What is Cynophobia?

Cynophobia can be defined as a persistent and often irrational fear of dogs, of other canines, or of rabies, and sometimes all three. Numerous incidents can cause cynophobia to manifest, but most often, childhood trauma connected with a dog is the underlying cause. A toddler that receives a dog bite might suffer as an adult from cynophobia. Sometimes the person who has the condition can’t remember a specific trauma that triggered the fear, and even a mild incident with a dog like watching a scary movie about a dog or about rabies, or just having a large dog approach a small child could trigger the condition.

The condition of cynophobia, which may also be written as kynophobia, can manifest itself in different ways. Some people may feel a degree of mild anxiety in the presence of dogs, or they can have full-blown panic attacks if they come in contact with dogs, or even see them on the television set or in the movie theater. Middle range symptoms, which may be experienced separately or together can include irritation, sweating, rapid heart rate, feelings of anger, trembling, difficulty catching your breath, or nausea. Since the US tends to be a fairly dog friendly world, it’s hard to venture outside your door without seeing the occasional dog, and this can make people with pronounced cynophobia virtual shut-ins, if the fear of encountering a dog causes an excessive panicked reaction.

Moreover, it can be hard for the cynophobic person to have friends who are dog owners, which can make it difficult to establish relationships with others. It’s a difficult fear to overcome, as with most fears, and even if the causes are not rational, which is true of many phobias, it’s a very serious condition to deal with. Given the likelihood of encountering dogs in various circumstances, many people undergo extensive therapy to help address cynophobia.

In some instances therapy may focus on identifying early causes for the fear, though this isn’t always possible. Other therapies work to help by gradually exposing people with the phobia to stimuli (pictures, movies, and then possibly eventual contact with a dog) to help them overcome their fear. Some people with cynophobia are additionally helped with prescriptions of anti-anxiety medications. Yet until the fear is conquered, it may still be hard for people to be around others who have dogs and their relationships can be limited to folks who don’t have dogs.

A number of therapies exist to help people deal with cynophobia and with other phobias. What people should probably be wary of are websites or books that offer quick fixes to the problem. Unless your degree of fear is relatively mild, treatment with a qualified therapist is normally recommended to help you resume a life that is less dominated by this fear.