Handling dog phobia and aggression

By Caroline Wilkinson

It is appropriate for children to be cautious around unfamiliar dogs but when caution becomes intense and interferes with daily activities, it can be classified as cynophobia or the fear of dogs.

This fear can be triggered by any negative experience with a dog, such as being bitten or chased or develop without any obvious cause; sometimes even from fictional situations if your child has a vivid imagination.

Parents can also pass on their own fears; for example, pulling back their child from approaching a new dog. While it’s a good idea to educate your child to be cautious around dogs, especially if they’re over-enthusiastic and wanting to greet every dog you meet, forcefully restricting your child’s movements could potentially increase their fear responses in the future.

The best way to help those kids who are keen to say ‘hello’ is teaching them to always ask the person walking the dog if it’s okay to approach; and then how to calmly greet a dog.

When a child has severe fears, for example, to the extent of not even being able to view images of dogs, it is worth considering professional help from a psychologist.

If the fear is at a lower level, borne of inexperience, seeking out a pet professional who works with kids and dogs is really helpful. A pet professional can guide your child towards a better understanding of dogs around them.

Canine body language is often misinterpreted. For instance, wagging tails don’t ALWAYS mean the dog is happy. Helping

Managing your dog around unfamiliar children

Your dog may love your own young family, but not all dog:child interactions go smoothly. Kids can be unpredictable, leading to unexpected aggression from frightened dogs. Boisterous dogs can also cause stress for children who fear them.

Proper supervision is vital whenever kids and dogs spend time together, even more so when they don’t know each other. It only takes a split second for things to go wrong, which can end in injury or stress all round. With appropriate precautions, you can help to ensure that your dog and any unfamiliar children can coexist happily and safely.

It’s important to manage every situation where your dog spends time around unfamiliar children. In busy parks, keep your dog on a lead if they have poor recall, ensuring plenty of space between yourselves and other children. At home, help your dog to feel relaxed behind a child gate, where you can easily separate them from any visiting children. Explain to young visitors how they can safely interact with your dog.

children understand what a dog is trying to communicate can help them appreciate dogs as a species, instilling confidence when they see them.

Teaching children how to interact with dogs will help reduce the chance of a defensive response. For example, touching dogs on their chest or side of their body rather than their heads. It can also be helpful to give your child treats to throw towards a dog from a distance so both have time to consider if they want to say ‘hello’.

Cynophobia can be challenging to manage but with proper understanding and support, it can be overcome.

Caroline Wilkinson is a Certified Animal Behaviourist and KAD (Kids Around Dogs) Trainer. As the Founder of digital pet coaching service Barket Place (www.barketplace.co.uk), Caroline has a passion for improving connections between human and hound, with a focus on relationships and reducing stress for canines living in a human world.

Dealing with boisterous or aggressive dogs

Encountering a seemingly-aggressive dog while out for a walk can be scary both for children and their parents. It may be that the dog in question is simply untrained and overexcited and means no harm at all - but this doesn’t reduce the stress your child may experience.

When out and about, keep a distance from dogs who appear not to be under control. Stay calm if a dog does approach you, breathing slowly and avoiding direct eye contact. Most dogs will just want to come and sniff you but be alert for stiff body language, warning growls or showing of their teeth.

Teach your child to stay still and quiet when a dog approaches as if they’re a tree, folding their branches (arms) around themselves. If your child happens to be on the floor, ask them to pretend to be a rock, curling their body in tightly and staying still.

Call out to the dog’s carer and politely ask them to recall their dog immediately.