What's wrong with people?

Consolation
Sat, 30 Dec 2017 20:47:58 +0000

I finally asked the owner to please keep the dog away from me and she rudely said “He’s a THERAPY dog!” as if that made it better.

This to me is the response of a person who thinks your problem is that you are afraid of dogs who wants to reassure you that this dog is certified safe. For some people that would work.

Your reasonable response would be to explain that you are sorry but you have a phobia. I have a friend whose H is terrified of dogs because of a traumatic war experience in his youth. All dogs. If he came to our house, I would close my golden retriever, the least threatening of dogs, in the bedroom.

I do find it a bit odd that she would bring her dog to someone else’s house without asking. If that were the case, your host would likely have asked her not to, knowing that you would be there.

I have a strong phobia to snakes. I can barely type the word. If someone were walking around with one as a pet, I would have to immediately leave the premises, unless they could lock it up in an escape-proof container, and even then I would never go to their house again. I know that it is irrational, and like you, I would not be comforted by being informed that it wasn’t poisonous. That makes absolutely no difference to me.

My mother has a cat phobia. She can’t stand to have them touch her. Naturally, they make a beeline for her!

You are a stronger person than I: no way in hell could I share my house with one of the aforementioned creatures!