I went away with a big group of friends and our children on an activity weekend a few years ago and it was fabulous fun. 

I decided that I wanted a challenge that would push my limits so I did the gorge walk, which involved jumping off the side of a waterfall into a gorge and the raging water below. I thought it may help me overcome my massive fear of heights. 

Quite honestly, I was shitting myself but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it despite my fear – because I occasionally do stupid things like that. 

Once up there, already cold and wet and tired, like a horse at a jump in a show ring there were two refusals as I panicked and backed off, feeling sick and scared but I knew on the third attempt it was now or never: If I backed off again I wouldn’t do it and I had been cold and wet for the last two hours for nothing. The chap in charge up there was lovely and patient and said I didn’t have to do it, but I wanted to. 

I jumped. 

It was absolutely terrifying; even now if I think about how it felt jumping off the edge and landing in the freezing water I get goosebumps, the hair on my neck stands on end and I can feel the fear I felt at that moment. It is now imprinted in my fear memory forever. 

It was terrifying – and do you know what?  I am even more scared of heights now because I know what it actually feels like to fall into a ravine.  

What has this got to do with dogs you are pondering. Don’t worry I’ll get to it, hang in there. 

I did that because I (stupidly) wanted to face something that scared me. 

But I had a choice, it was entirely my decision to do it or walk away.

Imagine how I would have felt if someone had MADE me do it?  

What if someone had frogmarched me up there on a rope to the edge and when I screamed and shouted and fought to get away from the edge he shouted at me, told me to ‘shut up’  and yanked the rope hard so my wrists burned. 

Would I ever trust the person who forced me into that terrifying situation again … nope 

Would I scream & fight louder next time when I realised we were heading towards the edge of a rock face? – damn right I would. 

Would it be fair to punish me for being frightened – absolutely not. 

So when a fearful dog is on a lead and he can’t escape from the dog/person/wheelie bin/bus he is frightened of and he barks and lunges and growls because he is terrified …   

Is it fair to punish him for his reaction?

Absolutely not. 

Will it make his fear worse – yes probably 

Will he trust his owner to keep him safe – no. 

I understand that having a barking, lunging aggressive dog on the end of the lead is frustrating, embarrassing, annoying. It makes people angry and fed up – but imagine being that dog if he is doing it because he is scared and his owner keeps making him walk past all the scary stuff every day and then shouting at him for having a meltdown. 

Dogs bark for many reasons but if it is fear, please do some training with someone like me who knows how to help, with a tried and tested program to help change your fearful anxious dog to a calm and confdent canine.

If you have a fearful dog stop walking them too close to things that scare them, you are your dog’s protector, and it won’t get any better if he keeps being scared. Keep a safe distance from scary things and give loads of rewards for doing the right thing until you can sort the problem out. 

If you don’t have a fearful barking dog and you see a dog wearing yellow – please keep your distance.