Dear Annie: My Friend is Afraid of Dogs, and I Have a Puppy

[cereta]

Dear Annie: I read your column every day, and I'm always amazed by the unusual dilemmas people write to you about. Now I am hoping you have an answer for me. Anyway, we have a dear friend we've known for many years, and she has a problem with dogs of all sizes. She is extremely afraid of them and reacts in an almost childlike manner towards them. It seems to stem from her childhood in Sicily. One time, when she was 5 years old and walking in her neighborhood, a large dog barked at her and charged the fence around its house. It must have scared the bejesus out of her.

We recently got a puppy, and she doesn't want to be around the puppy. She even cringes at photos of the puppy. Is there anything that can be done to help her without losing her friendship? -- Dog Lover

Dear Dog Lover: You have to take puppy steps with your friend. Each time she comes over to your house, make sure your puppy's just had a nice long walk, and put your puppy on a leash. Ask your pooch to go into a sitting position so that she can pet the puppy calmly. The first time, she may pet your puppy only once or not at all. But if she sees -- through repeated exposure -- that your dog is not the dog that terrified her when she was 5, she may be able to reprogram her fear. If she really can't even try and be around a small puppy, she should seek professional help.

Comments

[cereta]

But minoamiss, how can she still be friends with this woman if the woman doesn't learn to love the puppy and want to be around it at all times?

[minoanmiss]

That's right, I forgot, ALL GOOD AND DECENT PEOPLE LOVE DOGS COMPLETELY UNCONDITIONALLY. Only EVILDOERS don't want to be around dogs AT ALL TIMES.

JFC, I know what you mean. I have a couple of otherwise lovely friends who just don't get that not everyone wants to be arund dogs .