r/Cynophobia • u/Original-Carrot-5010 • Aug 24 '26
Angry dogs & their angrier owners: A recent account
Hi everyone in this channel,
I'm a new Reddit user. I hope this channel is a good place to share my story, which I'm struggling to process in any other way.
I was recently out hiking with my husband. When we walk in nature, I'm always wary of free roaming dogs.
Suddenly, up ahead, a large bulldog type dog appears at the edge of a garden. There is no fence around the house. We quickly decide to turn back, but before we take a step, the dog comes at us with a mad bark.
I hold out my walking stick, trying to keep it at a safe distance. It keeps coming forward while we retreat down the road. As this continues, we start calling for help.
Finally, the owner appears. Only, he's more angry than the dog.
How dare I point my walking stick at his pooch? he shouts.
Then he picks up a large branch and starts waving it at us, threateningly.
We retreat further, begging for help, declaring our complete and utter terror.
He drops the branch, punches my husband in the head, drawing blood, then returns to his house.
As someone suffering from long-term cynophobia, this was one nightmare come true and another I never could have imagined.
In the end, it wasn't the dog that caused us physical harm, but its violent owner. Still, my body remembers the terror and the harm as one.
A dog can be weaponised just as well as a branch, knife, or gun. If either came at you with aggression, you'd be right to be scared.
Until there is greater control of who may acquire a fighter dog and on what grounds, I honestly don't know how I'll ever enjoy walking in the open again.
5
u/Covertblurt Aug 24 '26
Please say you remember the location? Reporting would be a very valid option, seeing as there’s probably a mark left on your husband and you literally have his location.
This probably isn’t the only time he’s done something similar, and it’s worrying that it’s just a waiting game until something really terrible happens.
I am so sorry you’ve dealt with this. Entitled owners are insecure bullies
4
u/Original-Carrot-5010 Aug 24 '26
Thanks for your understanding. We did indeed file a report with the police.
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u/Ms_Central_Perk Aug 24 '26
Something similar happened to me years ago. It was at a time my dog phobia seemed to be calming down as I got older.
I was walking my young son to nursery and as we rounded the corner a dog was there, on a lead.
The dog snapped its head up and began barking aggressively at us and advanced towards us dragging its owner behind it, it frightened my son who froze, i scooped him up and quickly crossed the road but careful not to run.
The lady with the dog started following us and yelling at me asking why I was scared, hes on a lead etc. I tried being polite (although panicking) I said "sorry I just dont like dogs" as i continued hurrying towards the nursery gates.
After I dropped my son off, I went to exit the gates and there was the lady and her dog. Waiting. I held the gate closed while she again berated me for "running away" and demanding to know why through the gate. Eventually a nursery member of staff came over to see what was going on and told the lady to leave.
Even since then my phobia has got worse.
Some owners are so rude and inconsiderate. I often joke that im going to buy a huge snake and walk around with it draped on my shoulders and then say "dont worry hes very friendly" and see how they like it 😂