Overcome Fear Of Dogs

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Is Your Child Afraid of Dogs?
Help Is Closer Than You Think.

Does your child freeze up at the sight of a dog, or refuse to leave the house because they might spot one on the way? That’s called cynophobia and it’s more common than most parents realize. For some kids it’s just a little nervousness. For others, it’s bad enough that they won’t walk to a friend’s house, go to the park, or even step outside their own front door.

Here’s the part that matters most, this is treatable. Kids who are afraid of dogs can absolutely learn to feel calm and confident around them again, and often the progress happens faster than parents expect.

One approach that works well is gentle exposure therapy with a real, calm therapy dog, in a setting where your child feels safe. There’s no pushing, no forcing them into anything before they’re ready. Every step is small, paced to what your child can actually handle, and built around their comfort—not a timeline.

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ABOUT US

Are you looking for a way to help your child be more comfortable around dogs?

Based on decades of experience as a licensed psychotherapist, parenting coach, and mother of a child who was afraid of dogs, I developed an expertise in helping people of all ages overcome the fear of dogs.

My love of animals, especially dogs, developed when I was a young child. Dogs have always been an integral part of my life. When I realized that my daughter, Becky, was afraid of dogs I began to develop and implement the Overcoming Fear of Dogs Protocol (OFOD). Since then, I have perfected this method and have helped many people to feel safe and comfortable around dogs.

My first book, Overcoming Your Child’s Fear of Dogs, is the culmination of my efforts. It was born out of my wish and need for guidance when I needed resources and support to help my daughter face her fear of dogs. My second book, How to Face My Fear of Dogs, is an interactive activity guide for children.

I am based in Westchester County, New York for in person sessions. I am also available for online consultations, interviews and workshops.

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ABOUT US

A Therapist Who's Walked This Path Herself

Looking for a way to help your child feel comfortable around dogs? You’re in exactly the right place.

I’m Stefani Cohen, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist, parenting coach, and mother whose own daughter, Becky, once struggled with being afraid of dogs. That personal experience, paired with decades of clinical practice, led me to develop the Overcoming Fear of Dogs Protocol (OFOD): a step-by-step method that has since helped families move their kids from fear to real comfort, even joy, around dogs.

My first book, Overcoming Your Child’s Fear of Dogs, turns that method into a guide any parent can follow at home. My second book, How to Face My Fear of Dogs, turns it into an interactive workbook kids actually enjoy using.

I see families in person in Westchester County, New York, and offer online consultations, workshops, and interviews for families and clinicians anywhere.

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population affected

most common fear

seeking treatment

Two Books. One Proven Method.

How to Face My Fear of Dogs: An Activity Book for Kids to Feel Safe with Dogs

A hands-on companion workbook that turns the OFOD method into games, drawings, and small wins your child can feel proud of.
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Overcoming Your Child's Fear of Dogs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

This book is a parent’s road map and is a clear, compassionate, step-by-step guide for you to help your child afraid of dogs. They will learn to feel safe with dogs and build real comfort around them.
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Whatever Your Family Needs, There's a Path Forward

Whether you want hands-on guided exposure therapy, a self-paced program using the books, or want to explore animal-assisted therapy, I’ll help you find the right fit for your child.

Parent Coaching & Animal Assisted Therapy

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Exposure Therapy

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Exposure Therapy

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Exposure Therapy

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What Changes When a Child Faces Their Fear of Dogs

Dogs are everywhere, and avoiding them isn’t a long-term fix. Kids with an untreated dog phobia often withdraw socially and carry that anxiety into other parts of life. Facing it, with the right support, changes that:
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Dogs are everywhere these days and it is impossible to avoid them. Kids who are afraid of dogs suffer socially and emotionally.

By using the method in this book children will become more aware of their feelings and learn to express them clearly.

Children who face their fears learn coping skills and self-control, two of the biggest predictors of success later in life.

My method helps kids feel in control and “take back the leash” when interacting with dogs.

They develop self-confidence and self-esteem and feel empowered.

They learn to speak up and ask for help.

What Changes When a Child Faces Their Fear of Dogs

Dogs are everywhere, and avoiding them isn’t a long-term fix. Kids with an untreated dog phobia often withdraw socially and carry that anxiety into other parts of life. Facing it, with the right support, changes that:
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They learn to name and express their feelings clearly, instead of just reacting in fear.

They build coping skills and self-control, two of the strongest predictors of long-term success.

They "take back the leash," feeling in control instead of overwhelmed around dogs.

They grow real self-confidence and self-esteem.

They learn to speak up and ask for help when they need it.

They carry these same tools into every other fear they'll face while growing up.

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Stefani M. Cohen, LCSW, author of Overcoming Your Child’s Fear of Dogs, is available for virtual consultations, workshops, and trainings, wherever you’re located. Click below to get started.
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Common Questions From Parents

Is a fear of dogs common in children?
Yes. Cynophobia is one of the most common childhood fears, affecting kids across every background. It is very treatable and it’s best to address it as soon as it appears.
Why is my child suddenly afraid of dogs is one of the questions I hear most. A single scary encounter, a story overheard, or even a developmental stage can trigger it seemingly overnight.
Sometimes, but often well-meaning adults allow the child to avoid dogs and the fear is inadvertently reinforced. Guided, gradual practice is a far more reliable path than waiting it out. Many adults come to me and say they wish their parents had helped them when they were younger.
The best way to help a child scared of dogs is a structured, paced approach, like the OFOD protocol. This protocol is particularly successful when it is paired alongside how to help my child overcome fear of dogs guidance from a trained professional.
Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

“The Overcoming Fear of Dogs Protocol (OFOD) helped our daughter to grow her knowledge of dogs and dog behavior, face her fears, and become more comfortable with dogs. Over just a few short weeks, with great coaching and support from Stefani, our daughter went from being highly anxious in any room with dogs to brushing, petting, feeding, and even walking the therapy dog. It was amazing to see our daughter face her fears and develop new confidence. It also taught her methods for overcoming any other fears that she may have in the future – so this experience has built life skills even beyond comfort with dogs. Thank you, Stefani, for your generosity, wisdom, and great techniques!”
“We came to see Stefani and Fozzie at a time when our daughter’s fear of dogs had been escalating to the point of near panic attacks. As a clinical social worker myself, I had ]tried everything I knew how to help her with this fear and knew we needed more help. Stefani’s methods and style, paired with Fozzie’s sweet nature were a perfect fit. Stefani initially empowered Cara with information about how to understand dogs better and to feel more in control around them. When she introduced Fozzie, she had set exercises (and a chart to document it) in order to gradually increase exposure and gain mastery. Cara responded well to this system (especially getting check marks for her accomplishments), allowing her to over time feel more confident and comfortable around dogs in general.”
“We are located in North Carolina and could not meet in person with Stefani and the therapy dog. Stefani guided us to find a suitable helper dog through a local organization that ]visited hospitals. She did virtual sessions with Manny to help increase his knowledge of dogs, taught him coping skills for when he felt afraid and generally was a cheerleader for all of us! With her help Manny can now go to his best friend’s house for sleep overs.”
Fantastic book for helping our autistic son overcome a severe dog phobia. It offers a gentle, respectful method of working with your child, so that the child always feels safe and in control. It’s also really helpful in terms of giving advice in finding the right dog to work with, as well as how to best educate your child about dogs, and dog safety. Highly recommended.
This book provides a step by step process for helping children overcome their fear of dogs. It gives us hope that we can help our kids conquer this issue.
My son has a fear of dogs that has limited our socializing to where we can’t go anywhere if dogs are there. The author was able to help my son through the book and through her coaching him a little and it has made a difference. We are still working on it but I feel the book has given us a lot of insights and resources and tips to help my son overcome his fear. He may never become a dog lover but we are hoping in time he will become less frightened and anxious around dogs to the point that he can be in the same house with them. Thank you for a well-written book!
As a dog trainer and retired elementary school teacher, I love that this book starts by helping children first to understand their fear and then leads them through practical steps to conquer that fear and gain self-confidence around dogs. The strategies for remaining calm and relaxed despite fear will be so helpful to each child. This is the perfect follow-up to the book Overcoming Your Child’s Fear of Dogs!
If you know a child who is fearful around dogs, this excellent activity book is a must!The language is relaxed, conversational, supportive. The page format is child-friendly. The book is fun to use, which leads the way to learning.Children will be guided toward an understanding of their fear and led to reliable ways to overcome it. As a bonus, lessons offered here can help empower children in any arena.Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy-to-follow and Empowering

If you know a child who is fearful around dogs, this excellent activity book is a must!

The language is relaxed, conversational, supportive. The page format is child-friendly. The book is fun to use, which leads the way to learning.

Children will be guided toward an understanding of their fear and led to reliable ways to overcome it. As a bonus, lessons offered here can help empower children in any arena.

Admiring Reader

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful tool for child wanting to get comfortable with dogs

 
After reading her extremely helpful book, I purchased this workbook for my 6 year old son. It is a great interactive workbook that helps him develop a better understanding of dogs and tools to know how to be safe yet comfortable when around one. Stefani is an expert and her books are amazing!
Michele

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy, Practical, Engaging

 

As a dog trainer and retired elementary school teacher, I love that this book starts by helping children first to understand their fear and then leads them through practical steps to conquer that fear and gain self-confidence around dogs. The strategies for remaining calm and relaxed despite fear will be so helpful to each child. This is the perfect follow-up to the book Overcoming Your Child’s Fear of Dogs! Lesley Z

This is a beautiful and extremely useful “Activity Book for Kids to Feel Safe with Dogs!”

 

I love love love this full color and interactive workbook for kids all about overcoming their fear of dogs! As the companion guide to the author’s must-read book, “Overcoming Your Fear of Dogs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents,” I especially appreciate the section that describes “An Exposure Session with a Real Dog” outlining how to help children with their anxiety in a structured and safe manner. Every page of the workbook captures attention and engages young readers into action. The illustrations, font, color, activities, and reflection pages are amazing! I highly recommend Stefani M. Cohen’s books and services. As a practising Psychotherapist and LCSW, her expertise shines through on every page!

Contact

Ready to Face Your Fear of Dogs?

Contact Stefani and she’ll get back to you ASAP.

Stefani also offers consultations for therapists treating cynophobia. Please reach out to discuss options.

Email Now

stefanicohenlcsw@gmail.com
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Contact

Ready to Face your fear of dogs?

Contact STEFANI & she’ll get back to you ASAP!

Stefani also offers consultations for therapists treating cynophobia. Please reach out to discuss options.

Email Now

stefanicohenlcsw@gmail.com

Email Now

Get in Touch With Us

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