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What Is the Fear of Dogs? (Cynophobia)

Cynophobia , the phobia (excessive fear) of dogs, is a type of anxiety disorder. Cynophobia is more than being afraid of dogs or not wanting to be around them. This type of fear interferes with your daily activities. Cynophobia often develops at a young age and is sometimes (but not always) the result of a traumatic encounter with a dog.

This article discusses cynophobia and its symptoms, diagnosis, causes, and treatment options.

Dowell / Getty Images

What Is the Fear of Dogs?

Many people are afraid of dogs, or at least uncomfortable around canines, and take steps to avoid them. However, cynophobia is more than simply being afraid of dogs. Cynophobia is a persistent, irrational fear of dogs that causes severe anxiety symptoms.

People with cynophobia may go out of their way to stay away from dogs, even avoiding going for walks or visiting people they know who have a dog.

This fear is often worse than the actual threat presented by being around a dog. In reality, there are times when being around a dog can be dangerous. However, cynophobia causes a person to believe that all dogs are vicious and ready to attack.

What Are Symptoms of Cynophobia?

You don't have to be in the presence of a dog to experience the symptoms of cynophobia. In fact, just thinking about dogs can trigger an anxiety attack. Symptoms can include:

• Heart racing or pounding
• Stomach pain
• Shortness of breath
• Sense of "impending doom"

Adults with cynophobia may recognize that their fear of dogs is excessive or unrealistic, but they are unable to control the symptoms it causes. Children may be less likely to separate rational versus irrational fears.

Risk Factors for Developing a Fear of Dogs

The biggest risk factor for developing cynophobia is having an encounter with a dog that triggers an extreme emotional response. Usually, but not always, the scary encounter that triggers cynophobia happens in childhood.

Some people may be more likely to develop cynophobia than others, including people with:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• A history of panic attacks or panic disorder
• Other phobias
• A family history of phobia
• Substance abuse disorder
• Post traumatic stress disorder

Cynophobia can be a learned behavior, too. If you grow up with a caretaker who fears dogs, or in a culture that fears dogs, you may be more inclined to develop the phobia yourself.

Cynophobia can develop if a dog has attacked you or someone you know. Cynophobia can arise from being:

• Bitten by a dog
• Chased by a dog
• Repeatedly growled at by a dog
• Infected with a disease that came from a dog, such as tapeworm

You can also develop a phobia by hearing or reading about someone else's traumatic experience, even if you don't know the person. Phobias can be "inherited" or learned from caregivers during childhood, too.

An imbalance in certain chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters , can also lead to anxiety disorders, including phobias. Two neurotransmitters that can contribute to anxiety are dopamine and serotonin.

Not all phobias have a cause. Some people may be inherently afraid of dogs without experiencing a traumatic event.

Mental health professionals like psychiatrists make diagnoses of specific phobias, such as fear of dogs. This type of anxiety disorder is diagnosed by meeting certain criteria outlined in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ( DSM-5 ). These include:

• Excessive, unreasonable fear that occurs in the presence of dogs or when anticipating being around dogs
• Immediate anxiety response when exposed to dogs
• Understanding that your fear is out of proportion to the actual threat of being around a dog
• Avoiding dogs—to the extent that it interferes with your daily activities
• Fear that has persisted for at least six months

Treatment for Cynophobia

Several types of treatment are available for cynophobia, including exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and medication.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a technique that entails exposing a person to the stimulus they fear in a safe, carefully-controlled environment until the fear goes away.

Exposure therapy for cynophobia can take two forms:

• Exposure to actual dogs: Sessions might begin with talking about dogs, then progress to looking at pictures of dogs, seeing dogs from a distance, then eventually touching a dog. Sessions are guided by a therapist who can coach the individual through their fear and anxiety.
• Exposure to virtual reality (VR) dogs: While the ultimate goal is exposure to actual dogs, exposure to virtual dogs using a VR headset offers a great starting point for people with severe cynophobia.

While it is widely considered the "gold standard" for treating cynophobia, exposure therapy is somewhat controversial.

The main argument against exposure therapy is that it evokes distress in people who may be unwilling to engage in the therapy in the first place. Whether or not children are capable of properly consenting to exposure therapy is also debated.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy. The main focus of cognitive behavioral therapy is to identify faulty thought patterns and learn how to change your behaviors. For example, your therapist can help you face your irrational fear of dogs and teach you ways to cope with your anxiety disorder symptoms.

Relaxation and Mindfulness Techniques

Phobias are based on irrational, persistent thoughts that distract you from what is going on around you. Relaxation and mindfulness techniques can help bring your mind back to the present and reduce your anxiety symptoms caused by your irrational fear of dogs.

• Breathing exercises : When you're feeling anxious, take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Diaphragmatic breathing can reverse some of the physical symptoms of stress caused by your fears.

Breathing Exercise

• Lie down or sit in a comfortable position.
• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
• Breathe in slowly through your nose. Fill your belly with air. Try not to allow your chest to rise.
• Purse your lips as if blowing out candles, and slowly breathe out.
• Repeat for several breaths.
• Guided imagery : This technique involves listening to a voice (and sometimes music) to help you imagine you are in a calming environment.
• Visualization : This technique is used to help you picture a situation where you are around a dog but without fear and anxiety.

Medications

The most common medication type used for phobias is benzodiazepines, such as Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam). These medications are short-acting and work best when used right before confronting your phobia.

Other types of medications can be used to treat anxiety disorders, including specific phobias. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) affect levels of serotonin in your brain to decrease symptoms of anxiety. Common SSRIs include Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Celexa (citalopram).

Cynophobia is more than just being afraid of dogs. This irrational, persistent fear can keep you from enjoying everyday life—you even might avoid visiting places because there's a chance a dog might be in the vicinity. A mental health professional such as a psychiatrist can diagnose you and get you started on a treatment regimen. Psychotherapy, mindfulness, and medications can be useful and effective treatments to help you overcome a phobia.

Perelman School of Medicine. Specific phobias .

Theravive. Specific phobia DSM-5 300.29 (ICD-10-CM multiple codes) .

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Tackling irrational fears in children and teens .

Tyner S, Brewer A, Helman M, Leon Y, Pitchard J, Schlund M. Nice doggie! Contact desensitization plus reinforcement decreases dog phobias for children with autism . Behav Anal Pract . 2016 Mar;9(1):54-57. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0113-4

Giraudet C, Liu K, McElligott A, Cobb M. Are children and dogs best friends? A scoping review to explore the positive and negative effects of child-dog interactions . PeerJ . 2022 Dec;10(1):e14532. doi:10.7717/peerj.14532

Boston Children's Hospital. Phobias symptoms and causes .

American Psychological Association. What is cognitive behavioral therapy? .

St. Luke's Health. Focus yourself with this step-by-step guide to diaphragmatic breathing .

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles. Medication for phobias .

Psych Central. Specific phobia treatment .

By Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHT Aubrey Bailey is a physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience providing in-person and online education for medical personnel and the general public.

What is Cynophobia?

Last updated on 3rd May 2023

In this article

So many people love and own dogs in the UK. In fact, 59% of households in the UK owned pets in 2020/2022, which equates to 17 million households, and there are approximately 34 million domestic animals in these 17 million households.

Dogs are the UK’s most popular pets, with 13 million in 34% of UK households in 2022, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association ( PFMA ). Statista identified London and the South East as having the lowest percentage of dog ownership with 9% and 21% of households owning a dog respectively, and the North East and Northern Ireland as having the highest percentage of dog ownership, with 36% and 31% of households owning a dog respectively.

However, many people fear dogs; they have a phobia about them. Phobias are a persistent and often irrational fear of an object or situation. The term phobia comes from the Greek Phóbos, meaning “fear” or “panic”. According to the NHS, around 10 million people across the UK suffer from a phobia. ITV’s This Morning phobia experts, the Speakmans , have listed their top ten phobias that they have provided support for, and Cynophobia is at number 9:

1. Emetophobia – 16% of people suffer from emetophobia, a fear of vomiting or seeing others be sick.

2. Claustrophobia – the fear of confined spaces affects 23% of British people.

3. Acrophobia – fear of heights . This is the UK’s most common phobia; 37% of people suffer from it.

4. Arachnophobia – 31% of people have arachnophobia , the fear of spiders.

5. Aerophobia – the fear of flying . This is believed to affect one in ten of the population; however, some studies suggest that the proportion is much higher.

6. Glossophobia – giving a speech is a nightmare for many people; 23% have glossophobia, or a fear of public speaking.

7. Masklaphobia – is a fear of masks, and is surprisingly common, especially among children. However, it is important to note that this fear is often a part of normal childhood development.

8. Globophobia – the fear of balloons is troublesome for 8% of people.

9. Cynophobia – 12% of people have a fear of dogs.

10. Ichthyophobia – whilst many people are afraid of sharks specifically (Galeophobia), a lot of individuals are even afraid of small and seemingly harmless fish (Ichthyophobia).

Many people are afraid of or at least uncomfortable being around dogs and will take steps to avoid them. Cynophobia is more than being afraid of dogs or not wanting to be around dogs. Cynophobia is a persistent, irrational fear of dogs that causes severe anxiety symptoms. This type of fear interferes with your daily activities.

People with Cynophobia may go out of their way to stay away from dogs, even avoiding going for walks, staying away from visiting places because there is a chance a dog might be in the vicinity, or not visiting people who they know have a dog.

The phobia is not just limited to large dogs perceived as aggressive such as German Shepherds or Rottweilers, as a Cynophobic could be afraid of even the smallest and most inoffensive of dogs such as a Chihuahua, Pug or a miniature Poodle. Even though the person may be well aware that the vast majority of dogs pose no real threat, they may view them as being threatening and fearsome and they feel powerless to control their often all-consuming fear. In some instances, even the sound of a dog barking in the distance is enough to cause apprehension and real fear.

How common is Cynophobia?

Cynophobia, the fear of dogs is an extremely common specific phobia. A specific phobia centres around a particular object, situation, activity or animal; in this case dogs. It often develops during childhood or adolescence and may become less severe as you get older.

The Dogs Trust claims over a third of children are scared of the nation’s favourite pet. It is not clear whether these are included in the 12% of the UK population who are thought to suffer from Cynophobia. For many children, being afraid of dogs may never develop into a phobia as they perhaps get used to being around dogs and realise that the dog does not pose a danger to them. However, 12% of the population equates to many millions of people in the UK who are Cynophobic.

Who is at risk of Cynophobia?

Phobias such as Cynophobia can happen in early childhood, but they are often first seen between the ages of 15 years and 20 years. They affect both men and women equally, but men are more likely to seek treatment for phobias. Other risk factors include having a parent, sibling or child with a phobia such as Cynophobia, or going through a stressful event, such as a trauma or illness.

The environment and stressors may also play a role in making someone more at risk of developing Cynophobia. Experiencing long-term stress could also instigate feelings of depression and anxiety and diminish your ability to cope with specific situations. This, in turn, could make you feel more anxious in certain situations, which could over a lengthier period, contribute to the development of a specific phobia such as Cynophobia.

What are the symptoms of Cynophobia?

A person doesn’t have to be in the presence of a dog to experience the symptoms of Cynophobia, often just thinking about dogs, or seeing dogs on TV or in pictures or even hearing a distant dog bark can trigger an anxiety attack. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to:

• Chest pain or palpitations.
• Feeling of choking.
• Heart racing or pounding.
• Hot or cold flushes.
• Numbness or tingling sensation.
• Sense of “impending doom”.
• Shortness of breath.
• Stomach pain or knots in the stomach.

Emotional symptoms might include:

• Detached feeling from self.
• Feeling powerless over your fear.
• Feeling you may pass out or die.
• Intense need to escape situations that trigger fear.
• Loss of control.
• Panic or anxiety attacks.

When a child is exposed to the thing that they fear such as seeing or hearing a dog they may:

• Cling to an adult.
• Freeze and be unable to move or follow parental requests.
• Have a tantrum.
• Jump around hysterically.

A fear of dogs can affect a person’s life in a whole host of different ways. Many of the things that most of us take for granted such as visiting friends and family, holidaying, going for a walk in the park, visiting pub gardens, or even walking down the road can become real ordeals if there is, or might be, a dog somewhere in the picture.

Cynophobia can affect a person’s career and ability to work; for example, nurses, care workers, postal workers, delivery drivers and social workers can even be prevented from doing their job because of this irrational fear, because visiting people’s homes in the line of their work may bring them into contact with dogs.

A specific phobia such as Cynophobia can also result in other mental health complications including, but not limited to:

• Substance abuse as a form of self-medication.
• Depression.
• Thoughts of suicide .
• Increased risk of suicide attempts.
• Social withdrawal or isolation.

What causes Cynophobia?

A person experiences fear when they believe themselves to be in a potentially threatening situation. The body uses this mechanism to prime a person to deal with danger and is there to help keep them safe; this is known as fight or flight. However, this fear response may become too exaggerated or happen at times when it does not need to, causing a phobia. Researchers are not entirely sure what causes this inappropriate fear response that leads to specific phobias such as Cynophobia; however, they agree that a person can develop a phobia in several ways:

• Fear can be learned from others – a child whose parents react with fear and anxiety to dogs is also likely to respond to dogs with fear.
• Cynophobia often develops at a young age and is sometimes, but not always, the result of a traumatic encounter with a dog such as a bite. More often though, the fear originated because of a less traumatic direct contact with a dog that frightened or shocked the person, and so they became conditioned with the fear of all dogs. Usually, such an experience has taken place at some time in childhood, though in a minority of cases it may have occurred when the person was considerably older.
• A person may develop the fear through informational learning – they may read about the number of dog attacks in a year or hear a gruesome story about a dog attack on the TV, and this information may trigger a phobia.
• Sometimes the actual origin of the fear of dogs has been forgotten by the conscious mind and the dog phobic person feels as if it is a fear that they have had forever.
• Research shows that genetic factors, such as a family history of mental health conditions, may determine how likely a person is to develop a specific phobia.

What triggers Cynophobia?

Cynophobia can be triggered by being around, seeing or even thinking about dogs. Sometimes, the fear will involve all dogs, and other times the fear may be more limited to a specific breed, size or characteristic of a dog. For some people with Cynophobia, even talking about dogs can cause them to feel anxious, fearful or overwhelmed. It might develop if a dog has attacked you or someone that you know or, in some cases, there is no specific incident that pinpoints the start of the phobia.

Issues created by irresponsible dog owners are increasing, including noise nuisance, anti-social behaviour, strays and biting incidents. Irresponsible dog ownership that has become a daily nuisance for many can quickly produce a deep sense of fear at the heart of a community and can trigger Cynophobia in some people.

Cynophobia can be triggered in young children by the shock of a dog jumping up at them, or a dog barking loudly, particularly if the child has had no experience of being around dogs. It can also be triggered by the parent’s reaction to the incident.

As dogs can be found in almost any public space, it can make a fear of dogs particularly distressing and debilitating for sufferers.

How is Cynophobia diagnosed?

Phobias are not always formally diagnosed. Most people with Cynophobia are usually fully aware of the problem. However, not everyone who appears frightened, uncomfortable or fearful around dogs will have Cynophobia. Only professionals can provide a specific diagnosis after notable symptoms persist for six months or longer. Each type of phobia has its own unique set of diagnostic criteria. When diagnosing a phobia, mental health professionals must use clinical skills and judgement alongside the written list of diagnostic criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5, 5th Edition ).

One of the first steps that a health professional will take in diagnosing a phobia is deciding whether the symptoms are better explained by another disorder. Phobias such as Cynophobia can be traced to specific, concrete fears that adults often recognise as irrational.

Diagnostic criteria that are similar to all phobias include:

• It is life-limiting – a phobia is not diagnosed unless it significantly impacts the sufferer’s life in some way.
• Avoidance – some people with clinically diagnosable phobias are able to endure the feared situation or object. However, attempts to avoid the feared situation are an important criterion for diagnosing a phobia.
• Anticipatory anxiety – people with phobias tend to fixate on upcoming events that may feature the feared object or situation.

People with specific phobias such as Cynophobia, often have other anxiety disorders as well, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint the diagnosis.

If you suspect that you may have Cynophobia, talk to your GP who will be able to discuss treatment options with you. Alternatively, you can refer yourself directly to an NHS psychological therapies service ( IAPT ) without a referral from a GP.

If you are concerned about a family member or friend who may be suffering from Cynophobia, encourage them to make an appointment with their GP or to refer themselves to an NHS IAPT.

A mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist can diagnose you and get you started on a treatment programme. Psychotherapy, mindfulness and medications can be useful and effective treatments to help you overcome a phobia.

How is Cynophobia treated?

Fear of dogs, like most other phobias, is a learned behavioural response, and learned behaviours can be unlearned. There are several types of treatments available on the NHS for Cynophobia, including cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT ), relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and medication.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a type of psychotherapy. The main focus of cognitive behavioural therapy is to help you to identify faulty thought patterns and for you to learn how to change your behaviours. For example, your therapist can help you face your irrational fear of dogs and teach you ways to cope with your anxiety symptoms. CBT might include exposure therapy; that is, gradual exposure to the thing a person fears until the anxiety response goes away. This type of treatment begins with exposure to the least-threatening stimulus first and doesn’t progress until you can be with that stimulus without experiencing anxiety. For example, you might begin with talking about dogs, then progress to looking at pictures of dogs, seeing dogs from a distance, then eventually touching a dog.

Medication isn’t usually recommended for treating phobias, because talking therapies are usually effective and don’t have any side effects. However, medication may sometimes be prescribed to treat the effects of phobias, such as anxiety. Antidepressants are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often prescribed to treat anxiety, social phobia or panic disorder.

These can include:

• Escitalopram (Cipralex).
• Sertraline (Lustral).
• Paroxetine (Seroxat).

There are, however, common side effects of these medications and these might include:

• Sleep problems (insomnia).
• Upset stomach.

They may also initially make your anxiety worse, and can cause sexual problems.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that is licensed to treat some phobias. However, the side effects of this medication can include:

• Blurred vision.
• Constipation.
• Difficulty urinating.
• Drowsiness.
• Heart palpitations.
• Tremors (shaking).

Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that are categorised as minor tranquillisers. They include medicines such as diazepam (Valium) and are sometimes used on a short-term basis at the lowest possible dose to treat severe anxiety.

Beta-blockers are often used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as heart problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). They are also sometimes prescribed to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as heart palpitations. Beta-blockers slow down your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker that is commonly used to treat anxiety.

However, there are possible side effects and these include:

• Cold fingers.
• Sleep problems.
• Stomach problems.

Another treatment for Cynophobia is hypnotherapy; however, this is not available on the NHS and sessions can cost between £75 and £200.

How to deal with Cynophobia

Dogs are the most popular pets in the world, so there are a lot of dogs around; as a result it is very difficult to avoid dogs. Dogs are also featured in films, TV shows and frequently pop up in social media posts, so being able to deal with the phobia will lead to a better quality of life with a lot less unnecessary stress. Spending your life avoiding parks and walking outside will not only be bad for your physical health but also your mental health, and if you have children, you could pass this debilitating fear on to them.

Phobias are based on irrational, persistent thoughts that distract you from what is going on around you. Distraction and grounding techniques are a helpful strategy to use when you are faced with a situation involving dogs, or in fact any phobia. Grounding basically means to bring your focus to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. These techniques can help bring your mind back to the present and reduce your anxiety symptoms caused by your irrational fear of dogs. They use your five senses or tangible objects – that is, things that you can touch – to help you move through your distress.

Here are some examples of grounding and distraction techniques that you can try:

• Breathing deeply – slowly inhale, then exhale. If it helps, you can say or think “in” and “out” with each breath. Feel each breath filling your lungs and note how it feels to push it back out..
• Distract yourself – there are several ways to distract your mind so that it stops thinking about your fear of dogs that is worrying you and focuses on something that isn’t emotionally driven. Count backwards by 7, starting at 100. It isn’t that easy and needs you to concentrate. Another way is to try and think of a first name for every letter of the alphabet and say each name out loud; some letters will be more difficult than others. These mind games can also be helpful to do when you are finding it hard to sleep. .
• The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique – sit comfortably, close your eyes and take a couple of deep breathes, in through your nose (count to 3), out through your mouth (to the count of 3). Now open your eyes and look around you and name out loud: – Five things that you can see, either in the room or out of the window, or anywhere around you if you are outside. – Four things that you can feel such as the texture of the material on your chair or your clothing. What does your hair feel like? What is in front of you that you can touch? – Three things that you can hear, for example traffic noise or birds outside. When you are quiet and actually listening, things in your room are constantly making a noise but typically we don’t hear them. – Two things that you can smell – hopefully these are pleasant smells. – One thing that you can taste – when doing this grounding technique, it is useful to have something to taste at hand such as fruit or a sweet or savoury snack. When you taste whatever it is that you have chosen, take a small bite and let it swill around your mouth for a couple of seconds, really savouring the flavour. Take a deep breath to end.
• Move your body – do a few exercises or stretches, put on some music and dance. Try jogging on the spot. Pay attention to how your body feels with each movement and when your hands or feet touch the floor or move through the air.
• Visualise – think of your favourite place. This might be a holiday beach, a garden, your home, a restaurant; wherever it is, using each of your senses, imagine the noises you hear, the objects you see, and the scents you can smell. Try to recall the last time you went there. Think about what you did there and how it felt at the time.

Making simple lifestyle changes may help reduce the symptoms of Cynophobia, such as panic attacks.

These could include:

• Taking regular exercise.
• Eating regular, healthy meals.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Reducing or avoiding caffeine and other stimulants.

If a family member or friend is suffering from Cynophobia, take their phobia seriously. You may not understand it and you may not even understand how someone could have a fear of dogs; however, remember that the phobia is very real to them. Let them know that their feelings are valid.

You may be tempted to encourage the person to face their fears; however, this can be harmful, as to pressure someone to do something they are not comfortable with can intensify anxiety. Facing the fear can be a useful technique to overcoming Cynophobia, but it is probably better left to the professionals. You can help them with distraction and grounding techniques such as those described above when they are exposed to their Cynophobia and experiencing anxiety.

Final thoughts

In whatever way that Cynophobia is affecting you, and however much or little it affects your daily life, you do not have to live with it. Know that there are people who can help you. With the right support in place, you can feel better and learn to better manage your fears or to overcome them completely.

Some advice and support contacts that can help with Cynophobia include:

• Anxiety UK Helpline: 03444 775 774 Text support service: 07537 416905.
• MIND 03444 775 774 (helpline) 07537 416 905 (text).
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies ( BABCP ).
• No More Panic chatroom .
• No Panic Helpline 0300 772 9844 Youth Helpline 0330 606 1174.
• Triumph Over Phobia ( TOP UK ) Telephone 01225 571740.

Understanding phobias

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Megan has worked with CPD Online College since August 2020, she is in charge of content production, as well as planning, managing and delegating tasks. Megan works closely with our writers, voice artists, companies and individuals to create the most appropriate and relevant content as well as also using and managing SEO. She gained her Business Administration Level 3 qualification over the duration of being at CPD Online College as well. Outside of work Megan loves to venture to different places and eateries as well as spending quality time with friends and family.

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Confronting Cynophobia: DBT Skills as a Beacon of Hope

For many, dogs symbolize friendship, loyalty, and affection. However, for individuals grappling with cynophobia – the intense fear of dogs – even a distant bark or an innocent tail wag can trigger paralyzing anxiety. Understanding and addressing this phobia is essential for improving the quality of life for affected individuals. Enter Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a therapeutic technique that has demonstrated efficacy in treating a range of phobias, including cynophobia. This article sheds light on the nature of cynophobia and the potential of DBT as an effective coping mechanism.

Cynophobia: A Deeper Look

It's imperative to gain insight into the roots and manifestations of this condition to address it effectively.

Symptoms and Manifestations

According to Miami University , individuals with cynophobia often exhibit:

• Extreme anxiety or fear at the sight or even thought of dogs.
• Physical reactions such as palpitations, shaking, and sweating.
• Avoidance behaviors, like crossing the street to avoid a dog or avoiding places where dogs might be present.

Potential Causes of Cynophobia

The fear can stem from various factors, including:

• Previous traumatic encounters with a dog.
• Cultural or familial beliefs associating dogs with danger.
• In some cases, even a distressing scene in a movie involving dogs can be the catalyst.

The Role of DBT in Combatting Cynophobia

DBT , grounded in both acceptance and change, provides a robust framework for understanding and managing reactions associated with phobias.

Foundational DBT Techniques

The following are core principles of DBT :

• Mindfulness: Promotes being fully present in the current moment and observing emotions and sensations without criticism.
• Distress Tolerance: Cultivates skills to cope with and endure negative emotions without reacting impulsively.
• Emotion Regulation: Teaches ways to recognize and modulate emotional reactions.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Enhances skills to manage relationships and interact assertively, a crucial component for those avoiding social situations due to their phobia.

DBT for Cynophobia: An Overview

Using DBT , affected individuals can:

• Challenge Phobic Thoughts: Recognize and address irrational beliefs about dogs.
• Engage in Grounding Exercises: Use mindfulness strategies to remain anchored during anxious episodes.
• Progressive Exposure: Gradually and systematically confront the fear, starting with pictures of dogs, then distant interactions, and so on.

Adopting DBT in Everyday Life

To maximize the benefits of DBT , it's essential to weave its techniques into daily routines.

Routine Mindfulness Exercises

For those dealing with cynophobia:

• Set aside dedicated moments each day to practice mindfulness through breathing or sensory exercises.
• Practice mindfulness during potentially triggering situations, like walks in a park.

Embracing a DBT-Driven Community

Joining communities or support groups focusing on DBT can offer:

• Peer experiences and success stories that motivate and inspire.
• Group exercises and shared sessions, amplifying the learning and healing process.

The Way Forward with DBT

Cynophobia, though deeply distressing, can be managed and minimized.

Regular Practice and Persistence

Through continuous engagement with DBT:

• The emotional and physical reactions to dogs can become less intense and frequent.
• Over time, interactions with or around dogs might become neutral or even pleasant.

Staying Updated on DBT

Engaging with new research and literature on DBT can provide:

• Innovative techniques and methodologies to further bolster the therapeutic process.
• An ongoing sense of commitment to the therapy, ensuring sustained benefits.

Advantages of Integrating DBT into Therapeutic Protocols for Cynophobia

Many therapeutic strategies exist for addressing phobias, but DBT stands out due to its multifaceted and holistic approach.

Focus on Acceptance and Change

DBT operates on the principle of balancing acceptance of one's current situation with the commitment to change. For someone with cynophobia:

• Acceptance helps in acknowledging the fear without undue judgment.
• The change-oriented aspect propels the individual toward actionable steps to reduce the phobia.

Skill Generalization

One of the distinctive features of DBT is its emphasis on applying learned skills to various situations. As individuals practice these skills:

• They find it easier to apply the same coping mechanisms in different anxiety-provoking scenarios.
• This versatility enhances the overall adaptability and resilience of the individual, extending benefits beyond just the phobia.

Possible Challenges and Solutions in Using DBT for Cynophobia

Every therapeutic approach has its challenges, and recognizing them ensures a smoother healing journey.

Initial Resistance to Exposure

One of the cornerstones of DBT for phobias is the idea of graded exposure, which can be daunting. To overcome this:

• Starting with very mild exposure, such as listening to a dog's bark without seeing the dog, can be helpful.
• Combining exposure with mindfulness techniques can ease anxiety during the process.

Overcoming Setbacks

It's natural for individuals to experience setbacks, where their fear might intensify temporarily. To navigate this:

• Emphasize the dialectical nature of DBT – every setback is an opportunity for growth and learning.
• Engage in reflective practices to understand triggers and refine coping strategies.

Final Thoughts: The Transformative Power of DBT for Cynophobia

Fear, when left unchecked, can take a toll on life's quality and richness. Cynophobia, with its roots possibly buried in past traumatic events or learned behaviors, can restrict individuals from enjoying simple pleasures like a walk in the park. However, hope is tangible. With DBT, individuals not only acquire tools to manage their phobia but also gain deeper insights into their emotional responses. As they navigate their journey from fear to freedom, every step, every DBT skill applied, brings them closer to a life where dogs are not threats but just another part of the world around them.

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Fear of Dogs Is Real But Treatable

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Everybody loves dogs , except the people who don't. For those with cynophobia (fear of dogs), their distaste for canines isn't a preference, it's a real, and sometimes debilitating, fear. For some people — an estimated 5 percent of Americans — just the sight of a dog can bring on a full-blown panic attack.

Imagine, then, how severely cynophobia can impact a sufferer's social life: Their fear of dogs can turn a neighborhood stroll into an ordeal, not to mention the problems that come with visiting the homes of friends or family members with a pooch, or even going out to public places where dogs might show up. Even a rigorously trained service dog in the grocery store can make someone with cynophobia feel panicky.

But how do we develop a fear of man's best friend, and what treatments are out there to offer relief from a lifestyle-cramping terror of canines?

Why We're Afraid

Mastering the fear, take it slow.

The reasons someone might become afraid of dogs to begin with are diverse, but cultural influences like religion , race or geography might contribute to it. Often an individual's previous personal experience with dogs plays a big role in their fear — maybe they've experienced a dog attack themselves or witnessed a dog attacking someone else. But sometimes fears like cynophobia have nothing to do with cultural conditioning or traumatic personal experiences.

"Some people may fear dogs not because of any direct or secondary experience with an actual dog attack, but because of the chemical imbalance that causes the development of anxiety disorders, like a specific phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)," says Kasey Brown, a therapist at the Georgia Center for OCD and Anxiety .

Regardless of what the root cause of someone's cynophobia is, the treatment for it — and, indeed most other intense fears — is basically the same: exposure. Avoidance of the feared situation or object does nothing for the treatment of a specific anxiety, and it follows that small children who grow up with a dog in the house are much less likely to develop cynophobia than those who rarely ever meet a dog. But this doesn't mean a therapist would suggest to a cynophobic person that they should go hang out at the dog shelter or take a walk around a dog park right off the bat.

For decades, research has shown cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) , and specifically a technique called exposure and response prevention (ERP), to be the most effective therapy to treat anxiety disorders like phobias. In order to achieve a state where a fear no longer dictates one's daily activities, it's important to eventually "face" whatever is frightening. CBT addresses both the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate fear and anxiety — after all, every fear has beliefs behind it regarding the likelihood or seriousness of dangers posed by feared situations or things.

ERP, a type of CBT, involves slowly confronting a fear until it gradually becomes less intense. The method begins with managing the expectation of what the treatment for their phobia is, and what it isn't:

"As an anxiety therapist, I will never tell anyone that their anxiety — whatever form it might take —  is 'curable'," Brownsays. "Biologically, that's not how anxiety and its treatment work. It is absolutely possible, however, for someone to get to the point where they are living with a fear at a very manageable level."

For someone looking to master a fear of dogs, the first step is to assess their level of fear on a scale of zero to 10 (where 10 is debilitating). It's important to let the person know that it's possible to lower that level of fear to a one or two, even if it starts at a 10 — eventually they'll get to the point where an errant fearful thought might pop up occasionally, but they will be able to move past it pretty easily. The goal is that their life is not dictated by fear of dogs.

Though therapists and clinics that specialize in the treatment of cynophobia suggest a variety of strategies for taking the edge off a fear of dogs, from education about how most dogs are not dangerous to developing mindfulness techniques to manage anxiety, the experts agree exposure to a real, live, friendly dog is the treatment most likely to help someone with crippling cynophobia.

"If someone comes in to therapy to try and master their fear of dogs, we will rank-order a list of triggers that they currently experience from least anxiety-provoking to the very most triggering," Brownsays. "We'll start with the trigger that's easiest to handle and move our way up the list."

The fears might include being around dogs, hearing a dog bark, and walking in a neighborhood where dogs may not be fenced or on leashes — but also seemingly small things like seeing dogs on TV, seeing dog hair on someone's couch, or hearing a story about someone's pet. In ERP therapy, the treatment starts with the dog association that seems least scary — maybe hearing a story about a dog. The therapist might then try introducing cartoon dog characters, moving on to screen shots from a live action movie with a dog scene, then perhaps watching scenes of a docile dog in a movie.

"We start at the level where the client feels comfortable enough to start, and very gradually and slowly — and only with the client leading the step-up — move up the hierarchy list and tackle the more anxiety-provoking triggers," Brownsays.

As of 2017, Americans kept 89.7 million dogs as household pets.

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Cynophobia (Fear of Dogs)

Cynophobia is the irrational fear of dogs. The term cynophobia comes from the Greek words “cyno”, which means dog, and “phobia”, which means fear. It is considered to be a “specific phobia” and is quite common among those who suffer from phobias, along with fearing other animals like sharks or spiders for example.

As is the case with most phobias, the object of their fear is often completely irrational and out of touch with reality. However, with cynophobia, there is a modicum of logic in their irrational fear of dogs due to the fact that in some instances, dogs can actually be quite dangerous. However, someone suffering from full blown cynophobia will likely magnify such rare cases of vicious dog attacks and believe them to be commonplace in society.

Their inability to think about their fear of dogs in a rational way is the crux of their anxiety. In fact, though some people suffering from cynophobia may in fact be able to rationalize that their fear is somewhat illogical, when they are in the presence of a dog they will likely be unable to withhold the same disposition. Thus, reverting back to their hyperbolic  anxious behavior .

Someone suffering from cynophobia may in fact experience anxiety that is so extreme and intrusive that they may even endure full blown panic attacks which can result in leaving them hospitalized insofar as their anxiety is intense enough. In such an instance, they can expect to experience an increase in heart rate, an increase in their rate of breathing, muscle tension, shakiness, and perspiration, among other symptoms.

Symptoms of Cynophobia

As is the case with virtually  all other phobias , anxiety will be the main symptom experienced with cynophobia. Their irrational fear of dogs will likely motivate them to do whatever they can in their power to avoid seeing a dog. This may mean isolating themselves from the outside world or it may mean them avoiding going to parks or other areas where dogs may be seen. Avoidance is one of the most common behaviors of people suffering from phobias.

Though avoiding dogs or places where dogs could be at will give them some relief from their painstaking anxiety, such a behavior could actually be causing much more damage than they may realize. For instance, if someone with cynophobia is altering their day to day life by making conscious efforts to avoid dogs, then they may actually be worsening their cynophobia due to them reassuring to themselves everyday that dogs are worthy of being feared and avoided. Such reinforcement may make for a vicious cycle which can exacerbate their symptoms of cynophobia in the long term.

Day to day life may be very challenging for someone with cynophobia due to the fact that dogs are one of the most common house pets that people have, next to  cats . With this being said, it may be quite difficult for someone with cynophobia to be able to effectively avoid seeing dogs as they are so common. Also, if they were to isolate themselves from going outside in an attempt to avoid dogs, this may open the door for them to develop additional disorders such as  social anxiety disorder  or  major depressive disorder , among others.

Below, you will see some more common symptoms of this phobia:

• Anxiety when thinking of dogs
• Anxiety when near a dog
• Unable to cope with their fear
• Rapid heart rate
• Having trouble breathing
• Muscle tension
• Shaking or trembling
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Feeling anxious/unsettled
• Hot or cold flashes
• Excessive sweating
• In fight, flight, or freeze mode

Causes of Cynophobia

There is no known cause of cynophobia. However, genetics and one’s environment may play very significant roles. For instance, if someone has a family history of mental illness, then they may have a higher chance of developing cynophobia. This may be due to them also having a higher chance of being genetically predisposed to developing mental illness in general. If someone were to have such a genetic predisposition, then it may only take them experiencing some sort of traumatic event for them to develop full blown cynophobia.

Personal experience

Someone may develop cynophobia due to a very traumatizing personal experience where they were bit or attacked by a dog. The event may have been so traumatizing and anxiety provoking that the occurrence itself caused a permanent irrational fear of dogs in them that is out of touch with reality. Their irrational fear may be so great that even watching a dog on TV or seeing a picture of a dog can bring forth intense feelings of anxiety, fear, and vulnerability. Essentially, seeing a dog at a park or on TV may muster up the same emotions they experienced when they were attacked days or even years prior.

Observational experience

According to the theory for fear acquisition, an observational experience would be witnessing someone else getting attacked by a dog or watching a documentary about dog fighting on TV. These observational experiences can make a permanent imprint or lasting impression on the individual to where they may develop cynophobia over time. For example, someone may develop cynophobia after their sibling was violently attacked by a dog.

Informational experience

Informational experience involves fearing something due to reading or hearing about it. You may have heard several gruesome stories about people getting attacked by dogs or you may have read statistics of dog attacks in your country and the numbers (as minuscule as they may be) took you by surprise. If someone is genetically predisposed to develop mental illness, then informational experience may be all that is necessary for someone to develop cynophobia.

Genetics is another very significant factor for someone developing cynophobia. One person may be more vulnerable to developing cynophobia than someone else is due to their genetic makeup. For example, someone who has no traceable family history of mental illness of any kind may have a much smaller chance of developing cynophobia than someone whose parents both have anxiety disorders. So, taking a closer look at your family’s mental health may help you to shed some light as to whether or not you are at risk for developing cynophobia.

Also,  research  has been done which shows that memories and learned experiences may indeed be able to be inherited biologically via chemical changes that occur in DNA. Researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, have found that mice can pass down learned information about traumatic or stressful experiences to their offspring. In this experiment, the mice inherited the fear of the smell of cherry blossom. This research provides evidence that cynophobia and other phobias may be caused from the inherited experiences of their ancestors.

Diagnostic Criteria for Cynophobia

To get diagnosed with cynophobia (and any other “specific phobia”) there are strict criteria which must be met. According to the DSM-IV-TR, the criteria of getting diagnosed with cynophobia are as follows:

• Constant fear of an object or of a specific situation
• Exposure to the feared object or situation evokes immediate anxiety
• Adults realize that their fear is excessive and irrational (this is not always the case with children)
• Exposure to the feared object or situation is often avoided or is endured with intense dread
• Their fear significantly hinders with their day to day activities
• Patients under the age of 18 have symptoms that last for at least six months
• Their anxiety, panic attacks, or avoidance behavior cannot be due to another mental disorder

Cynophobia Treatment

There are no treatments that are specifically designed to treat cynophobia. However, there are several types of treatments that can be very beneficial for treating the symptoms of phobias and anxiety disorders in general. Such is the case with exposure therapy, relaxation training, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and some medications. Below, you will see various treatment methods that can help to reduce some of the symptoms of cynophobia.

Exposure therapy for cynophobia

Exposure therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for people suffering from phobias. Fortunately, this form of therapy can be effectively used to treat cynophobia as well. This cannot necessarily be said for many other phobias, such as selachophobia ( fear of sharks ), peniaphobia (fear of poverty), and diabetophobia ( fear of diabetes ) as it would be dangerous, irresponsible, and unethical for the therapist to directly expose the patient to these things. Moreover, this is not the case with cynophobia as the patient can safely be exposed to a real dog, such as a small puppy and not be at risk for actually being harmed.

Using this form of treatment for cynophobia would involve the person becoming exposed to a dog in some capacity. Depending on the severity of their cynophobia, they will probably start off slow. Their therapist may first prompt them to look at a picture or a video of a dog. Then, the therapist may increase the exposure by having the patient observe a dog in a park while the patient is in their car, for example. Eventually, the goal would be for the patient with cynophobia to be able to be fully exposed to a real dog with little to no irrational fear.

Theoretically, the more someone is exposed to that which they fear, the less it will bother them over time. So, the more someone is exposed to dogs, the less anxiety they should experience as time goes on. Exposure therapy can be very challenging for patients, so it is very important to find a therapist that is very adept and experienced at treating phobias. For example, if the therapist were to expose the patient to too much too soon, then it may actually have a counterproductive effect by worsening their cynophobia as opposed to gradually improving it.

Relaxation training for cynophobia

This type of phobia treatment involves using calming techniques to help reduce irrational anxiety caused by cynophobia. Such relaxation training may include breathing techniques, mindfulness, and positive affirmations, among many others.

Mindfulness meditation is a very common technique that people use to help them minimize daily stress. Fortunately, it can also be used as an effective way to cope with cynophobia as well. There are many ways that one can implement mindfulness, such as by focusing the attention on the breath, on a specific sound such as the trees rustling in the wind, specific tastes while eating, sensations such as the way the heels of the feet feel while walking, and observing colors. Essentially, paying close attention to one or more of your five main senses can help to greatly reduce the anxiety experienced with cynophobia.

To help relieve some of the symptoms of cynophobia or at least some of the day to day stress that is a result of it, you may benefit from engaging in what is called mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR). This very effective educational approach to mindfulness meditation is centered around helping patients to improve their overall equanimity. However, someone doesn’t have to engage in MBSR to merely meditate as this can be done by simply noticing the sensation of the breath with each inhale and exhale. Doing so may help to calm your mind and reduce the anxiety caused by cynophobia.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for cynophobia

CBT is one of the most common forms of treatment for people suffering from anxiety disorders and can also be very effective for treating cynophobia as well. It can help the patient to learn new and effective ways to cope with their anxiety. Such skills can be extremely beneficial during the onset of a panic attack. Besides this, they can also expect to learn how to improve their cognition by discovering the root causes of their fears. Upon engaging in CBT, the patient can expect to also make much healthier behavior changes as a result.

CBT may be a healthy alternative to exposure therapy if the patient’s symptoms of cynophobia are simply too extreme for them to be exposed to any sort of stimuli involving dogs. This form of therapy may also be very beneficial for someone with cynophobia if they also have symptoms of  social anxiety  or  obsessive compulsive disorder  as CBT can help to improve these conditions as well.

CBT is very effective at helping the patient to think about their fears in a more logical way. So, someone with cynophobia can benefit immensely from this form of treatment due to the fact that much of the stress and anxiety experienced with this disorder is a result of illogical thoughts that are out of touch with reality. Also, CBT can help with emotional regulation too. This alone makes CBT very beneficial for anyone who suffers from cynophobia or any other severe form of mental illness.

Anxiety medication for cynophobia

Anti-anxiety medication or antidepressants can be very advantageous for someone suffering from cynophobia. When taken in a low dose alongside exposure therapy or CBT,  these medications  can prove to be a very effective strategy for improving someone’s symptoms of cynophobia. Be that as it may, merely taking medication alone without the use of any sort of therapy may not be very effective at long-term improvement. This would likely be due to the fact that the patient would not have learned the many skills needed to improve their anxiety and behavior. Nevertheless, this is something that you should first discuss with your doctor.

Some of the most common anti-anxiety medications used to help treat people suffering from anxiety disorders like cynophobia are Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan, and Serax, among others. These types of drugs are commonly used at the onset of a panic attack or to help prevent intense anxiety from occurring. So, someone with cynophobia may take such a medication to help them cope with their fear of dogs if they knew they would be exposed to one.

Depending on their symptoms of cynophobia, their psychiatrist may prescribe them antidepressants which will be used on a daily basis as opposed to an as-needed bases such as the case with anti-anxiety medications. Some common drugs which may help to reduce some of the symptoms of cynophobia are Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro, among others. If a patient has symptoms of cynophobia as well symptoms of depression or social anxiety, then the foregoing medications may be prescribed.

Pursed lip breathing for cynophobia

This technique can be used to help reduce the overall anxiety experienced from cynophobia. Pursed lip breathing is often used as a mindfulness meditation technique to help calm the mind and to allow the individual to become centered into the present moment. Such a technique can prove to be substantially beneficial for someone suffering from cynophobia. For example, it can be used at the onset of anxiety, during spells of anxiety, as well as a coping mechanism to help experience greater equanimity.

This technique works by taking a deep breath through your nose, pursing your lips together as if you were blowing out candles, and then blowing out through your pursed lips to lengthen the amount of time it takes for the air to be completely expelled from your lungs. This may be very advantageous for someone with cynophobia. Essentially, when your exhale is longer than your inhale, the vagus nerve sends a signal to your brain to increase activation of your parasympathetic nervous system and to decrease activation of your sympathetic nervous system.

For someone suffering form cynophobia, this can be very beneficial as the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for releasing hormones such as cortisol which help to prepare the body for fight or flight. The is the nervous system which is responsible for someone having a panic attack. So, if pursed lip breathing can help to turn down or limit sympathetic nervous system activation, then this may help to limit someone’s symptoms of cynophobia from exacerbating.

Half-smiling for cynophobia

This is another technique which may help to reduce the amount of anxiety experienced with cynophobia. Though it may seem counterproductive at first glance, half-smiling can significantly help to positively alter the way you think about your fears. So, for someone suffering with cynophobia, they can use this technique when they are in the presence of a dog or when they are in a safe environment to help them become more equanimeous.

With reference to cynophobia, this technique works by thinking of a dog which frightens you. As you think of a dog which gives you anxiety, gently raise the corners of your lips by slightly smiling. As you anxiously think of the dog while half-smiling, maintain a disposition of good-will, forgiveness, and understanding all while being nonjudgmental. Though this will likely be very challenging and antithetical to your true feelings toward dogs, it can significantly help you to improve your cynophobia if done correctly.

It is very important when using this technique to try and feel positive emotions and to have positive thoughts when thinking of a dog. If someone with cynophobia using the half-smiling technique were to do so while thinking about how much they fear dogs, thus allowing their anxiety to worsen, then this technique will likely not be beneficial. It is imperative that someone suffering with cynophobia tries to be nonjudgmental throughout the practice. Doing so should significantly help to improve their symptoms of cynophobia in the long run.

If you think you may have cynophobia or if you are suffering from some of the symptoms described in this article, then you should talk to your doctor to get properly diagnosed and treated. Upon seeing your doctor, you may then be referred to see a specialist such as a psychologist or a psychiatrist for further treatment. To ensure that all of your concerns are understood by your doctor, you may want to write down a list of questions that would like answered. This can be very useful so to ensure that you have a better understanding of all of your options for treatment.

10 Interesting Facts about Dogs

1.) they can get really jealous.

Most of us have experienced petting one dog while another dog watching walked over to get some of the love too. In such a situation, the dog not getting pet can often be heard whimpering. The mere fact that dogs can overtly experience a very human-like emotion such as jealousy may greatly exacerbate someone’s symptoms of cynophobia insofar as it adds to the erriness of the animal. This is especially the case when realizing that there are not many other animals that overtly express the emotion of jealousy in the way that dogs do.

2.) They have an amazing sense of smell

This should come to no surprise to most people as a great sense of smell is what dogs are most known for. In fact,  it’s been shown  that dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses. This is especially impressive when we take into consideration that we only have about 6 million. That means that dogs can smell about 50 times better than we can. Such a keen sense of smell may give those suffering from cynophobia a high influx of unwanted anxiety simply due to the fact that dogs will be able to know of your presence far before you will know of theirs insofar as they are detecting you using their nose.

3.) They can see very well in dim lighting

Dogs don’t have a great sense of vision as it is estimated that their eye for detail is 6 times worse than that of a human. However, it has been shown that dogs can see in light that is around 5 times dimmer than humans can. Such a fact can invoke a lot of unwanted anxiety in someone suffering from cynophobia and may make them much more hesitant to walk outside in the night.

4.) They only sweat on their nose and paw pads

The sweat glands that dogs have are located everywhere except where fur is seen. So, this means that the only areas where dogs can sweat are in their paws and on their nose. Someone with cynophobia may find this to be unsettling insofar as it may sound odd to them due to the sheer uniqueness of it. Nevertheless, with such a sparse amount of sweat glands in dogs, this may be why they can get overheated so easily, causing them to heavily pant after running or when they are in a hot environment.

5.) Dog petting lowers blood pressure

It has been shown  that petting your dog may in fact help you to lower your blood pressure. The same can likely be said for virtually any other experience which helps to increase your overall equanimity. Nevertheless, even though dog petting may be able to help lower blood pressure in the person doing the petting, such a realization may fall on deaf ears with those suffering from full blown cynophobia as the opposite will likely be the case. Someone with cynophobia can expect to experience a much higher blood pressure when petting a dog.

6.) They sometimes roll around in dead animals

Dogs may roll around in a dead animal they killed or just a dead animal in general as a means of them masking their own scent with the scent of the dead animal. This may aid them in more adeptly sneaking up on unsuspecting prey as they would not be able to easily identify the scent of the dog due to the blood and tissue remains of the dead animal overpowering the scent of the dog. Such a disturbing and grotesque display may make those with cynophobia gawk with horror due to the mere unsettling image that this behavior evokes.

7.) They eat grass for added nutrition

Most of us have seen dogs occasionally eating grass just like a cow would. At first glance, this display appears to be out of their nature. Thus, rendering it a strange and rare occurrence. However,  dogs may eat grass  to help them improve their digestion, to help treat intestinal worms, or to help them fill some other nutritional void. Though this isn’t nearly as unsettling as some of the other dog facts in this list, those with cynophobia may still find this to be anxiety provoking merely due to the fact that by eating grass for reasons of self-nourishment means that they are quite intelligent as they are doing so by means of their instinctive nature only.

8.) A newborn pup is toothless, deaf, and blind

Just as human babies are completely vulnerable to the environment around them, so are newborn puppies. Though this may not sound too surprising, it is to a certain degree as there are many different animals who can not only see and hear right out of the womb, but can even walk and run soon after birth. So, if anything, the fact that dogs come out of the womb quite helpless may give some relief to someone suffering from full blown cynophobia.

9.) A Doberman Pinscher has the strongest dog bite

Someone with cynophobia may be overly concerned with how strong a dog’s bite is. However, it should come to some relief that not all dog bites are the same, regardless of whether or not they are the same size. The Doberman Pinscher has been  shown to have  the most powerful bite at 245 PSI. For context, the German Shepherd, coming in second, has a bite force of about 238 PSI, and the Labrador Retriever, coming in at fifth, has a bite force of about 230 PSI. Such numbers may make those with cynophobia quite anxious. Thus, forcing them to be even more fearful of these dogs in particular.

10.) About 4.5 million Americans are bit per year

From records  accumulated in 2005, about 6,000-13,000 people each year end up hospitalized due to dog bites. A dog bit can be quite nasty and in some cases can be fatal. This may be the main reason as to why people with cynophobia feel the amount of fear they do. If someone were to get bit by a stray dog, there are many things that must happen, such as getting checked for rabies, infections, etc. So, the fear of getting bit by a dog will likely be one of the main causes of someone to experience the many symptoms of cynophobia.

8 Dogs to Test Your Fear

1.) Rottweiler

The aggressive nature of the Rottweiler was put to good use many years ago as they were often used to herd livestock. They are also sometimes used as police dogs, guard dogs, or rescue dogs. However, this position is commonly filled by the German Shepherd instead.

Although such uses of the Rottweiler can still be seen today, this dog can also be commonly seen as a house dog coexisting with their human family.

They can get up to a weight of 132 pounds and a height of 27 inches.

If the aggressive nature of the Rottweiler wasn’t enough to evoke symptoms of cynophobia within you, then its sheer size and muscularity may. Those with cynophobia may find the Rottweiler to be truly terrifying. However, you can still use recommendations of  how to deal with aggressive dogs  and discover ways to prevent aggression in dogs.

2.) Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky can be commonly found in Russia. It can weigh up to 65 pounds and get up to a height of about 24 inches.

Russians experiencing cynophobia will likely have a very difficult time coping with the fact that this very tenacious animal is commonplace among the cold Russian landscape.

The Siberian Husky was once bred to be a sled-dog to help aid the people living in some of the harshest snowy conditions to travel long distances, as well as to aid them in transporting goods back and forth to different areas.

The Siberian Husky can be commonly seen sporting two different eye colors, which may only increase someone’s symptoms of cynophobia due to the eeriness of it.

3.) German Shepherd

The German Shepherd can get up to a weight of 88 pounds and a height of 26 inches. This dog can be commonly seen aiding police officers as they can be easily trained, can be very aggressive, and are quite intelligent.

Such prowess may exacerbate someone’s symptoms of cynophobia at first glance. This is especially true when we look closer at all that the German Shepherd is used for by humans.

The German Shepherd was commonly used to herd sheep, but can now be seen aiding in military endeavors, search-and-rescue, as well as aiding the disabled.

Although this dog is a very popular house dog among Americans, those suffering from cynophobia may not share the same endearment for the German Shepherd, given its strength, aggressiveness, and overall intelligence.

The Boxer can get to a weight of about 71 pounds and a height of about 25 inches. Although this dog can be perceived to appear quite adorable, its very powerful bite may make you think otherwise.

Its strong jaw muscles can be seen in action as they will oftentimes use them to hang onto large prey. Such foreknowledge may instill a great amount of fear in those experiencing symptoms of cynophobia.

There are several different color variations of the boxer which gives it a unique look, such as the Red Fawn Boxer and the Reverse Brindle Boxer. Be that as it may, don’t let its attractive colors fool you, the Boxer can hold its own among the roughest dogs on the planet.

The Boxer is a pretty common house dog among Americans as it doesn’t have the reputation of being nearly as aggressive as the Rottweiler or the Siberian Husky.

5.) Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher can get up to a weight of 99 pounds and a height of about 28 inches. They are known for their graceful posture and symmetrical gait.

Looking past the Doberman Pinscher’s pretentious gait and shiny coat, they have also been known to become quite aggressive if the situation calls for it.

Such aggressiveness may evoke high amounts of anxiety in those suffering from full blown cynophobia or in those who just have some symptoms of cynophobia.

All things considered, the Doberman Pinscher is also known to be a very loving and devoted companion. In addition to this, they are also known to be very intelligent and adept at being alert watchdogs.

6.) Pit Bull

The Pit Bull can get up to a weight of about 65 pounds, though they can get much larger than this as they are quite muscular animals. They can also get to a height of about 21 inches. Pit Bull’s have a reputation as being very aggressive dogs which aren’t fit for the average household.

Although, when trained correctly, these dogs can coexist very harmoniously with most families as they are known to be very loving and affectionate animals.

Be that as it may, given its sheer muscularity, its aggressiveness in the midst of a potential threat, and the the mere size of its head and jaw, the Pit Bull is likely to give those suffering with cynophobia a very high influx of unwanted anxiety.

It is also due to the reasons just stated why many people engage in underground dog fights with Pit Bulls as they can be extremely vicious and deadly when in such a fight or flight situation.

7.) Great Dane

The Great Dane can get up to a weight of about 180 pounds and a height of about 31 inches. However, when the Great Dane stands on two legs, it can reach heights close to that of the average human.

Such a chilling fact may mean even more anxiety for someone suffering with cynophobia.

The Great Dane comes in many different colors and sizes and is most notably known for its towering height when standing on two legs. There are many different color variations, from jet black to the one shown in this article.

Although Great Dane’s don’t have the reputation that a Pit Bull or a Rottweiler has insofar as we are looking at its sheer aggressiveness/killer instinct, its impressive height and overall size will likely be enough to make those with cynophobia even that much more frightened.

8.) Wolfdog

Wolfdog’s can get up to a weight of around 60 pounds and a height of about 33 inches. The Wolfdog can only be found in certain areas as their thick coat may not be well adapted for warmer climates.

This may come to some relief for those suffering from full blown cynophobia who also reside in warmer climates.

However, although the wolfdog may not be found naturally in such climates, this dog has been known to also be a household pet.

The Wolfdog can hold its own among some of the other aggressive dogs on this list. Such foreknowledge make make it that much more difficult for someone suffering with cynophobia to be able to cope when seeing such an animal.

If you think you may be suffering from some of the symptoms of this condition, then you may benefit from therapy . Feel free to reach out to your doctor or local mental health clinic to see what your available options are and to see if there is any sort of discount or promo code available to help you with the costs of treatment , as well as if your health insurance will cover treatment costs.

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Definition of cynophobia

Word history.

Greek kyno-, combining form of kýōn, genitive kynós "dog" + -phobia — more at hound entry 1

1830, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near cynophobia

cynophilist

Cynopithecidae

Cite this Entry

“Cynophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynophobia. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

Medical definition of cynophobia.

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FEIG ELECTRONIC: Moscow-City Skyscrapers Streamline Parking Access and Control with Secure RFID

Feig electronic partners with isbc group to deploy ucode dna rfid security and parking access control solution in moscow business district.

Weilburg, Germany  — December 3,  2019  —  FEIG ELECTRONIC , a leading global supplier of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers and antennas with fifty years of industry experience, announces deployment of the UCODE DNA RFID security and parking contactless identification solution in the Moscow International Business Center, known as Moscow-City, one of the world’s largest business district projects.

The management of Moscow-City not only selected long-range, passive UHF RFID to implement in its controlled parking areas, it also chose to implement UCODE DNA , the highest form of secure RAIN RFID technology, developed by NXP Semiconductors.

Panoramic view of Moscow city and Moskva River at sunset. New modern futuristic skyscrapers of Moscow-City – International Business Center, toned

“Underscoring NXP’s innovation and leadership in developing advanced RAIN RFID technologies, our UCODE DNA was chosen to be incorporated with the FEIG and ISBC implementation of the contactless identification system in the prestigious Moscow-City,” said Mahdi Mekic, marketing director for RAIN RFID with NXP Semiconductors. “This exciting project represents yet another successful deployment of NXP’s contactless portfolio, and showcases our continued ability to meet the high-security requirements of highly demanding applications without compromising user convenience.”

“UCODE DNA is considered the only identification technology to match the physical protection of a barrier with the cybersecurity necessary to truly protect entrances from unauthorized access,” said Manuel Haertlé, senior product manager for FEIG Electronic. “As a respected contactless payment technology company, FEIG applies security know-how from its payment terminals, which are fully certified according to the latest high-class security standards, into our RFID systems. FEIG vehicle access control RFID readers incorporate advanced secure key storage elements, supporting various methods for secure key injection.”

FEIG’s partner ISBC Group provided the knowledge and support for this successful implementation using  FEIG’s long-range UHF RFID . The resulting system enables authorized vehicle entry into areas reserved for private residential use or corporate tenants, while also allowing availability of temporary, fee-based visitor parking. Thanks to the cryptographic authentication of UCODE DNA, both the tag and reader must go through an authentication procedure before the reader will validate the data from the tag, which is transmitted wirelessly. This level of authentication is typically used in the most secure data communication networks.

“The system’s two-step authentication means that only authorized equipment can handle the secure protocol and the data exchange with the UCODE DNA based tag. Without the required cryptographic secrets, other readers would query the tag in vain, because the tag’s response cannot be interpreted or understood,” said Andrey Krasovskiy, director of the RFID department at ISBC Group. “On top of this, each data exchange in the authentication process is unique, so even if a malicious actor were to intercept the communication, the transmission is only good for a single exchange and the tag’s unique identity is protected from cloning.”

Established in 1992 and still growing, Moscow-City is the revitalization and transformation of an industrial riverfront into a new, modern, vibrant and upscale business and residential district. A mix of residential, hotel, office, retail and entertainment facilities, it is located about four kilometers west of Red Square along the Moscow River. Twelve of the twenty-three planned facilities have already been completed, with seven currently under construction. Six skyscrapers in Moscow-City reach a height of at least 300 meters, including Europe’s tallest building, Federation Tower, which rises more than 100 stories.

Partnering with ISBC and deploying FEIG Electronic RFID solutions, the Moscow International Business Center is delivering security and access control to its city center today, as it grows into the city of tomorrow.

About FEIG ELECTRONIC

FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH, a leading global supplier of RFID readers and antennas is one of the few suppliers worldwide offering RFID readers and antennas for all standard operating frequencies: LF (125 kHz), HF (13.56 MHz), UHF (860-960 MHz). A trusted pioneer in RFID with more than 50 years of industry experience, FEIG ELECTRONIC delivers unrivaled data collection, authentication, and identification solutions, as well as secure contactless payment systems. Readers from FEIG ELECTRONIC, which are available for plug-in, desktop, and handheld applications, support next-generation contactless credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, NFC and access control credentials to enable fast, accurate, reliable and secure transactions. For more information, visit:  www.feig.de/en

Founded in Moscow in 2002, ISBC Group provides knowledge and support to integrators for their successful implementation of RFID and smart card-based solutions. The company specializes in the distribution of smart card equipment, contact and contactless card manufacturing, smart card and RFID personalization services, and information security.  Its Research and Design Center is focused specifically on RFID, primarily HF and UHF solutions with NXP tags, and software development for the smart card industry. For more information visit:  https://isbc-cards.com/

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Inside Russia’s penal colonies: A look at life for political prisoners caught in Putin’s crackdowns

FILE In this file photo made from video provided by the Moscow City Court on Feb. 3, 2021, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny makes a heart gesture standing in a cage during a hearing to a motion from the Russian prison service to convert the suspended sentence of Navalny from the 2014 criminal conviction into a real prison term in the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (Moscow City Court via AP, File)

FILE Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny looks at photographers standing behind a glass of the cage in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 20, 2021. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - Detained protesters are escorted by police during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Jan. 31, 2021. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Opposition leader Alexey Navalny, speaks with riot police officers blocking the way during a protest rally against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s rule in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Feb. 25, 2012. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Police block a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Jan. 23, 2021. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, file)

FILE Sasha Skochilenko, a 32-year-old artist and musician, stands in a defendant’s cage in a courtroom during a hearing in the Vasileostrovsky district court in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 13, 2022. Skochilenko is in detention amid her ongoing trial following her April 2022 arrest in St. Petersburg on the charges of spreading false information about the army. She has spent over a year behind bars. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza is escorted to a hearing in a court in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 8, 2023. Kara-Murza, another top Russian opposition figure, was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. (AP Photo, File)

FILE In this handout photo released by the Moscow City Court, Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, on April 17, 2023. Kara-Murza, another top Russian opposition figure, was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. (The Moscow City Court via AP, File)

FILE - Alexei Gorinov holds a sign “I am against the war” standing in a cage during hearing in the courtroom in Moscow, Russia, on June 21, 2022. Gorinov, a former member of a Moscow municipal council, was convicted of “spreading false information” about the army in July over antiwar remarks he made at a council session. Criticism of the invasion was criminalized a few months earlier, and Gorinov, 61, became the first Russian sent to prison for it, receiving seven years. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Andrei Pivovarov, former head of Open Russia movement stands behind the glass during a court session in Krasnodar, Russia, on June 2, 2021. Pivovarov, an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Andrei Pivovarov, former head of Open Russia movement, speaks with media in Moscow, Russia, on July 9, 2020. Pivovarov, an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year. (AP Photo/Denis Kaminev, File)

FILE - Riot police detain two young men at a demonstration in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 21, 2022. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, File)

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TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — When Alexei Navalny turns 47 on Sunday, he’ll wake up in a bare concrete cell with hardly any natural light.

He won’t be able to see or talk to any of his loved ones. Phone calls and visits are banned for those in “punishment isolation” cells, a 2-by-3-meter (6 1/2-by-10-foot) space. Guards usually blast patriotic songs and speeches by President Vladimir Putin at him.

“Guess who is the champion of listening to Putin’s speeches? Who listens to them for hours and falls asleep to them?” Navalny said recently in a typically sardonic social media post via his attorneys from Penal Colony No. 6 in the Vladimir region east of Moscow.

He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. Rallies have been called for Sunday in Russia to support him.

Navalny has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner — and not just because of his prominence as Putin’s fiercest political foe, his poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin, and his being the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary.

He has chronicled his arbitrary placement in isolation, where he has spent almost six months. He’s on a meager prison diet, restricted on how much time he can spend writing letters and forced at times to live with a cellmate with poor personal hygiene, making life even more miserable.

Most of the attention goes to Navalny and other high-profile figures like Vladimir Kara-Murza , who was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. But there’s a growing number of less-famous prisoners who are serving time in similarly harsh conditions.

Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April — more than three times the figure than in 2018, when it listed 183.

The Soviet Union’s far-flung gulag system of prison camps provided inmate labor to develop industries such as mining and logging. While conditions vary among modern-day penal colonies , Russian law still permits prisoners to work on jobs like sewing uniforms for soldiers.

In a 2021 report, the U.S. State Department said conditions in Russian prisons and detention centers “were often harsh and life threatening. Overcrowding, abuse by guards and inmates, limited access to health care, food shortages and inadequate sanitation were common in prisons, penal colonies, and other detention facilities.”

Andrei Pivovarov , an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year, said his partner, Tatyana Usmanova. The institution is notorious for its harsh conditions and reports of torture.

The 41-year-old former head of the pro-democracy group Open Russia spends his days alone in a small cell in a “strict detention” unit, and is not allowed any calls or visits from anyone but his lawyers, Usmanova told The Associated Press. He can get one book from the prison library, can write letters for several hours a day and is permitted 90 minutes outdoors, she said.

Other inmates are prohibited from making eye contact with Pivovarov in the corridors, contributing to his “maximum isolation,” she said.

“It wasn’t enough to sentence him to a real prison term. They are also trying to ruin his life there,” Usmanova added.

Pivovarov was pulled off a Warsaw-bound flight just before takeoff from St. Petersburg in May 2021 and taken to the southern city of Krasnodar. Authorities accused him of engaging with an “undesirable” organization -– a crime since 2015.

Several days before his arrest, Open Russia had disbanded after getting the “undesirable” label.

After his trial in Krasnodar, the St. Petersburg native was convicted and sentenced in July, when Russia’s war in Ukraine and Putin’s sweeping crackdown on dissent were in full swing.

He told AP in a letter from Krasnodar in December that authorities moved him there “to hide me farther away” from his hometown and Moscow. That interview was one of the last Pivovarov was able to give, describing prison life there as “boring and depressing,” with his only diversion being an hour-long walk in a small yard. “Lucky” inmates with cash in their accounts can shop at a prison store once a week for 10 minutes but otherwise must stay in their cells, he wrote.

Letters from supporters lift his spirits, he said. Many people wrote that they used to be uninterested in Russian politics, according to Pivovarov, and “only now are starting to see clearly.”

Now, any letters take weeks to arrive, Usmanova said.

Conditions are easier for some less-famous political prisoners like Alexei Gorinov , a former member of a Moscow municipal council. He was was convicted of “spreading false information” about the army in July over antiwar remarks he made at a council session.

Criticism of the invasion was criminalized a few months earlier, and Gorinov, 61, became the first Russian sent to prison for it, receiving seven years.

He is housed in barracks with about 50 others in his unit at Penal Colony No. 2 in the Vladimir region, Gorinov said in written answers passed to AP in March.

The long sentence for a low-profile activist shocked many, and Gorinov said “authorities needed an example they could showcase to others (of) an ordinary person, rather than a public figure.”

Inmates in his unit can watch TV, and play chess, backgammon or table tennis. There’s a small kitchen to brew tea or coffee between meals, and they can have food from personal supplies.

But Gorinov said prison officials still carry out “enhanced control” of the unit, and he and two other inmates get special checks every two hours, since they’ve been labeled “prone to escape.”

There is little medical help, he said.

“Right now, I’m not feeling all that well, as I can’t recover from bronchitis,” he said, adding that he needed treatment for pneumonia last winter at another prison’s hospital ward, because at Penal Colony No. 2, the most they can do is “break a fever.”

Also suffering health problems is artist and musician Sasha Skochilenko, who is detained amid her ongoing trial following her April 2022 arrest in St. Petersburg, also on charges of spreading false information about the army. Her crime was replacing supermarket price tags with antiwar slogans in protest.

Skochilenko has a congenital heart defect and celiac disease, requiring a gluten-free diet. She gets food parcels weekly, but there is a weight limit, and the 32-year-old can’t eat “half the things they give her there,” said her partner, Sophia Subbotina.

There’s a stark difference between detention facilities for women and men, and Skochilenko has it easier in some ways than male prisoners, Subbotina said.

“Oddly enough, the staff are mostly nice. Mostly they are women, they are quite friendly, they will give helpful tips and they have a very good attitude toward Sasha,” Subbotina told AP by phone.

“Often they support Sasha, they tell her: ‘You will definitely get out of here soon, this is so unfair here.’ They know about our relationship and they are fine with it. They’re very humane,” she said.

There’s no political propaganda in the jail and dance music blares from a radio. Cooking shows play on TV. Skochilenko “wouldn’t watch them in normal life, but in jail, it’s a distraction,” Subbotina said.

She recently arranged for an outside cardiologist to examine Skochilneko and since March has been allowed to visit her twice a month.

Subbotina gets emotional when she recalled their first visit.

“It is a complex and weird feeling when you’ve been living with a person. Sasha and I have been together for over six years — waking up with them, falling asleep with them — then not being able to see them for a year,” she said. “I was nervous when I went to visit her. I didn’t know what I would say to Sasha, but in the end, it went really well.”

Still, Subbotina said a year behind bars has been hard on Skochilenko. The trial is moving slowly, unlike usually swift proceedings for high-profile political activists, with guilty verdicts almost a certainty.

Skochilenko faces up to 10 years if convicted.