Another child overcame his fear of dogs – Martin's story
Fear of dogs is not uncommon in children. It is not uncommon in adults either. Sometimes it appears suddenly, other times it builds up over years. But when this fear exists in a home where there is already a dog, the situation can become a real challenge for the whole family.
This is Martin's story.
When fear becomes part of everyday life
Martin is 5 years old and grows up in a home with a dog. His four-legged friend Leo was adopted from a shelter four years before Martin was born. Everything seems natural and normal – until the moment when fear gradually begins to build.
At first, Marty begins to avoid Leo, ignore him, and later – to be afraid of him, climb on furniture and scream that the dog will attack or hurt him, without the dog itself showing signs of aggression towards the child.
Over the course of three years, this fear deepens.
It is difficult for parents to see their child afraid of something that has always been a natural part of life for them.
The helplessness in such moments is real.
How do you help your child when you don’t know where to start?
The first step towards change
Sometimes the solution comes unexpectedly.
After coming across the story of another child with a similar problem, Martin's mother - Polina contacts the Lucky Hunt team. Just a day later, there is already an answer and something new begins - a process that will change everything. First, we have a conversation with the parents, meet with the family and assess how to approach individually and in the most appropriate way for the specific child we will work with.
This is how Martin's meetings with the therapy dog Buba began.
Trust does not come at once
The first meeting is not "magical". There is no sudden change, no miracle.
And this is completely normal.
The process does not aim to "remove" fear abruptly, but to build trust. This is how we start and move at the child's pace.
With each meeting, Martin begins to relax. He begins to ask about Buba. To be interested.
With each meeting, we consolidate what has been achieved, gradually build on and always include a bit of something new.
When the fear begins to subside
After several successful encounters with Buba, the family includes their pet Leo in the sessions.
The idea is not for Martin to get used to dogs "in general", but to restore the relationship with his own dog, which has been a part of his life since birth.
With the help of Tsarina Georgieva and a carefully selected approach, the family begins to rebuild trust between the child and Leo. Without tension, without force, without expecting an instant result.
That's when the real change begins to be seen.
Martin no longer avoids dogs. He begins to stand closer to them, observe them calmly, ask questions and show interest. And curiosity is one of the first and most important steps towards overcoming fear.
Nacho - the dog that helps Martin
Nacho is one of the dogs of Lucky Hunt, which is involved in working with children. He is significantly larger than Buba (she is a Pekingese breed). But at the same time, Nacho is very calm, patient and gentle, he gradually becomes Martin's greatest ally .
Meetings with him now include:
- walks with a dog on a leash and leading the animal
- correct behavior around other dogs and people
- building trust between a child and an animal
Martin is learning how to hold a leash. How to move calmly next to a dog. How to understand his body language.
And most importantly – he begins to see the dog not as a danger, but as a friend.
Why do therapy dogs help with fear of dogs in children?
Working with a therapy dog is much more than “petting a dog”.
With the right approach, the team handler (trainer)-dog-child becomes a bridge between fear and confidence.
Children gradually begin to:
- understand dog behavior
- build predictability and a sense of control
- develop empathy
- reduce anxiety
- increase self-confidence
It is especially important that the process takes place in a safe environment and with dogs that have the appropriate temperament and are trained for such work.
A distinction must be made between a therapy dog, an assistance dog for people with various disabilities and dog for an emotional support.
To overcome fear of dogs at Lucky Hunt, we work individually according to the needs of each child and always take into account their pace.
Overcoming fear does not happen in a day
Martin’s fear was built up over three years. It is normal that overcoming it also takes time.
But just a few months into our work together, the parents see something they had long thought impossible: Martin walks Nacho calmly on a leash.
He pets him.
He hugs him.
He talks to him.
These are moments that seem insignificant to many people, but in fact change everyday life completely.
Is your child afraid of dogs?
If you are going through a similar situation, know that you are not alone.
Working with fears requires time, patience and an individual approach, but change is possible.
The Lucky Hunt team develops programs for working with children and dogs, aimed at:
- overcoming fear of dogs
- building trust in animals
- safe interaction between children and dogs
- animal welfare
You can contact us via the contact form or our social media channels to discuss how we could help your child.
