How I Deal With Cynophobia

For years, I've had to strike off my dating list a lot of handsome, intelligent, warm and amiable guys because I have cynophobia.

As soon as I see in their FB pics that they love dogs, I just quietly strike them off my list because I don't want them to see how horror-stricken my face would be if their beloved dog or dogs run to greet me, if I visit them in their condos o! That would be so humiliating!

This, by the way, is Cooper, and he is such a bibo and loving and fierceguard dog. But since I have cynophobia, it's very difficult for me to even hold him.

I think I've held him before but it was like holding a hot kettle. I couldn't wait to drop him and shoo him away from me. It doesn't help that my brothers and Mama are no dog lovers either.

It's even worse outside in the streets of Manila. I could actually write a whole book about how I've had to avoid the stray dogs of Manila and Bangkok - two cities whose residents don't really care about stray dogs.

I love walking in neighborhoods but my cynophobia has made it very hard for me to walk around my own QC neighborhood because there is always a freaking stray dog out there or sometimes five of them, suddenly appearing in my path!

Try walking in Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok at 4AM and see how horrifyingly many stray dogs there are to dodge and keep away from! It has made my quiet walks turn into cynophobian nightmares!

Anyway, I was glad the kiddos got three dogs last year. I think it has made inroads into decreasing my cynophobia. I guess, this frequent interaction with them has slowly helped me cope with it.

See how pathetic I am in this picture. Cooper obviously wants to be picked up and cuddled and here I am, too afraid to pick him up lest he bite me or dig his sharp nails into my body!

I know it's freaking stupid but the phobia is there and it's so hard to overcome! I have no illusions that my cynophobia will ever be cured but as they say, baby steps, baby steps...