ASK THE EXPERT
Q MY five-year-old daughter is terrified of dogs after she was nipped by one last year. How can I help to ease her fears?
A KERRY TAYLOR, education manager at the Blue Cross animal charity (bluecross.org.uk), says: “Fear can be a challenging emotion for a child. They might not understand or be able to control their actions, so finding a method that helps your daughter relax, such as deep breathing or counting to 10, might be useful for when she’s in a fearful situation.
“As your daughter’s fear is a direct result of being bitten, it might be helpful to explore the reasons why. Talking this through may build a picture of the chance of this happening again.
“This isn’t about blame, but trying to understand the situation from both points of view.
“Although your daughter is young, she may relate to the fact that dogs have feelings too. They can’t talk, so rely on body language to let us know how they might be feeling. Knowing more about how dogs communicate may help build her confidence and help her start to recognise how dogs look when they’re relaxed or unsure.
“This process will take time, and a gradual exposure to positive experiences around dogs will have more success than doing too much too soon.
“You may want to start by encouraging some learning around dogs such as watching a cartoon, an online video, or looking at pictures. Talk about how great dogs are, the jobs they can have and the family relationships they can build
“Do you have friends or family that have a quiet, relaxed and friendly dog you might be able to slowly introduce your daughter to? This will need to be done over time in a controlled way, once she feels ready. Being in an environment where your daughter and the dog feel comfortable will help, and several short, positive experiences will hopefully assist in reducing her anxiety around dogs.
“But remember it can be common for children to build a positive relationship with a dog they know well, but still show uncertainty around dogs they don’t. This is OK and can be similar for dogs too. So be mindful that you may need to start again slowly when introducing new dogs.”