Fear of larger canines’ dogs is very real, but it can be overcome!
How can we overcome our fear of man’s best friend? What are the treatments available to alleviate this terror-inducing lifestyle? We’ll tell you what’s causing your dog’s unwanted behavior & create a custom training plan. We don’t train dogs the same because not every dog is the same. That’s the beauty of it! No commitment required. Free phone consultation. Call (540) 448-6788.
Dogs may be man’s best friend but not everyone sees them this way.
Everyone loves dogs except those who are allergic. Cynophobia, or fear of dogs, is a condition that causes a person to dislike canines. An estimated 5 percent of Americans have panic attacks when they see a dog.
Why We Are Afraid
A person’s experience with dogs can play a significant role in their fear. Perhaps they have been attacked by a dog or witnessed one attack another. Sometimes fears such as cynophobia are not related to cultural conditioning or traumatizing personal experiences.
Richmond Virginia’s Premier Dog Trainer – Proudly serving all of Virginia since 1983.
The Georgia Center For OCD and Anxiety, says that some people fear dogs because they have had a secondary or direct experience with a dog attack. No matter what the root cause of a person’s cynophobia may be, exposure is the best treatment. The treatment of anxiety is not possible if the fearful situation or object is avoided. This means that children who have a dog as a pet are less likely to become cynophobic than children who don’t often get to interact with dogs. However, a therapist wouldn’t suggest that a person with cynophobia go to a dog shelter or walk in a park.
Fear is a skill that can be learned
Research has proven cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) And more specifically, a technique called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to be the best therapy for treating anxiety disorders such as phobias. To be able to let go of fear and allow one to face the fears, it is important to “face” what you are afraid of. CBT treats both fears and anxieties. ERP is a form of CBT that involves gradually confronting fear until it becomes less intense. This involves managing your expectations about the treatment they will receive for your phobia.
To conquer a fear of dogs, one must first assess the person’s fear level on a scale from zero to 10.
10 is considered debilitating. It is important to tell the person that they can lower their fear level to one or two (where 10 is debilitating). Their fear about dogs is not going to dictate their lives. Although therapists and clinics who specialize in treating cynophobia offer a range of strategies to ease a fear of dogs to people with crippling anxiety, experts agree that exposure to a friendly, real dog will be the best.
Take it slow
Fears could include being around dogs or hearing dogs bark. ERP therapy starts with the most frightening dog association, perhaps hearing a story about a pet dog. The therapist may then introduce cartoon dog characters and then screen shots from a live-action movie with a dog scene. Finally, the therapist might show scenes of a docile canine in a movie. “We start at the level that the client feels comfortable with and then slowly and gradually — only with the client leading this step-up — we move up the hierarchy and deal with anxiety-provoking triggers.”
K9 Solutions dog obedience trainers in Richmond VA Beach, VA, near you, focus on the “praise” method, using verbal hand and leash commands. We do not use food rewards or fear tactics! We also work with people in Richmond VA Beach, ensuring that you and your family will be personally instructed on how to handle your newly trained dog in Richmond VA Beach and how to reinforce good behavior patterns.
Auburn and his dog trainers in Richmond VA Beach and the entire staff are knowledgeable and experienced with all dog breed varieties and come highly recommended by veterinarians in Richmond VA Beach, VA, and other pet professionals. Our Dog Trainers in Richmond VA Beach will love and care for your dog as one of our own! We look forward to speaking with you and getting started! Call today, as enrollment is limited!
Richmond
Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is among America’s oldest major cities. Patrick Henry, a U.S. Founding Father, famously declared “Give me liberty or give me death” at its St. John’s Church in 1775, leading to the Revolutionary War. The White House of the Confederacy, home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis during the Civil War, is now a museum in Court End, a neighborhood known for Federal-style mansions. ― Google
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