Greetings friends!

(Credit: https://steemit.com/ccc/@wakucat/2zjzkx-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words)

I have seen people who are afraid of dogs. When a dog comes near them, they start trembling with fear. But I don’t feel that way. In fact, I like dogs. They often approach me gently, as if they sense my emotions. Perhaps they can smell how we feel. Whenever someone comes near them in fear, dogs may think that the person intends to attack, so they bark and sometimes bite.

Of course, not every dog is gentle or well‑mannered. Many start growling and barking whenever they see a stranger passing by. But if people remain calm and don’t panic, dogs usually don’t bite.

One day, I was walking in a park with my girlfriend when a cute little dog came near us. It began sniffing around, which frightened her. She hid behind me. I assured her that it was just a little dog and wouldn’t harm us. But it was hard to convince her. I started whistling, which seemed to reassure the dog that I was friendly. He wagged his tail. That was the indication that he wanted to play with me. I showed interest and soon he disappeared into the bushes and returned with a ball. I threw it and he leapt after it, bringing it back to me. We repeated this for a few minutes. Then my girlfriend’s curiosity grew. She gained confidence and joined in the play.

After a while, the dog’s owner arrived and took him away. But that moment changed everything. My girlfriend was no longer afraid of dogs. In fact, we now own a pet dog ourselves.

Are you afraid of dogs?