What is Cynophobia?

Cynophobia is the fear of dogs. Zoophobia is the general name for the fear of animals of different species. It's interesting that Cynophobia is not as common as other zoophobias (snakes, spiders or insects). However, people who fear dogs can often meet them in their day to day lives. This makes the phobic avoid all kinds of situations involving dogs. It influences one's social activity much and can be really inconvenient.

More Info: www.fearof.net

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25 Comments

Larry W. Jones

I am 62 and have never had a bad experience with one. If you get Animal Planet, sometime watch Pit Bulls and Parolees. It may not change your mind, but it will give you a different perspective and may even break your heart (because of the way the dogs were treated).

Kate Foley

Larry W. Jones....brilliant that you have said that!.......that is the whole point, they get savagely treated to make them aggressive, then they get the blame for it......they used to be known as nanny dogs because of being so good with children.

Nina Kamwene

I did not know that, but I was bitten by our own dog when I was a child, and overcame cynophobia. I love dogs but own cats.

Lydia Coutts

I was bitten on the face by a family pet when I was a teen - I still have a slight scar under my eye. However it never affected my deep love for all things canine. Truly man's (and woman's) best friend. <3

Jim Laughner

I've been bitten a few times by dogs, never severely (but enough to draw blood). and it hasn't changed my attitude about dogs. Each time it was my own fault, even though not obvious before the fact, they could have been easily avoided if not for my lack of concern for the situation. In each case the dog was just doing what it was supposed to do, protecting itself, it's home and it's family against a perceived threat.If I had approached the situations slightly differently there would have been no problems whatsoever. I knew the dogs and was a little bit too comforrtable around them. Each time the bites were taken care of with a bit of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and some soap and water.No hard felings between me and the owners or between me and the dogs. (I knew that the dogs were up to date on their vaccines and they were indoor dogs, so even if they wouldn't have been current I wouldn't have been concerned). I love dogs of all sorts, but I do respect them and their instinct to protect their territory, (Now more than before I was bitten).