I was in grade school when I got bitten by a dog, luckily I was brought to the hospital immediately. That is when I started having this fear for dogs, small or big, silent one or dogs who barks at people. Whenever I see one, I panicked. I don't know what to do.
Most of my friends has dogs at home, I don't usually attend events like their birthdays or their parent's because yes I am afraid of their dogs and I don't want to be nuisance that they have to kept their dogs or tied them up for me so I usually decides not to go. My friends understood my thoughts about it missing those events.
2020, covid 19 happened. Lockdown and lost a job (I was working as an art facilitator and art teacher for kids and teens). One day, my brother brought a puppy at home and we're shocked and don't know how to react. My younger sister and I are afraid of dogs, small or big. My mom is not afraid but she's not fond of animals. We don't hate animals. He was 2 months old when he got to our house, he's still a baby that time, very active indeed. My sister and I are always on the sofa (like our feet should be on the sofa, not on the floor where our dog can reach). We have to make sure he's busy or not attentive of us so we can pass and go wherever we have to go. We are like an agent or spy in our own home. That is the scenario everyday. Until one day, I tried to touch him little by little, shaking but trying to calm my nerves. I wanted to try, I wanted to overcome my fear. I succeeded but still, a little scared. Step by step, I tried to be closer to him. I tried to feed him his food then his treats. I get a little giddy everything he gets the treat from my palm. That's when I'm starting to like our dog and getting over my fear to him. I tried to carry him, to bathe him, and I didn't realize that I'm the one taking good care of him instead of my brother. And then my brother told me "You okay now with dog? or is it just with our dog?" That question striked through me, I was dumbfounded and didn't know what to answer.
Yes, it might be true that I overcome my fear with just our dog but not with all dogs (or mostly).
It's never too late to overcome our fears. Let's take step by step in overcoming it.