Dogs Sense Your Fear

Absolutely! Dogs are even better than we are at reading a person's reaction to them. In fact, much of the time spent in training dogs is actually dedicated to instructing the owners--they need to have the body language and voice that display an owner's confidence and dominance. If dogs are approached in a timid manner by humans or other animals, they see this as a signal to take charge of the event. They are amongst the most manipulative species in the animal kingdom. How many other species can you think of that are provided every meal, shelter and complete medical and grooming care?

Very frequently I see patients who appear sick to their owners, yet I can find no illness after a physical exam and associated tests. Often I come to discover that there are problems at home, such as a divorce or a lost loved one or financial stress, and the dog begins to act poorly since the humans they are living with are miserable. No matter how you may fool a friend into thinking you're okay, you really can't fake it with your pet (same is true of cats). They pay close attention to your body language, your vocal tone and your routines--any changes and they know something is up. So, in addition to fear, I believe that dogs sense a whole gamut of emotions.

A human who is fearful of dogs will get in trouble because a dog may actually perceive him as an enemy and try to run him off. When I was a child we had a neighbor whose German shepherd served as a baby sitter for all the kids on the block. One day we were playing in her yard and a parent who came by to collect his son was very frightened by the presence of the dog. The father approached as a stranger looking to remove one of the German shepherd's charges, and she chased him from the yard. As he scaled the fence, she almost bit his pants off. Had he only approached her in a more confident, familiar manner, she surely would have allowed him to take his own son home.

If you are afraid of dogs, the best thing to do is to try to spend more time with the smaller, friendlier breeds, such as shih tzus and yorkies. Many people actually overcome their fears by getting dogs of their own. In any case, if you find yourself in a situation with a strange dog, try to stay calm, speak in a gentle voice, move slowly but normally and don't try to be brave by offering a hand or a pat on the head. Just say hello and be on your way.

Dr. Peter Kross, DVM, has had his own veterinary practice, the Rivergate Veterinary Clinic in New York City, since 1989. He lives in Manhattan with his three white boxers, Buchanan, Wilhelmina and Laila.