The Origin of My Fear Uneasiness Around Dogs
I used to be afraid of dogs. Let me be honest. I am still somewhat cautious around dogs I don’t know. But when I was a little girl, I was definitely afraid of dogs. Thinking back now, I can’t pinpoint what experience triggered my fear. A dog didn’t attack me or anything like that. It feels like the fear has just always been there. But I ironically used to love watching Cesar Millan on the Dog Whisperer. I assume that same logic is why I never miss an episode of The Great British Baking Show, but don’t bake anything. Ever.
The Golden Retriever
As I look out my window now, I see my neighbor walking her dog. In my childhood mind, her dog is what I would classify as a nice dog: a golden retriever. I actually think he’s a mixed breed, but he looks like a golden retriever from a distance. And he’s on a leash. He’s a happy, cute dog who is enjoying the day walking along side his owner. I might even pet that dog. In my mind, all these facts add up to this dog being a nice, safe, approachable dog. This neighbor lives at the end of the street and the dog is never out without her, so the only time I see this nice dog is when she walks him.
By the way, all the dogs in this story will remain nameless as to protect their identity. And the pictures are from the internet. They are not representative of the actual dogs.
The Pit Bulls
Then there are the dogs that live on the other street in the neighborhood. These dogs are pit bulls; at least I think they are pit bulls because, needless to say, I have not gotten close enough to get a good look at them. They live in a house at a major curve in the road, so when you are coming in and out of the neighborhood, you have to slow down in front of their house. The good news is that if the dogs are outside, they are in their designated chain linked fence enclosure. From the road you can see that in front of that fence is a skull looking thing with horns. It’s almost like a metal scarecrow. That’s a bit extra in my opinion. But while these dogs may bark at you when you pass by, they are always locked up in the fence, so they pose no real threat. I usually pass right by them without even thinking about it.
The Other Dogs
Then there are the next-door neighbor’s dogs. They stay in the house most of the time. When the little one is on the porch, it will bark, well, more like yap at you for a while until it loses interest. The big one only comes out to do its business. Otherwise, those dogs are in the house.
The German Shepherds
The other next-door neighbors also have dogs. (Just about every one in the neighborhood has at least one dog, so there is no need for me to get a dog or any other pet. Please don’t suggest it!). They actually have three dogs, all German shepherds. But these dogs mostly stay in the house too. Our neighbors let them out everyday to run around and do other doggy stuff. The thing about these dogs is that they look intimidating. And they are never on a leash. This is of no consequence if you are in the house doing whatever. But if you need to walk outside to grab something from the car or get the mail from the mailbox, and the dogs are out, they usually start making a beeline for you. On more than one occasion, I have personally calculated the distance between where the dogs are, how fast I can either run to the back door of the house or how long it will take me to enter the security code to my car and jump in the front seat before the dogs get me. Thankfully, I’ve never had to use any of my Mission Impossible-like planning. The good thing about these dogs is that they listen to their owners. So while it’s every bit unnerving to see a rather large German shepherd charging towards you (even if it just wants to play…how am I supposed to know what the dog is thinking?), one word from its master, and the sprinting force of fur comes to a complete stop. Then the dog just turns around and runs back towards its yard, and my heart rate begins to drop back to its pre-Mission Impossible state.
Interlude: My Exercise Routine
I should add here that with the exception of the next-door neighbor’s German shepherds, I hardly paid attention to any of my neighbors’ dogs before I started walking in the neighborhood for exercise. I had previously only ever worked out in the safety of the living room, sweating it out to Zumba or some workout video I found on YouTube. But my mother has been walking in the neighborhood for years, and after her encouragement, I started walking too. It’s about a 2.5 mile walk to the neighborhood entrance and back, so it’s a nice little distance. And I can listen to whatever I want in my Bluetooth headphones, so I feel like an official work out person.
Anyway…
The Chocolate Lab
The neighbor’s dog that lives across the street is a majestic chocolate lab looking dog. This dog may bark at you when it sees you. It may get up or it may just stay lying down in its comfortable doggy spot in the driveway. You really don’t know what that dog is going to do. Once I found out that our neighbors put in an invisible fence, I became less concerned about the chocolate dog. I show the dog respect by crossing over to the other side of the street if I see it’s in the front yard when I walk by. But if the dog chooses to bark at me, it usually doesn’t distract me from whatever I’m listening to in my headphones.
The Boxer
The dog who lives at the house near the entrance of the neighborhood is the newest member of the neighborhood dog club. ___ is a boxer. I actually know this dog’s name, but as I promised, I will not reveal it to protect the dog’s identity. It’s a great doggy name, though. The boxer started out barking. But I think our neighbors bought one of those barking deterrent collars, so now when the dog sees you, it just makes a faux whiney barky sound, if it makes any sound at all. And the boxer is tied to a tree in the yard, so it can’t go anywhere beyond the length of that leash.
The Intimidating Dog
This brings me to the dog in the middle of the neighborhood. This dog used to have a partner in crime, but that dog had to be put down recently. Sad, I know. But that does not take away from the fear this particular dog has caused me. I’m not sure what breed the dog is. It’s not a retriever or boxer or pit bull or German shepherd. It’s a medium to large sized dog with blonde fur, but it’s not really the dog’s look that’s imposing. It’s what the dog does.
First, let me say that the owners do have the dog in an invisible fence. There are flags in the yard that indicate the fence’s boundaries. But whenever anyone, be they casual walker, bike rider, motor vehicle, gets into the dog’s view, the dog usually bolts, I mean bolts towards you. The dog will run up to the edge of its yard and follow you as you walk alongside, all the while barking, growling and making other intimidating dog noises. You know the fence is there, but I challenge anyone not to feel a bit nervous about a dog snarling at you with what seems like malicious intent. And it’s a long yard, so you and the dog are in a standoff for more than a few steps if you’re walking. I get that the dog wants to protect its territory, but why can’t his dog senses tell him I’m not a threat?
I am really grateful to the inventor of the invisible doggy fence. He actually spoke at a college graduation I attended a few years ago.
But with this dog, there have been times where either the batteries in the doggy collar are dying or the dog just ignores the shock it feels and passes over the invisible threshold into the street. Needless to say, when I round the corner and approach this dog’s yard, I’m on the lookout.
But not too long after I started walking in the neighborhood, I found out my neighbor with the happy, safe dog gives this dog treats when she walks by his yard. And then my dad said when he rolled by once, he saw the dog just frolicking along next to the Amazon Prime delivery person when he dropped off a package at the front door. And on a different occasion, the owner told my dad, “_____ won’t bite ya. He just makes a lotta noise. He’s a puppy dog.”
What? Then, dog, why all the barking and stalking and running out into the street? Why all the show? Chill out.
I’m Not Afraid Anymore
Knowing all this, I still avoid eye contact with this dog. I still cross over to other side of the street when I approach this dog’s yard. I have a healthy respect for him.
But I’m not afraid anymore. I know that no matter how intimidating his bark sounds and how nerve racking it is to have the dog stalk me, he won’t do anything to hurt me. Even the times when I’ve walked by and he’s come into the street, I know he won’t chase after me and bite me.
To put it plainly, the sting of fear is gone.
The Invisible Fence
And it hit me. This is exactly the lesson that the LORD wants to teach me. Fear may have gripped me in the past, but I do not have to be afraid of ANYTHING.
We have an enemy who is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). We are not to be ignorant of his devices. But no matter how much the enemy tries and whatever method he uses: whether he’s the yappy dog that’s more of an aggravation than a threat, the dog that gives chase all of the sudden and leaves no time for escape, the unpredictable dog, or the relentless dog, stalking it’s prey without fail…we have no need to fear him.
We have Someone greater on our side. (I John 4:4)
He’s the One who keeps all the dogs in check. He silences the annoying clamor of the little dog who snips at our heals. He keeps the imposing, barking dog on a leash and in its cage. He’s the One who calls back the hounds (0r German shepherds) who chase after us. He knows what the unpredictable dog will do before he does it. And He’s the One who keeps the dog we least want to face in its place.
His love is the invisible fence. We can’t see it, but by faith we know it’s there working on our behalf, keeping the enemy from the killing, stealing and destroying he’s accustom too.
At its core, a fear problem is really a love problem.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (I John 4:18)
We fear because we don’t really understand the heights and depths of God’s love for us.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
We fear because we’re not truly persuaded that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Once we understand that, we’ll have the answer to this question:
“What shall we then say to these things? If God before us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
And we know when the enemy comes in like a flood (or a dog), the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19)
That standard is His love.
Now, that doesn’t mean we go around looking for trouble. The enemy is powerful. Only the power of God can defeat Satan. Our job is to stay on the narrow way, not go rummaging around in the enemy’s yard. We are to resist the devil, and he will flee from us. (James 4:7)
Here’s something I’m going to practice. Whenever I’m faced with a situation and fear rears its unholy head, along with remembering 2 Timothy 1:7:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
…I’m going to ask myself two things, “What’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to me?” and “Will it separate me from my Father’s love?”
In my situation with the neighborhood dogs, one of them could actually get loose from whatever leash or fence is holding it in, come after me and attack me. It’s not likely, but it could happen. The worst thing that could happen to any of us in this life is death. And death is a certainty. But for the believer, death is a sleep, and its sting will be taken away when our LORD returns. It’s called the First Resurrection.
“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (I Corinthians 15:54-55)
If Christ has already secured the ultimate victory over death, what do we have to be afraid of now?
Fear of…
- Missing out?
- The unknown?
- Failure?
- The opinions of others?
- Rejection?
- Sharing the Gospel?
- Spiritual Warfare?
- Darkness?
- Dying?
For the child of God, the answer is: Nothing. The truth is we are more than conquerors because of His love for us.
If you’ve never heard the Gospel message, or if you are not truly convinced that God loves you, I encourage you to check out the resources I’ve recommended below.
If you are tormented by fear, I can tell you from personal experience, the only consistent safe haven is the love of God. God willing, I’ll share more of that testimony in the future.
Fear of failure, rejection and the unknown tried to keep me from starting mysurrenderedheart.com. By God’s power and grace, those dogs will stay in their place as I continue to walk out the truth that I’ve learned.
As I end this blog now, I can see my neighbor walking the happy, safe dog down the street. Maybe I’ll get to pet that dog on my next walk. But now, it’s time for me to watch the latest episode of The Great British Baking Show.
Recommended Resources: The Gospel Truth and Discovering Your Worth In God’s Eyes