Helping Your Friends Overcome Their Fear Of Dogs

How Aspen Changed My Life

- Priyasha Mohanty

Sadly, not everyone is a dog lover. There is always a bunch that is scared of dogs. I was one of them until I warmed up to Aspen, my best friend's dog, an adorable black Labrador.

I was one of those people who had pet parents lock their pets in a different room when I came for a visit. Visiting a pet owner's house was nothing short of fright for me. This went on for years and this group of people is not always addressed. These are people who are afraid of dogs but also love them so dearly. They are caught up in that reflex action and general fear that needs to be overcome with love and patience.

Not everyone scared of dogs hates them. Actually, it is quite the other way around for most people. I witnessed Aspen grow up from a baby to an adult dog. I would pat him frequently and look at him in complete awe from a distance.