Nursery World - Confronting fears

As well as relating to a specific incident in the past, a child's fear of dogs may simply be the result of a more general anxiety that has latched on to something external, such as spiders or the dark. In either case, when you are out with children, child psychologist Jennie Lindon gives the same advice. 'If they are nervous, reassure them without stoking up their fear. Give them the support they need, by saying, "You can stay by me if you want to," or "I won't go far away," or "Would you like to hold my hand?".'

Give them the support they need, by saying, "You can stay by me if you want to," or "I won't go far away," or "Would you like to hold my hand?".'

It's also worth remembering what the reality of confronting a dog looks like to a young child. Jennie says, 'Even if the dog isn't barking or baring its teeth, anything more than a really tiny dog does feel big. It's probably at least waist-height, and even if the dog isn't dangerous, it comes bounding up and the child doesn't know what it will do next.'

Instilling a healthy awareness for unknown animals is always a wise route, and acknowledging the inappropriate behaviour of either the dog or its owner, who should have voice control over a dog that is not on a lead, can help children gain a perspective on their anxiety.

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