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.................I'm with Woody here.............

And keep in mind that he's the one who refers to one of my dogs as a "dog-like animal." <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> So I don't say "I'm with Woody" all that often!

It's a big tent, LOTS of room. And you know my theory on butt-visible dogs. Constantly challenging your authority everytime they show you the backside. Just rude.

In all seriousness, anytime there's a particular thing in your life that triggers a fearful physical reaction...sweating, nervousness, tunnel vision, whatever...that's not healthy and not a dog thing. Would give an (unqualified) strong recommendation to work that out. It can grow into something else if it's not dealt with properly in a professional environment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorders

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm

Irrational (or hyper-rational!) fear of dogs is known as "cynophobia" or something. "Arachibutyrophobia" is fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. "Coulrophobia" is fear of clowns. " Zemmiphobia" is the fear of the Great Mole Rat (or, operationally, pugs. same difference).

Connie's pug, not kidding here.

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Connie's pug, not kidding here.

Leo is on the phone right now. His training club has thirty-plus Pugs in it, and they are quite a sight all together. Not to mention his brother's club, with a membership of mainly GSDs and a few Mals.

I would post a link to Leo's club's photos, but you'd be so scared......... we would be sending you off to therapy.

Good luck, Hayley. I think you are wise to seek ways to keep this terrible memory from ruling your emotions.

As much as I respect you and your posts Connie, I have to say it...Woody that was funny! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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As much as I respect you and your posts Connie, I have to say it...Woody that was funny! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Oh, no it wasn't. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BTW, what the heck IS that?

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As much as I respect you and your posts Connie, I have to say it...Woody that was funny! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Oh, no it wasn't. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

BTW, what the heck IS that?

Is that a Great Mole Rat??? No wonder people have phobias.

One of the "Decoys in Training" I work with at my trainers place was TERRIFIED of dogs before he came to my trainer less than a year ago. Now he's taking bites from dogs on a weekly basis and owns one of the hardest working GSD's I've ever seen. Nothing to get you over your fear than to face it... but it's not for everyone, and female decoys are few and far between <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> One of my friends was bitten by a GSD when he was younger, he went to help a GSD in the road that got hit by a car n the dog attacked him, he hated german shepherds until he met my boy Cujo, now he wants a GSD of his own.

Good luck with your quest -- if the will is there you will get thru it, it's a state of mind, once you convince yourself that you're not afraid anymore then you will get over it, but sometimes what comes out of our mouth contradicts our subconscious doubts. Woody's suggestion of talking to a psychologist of sorts would be an excellent way to work thru this, maybe a professional psychologist can help you get into the right mindset <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hayley, find out if carrying a stun-baton (NOT a stun-gun, it's more like a police nightstick) is legal where you live -- They're harmless, but the "industrial strength" model WILL incapacitate a large dog completely & keep him that way long enough for you to get far away from the scene...

Does anyone know if it is legal to carry Mace anywhere?

i live in bear country and anybody can buy bear spray (capsicum) over the counter. i'm not aware of any ordinances preventing you from carrying it in town, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

i know if you buy bear spray in canada, they make you sign a statement that it is not for use on humans. it's been quite a few years since i bought it in canada, though, so i don't know if the rules have changed.