force the child to approach a dog if he doesn't want to, but don't avoid the encounter either. For example, do not change your sidewalk if you cross a dog in the street, and if you are walking with your child and you want to caress one (after consulting with its owner), do it and have your child see it, but not force him to do it too.

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Progressive approaches: As the child gains confidence, we will foster progressive approaches to this animal. To do this, we can ask for help from family or friends who have quiet dogs and who are used to dealing with children.
Teach the child how to approach dogs: But before your child makes contact with a dog it is important to teach him how to do it. The child should be calm, approach the animal ahead and slowly, and show the open hands for the animal to smell them. A few seconds later you can gently stroke the spine or head, avoiding touching the tail or snout.
Explain how dogs react: It is also important that the child knows how dogs interact with people, as well as the reactions that can be expected when we approach them. This will help you understand them and not be scared.

For example, explain that it is normal for dogs to have their mouths open and gasp, to move their tails vigorously if they are happy, that they want to sniff or even lick us when we pet them, and that there are dogs that stand on their two legs.

First of all, respect: and as a last but essential advice, it is to instill in the child the love and respect towards animals, not only because all living beings deserve it, but because dogs, however noble and peaceful some may be, do not cease to be animals They may have a bad reaction to violent behavior by a child, such as pulling the tail or ears.

If your child feels respected, understood and not judged in their feelings, in addition to being confident and safe thanks to your example, the fear of dogs will be something temporary that you end up overcoming.